Lots of microphone test out there and Steve Neff did a wonderful comparison. Just curious for all you studio pros, what is your GO TO studio Microphone. I'm recording my very first Album with a group and need some input.
What is your GO TO studio Microphone?
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Wonderful! Which studio will you be recording in? It might be helpful to see a list of what they have to work with. And which horn(s) will you be recording?
I've been lucky to record in some great studios and on some great mics over the years, and it can be a pretty personal thing. But in general, a good Neumann combined with a good ribbon of some sort will give you the best of all worlds. My favorite saxophone recordings that I've been able to do have been on these mics or some combination thereof:
Neumann u87 (honestly my favorite of the bunch, even though it's common and less expensive than some of the others! Still not cheap...)
Neumann u67
RCA 77 (ribbon)
RCA 44 (ribbon)
Sennheiser MD441 (dynamic)
Of all the "holy grail" tube microphones, I've recorded on the u67 and also a Neumann/Telefunken-badge u47. The 47 was a great mic, but for me personally I preferred the 67 by a long shot, and the 87 even more, surprisingly. I've never gotten to use the other "grails" (AKG C12, Neumann M49, Telefunken/AKG ELAM 251) but I have no doubt they'd be more than capable of getting a good recording... :lol:
I've been lucky to record in some great studios and on some great mics over the years, and it can be a pretty personal thing. But in general, a good Neumann combined with a good ribbon of some sort will give you the best of all worlds. My favorite saxophone recordings that I've been able to do have been on these mics or some combination thereof:
Neumann u87 (honestly my favorite of the bunch, even though it's common and less expensive than some of the others! Still not cheap...)
Neumann u67
RCA 77 (ribbon)
RCA 44 (ribbon)
Sennheiser MD441 (dynamic)
Of all the "holy grail" tube microphones, I've recorded on the u67 and also a Neumann/Telefunken-badge u47. The 47 was a great mic, but for me personally I preferred the 67 by a long shot, and the 87 even more, surprisingly. I've never gotten to use the other "grails" (AKG C12, Neumann M49, Telefunken/AKG ELAM 251) but I have no doubt they'd be more than capable of getting a good recording... :lol:
The studio I record at uses the Neumann U87. I also like the RCA ribbon mikes. HeavyWeather has it covered with the microphones that you should see set up when you arrive. I let the engineer choose the microphone that he wants to use usually.
Grafton + TH & C alto || Naked Lady 10M || TT soprano || Martin Comm III
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It's best (IMO) to first take into account the engineer's preference for that specific room. How to rub an engineer up the wrong way = tell them their job and waht mic you want on your saxophone. Of course that doesn't apply if they are crap, or after the recording it sounds awful. Then you are into damage limitation.
I've done sessions where the engineer (or producer) chose valve U67s, Coles 4038, U87, C12, etc... it's all down to what their concept is. The most famous work I did (for REM) was done at a very top studio but (wait for it) on sM58.
My own preference for all round great sound in my own studio - whatever horn, whatever player, whatever room I choose to record in, is a C12 VR. It just works. I have a drawer of mics, new and vintage, and that one just always works. No faffing (apart from choosing the polar pattern)
I also have some others, Oktava Condnesers and ribbons, vintage EMI ribbons - all good but still the C12VR just cuts the mustard.
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Impossible to recommend a single best microphone for anything. Depends on what the room sounds like, and what each individual instrument or singer sounds like. What works best in one room on one player may not sound good for a different player, or the same player in a different room.
That's why studios have so many different microphones to choose from.
That's why studios have so many different microphones to choose from.
VI, MKX, VR, YTS26, Barone tenors. AD, TW, 10mfan, Link, Brilhart mouthpieces.
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Leaving the prime u67, c12VR, 4038, etc. in the vault, these are my home studio GOTO budget microphones:
1. Valve - Rode NTK (soprano sax)
2. LD condenser - Shure KSM32 (bari)
3. Ribbon - NADY RSM-4 (tenor)
4. Dynamic - Sennheiser MD441 (alto)
1. Valve - Rode NTK (soprano sax)
2. LD condenser - Shure KSM32 (bari)
3. Ribbon - NADY RSM-4 (tenor)
4. Dynamic - Sennheiser MD441 (alto)
Thanks. I guess I was looking for something I could purchase.
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Aha! If you're looking to buy your own, and not use what a well-stocked studio has, that changes things.
I'm assuming you probably don't have $3k-$15k lying around for a microphone, and even if you did, if you don't have a decent-sounding room, your results won't be too pleasing.For a mic to have at home, in a less-than-ideal room, a good dynamic microphone like Electro-Voice RE20, Sennheiser 421 (or 441 if you can afford it), Beyerdynamic M88, or something like that will get a good quality sound with less room than a condenser, which will be more sensitive. There are some very decent affordable condensers out there these days, though, if you have a room that sounds good. Pete's C12 is undoubtedly a great mic but pretty damn expensive! I'm really loving a mic I got at the beginning of the year by a company called 3U Audio that makes very high-quality large-diaphragm condenser mics for a reasonable price tag. They're not clones, but are generally modeled after various famous Neumann or AKG classics, sound-wise, and the guy in charge of the company is somewhat of a capsule and circuitry genius.
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If you're going to buy a mic for yourself to use, that's a whole other set of criteria. Baring a huge chunk of money that you just want to spend, here are my favorite all around mics:
1) Audio-Technica AT3035, discontinued for some years but $150-250 on eBay
2) Heil PR30B, $260
3) Rode NT2A, $400
4) Audio-Technica AT4050, $700
5) DPA 4099S, $600
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You could sell your horns, and buy a nice shiny mic! :twisted: :bluewink:
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Depending on the mic, you might have to sell several horns...
JCBigler's list of "affordable" mics is excellent, by the way.
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