How do bedroom producers set up your mics for music and audio production?

[Tone Deft]

I have an Audio Technica AT3035, I can record with it no problem. it has a boom and a shock mount. the only thing I do is put the instrument in front of an instrument and hit record. I know there can be more to it so I can get better recordings but I've never studied up on mic use.

a search I did found this video on acoustic guitar recording tips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhuURBsFrHs
I learned that I shouldn't always mic the body of the guitar, I can get a jangley sound from mic-ing the neck, my recordings have been too boomy because I mic the body.

a series of videos by Neumann
https://youtu.be/aivxxQLK9Qw

suggestions for recording guitar, ukulele, vocals, general bedroom production stuff. whatever the Pros use is beyond me.

[flynnja92]

It's about finding the sweet spot, the AT3035 really excels at eking out as much low end as it can. So if you try and find a position between the jangly-ness of the neck and the boominess of the body you should be able to slightly EQ out some of the boominess which will no doubt be your main problem.

If you're struggling and cost isn't an issue, I would recommend two small diaphragm microphones which can allow you to record the neck and body in a balanced way. You could even use the AT3035 for room ambience too if you have enough inputs.

Do you have any of your own recordings you can post?

[H20nly]

I have an AT 3035. I solved my gripes with it by replacing it with a Shure SM7B and good pre-amp (Universal Audio 710 Twin-Finity)

Probably not the answer you were looking for, but I found that a condenser microphone just pics up too much back ground noise that I have to wrestle with in recordings.... If you're still in the same place in SF, I imagine you'd experience the same thing.

Hi BTW

[TLW]

One trick that can work well with acoustic guitars is to have one mic pointed at around the 14th fret and a second mic positioned off to the right (if playing right-handed) and pointing at the body strap button so it faces "up" the guitar towards the head. Like any two mic setup it can take some trial and error to avoid phasing issues between the mics.

With steel string large body guitars mics pointed at the sound hole do tend to pick up a very boomy sound, and if close to the guitar might even need a pop-shield because of the air being expelled from the instrument.

Ukeleles and mandolins generally seem to work well with a mic that's not too close - say a couple of feet away, pointed at the centre of the body.

Omni-directional mics can produce good results because they don't boost or cut frequencies like a carded can. If you can get an omni mic and one with a figure 8 pickup pattern mid/side recording techniques can be useful.

Small diaphragm condensers such as the AKG C1000S can work well with a lot of instruments and even the SM57 has its uses.

If using a mic in a room with a computer it helps if the computer has been built to be as quiet as possible, or recording is done before the project gets big and complicated enough to have the cooling fans kick in. Graphics card fans are often the noisiest and a fanless gpu can reduce the noise levels a surprising amount. Obviously the mic's least sensitive zone should be pointed at the most objectionable noise source, and the shields that are available to attack to mic stands behind the mic can be surprisingly effective.

[Tone Deft]

It's about finding the sweet spot, the AT3035 really excels at eking out as much low end as it can. So if you try and find a position between the jangly-ness of the neck and the boominess of the body you should be able to slightly EQ out some of the boominess which will no doubt be your main problem.

If you're struggling and cost isn't an issue, I would recommend two small diaphragm microphones which can allow you to record the neck and body in a balanced way. You could even use the AT3035 for room ambience too if you have enough inputs.

Do you have any of your own recordings you can post?

thanks, great advice. I do need to spend time finding the sweet spot. you're right, the boominess was my problem.

I just did some quick recordings/loops here, basic stuff
https://soundcloud.com/tone-deft/chestn ... ing-around
take 1 - nylon string guitar w/mic
take 2 - steel string guitar w/mic
take 3 - steel string guitar w/bridge pickup
take 4 - ukulele w/mic

mic placed in the 'bridge' position. in front of me but off to the right.

Obviously the mic's least sensitive zone should be pointed at the most objectionable noise source, and the shields that are available to attack to mic stands behind the mic can be surprisingly effective.

more great advice, thanks. I was thinking of those shields. it's not just fan noise, my room is 4 floors above a 4 lane city street. we'll see what I pickup.

I only have the one mic for now but damn the day I get G.A.S. for microphones. I can see that.

I have an AT 3035. I solved my gripes with it by replacing it with a Shure SM7B and good pre-amp (Universal Audio 710 Twin-Finity)

Probably not the answer you were looking for, but I found that a condenser microphone just pics up too much back ground noise that I have to wrestle with in recordings.... If you're still in the same place in SF, I imagine you'd experience the same thing.

Hi BTW

hey ! pre-amps... more G.A.S. I fear in the future. for now my Edirol UA101 sound card is fine. my musical talent is well below eeking out great detailed recordings.


thanks for the advice, I think this itch is scratched for now. main takeaways:
- record into the label of a cardiod mic.
- do not record acoustic guitars straight on, most every other position works better.

[H20nly]

Yeah, I hear you on G.A.S. That pre-amp was my last purchase and it was years ago... but I wanted to end the Taco Bell parking lot recordings of background noise between lyrics. The condenser mic, for all its strengths, wasn’t good for my apartment situation. So finding the gear for the task was complimentary.

Having said that, your takeaway from the better advice posted is solid. The sweet spot is real. So is the sweet time of day... if background noise is a factor.

Good luck. Hope to hear some of it...