 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ben
Date: 1999-01-21 02:25
I recently purchaced a Sony Miny Disc recorder to better hear ways to make improvements in my playing. I need to get a microphone for use with it as well and I was wondering how I may find out which microphone/s will give me the best quallity of capturing sound for a price range of a few hundred dollars?
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Author: Jim Carabetta
Date: 1999-01-21 18:22
Depending on the sensitivity of your recorder, I'd steer away from transducers and use a free-standing mike. I've had good results with Shure mikes (they're good solid equipment and moderately priced), but unless you plan on standing real still, make sure it's omni-directional -- uni-directionals work fair for a sax but they're very awkward for a clarinet.
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Author: Rick
Date: 1999-01-21 23:12
Shure SM58 is a good one. It's a good mic to become
used to, as it is one of the most popular and would very
likely be the one you'd encounter in a "walk-on" situation.
I would also look into a mic stand with a heavy base and
an instrument boom. The latter, especially, will make
playing into the mic more comfortable. Experiment with different mic locations, but one that seems to work well
is above the right hand, as this picks up both bore and
bell sound. Hope this helps.
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Author: Mark Weinstein
Date: 1999-01-22 00:30
I have a Sony Walkman professional (WM-3) which is somewhat similar to your Minidisk Recorder. My WMPro uses a Sony MIC (all-directional) which was made for it. That doesn't mean its the best, but rather given the task at hand it gets the job done (for me). In the past I have recorded and then taken the cassette to a studio which does some commercials and audio stuff. they have been able to clean it up wonderfully. the latter is VERY cheap, even given reproduction of several cassettes. ($10 for 5, i think)
I don't know that you would find bang for your buck with a more expensive one, say $200. the Sony I have is about $45 I think. Sony also sells a slightly better (all-direction) for about $90. the specs are quite good. with a high end recorder, no doubt, the results would be very worthwhile.
the NICE thing about the Sony is that the audio plugs fit without having to step up/stepo down the size with adapters.
I feel that comfortable with the adapters. I tried a used Shure with an adapter before I bought and didn't think it worked that well wiwth my DM-3. (( we all know that SHURE is excellent quality, it is the adapting that I question ))
if you would like I can get you the model # of my Sony MIC. Its at home; I'm at the office.
best of luck.
mw
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 1999-01-22 17:48
Ben -
With microphones, you pretty much get what you pay for. I recorded many concerts with a good cassette recorder and two Radio Shack electret condenser (battery powered) microphones (each about the size of a thick pencil) that sell for $19.95 each.
Sony makes a single-unit stereo electret condenser with a cord (rather than just plugging the body into the recorder) for about $60. I think it's no better than the Radio Shacks. They also make a more elaborate version for about $250. It's noticeably better than the Radio Shacks.
I ended up getting Neumann KM-84s, which are phantom powered (plug-in power supply) condensers. They require a lot of extra paraphernelia - cords, matching transformers, plug converters, maybe a preamplifier - that ran around $1,000 total a number of years ago. The sound is amazing. AKG and Schoeps also make equivalents, at the same price level.
The condensers are generally better than other types. The electret condensers will take more abuse than the phantom condensers. Ribbon mics may be the best of all, but they're impossibly delicate.
I'd say start off with the Radio Shacks. The cost is minimal, and they may be all you need. The live recordings I made with them sound as good as most LPs, if only because the recording has not gone through multiple generations of mixers.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Mickey
Date: 1999-01-23 03:23
When i use a Mic ... i use my Zenheiser 421 ($300.00) all the mic I need... and use it free standing then you can "Milk" the mic where and when you have to. Good luck!
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