 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: m1964
Date: 2020-12-03 06:51
Hi,
Our conductor asked if we could recorder our parts so his sound engineer would put them together ro create a complete recording of a piece.
I have never done any recording except for using a tablet to compare two different clarinets.
Can anyone suggeet a mic that would be:
1.affordable- around $100
2. Would record clarinet and viola
3. Would have a USB plug or be compatible with USB
Thanks
PS
Do I even need a mic? Maybe I am better off using a tablet, esp.for the 1st time?
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Author: Chris_C ★2017
Date: 2020-12-03 13:26
If you've never done any recording before, then your tablet should be fine. The microphones in tablets and phones are electrets, which are generally pretty good (even if they only cost 50p for the insert!). The recording app is more important - try several and choose one which sounds OK. The main feature of tablet/phone apps is that they tend to apply heavy AGC (Automatic Gain Control), so the recording comes out near maximum amplitude and doesn't have any significant dynamic range. Whoever is editing all the contributions together will be well aware of that and will manage it.
Good luck!
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Author: clariberto
Date: 2020-12-03 14:45
As more people mentioned, a phone or tablet can be good enough. If you want more quality than that I would suggest that if you have never used microphones or done any recordings whatsoever, you should try a Zoom recorder. They are simple and reliable and plenty of models to choose from to adjust to your budget.
They even have a few models that you can plug into your phone as an external microphone, which can be pretty handy.
If you really want a microphone, I think Audio Technica has a pretty decent USB model, the AT2020 USB.
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Author: Chris_C ★2017
Date: 2020-12-03 15:08
A Zoom recorder is certainly a good option. I use a Zoom H2 for recording the band I play with and the results are excellent. I use the first AGC option, which seems to have good characteristics/time constants to retain most of the dynamics. I then replace the audio soundtrack on a video recording. It can also be used in USB microphone mode. When I bought it, it was the cheapest such device around, but I see the H1 is now available within the OP price range. I have no experience with that one.
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Author: Mojo
Date: 2020-12-03 17:22
Blue Snowball.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
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Author: gwie
Date: 2020-12-03 23:13
The standard Blue Snowball ($69) is an easy USB recording option.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2020-12-04 07:21
Thanks a lot to everyone for your replies- I will try the tablet and see how it is, and if not will go with one of the recommendations above.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-12-04 14:02
I would recommend the Shure MV88 for iPhone/iPad. It has a lightning connector and an app to use with it. Produces good stereo and you can share the wav files easily.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: m1964
Date: 2020-12-06 08:50
The "sound" person (who will be doing the editing), sent an email to every one suggesting that an XLR microphone+the XLR to USB interface is preferred to the USB microphone.
Definitely trying my tablet first...
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-12-06 14:48
Well.....yeah, it's always better to use better equipment but an interface will start at $250, then you need a microphone.
So if you're ok going a little over $100, the Zoom H1 is a great option because it is much easier to just place it in the room and get a really good recorded sound. Doing separates (the interface and then explore the wonderful world of microphones) will offer better results in the end but it requires learning about mic placement, polar pattern and where your pocketbook limit truly exists.
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: m1964
Date: 2020-12-07 04:15
Paul Aviles wrote:
> Well.....yeah, it's always better to use better equipment but
> an interface will start at $250, then you need a microphone.
>
Hi Paul,
I found a few interfaces/converters well below $100, such as this one:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1056158-REG/behringer_um_2_u_phoria_um2_2x2_usb.html
I am not sure how good it is but there are other models as well.
Of course, I would still need to buy a microphone. Another $100 or so, may be more.
My dilemma is that I learned the hard way that cheap stuff often does not work and using it sometimes could make things worse (like using a cheap socket would strip the bolt head).
On the other hand, it definitely does not make sense to spend a fortune trying to record one page of clarinet part.
Thank you
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-12-07 18:36
I have to admit a bit of prejudice against the Behringer products. What I have used successfully on the cheaper side are for example the Focusrite Scarlet or the Zoom TAC 2R.
You have to consider that EVERYTHING in the audio chain influences the sound (a/d converters, amplifier section, connectors).
Honestly for most folks not wanting to go down the path of learning "recording" as another discipline, the Zoom recorders (various prices starting around $100) are the best way to go. They could not be easier to use and they get really good results.
However, if you are curious and/or feel that you may want to learn more about the recording process in the future (and even begin to fiddle with an audio program like Logic or ProTools) then separates is the way to go........but with a bit more investment up front to keep from being discouraged.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: m1964
Date: 2020-12-08 04:26
Paul,
Thanks a lot- the "sound" person advised me to start with my tablet, so that is what I am going to do and see what happens.
If the tablet is not good enough, H1 Zoom is about $100 and a that should not bankrupt me.
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Author: Niclas.e.gustafsson
Date: 2020-12-08 22:08
clarinets are very very overtone rich, and almost all tablets and computers built in microphone will give considerable distortion if not placed very far away, capturing a lot of room (it will sound more like a box than a room really)
A good portable microphone is a very good investment for the future. Recording yourself for educational purpose is amazing. No one is a better teacher than you, becase you are always around. Record your playing a couple of times a week is great!!
Zoom h1n and up is very very good value for money. I have done some okay recordings with those actually. Good mics in a pinch.
If you insist on using the phone/tablet, then use the handsfree microphone. Apples earbuds is okay. Better than the built in almost certainly. And if you are using an iphone, the recording app can record "lossless".
//the audio engineer
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Author: AndyW
Date: 2020-12-09 02:32
Behringer C-1U USB is an easy-to-use large-diaphragm condenser mic with built-in USB interface. £30 or $50 for the mic.
you’ll also need a small desk stand or free-standing mic stand with it.
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Author: jim sclater
Date: 2020-12-09 18:29
I have had excellent results with a Zoom H4n recorder and a pair of Rode M5 mikes. Each piece of gear is relatively inexpensive. Recently recorded some clarinet and organ works and ran them through Audacity program. Really happy with the outcome. It's a setup I can use at home regularly, too, which is really helpful.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2020-12-10 00:29
AndyW wrote:
"Behringer C-1U USB is an easy-to-use large-diaphragm condenser mic with built-in USB interface. £30 or $50 for the mic.
you’ll also need a small desk stand or free-standing mic stand with it."
Hi Andy,
Thanks a lot for your recommendation-the mic looks like the next step up from the tablet/phone. 4 out of 5 stars reviews on Amazon are not bad at all.
As you said, I would also have to buy a mount of some kind, that I should be able to attach to my photo tripod.
jim sclater wrote:
"I have had excellent results with a Zoom H4n recorder and a pair of Rode M5 mikes. Each piece of gear is relatively inexpensive. Recently recorded some clarinet and organ works and ran them through Audacity program. Really happy with the outcome. It's a setup I can use at home regularly, too, which is really helpful."
Hi Jim,
I am not sure I will be diving so deep into recording.
If not a tablet, then a USB mic probably would be my next step.
I usually try to buy the best gear I can afford, but in this case I am not interested much in recording myself except when asked by the conductor.
I would like very much to come back to playing live music...when it's safe.
Niclas.e.gustafsson wrote:
"clarinets are very very overtone rich, and almost all tablets and computers built in microphone will give considerable distortion if not placed very far away, capturing a lot of room (it will sound more like a box than a room really)
A good portable microphone is a very good investment for the future. Recording yourself for educational purpose is amazing. No one is a better teacher than you, becase you are always around. Record your playing a couple of times a week is great!!..."
Niclas,
I am not sure I want to listen to myself- I probably would get discouraged esp. if comparing myself to Martin Frost, Sabine Meyer, Sharon Kam or pretty much anyone else I listen to on youtube or internet radio.
Anyway, I will have to listen to my playing this time...will see how it comes out.
Again thanks to everyone for your help
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2020-12-13 23:42
SecondTry wrote:
> It's better than nothing but subject to its share of latency
> despite all of us using ethernet (i.e. not WiFi) connections to
> the internet.
The chances of your house WiFi connection adding audible latency is almost nil. Chances of your packets being delayed or dropped on the ethernet backbone from place to place is probably the culprit, and even in a perfect world with a fiber cable from a house in san francisco to a house in new york has a round-trip time of about 50 milliseconds. That's a hard, physical limit. Now, with some reality thrown in, it's at least a 100ms round trip. You make a sound, they hear the sound - 50ms. They adjust instantaneously fast, you get the result 50ms later.
About the same as a small marching band, except the instantaneous part.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2020-12-14 08:40
Mark: I completely appreciate where you are technically coming from and would normally whole heartedly agree. Facts about digital speeds aren't subject to opinion.
With that said the people at JamKazam all but mandate that we hard wire with ethernet cables or Firewire ones on Apple. They claim (as this non-techy explains to someone that is) that their best model to reduce latency comes in sending smaller packets of data more frequently, claiming such a communication model falls short with WiFi as compared to a cabled internet connection.
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