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Post by reddirt on Mar 1, 2020 17:02:57 GMT -6
Yep, the humble tambourine - a mash of killer transients and complex waveforms. Looking to get the true size of the instrument as it sounds when playing it and as heard in some 60s records etc ; - nope it's small , thin and the hit on the palm is so much louder than the general sound.
I 've tried condensers, SM7, and the best so far is the Joly modded Apex 205 (thanks Dr Bill). To reduce the palm hit , i'm holding a foam pad which makes a difference, also tried the mic at distances from 6" to 6 ' Also moved into all corners of the room and other rooms as well including bathroom and toilet.
What has worked well for you guys?
Cheers, Ross
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 1, 2020 17:16:11 GMT -6
Ribbon mic and distance. However, I’ve never found it hard to record. Maybe it’s the instrument? Is it a quality tambourine? Meinl brand always works for me.
Does it have a skin or just the hoop? You need a little bit of technique with the skin, dampening it from the inside with the fingers of the hand that supports it.
You can also strike with your fingertips, either all together or separate.
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Post by reddirt on Mar 1, 2020 17:26:50 GMT -6
No skin Cheers
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Post by Guitar on Mar 1, 2020 17:30:35 GMT -6
Distance is the right idea for me. Beyond that, use a tambourine that sounds good in the room. They are all a bit different to one another. Sometimes significantly.
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Post by drbill on Mar 1, 2020 17:32:12 GMT -6
Try more distance.
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Post by jamiesego on Mar 1, 2020 19:27:08 GMT -6
I normally go for a good ribbon mic, sometimes a 635a or a condenser in omni. A vari-mu compressor can be cool. If you have access to a tape machine it can be cool to record it at a higher speed and slow it back down for a thicker sound. If you don’t have a tape machine you can use something like Soundtoys Alterboy and blend an octave down signal.
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Post by Ward on Mar 1, 2020 21:33:14 GMT -6
Neumann TLM102. 8' from the floor. Tamborine at about 4' off the floor. Clean pre, like a Grace M101, straight in, no compression. Then HPF at 300hz.
That's it. Works like a charm. Ribbons are great too, when you need it smushy
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Post by chromies on Mar 2, 2020 10:19:19 GMT -6
Contrary to my first inclination, i found low passing and getting rid of top top frequencies helped me finally get a decent tambo sound. So now a ribbon from at least 6’ and rolling off above, perhaps, 12k is the ticket. Tough instrument to record well.
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Post by svart on Mar 2, 2020 10:35:53 GMT -6
I did a few tambourines. Agree with the rest, distance of around 2-4ft seemed good for the one I did. I think I used an LDC and did some low passing.
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Post by theshea on Mar 2, 2020 10:40:40 GMT -6
Contrary to my first inclination, i found low passing and getting rid of top top frequencies helped me finally get a decent tambo sound. So now a ribbon from at least 6’ and rolling off above, perhaps, 12k is the ticket. Tough instrument to record well. yes, rolling of some highs is what i do as well. and it helps make sit the tamburine a bit in the back. and recording it with some distance is key like a lot here write. and i don't make it "look" right into the mic, i play/record it standing slightly off axis to the mic.
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Post by EmRR on Mar 2, 2020 13:08:40 GMT -6
Almost always a ribbon and distance to get the body thwack balanced.
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Post by geoff738 on Mar 2, 2020 13:14:54 GMT -6
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who has found tackling the tambourine tricky. Condensers too tinkly and dynamics not quite bright enough. Not sure I had any ribbons last time I recorded one.
Anyways, good stuff guys.
Cheers, Geoff
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Post by lpedrum on Mar 2, 2020 14:08:12 GMT -6
If you're looking for the classic tambourine sound the instrument matters. IMHO the old Ludwigs are essential and they've never been bettered. They get very pricey on eBay and Reverb but you can occasionally find them elsewhere. I found this hardly used beauty on Craigslist.
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Post by geoff738 on Mar 2, 2020 14:21:27 GMT -6
Hope Bob O sees this. Would love to hear how this was done at Motown.
Cheers, Geoff
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Post by Bob Olhsson on Mar 2, 2020 14:49:46 GMT -6
We used KM-86s. That said, I was shocked by how bad the tambourines sounded after I moved to San Francisco. I bought myself a Ludwig tambourine to use for recording and that turned out to make the difference. I actually like EV 635as and ribbons.
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Post by lpedrum on Mar 2, 2020 15:16:00 GMT -6
Ross...Just PMed you.
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Post by johneppstein on Mar 2, 2020 15:40:57 GMT -6
2-4'. Dark sounding condenser,ribbon,or dynamic,depending on the instrument. Modern voiced condensers with the typical "modern" presence peak should be avoided.
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Post by chessparov on Mar 2, 2020 15:55:46 GMT -6
How would you guys rate the mid-priced $40-$50 Remo's with either goat skin or fiberskyn? Or another nice Tambo for less than the vintage Ludwigs. One of my expert "drumming buddies" (Ray Weston), suggested for me to start learning on a mellow/"skinned" one BTW. I know it'll take at least a few weeks, to hit that "Jack Ashford" level! (kidding kidding) The main band I "guest sing" with nowadays, asked if I could learn some percussion for live performance. This is part of the reason, I kept my EV 635a! Thanks, Chris P.S. I'm guessing if we keep my Tambo mic fairly "cold" onstage (it's a loud band), the 635a might work live too. I thinki it might sound better, versus the more aggressive SM58 there.
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Post by schmalzy on Mar 2, 2020 16:58:11 GMT -6
My Apex 205 is my favorite for tambourine.
Give it some distance. Half or more of hand percussion sounds are the sound of the instrument in an ambient space. Sometimes the right mic is a condenser. I find it's a better choice when I'm looking for more ambience than direct. I'll use the ribbon when I need a more balanced direct/ambience sound.
The thunk of a hand always annoyed me. I'm often using a wire brush (the kind you use on snare drums) as my striker for a tambourine with no drum head. Paint brushes (not for drums) are also sometimes helpful. They sound soft but still give me the strike.
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Post by reddirt on Mar 2, 2020 23:55:31 GMT -6
Wow , would never have thought the topic could raise such interest. Thank you to all for replying. Cheers, Ross
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Post by lpedrum on Mar 3, 2020 0:17:31 GMT -6
How would you guys rate the mid-priced $40-$50 Remo's with either goat skin or fiberskyn? Or another nice Tambo for less than the vintage Ludwigs. I PM'ed you....
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Post by chessparov on Mar 3, 2020 3:20:20 GMT -6
Thanks! Chris
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Post by johneppstein on Mar 3, 2020 20:37:23 GMT -6
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who has found tackling the tambourine tricky. Condensers too tinkly and dynamics not quite bright enough. Not sure I had any ribbons last time I recorded one. Anyways, good stuff guys. Cheers, Geoff You're using the wrong condensers.
As I said previously, "modern" voiced condensers with the exaggerated presence peak suck at this. You need a darker, traditionally voiced condenser. I like my C12A brass capsule. My Pearlman TM-1s aren't bad, either.
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Post by geoff738 on Mar 3, 2020 21:31:14 GMT -6
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who has found tackling the tambourine tricky. Condensers too tinkly and dynamics not quite bright enough. Not sure I had any ribbons last time I recorded one. Anyways, good stuff guys. Cheers, Geoff You're using the wrong condensers.
As I said previously, "modern" voiced condensers with the exaggerated presence peak suck at this. You need a darker, traditionally voiced condenser. I like my C12A brass capsule. My Pearlman TM-1s aren't bad, either.
Probably. I had a wooden and plastic one, both of which have snuck off somewhere. I m guessing we used an AT 4033, so bright, or maybe a Bock 195 which to me is less bright, but I know also have a reputation of being bright. Those were my “good” mics at the time so probably what we used but I know we tried dynamics as well. If I had my Aea ribbon at the time, I don’t think I tried it. Anyhow this has me thinking I should probably pick up a tambourine. It probably wouldn’t get used much, but it would get used. Cheers, Geoff
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Post by chessparov on Mar 3, 2020 21:48:12 GMT -6
New U195 on FAT mode IMHO, would be fine. But pointing a 635a is easier for me! Chris
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