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Post by mike on Aug 23, 2020 22:16:42 GMT -6
I'm curious what answers might rise to the top for the question; What would your mic choice(s) be for acoustic guitar, if you can't use a KM84 ?
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Post by Tbone81 on Aug 23, 2020 22:42:27 GMT -6
I’ve been having a lot of success with a gefell umt70.
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Post by Michael O. on Aug 23, 2020 23:05:19 GMT -6
It depends on the other variables: the sound of the instrument itself, the guitar’s place in the overall arrangement, playing style, room, etc. Sometimes in an ensemble piece an 87 can sound excellent, sometimes a dynamic mic (like an re10/15, md21, md211, 667a/668, and many others) is just the thing in the right mix, and sometimes the style necessitates something overtly strummy like a 451/452.
My favorites (other than my go-to 84’s, but that’s not the answer you’re looking for, lol) are Sennheiser’s mkh-405 or 105, and this Lomo prototype multipattern side address sdc I have called a 19a35. Honestly though, imo acoustic can sound fine with a huge variety of microphones if the style and the mix allow for it.
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Post by yotonic on Aug 23, 2020 23:11:39 GMT -6
+1 on a vintage U87
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Post by mhbunch on Aug 24, 2020 0:22:28 GMT -6
AEA 44
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Post by rob61 on Aug 24, 2020 1:43:52 GMT -6
Neumann TLM-170.
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Post by mrholmes on Aug 24, 2020 2:27:59 GMT -6
I would agree it depends on the room you track in...
In a more dry sounding space my favorites are a KM 184 or the Mk012...
In a great reflective sounding space I love the UMT 70.
And one day its the 84 only..,🙏🎙️🎚️
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Post by tasteliketape on Aug 24, 2020 5:10:15 GMT -6
Samar MF65 ribbon or Neumann M582 .
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Post by wiz on Aug 24, 2020 5:25:32 GMT -6
On my last album it was all rode ntr on all acoustic guitars....
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Post by Ward on Aug 24, 2020 5:36:15 GMT -6
KM54
EDIT FOR ADDITON:
Or the Neumann-Gefell M582 with the cardioid nickel capsule headbasket after Shannon Rhoades got through with it . . . which sounds nearly identical to a KM54, with every bit of the nickelly sparkle.
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Post by Guitar on Aug 24, 2020 6:13:14 GMT -6
Lately I've been using an SE SE1A.
Also have been getting nice sounds from 110 degree XY with the Zoom H6 (surprisingly good) and the Audio Technica AT825.
The Oktava MK 012 and MXL R80 (reribboned) have been in use also.
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Post by swafford on Aug 24, 2020 7:30:31 GMT -6
I'm curious what answers might rise to the top for the question; What would your mic choice(s) be for acoustic guitar, if you can't use a KM84 ?
Royer 122v |
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 24, 2020 7:47:38 GMT -6
Soyuz SU013
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Post by drumsound on Aug 24, 2020 8:00:09 GMT -6
In a dense arrangement, the AT Pro37 is kind of perfect. As Albini likes to say "its far from flat," but that doesn't matter. It already does a lot of what you'd do to get an acoustic to speak in context.
Other favorites are MC012, sE T2, U87, and sometimes EV RE10
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 14,919 
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Post by ericn on Aug 24, 2020 9:14:00 GMT -6
Just about any Schoeps, Gefell UM70, Sony C535, JW modded C460, M49.
All are different just depends on the track, guitar, room, player and goal.
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Post by drbill on Aug 24, 2020 9:15:49 GMT -6
mike - are you trying to keep this to SDC's - or looking towards anything? If I can't use KM84's I'd probably gravitate to my KM86's or perhaps the KM53's if I wanted more detail. Gefell M70/692 would be good too albeit a bit brighter. I'd head to my modded Oktava 012's if budget is a concern. After that, of course, it's all about what you're after. LDC's, Ribbons, Dynamics - all fair game.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 24, 2020 9:22:33 GMT -6
Welp, according to this thread. Any mic...
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Post by Guitar on Aug 24, 2020 9:31:19 GMT -6
Welp, according to this thread. Any mic... I think it's a decent concept. Use anything that works! Don't get so hung up on what's "regarded." This is ericn's new philosophy that I have completely adopted. To go one step further, if you go too far into chasing what other people have talked about, it might actually hold you back. Although obviously a KM84 is probably going to work. That has to be said also. Pardon my philosophy. |
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Post by EmRR on Aug 24, 2020 10:32:46 GMT -6
Almost always omni here. KM131, MKH20, MKH105, DPA 4060, MK-012, hell, EV 654A. Comes down to the brightness and detail needed. Lately I put KM131 and MKH20 together and track both, see which sits best. Then also an ambient pair further back, always mi-side or dual mid side.
Samar MF-65 rules also.
I pretty much never like an LDC. Maybe if someone else recorded and mixed it, and I don't know!
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Post by mike on Aug 24, 2020 10:47:03 GMT -6
mike - are you trying to keep this to SDC's - or looking towards anything? If I can't use KM84's I'd probably gravitate to my KM86's or perhaps the KM53's if I wanted more detail. Gefell M70/692 would be good too albeit a bit brighter. I'd head to my modded Oktava 012's if budget is a concern. After that, of course, it's all about what you're after. LDC's, Ribbons, Dynamics - all fair game. Looking towards anything drbill. Though I may be wrong, it seems from how often I've read them mentioned, that the km84 has struck me as the #1 pick from the majority of comments I've read through the years on acoustics , so I was curious to learn if there was a consensus #2 or 3 choice after the 84 but perhaps there isn't one.
The other thing I would be interested to hear more opinions on is there often seems to be two kind of mic types for this application in regards to whether there is a slight high freq bump built into the design or not, with some mics offering that little bit of top/sparkle high freq bump built in and the other type of mics shooting for as flat as possible letting you eq to taste. Is there a clear preference by the majority of engineers which type they'd prefer to work with, or does it make little difference to most and is subjective preference with no consensus in general?
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Post by EmRR on Aug 24, 2020 10:57:46 GMT -6
The other thing I would be interested to hear more opinions on is there often seems to be two kind of mic types for this application in regards to whether there is a slight high freq bump built into the design or not, with some mics offering that little bit of top/sparkle high freq bump built in and the other type of mics shooting for as flat as possible letting you eq to taste. Is there a clear preference by the majority of engineers which type they'd prefer to work with, or does it make little difference and is subjective preference with no consensus in general? Totally down to the guitar, how it's being played, what the music bed is. Obviously you may want a bright mic on fingerpicked nylon. That kid who beats the shit out of chords on a Taylor with bright strings, the ribbon may win. If the song alternates chords and fingerpicking, I may have a bright and flat mic together, fade between them at transitions. Or you can automate EQ with one. MKH20 - flat plus bright plus a treble boost ring, so 3 possible outcomes. But top is more etched/defined/dry, the KM131 is soft and pretty in comparison. Many times one or the other is the clear winner in context. The flavor of the treble boost in the 4060/MKH105/MK-012 and the way it interacts with the specific guitar is the part that makes or breaks, more than anything else. |
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Post by Blackdawg on Aug 24, 2020 11:31:49 GMT -6
DPA4011a all day.
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Post by Calvin on Aug 24, 2020 11:56:34 GMT -6
Let's not forget about the ol' reliable Shure SM81.
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Post by levon on Aug 24, 2020 12:15:08 GMT -6
U87 all the way, vintage or AI, doesn't matter.
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Post by mcirish on Aug 24, 2020 15:02:16 GMT -6
Oktava MC012 (with mods) I don't think you can get closer to the sound of a KM84 if the mic is within 12" of the guitar. Micing from further away wouldn't be great but up close (typically 8") it works perfect.
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