Ryan didn’t get enough of our topic last week so we talk about taking things to the extreme with hardware. In Rapid Fire we cover: What we start with in a mix; Our favorite drink while working; and favorite digital distribution service.
Our guest host this week is Randy Coppinger
LINKS
Listening now. I have a Taylor 714ce that I will play through “electric” guitar gear. I love the tones that I get. Especially when I blend in the interal mic on the guitar. It produces this full, dirty, nasty(in a good way) tone that is just thicker and fuller than running the same set up played with a Strat or even a LP.
On John’s question on inexpensive mics. I own a behringer C-3 which I opted over a $100 AKG so I could have extra cash to buy an XLR cable and mic stand. It’s also a hobby for me and I make it a point not to go overboard with expensive gear. So far I’ve recorded at home two songs using this $50-$60 mic for vocals and I’ve been happy with the results so far. I think my fault is more of inexperience than the gear. I’m sure with practice I can squeeze out better results with the meager and inexpensive gear I have.
So yeah, you guys are actually an inspiration for me, especially with your sound tests on the Sony F90 and other cheap crazy gear. You always cause my light bulbs to turn on. Granted, high end gear will probably help take some of the bad stuff out of the recording and mixing equation but I believe it’s not the price of the gear but how you use it.
There are really not enough reviews about the C-3. Maybe you guys can take it for a test drive and tell us what you think.
If you want to hear what the Behringer C-3 sounds like, at least with my setup and limited recording/mixing experience, check out two songs on my reverbnation page: http://www.reverbnation.com/pill.
“Make Me Crawl” was the first time I’ve used the C-3 and a DAW but no experience with processing plugins.
“Stereo” is the latest song where I’ve finally learned a little bit about EQs, compression, etc… (Thanks to HRS and other recording forums, getting self-taught has never been easier).
Thanks and looking forward to the next show.
BTW, if you do check out the songs, “STEREO” is in tagalog, my native language. The english translation is posted on my blog. http://lets-go-digital.blogspot.com/2011/05/latest-home-recording-stereo.html
Be careful when giving vocalists water or hot beverages before they start singing.
What often happens is a singer will drink something right before hand, and it will wash away the membrane protecting their vocal chords. They then sing, and by the end of the song they need more water because their throat is dryer than when they started. My instructors were very strict about this in college, but I disregarded this last night and after singing only three songs I can feel it today. If I avoid drinking anything for about half an hour before I sing, I can practice or perform for hours. Your mileage may very as every body is different.
As a side note, gulp or chug, never sip. When you sip it not only removes the membrane but sends blasts of dry air to the back of your throat.
John..
I like the matched Pair of Rode NT55 It comes with swappable capsules so you get both Cardioid and Omnidirectional Capsules. Not that cheap – Guess about US$800 a pair Retail price – but I like the mics.
I think the matched pair of NT5’s is about US$400 a pair retail..
Guess it depends on the budget.
Maybe it is because I am from “downunder”, but I like Rode mics.
Steve
My favorite way to start destroying something is by firing up the plugin decapitator by Soundtoys. It has a lot of nasty distortion and different types of them aswell. Especially for screamo vocals. I also use other “analog modeled” plugins for distortion, like the drive stage on a tube delay from softube.
I love the segments about messing things up! More Audi samples would be awesome.
I also have a question if any of you guys have experience with the Røde K2 mic? Is it just an “as good as” mic or does it have a pn individual sound to it?
Looking forward for the next show.
/
Anton
Hers’s a link to the Studio Projects C4 mikes I mentioned. Under $400 for the pair. http://ow.ly/54brX
On the subject of driving acoustic guitars through amps, I recall Keith Richards say in his Bio that he recorded Jumping Jack Flash and Street Fighting Man using only acoustic guitars through a tape recorder.
I’ll try to find the exact quote…
“All my stuff came together and all done on a cassette player. With ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ and ‘Street Fighting Man’ I’d discover a new sound I could get out of an acoustic guitar. That grinding, dirty sound came out of these crummy little motels where the only thing you had to record with was this new invention called the cassette recorder.
And it didn’t disturb anybody. Suddenly you had a very mini studio. Playing an acoustic, you’d overload the Philips cassette player to the point of distortion so that when it played back it yas effectuvely an electric guitar.
You were using athe cassette player as a pickup and an apmplifier at the same time. You were forcing acoustic guitars through a cassette player, and what came out the other end was electric as hell.
An electric guitar will jump live in your hands. It’s like holding on to an electric eel. An acoustic guitar is very dry and you have to play it a different way. But if you can get that different sound electrified, you get this amazing tone and this amazing sound.
I’ve always loved the acoustic guitar, loved playing it, and I thought, if I can just power this up a bit without going electric, I’ll have a unique sound.
It’s got a little tingle on the top. It’s unexplainable, but it’s something that fascinated me at the time.”
Just wondering what happened to Jessie? haven’t heard him in a while.
While people are talking about Rode mics, any experience with NT3’s? I’ve got an unmatched pair that I use on drum overheads, but lately I’m wondering if they are a good choice on the kit. It seems that I can’t decide if they’re better as A)general overheads, spaced at up above eye level, or B)lower, more as spot mics on the cymbals, and then using a radio shack PZM on the ceiling to get more room.
The marketing for these mics mentions using them on everything including overheads of course, but wondering if they should be used on the just the acoustic guitar.
Also, while I’m asking, what do you think is more important: have the overheads the same distance from the floor, or positioning in relationship to the snare and/or kick?
And, Matt mentioned that his buddy got some mics and took them home and made matched pairs with them. What does it take to do this?