Jimr - just saw your update. Weird on the octave. Are you talking about another mic just reproducing a lower octave in it's bandwidth, or the note you played actually being an octave down - like with a harmonizer?
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Anyway, an overdue update from me as well in regards to ribbons, and my new found love for them. The more I use them, the more I'm leaving condensers and dynamics behind. I mean, I still dig ALL kinds of mics, but ribbons have such a natural "reach out and touch it" realism, that I really seem to be in love with them right now.
I've just finished a bunch of sessions where 95% of the mics I used were ribbons. Drums, Gtrs, Bones, Tpts, WW's, etc. Kind of a 40's burlesque vibe.
I ended up really loving the modded 205's on drums. They brought a lot of personality to the kit and had a "bigger" than life sound, while still sounding retro.
For the brass I ended up with Coles. The players were back a bit, and blowing hard in a big band type of style. The coles were phenomenal on the Bone, and really tamed the high stuff on Tpt. Good call for both. On WW's (Saxes and Clar's) I ended up really digging the RCA 77's. Especially on the Clarinets. WOW! Instant Benny Goodman. I used a R121 on F. Hn, but really, it didn't do much for me. Meh... OK though and I wouldn't mind having one. But I just dig the Coles and 77's better. I wish I'd brought the 205's for room mics on that session, but I made do with some M49's in Blumlein. Very cool as well, but not as dark as I would have preferred.
On solo Harmon Tpt, the Coles or the modded 205's worked great. When I was going more retro, the 4038's did the job. But on another session that was a bit more modern, the 205's on harmon were perhaps the best solo Tpt sound I've ever gotten. The "new-age" tpt artist was floored and has asked me to mark that mic as his personal fav of all time. I had it going thru a neve clone, and it has such a huge bottom on it, that really treats tpts well.
Anyway, these days I find myself first wanting a couple of 77's. They really have that dark, slow sound that says 1940 with no effort at all, and I'm not aware of any mic in production currently that does it quite as well. None of the other ribbons I've tried do it. I don't need it all the time, but it would sure be nice to have a couple for those times when pre 1960 is called for.
When I need the "modern" ribbon sound, the 205's come out. For an "in-between" mid-range sound, the Coles 4038's are a good call.
And I've been the recipient of an unforseen benefit. The use of so many fig-8 mics has brought a lot more of the "room" into the picture. Giving the recordings some personality and lessening the need for a fake "digital" alternative for "space". Very cool.
Anyway, that's my current ribbon update!!!
More ribbons = better recordings!!!
