Your Favorite Crappy Mic

[Bhang]

Originally Posted by 666666

Hate to be a party-pooper, but... speaking from experience, don't spend too much time, effort and especially any money on a "crappy mic"... eventually you will just throw it away.

I can appreciate the concept of capturing unique low-fi sounds via a "crappy mic", sounds that might possibly blend well in a mix, I have indeed experimented with assorted "crappy mics" in the past, mics that had been given to me long ago, some were cheap, some were very vintage and some were broken... in the end it just wasn't worth the time.

In addition there is always a danger of wanting to use that crappy signal in the mix EVEN if it does not really enhance anything... and it can make things worse. Less is more... always... especially when the "more" includes "crappy" signals. Sometimes it's better to just not have it there to tempt you to use it.

When I'm looking for a wacky signal to potentially "enhance" a track in a mix, I'll take some given tracks (that were recorded WELL with good gear), and I'll effect and distort them in various ways, whether over-compression, or a wacky eq curve, or a distortion pedal, etc, UNTIL I achieve the "correct" wacky signal that just happens to provide a cool enhancement. Doing it this way, the fidelity is there if I need it, plus I have unlimited control and unlimited possiblities.

Using "crappy" low-fi stuff sticks you with one crappy color that may be exactly the wrong thing... and you waste a whole track on it... it's one of those things that you try a few times and feel like Christopher Columbus sailing to a new land of unique and magical audio, then you soon realize that you're actually on a ship to nowhere... that's how it was for me anyway. In other words, it fun for the first few tries and then it's done... you're better off saving the $50 you'd spend on some old goofy cheap "crappy" mic and putting it toward the purchase of a truly good mic. You can never have enough GOOD mics.

So... again, I do apologize for coming into this thread as the "party-pooper", but just presenting an alternative view. Somebody's gotta play the devil ya know. My opinion is that "low-end" guys should focus more on saving up for good gear as quickly as possible, this will get them to a land of excellent audio much faster. Too much game playing with junk gear just stalls progress. Ok, SOME time spent experimenting with junk gear is good as an educational experience, but, as stated in the opening sentence, just don't spend too much.

I think your jumping the gun to think that we don't like, use, or have good quality mics in our arsenal. It is just that certain crappy mics can give a character that would take too long to emulate. As well, often its when you put these mics into effects or re-amp loops and such that you can get some very cool stuff. Don't get me wrong, I like me smooth silkiness too, but I also like my hard grinding lofi mixed in. I depends on what you do. This thread is, after all, called your FAVORITE crappy mic. Don't we all have at least one ?

[666666]

Originally Posted by Bhang

...Don't get me wrong, I like me smooth silkiness too, but I also like my hard grinding lofi mixed in. I depends on what you do. This thread is, after all, called your FAVORITE crappy mic. Don't we all have at least one ?

It's all good, I dig it. Point well taken and makes sense.

But I'll admit, I do not have a favorite crappy mic... I hate them all .

[bwaudio]

A $10 plastic mic from cash converters...when I started recording, I was recording drums with only that one mic. Listening to the music now some of the sounds are pretty good for $10.

I'll never throw that one out.

[donsolo]

Take a Snapple bottle, and stick an SDC inside...

That's a lo fi sound that you can't easily replicate.