Recommendations on using diff. mics for recording certain instruments

[hashj410]

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
I was looking to improve my work as an audio student, meaning micing more live instruments. This is my weakness. I need to do more of it. I’ve been doing nothing, but recording rap. I just wanted to know what the pro’s would recommend, for mics on these instruments on what instruments and why? The instruments include, the trumpet, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, saxophone, and the violin. I’m going to bring some live student musicians just to practice. These are mics my music department has. Thanks in advance. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Mics-<o:p></o:p>
2 AKG C414<o:p></o:p>
1 AKG D112<o:p></o:p>
6 Sennheiser D112
9 EV MC150<o:p></o:p>
DBXA 256<o:p></o:p>
2 Shure SM 81<o:p></o:p>
2 Beata 56<o:p></o:p>
Blue Ball (1)<o:p></o:p>
2 Realistic PZAM<o:p></o:p>
Marshall MXL V67G <o:p></o:p>
-KSM 44<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Tube Preamps<o:p></o:p>
-Art Tube MP<o:p></o:p>
-Bellari MP 105<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
And more outboard gear…<o:p></o:p>

[Eager2Know]

Originally Posted by hashj410

saxophone

Well I'm no expert, but I do know that horns, Trumpet, Sax, etc. need special mics.
The dB(A) is way too much to handle for a normal mic you would use on voices. Your normal studio mic can't deal with them 'cause those instruments are "too loud".

The result wouldn't be pretty

Unfortunately I don't recall the name of the mics, I've just read about it in the past in some German audio magazine.

HTH

[woomanmoomin]

Ribbon microphones are great for harmonically complex stuff like brass and sax. I guess they could be used to round off shrill strings as well. I don't know whether any of the mics you've listed are ribbons. The AEA R84 and Crowley & Tripp 'Soundstage Image' & 'Naked Eye' models are great contemporary ribbon mics you could probably use to good effect if you're considering some purchases. Those are just the ones that come to mind, though. Oktava make at least one cheap model that's got quite a few fans, and so do Nady. Just check out some of the threads in here if you're interested.

C414 could be great for acoustic and violin. Depends which model it is. I think some of them are much darker and have much less presence than others. Some of the C414 models are real work-horse mics and can do a lot of stuff pretty well. They have multiple patterns which you can experiment with to alter the tonal balance, etc. They might well work on electric guitar, too, although there are lots of different flavours of that... I think the Marshall you've listed is probably a pretty bright mic, which might be worth a try for lightening up some dark or mellow acoustic stuff or Les Paul-ish electric guitar or whatever. I don't think it's generally considered to have very much sparkle or clear presence, but you could still use it to lighten up the dark stuff.

I think the KSM44 is supposed to be quite transparent and thin. It doesn't have bundles of hyped air or presence, I don't think. You could probably use it to good effect on some acoustic stuff, stuff that's more of the classical persuasion than electric guitar, but I don't know for sure.

I couldn't really hazard a guess, even, about most of the other mics. (I could, actually, but I'm done regurgitating third-hand info that may not help you.)

To judge from what I've read , I think both pre-amps are probably pretty cheap and generic, though not necessarily b-a-d. I wouldn't be too concerned about the choice of either one of them. You can just experiment and see which you like. Neither is going to give you exactly professional results, but that may not be a concern.