Mic choices for trumpet

richiebee · 30th December 2007

I've got a budget of around $400 to buy a new microphone.

Primarily I want to use it as a live microphone for trumpet, sometimes through guitar effects, most times just through the PA as is. Genre's - funk, pop, jazz.

I would also like to have something that gives me a variety from the other mics I have access to (AKG C414's, Neumann KM183/KM184, Shure Beta 57) for recording a variety of acoustic instruments, primarily the same trumpet, but also voice, guitar, winds, strings, in classical and jazz genres and possibly some voiceover work.

My "portable" guitar effects set up includes a cheap and nasty Art Tube Preamp, which is not due for replacement at this time. I'm not concerned particularly about quality for the live set up as long as the signal is fairly representative, strong and clean. My studio set up uses Focusrite preamps (built into the Digidesign Control 24, plus a Focusrite Red One). My home studio is a lot more modest (Tascam US122), and I would like to serve both places for recording. I will at some time be replacing the US122 and may spring for a decent quality preamp at that time... the mic is a long term investment so the quality of my current pre-amps shouldn't be considered the b-all of what I intend to use with it.

Regarding my trumpet sound, I have what I would consider to be a bright but full bodied tone and I can play very loud.

I don't mind going a little over budget, but I'm not going to go for a Royer or Sennheiser MD441!

I'm thinking my best choice in this budget would be an EV RE-20. What do you think?

Rick Sutton · 30th December 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by richiebee

I've got a budget of around $400 to buy a new microphone.

Primarily I want to use it as a live microphone for trumpet,but also voice, guitar, winds, strings, in classical and jazz genres and possibly some voiceover work.

RE20 is probably as good as any for that "mission impossible". Sennheiser 421 is also a candidate.

GYMusic · 30th December 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Sutton

RE20 is probably as good as any for that "mission impossible". Sennheiser 421 is also a candidate.

Hello Rick, Happy New Year and I agree. RE-20 for trumpet, bone other brass and toms.

bobwarren · 30th December 2007

Can't really go wrong with the RE20 or MD421.

dbbubba · 30th December 2007

...or a nice ribbon like the old days.

A 421 used slightly off axis is a great sound and can take a REALLY loud trumpet player wailing on it.

Rick Sutton · 30th December 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by GYMusic

Hello Rick, Happy New Year and I agree. RE-20 for trumpet, bone other brass and toms.

A big HAPPY NEW YEAR back at 'ya Greg!

Ricey · 30th December 2007

CAD is making a ribbon mic in that price range - i used it to record trumpet and liked it very much.

richiebee · 30th December 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricey

CAD is making a ribbon mic in that price range - i used it to record trumpet and liked it very much.

Wow, busy group... thanks everyone for the confidence in the RE20.

Ricey, I'm curious about your choice. I would think a ribbon is a bad choice for live performance where feedback might be an issue since it would be figure 8. Am I mistaken?

TelosHedge · 1st January 2008

i would say a ribbon would be bad live moreso for the delicacy that ribbons tend to require. an re20 on the other hand could be used to beat the horn player senseless until he actually decides to play in tune

re-20s are so versatile in the first place, you might as well go that route. it's like having a big fat sm57 with big nuts at your disposal

1st January 2008

Despite RE20 and MD421 being very good dynamic microphones ... usually they generate a lot of distorsion (very audible) at high SPL even with the mic a couple of meters away from the bell.

If you want a clean trumpet even on your loudest notes ... consider a large diaphragm condenser microphone such as Audio Technica AT-4040 or Neumann TLM103. Even with very close miking you should not experience audible distorsion (unless preamp overloads).

Ribbon microphones are also a good alternative with often smooth high frequency response.

Ricey · 1st January 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by richiebee

Ricey, I'm curious about your choice. I would think a ribbon is a bad choice for live performance where feedback might be an issue since it would be figure 8. Am I mistaken?

oops, missed the part about live application

you're probably right.

richiebee · 23rd January 2008

My RE20 arrived yesterday. Nothing performance worthy recorded yet, but I'm really digging what its doing to my sound. It's the first time I've ever been happy with my own recorded sound and while I've never tried a ribbon, I've tried quite a selection of condensers and dynamics. Me thinks "the bomb" and I are going to be happy together.

It really does look like military issue.

30th December 2007	#1
richiebee Gear interested Joined: Dec 2007 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 14 Thread Starter	Mic choices for trumpet I've got a budget of around $400 to buy a new microphone. Primarily I want to use it as a live microphone for trumpet, sometimes through guitar effects, most times just through the PA as is. Genre's - funk, pop, jazz. I would also like to have something that gives me a variety from the other mics I have access to (AKG C414's, Neumann KM183/KM184, Shure Beta 57) for recording a variety of acoustic instruments, primarily the same trumpet, but also voice, guitar, winds, strings, in classical and jazz genres and possibly some voiceover work. My "portable" guitar effects set up includes a cheap and nasty Art Tube Preamp, which is not due for replacement at this time. I'm not concerned particularly about quality for the live set up as long as the signal is fairly representative, strong and clean. My studio set up uses Focusrite preamps (built into the Digidesign Control 24, plus a Focusrite Red One). My home studio is a lot more modest (Tascam US122), and I would like to serve both places for recording. I will at some time be replacing the US122 and may spring for a decent quality preamp at that time... the mic is a long term investment so the quality of my current pre-amps shouldn't be considered the b-all of what I intend to use with it. Regarding my trumpet sound, I have what I would consider to be a bright but full bodied tone and I can play very loud. I don't mind going a little over budget, but I'm not going to go for a Royer or Sennheiser MD441! I'm thinking my best choice in this budget would be an EV RE-20. What do you think?

30th December 2007	#7
Ricey Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2005 Location: São Paulo/NYC Posts: 1,204	CAD is making a ribbon mic in that price range - i used it to record trumpet and liked it very much. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/victorrice http://youtube.com/bassie417 YMMV - Your Money May Vanish

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30th December 2007	#4
bobwarren Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 903	Can't really go wrong with the RE20 or MD421.

30th December 2007	#5
dbbubba Banned Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 7,099	...or a nice ribbon like the old days. A 421 used slightly off axis is a great sound and can take a REALLY loud trumpet player wailing on it.

1st January 2008	#9
TelosHedge Gear Head Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 45	i would say a ribbon would be bad live moreso for the delicacy that ribbons tend to require. an re20 on the other hand could be used to beat the horn player senseless until he actually decides to play in tune re-20s are so versatile in the first place, you might as well go that route. it's like having a big fat sm57 with big nuts at your disposal

1st January 2008	#10
High Fidelity Guest Posts: n/a	Despite RE20 and MD421 being very good dynamic microphones ... usually they generate a lot of distorsion (very audible) at high SPL even with the mic a couple of meters away from the bell. If you want a clean trumpet even on your loudest notes ... consider a large diaphragm condenser microphone such as Audio Technica AT-4040 or Neumann TLM103. Even with very close miking you should not experience audible distorsion (unless preamp overloads). Ribbon microphones are also a good alternative with often smooth high frequency response.

23rd January 2008	#12
richiebee Gear interested Joined: Dec 2007 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 14 Thread Starter	My RE20 arrived yesterday. Nothing performance worthy recorded yet, but I'm really digging what its doing to my sound. It's the first time I've ever been happy with my own recorded sound and while I've never tried a ribbon, I've tried quite a selection of condensers and dynamics. Me thinks "the bomb" and I are going to be happy together. It really does look like military issue.