Cello Mic needed

[asdf1234]

Hello,

I need a budget microphone to record cello and to reinforce its live sound. The live sound situations will be relatively quiet, no hard metal drums or anything like that. I'm pretty sure professionals usually use a small diaphragm mic for live sound, but I'm not sure. As for recording, I'm going for an open, resonant, classical sound. I'll be recording to laptop with an EMU 0404 USB interface.

The most I can spend on the microphone is 350-400 US dollars.

I'm considering:
- Shure SM81
- AT 4040
- Oktava Mk012
- CAD M179
- Samson C02 (pair)

Would the pair of Samsons do better than a single SM81 or AT4040 in the studio? With a pair, I could use various recording techniques, right?
Any recommendations?

And I have searched your site, but the only recommendations I could find were high budget.

Thanks everyone.

[elisasound]

Here's a current thread on this subject. Good luck!

Good mic for less than $300 - also, stereo or mono?

[skiltrip]

Originally Posted by asdf1234

Hello,

I need a budget microphone to record cello and to reinforce its live sound. The live sound situations will be relatively quiet, no hard metal drums or anything like that. I'm pretty sure professionals usually use a small diaphragm mic for live sound, but I'm not sure. As for recording, I'm going for an open, resonant, classical sound. I'll be recording to laptop with an EMU 0404 USB interface.

The most I can spend on the microphone is 350-400 US dollars.

I'm considering:
- Shure SM81
- AT 4040
- Oktava Mk012
- CAD M179
- Samson C02 (pair)

Would the pair of Samsons do better than a single SM81 or AT4040 in the studio? With a pair, I could use various recording techniques, right?
Any recommendations?

And I have searched your site, but the only recommendations I could find were high budget.

Thanks everyone.

Simply in regards to your question about.. "is a pair of X better than a single Y", I tend to say stick with the single mic, especially if the source is an ornamental portion of the track. If the cello is the lead instrument, that's another case altogether. But I went thru a phase where I thought the more mics the better and mic anything I could in "stereo" but it just made things messy. but to each his own. just my 2 pennies.

other than that, any good LDC or SDC would do the trick. It's all taste from there. In my arsenal, the thing I'd probably reach for first is a single AT4033, if that wasn't quite right, I might try an AT Pro37, or just see what my NT1000 sounded like for kicks. They might all be acceptable, but again, i'd have to see what sits best in my mix.

[Cellotron]

For live sound also to be sent for recording then I'd suggest an SDC over an LDC. AT4051 sounds particularly good for cello and is relatively inexpensive.
I would avoid Samson - it's junk to my ear. DPA makes a number of solutions that are specifically for live amplification of strings that also would make excellent recording mics.

Also - to my taste stereo recording from 2 close mics doesn't generally a particularly natural image for cello - if you go with 2 mics I'd suggest blending close mic with a room or ambient mic.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[Verve111]

One time in a pinch I hung a 58 through the bridge legs and rested the mic on the body of the cello (mic was wrapped in a thin cloth). Directionally it was pointed up at me playing.

It sounded unbelievably good. Not much level but obviously you can push a 58 pretty high before feedback. Give it a try. Worked really well.

[Teddy Ray]

The Beyer m130 sounds fantastic.

the AT 4050 does as well

[rumleymusic]

The Rode NT5 (or NT55) is a fantastic budget mic for cello.

[jrbr85]

I'm a cellist, and started out recording myself with these mics:

Amazon.com: MXL 604 Dual Capsule Instrument Miking System Stereo Pair: Musical Instruments

and sent them here to be modded:

Award-winning microphone engineering from Michael Joly


Having a stereo pair of sdc's is extremely versatile for classical music. For an open sound, you can use the omni capsules in a spaced pair setup a few feet from the cello. Oktavamod does a great job with these mics. $200/pair + $180 for the mods = $380, without shipping. Thats right in your budget, and will be one of the best bang for the buck solutions. Either that or a used stereo pair of AT4050s, found on ebay/gearslutz.

Originally Posted by asdf1234

Hello,

I need a budget microphone to record cello and to reinforce its live sound. The live sound situations will be relatively quiet, no hard metal drums or anything like that. I'm pretty sure professionals usually use a small diaphragm mic for live sound, but I'm not sure. As for recording, I'm going for an open, resonant, classical sound. I'll be recording to laptop with an EMU 0404 USB interface.

The most I can spend on the microphone is 350-400 US dollars.

I'm considering:
- Shure SM81
- AT 4040
- Oktava Mk012
- CAD M179
- Samson C02 (pair)

Would the pair of Samsons do better than a single SM81 or AT4040 in the studio? With a pair, I could use various recording techniques, right?
Any recommendations?

And I have searched your site, but the only recommendations I could find were high budget.

Thanks everyone.

[Brackish]

Originally Posted by asdf1234

I need a budget microphone to record cello

Is this for solo or is the cello part of an ensemble? If solo, I would
go stereo. If a group, I'd go mono on the cello.

[metrognome]

I have had decent results with a Cascade Fathead II

[burnhard]

I do mix orchestras live and studio...
I know you are looking for a budget mic but they don't do the job..
Get a Neumann km184..rather wait and save money don't get something else...at least give it a try...

[monsieur x]

Originally Posted by rumleymusic

The Rode NT5 (or NT55) is a fantastic budget mic for cello.

Honestly, for the amount of money you would like to spend the RØDE NT5 is the best choice that I know.

I believe one can find them used on eBay for very cheap.

Best of luck,

[monsieur x]

Originally Posted by burnhard

I do mix orchestras live and studio...
I know you are looking for a budget mic but they don't do the job..
Get a Neumann km184..rather wait and save money don't get something else...at least give it a try...

Interestingly, I find the NT5 to sound a bit more natural to me than the KM 184.

The NT5 usually blends better with the types of microphones I use, which are mostly ribbons.

The KM 184 is not necessarily always a better microphone in my experience, although I highly doubt you would regret buying it.

It all depends I guess,

[hbphotoav]

We often run a cello with a electric guitar-driven praise band. I've tried AT Pro37, AT 4041, Shure BG81 ("bargain" SM81-type), SM57, SM86 and two different DPAs: 4061 (taped to the bridge, centered under the strings) and 4099 (using the DPA strings mount, aimed between the F-hole and the bridge, low strings side). In that use, for reinforcement, I liked the 4099 best (gain-before-feedback, ease-of-setup, and consistent placement); the 4061 second (best overall sound, less GBF); and, surprisingly, the SM57 (closer to the DPAs than the rest in a live mix). Prices range from $90 (SM57) to $400 (the DPAs).

Try them out, and let your ears and usage decide.

HB

[medearis]

Hate to post redundant praise, but the mics made by a fellow gearslut, dubbed the "blondies", have (time and time again) been a crowd pleaser on just about any acoustic instrument made of wood.

Works well on brass too, by the way.

[Brackish]

Originally Posted by monsieur x

for the amount of money you would like to spend the RØDE NT5 is the best choice that I know.

I've had good luck using the NT5 on cello.

[Marlan]

Like jrbr85 said, it would be pretty hard to beat a modded pair of Oktava's for the money and a stereo pair would be great In many applications such as xy and ortf. A lot of people immediately choose large diaphragm mics for low string instruments without realizing that sometimes (and I say sometimes), the extra mass of the surface area of these mics (especially cheap poorly made and poorly tensioned diaphragms) can lead to flubby and muddy results.

Think about trying an sdc. As a cellist I often use them when I record myself.
Even though it's slightly out of what you said was your budget, the DPA 4061 kit I listed below is a fantastic sounding bargain and great for live sound. You can probably find it cheaper elsewhere.

DPA IMK4061 | Sweetwater.com

Good luck.