Anyone taping up the side vents on your small condenser cardioid mics?

[corn55]

FIRST, I need to ask... is this harmful to the mic? I have a Neumann KM85, and to make it more versatile, I taped the side vents with a piece of masking tape, basically turning it into an omni mic, but also giving me a very smooth sound which I like even more.

Anyway, I saw this on the rec.audio.pro group just searching.

Wondering if anyone else does this or has done it for various effects?

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...48648c2a185c2a

[AdamLazlo]

No, it's not harmful... only if you're using tape that strips the finish off the mic :)

I use the 3M blue painters tape with great non-gummy/strip results.

I've done the same thing with SM57's for vocals especially when the singer is 'eating' the mic and wants that very specific tone that works so well (gets the singer very excited about what he or she is doing... a very dangerous tone, in all the right ways).

I've also done it for other mics as well... and to reiterate my answer: you're not harming it.

-- Adam Lazlo

[corn55]

Great Adam, at least I'm not the "freak" everyone is silently laughing and pointing at. I'll try the painter's tape, since Neumann finish seems to wear off easily.

[AdamLazlo]

Originally Posted by corn55

Great Adam, at least I'm not the "freak" everyone is silently laughing and pointing at. I'll try the painter's tape, since Neumann finish seems to wear off easily.

Hahahahaha... nope, you're not the only one. You'll be really happy with the 3M blue painters tape, no goo and no stripping of the finish. I'm so anal about the conditions of the mics I already own that even mics that had the 3M blue painters tape over the last 5 years that I removed didn't pull anything off or leave residue.

Not just for what we've been talking about but I also 3M painters tape-up mics just so I know they're mine (and Sharpie on the tape)
-- Adam Lazlo

[squeegybug]

Originally Posted by corn55

Wondering if anyone else does this or has done it for various effects?

I've done it to an SM57, also using blue painter tape. But I taped *all* the vents on the side and rear. I think to make it omni you are supposed to just block the rear.

Anyway, it ain't smooth this way, I can tell you that. More like.... rusted hubcaps on a moonshiner's '32 Ford screaming down a dirt road at midnight at the crossroads. Here is a clip, just one 57 live voice and guitar.

Steve

[fonman]

Originally Posted by squeegybug

I've done it to an SM57, also using blue painter tape. But I taped *all* the vents on the side and rear. I think to make it omni you are supposed to just block the rear.

Anyway, it ain't smooth this way, I can tell you that. More like.... rusted hubcaps on a moonshiner's '32 Ford screaming down a dirt road at midnight at the crossroads. Here is a clip, just one 57 live voice and guitar.

Steve

Awesome song ! Was that you ? I loved the effect.

[AdamLazlo]

Originally Posted by squeegybug

I've done it to an SM57, also using blue painter tape. But I taped *all* the vents on the side and rear. I think to make it omni you are supposed to just block the rear.

Anyway, it ain't smooth this way, I can tell you that. More like.... rusted hubcaps on a moonshiner's '32 Ford screaming down a dirt road at midnight at the crossroads. Here is a clip, just one 57 live voice and guitar.

Steve

Steve,

Yeah, that's awesome... what a great tone. No, it's not smooth, I don't think that's the debate. In fact the clip you provided is the kinda stuff I love to hear.

The times I've taped around the "vents" of an SM57 came in really handy for grit Delta dirt without being Nine Inch Nails distorto... the tape technique gave it a grit, just like you presented.

It also works well with other things like drums.

-- Adam Lazlo

[u b k]

sweet playing! great tone too, perfect for the piece.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

[squeegybug]

Yeah that is me playing and singing, thanks for the comments. Alone in the studio about 4 am fooling around and just happened to have a recorder on. $50k worth of gear laying around and instead I tape up a 57 plugged straight to an Akai mixer preamp. A digital compressor triggering through every bit of it, no eq or fx. You know how it goes.

It's an old traditional song, has been around a long time. A fun trick with the tape. Can be a little tough on the ears if you push it, but a nice metallic flavor. But that Lowden guitar would still sound good if recorded through tin cans and barbed wire.

Steve

[corn55]

When I tape the sides of my KM85, it does in fact sound smoother, or just creamier so to speak. Otherwise, the KM85 sounds a bit brittle since it has such a huge drop in low frequencies, it makes most things sound thin.

I tried it on an AKG 451EB, and it was too muddy, too creamy for my taste.