Incorrect miking could turn a pristine guitar sound to mud or a gleaming Bach trumpet could end up sounding like a kazoo. Read our Mic Techniques guide.
Category: Audio Recording
How to Mic a Drum Kit
In our latest “How-To” Guide, Todd Hobin demonstrates how you can mic a drum kit for a recording studio. The more microphones you have the better. However, Todd gives a good trick on recording if you don’t have enough microphones.
Zoom 1Q5 Mic: High Quality Microphone
Simply connect it to the Lightning connector of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch and get ready to do some serious stereo recording any time, any place. It’s perfect for capturing rehearsals, lessons, or concert recordings. Use it in standard “audio” position or simply rotate it to the “video” position in order to record video with an attached iPhone, iPad, or iPod.
Incredible Shrinking Guitar Pedals
For guitarists who are looking for new sounds, beyond the limits of their guitar’s six strings, effects pedals offer an endless range of possibilities. Studio engineers created the first guitar “effects” in the 1940s by manipulating reel-to-reel tapes. Later, bulky stand-alone effects units were used.
Setting Up Your Own Home Recording Studio
Folk-pop-noir singer-songwriter and professional audio engineer, Ryan Hobler lives in a studio, mixing and recording on a daily basis. Drawing upon his 10 years of experience in both music production and audio post, here he offers his suggestions to avoid some common recording mistakes.
Peavey Pro Modeling Amp
Peavey’s Vypyr Pro modeling amp offers realistic tube sounding distortion, plus more than 500 presets and 100 models of effects, reverbs, delays, amps, and even instrument models for almost limitless combinations. Vypyr Pro can run up to four amplifier models in parallel. With five parameters to control effects, multiple delay types, microphone simulated direct interface (MSDI), effects loop, and MIDI control it allows players the ultimate in customization in a single combo amp.
Mighty Mini-Mic
The Samson Meteorite is a USB condenser microphone that produces rich audio recordings for any application. Featuring a 14mm diaphragm, the Meteorite’s smooth, flat frequency response and CD-quality 16-bit, 44.1/48kHz resolution give you professional sound reproduction features in an ultra-portable design. The Meteorite mounts to a removable magnetic base that gives the mic a full range of motion. Start recording right out of the box. There is no need for drivers. The mic can be directly connected to any computer or tablet via its integrated USB cable and is compatible with most computer-based digital audio software.
Blastless Brass: Silent Brass System
Yamaha’s Silent Brass Systems for French horn (SB3XC), trombone (SB5XC), flugelhorn (SB6XC) or trumpet (SB7XC) allow horn players to practice while listening to hi-fidelity sound that only they can hear. The systems’ small pick-up mute offers outstanding sound reduction and a natural feel. The included Personal Studio attaches to an external audio player in order to practice with prerecorded material. The brass mutes are ideal for warm-up, evenings, hotels, and other silent practice situations.
Smart Lapel Mic
RODE Microphones’ smartLav lavalier mic provides convenient, crisp, high-quality audio, directly into a smartphone or tablet. It is equipped with an omnidirectional condenser microphone to pick up sound from all directions and its foam pop filter eliminates vocal plosives. Although designed for the RODE Rec app for Apple iOS devices, any app that accepts input from a headset connection is compatible.
Turn Your Musical Plans and Ideas into Sheet Music: Notation Software Makes It Easy
The best music writing programs are user-friendly and include comprehensive notation, editing, and input/output features. Most are easy enough for beginners, with enough bells and whistles to give experienced composers the tools need.