4053b for musical instruments?

G

ggrantly

Veteran
Hello Listers,

Small condensers are used for music regularly, but to the best of my knowledge, usually use cardioid or even omni-caps. I have a couple of AT 4053b which have hyper-caps. For individual instruments, is there a downside to using hyper-caps, excepting for movement of the instrument-musician? I can purchase cardioid caps but I'd rather not spend the bucks unless really needed.

TIA
Grant
 
They should be fine and hyper dynamic mic's are also widely used on numerous music applications. You may need to have them closer though.
 
ggrantly said:
For individual instruments, is there a downside to using hyper-caps, excepting for movement of the instrument-musician?
Click to expand...

Of course the answer is "it depends". You knew it would be.

In acoustic music recording, part of what you do is balance the direct sound of the instrument to the reflected sound off the various surfaces in the venue. If the reflected sound is something you like, you'll tend to gravitate to the omni and wide cardioid end of the spectrum. If the reflected sound is something you don't like, you'll tend to gravitate to the cardioid and hyper cardioid end of the spectrum.

For example, lets say you're recording your own acoustic guitar playing in a bedroom of your house. You'll learn very quickly what "small room sound" is, and that you want to minimize it. So in that case, using a hyper in close is perhaps a good idea.

For another example, if you want to record a Steinway D in a nice sounding performance hall, you're going to reach for your onmis.

There are a number of ways to control how much reverb you capture. The primary ways are choice of polar pattern and mic position. So yes, hypers can be used in capturing sound from acoustic instruments. In truth they aren't the most used tools in the bag, simply because most people try to record music in reasonable sounding rooms/halls/venues. If you're not in a decent sounding room, why are you recording? But sometimes a hyper is just the thing.

Like I said, it depends.
 
Well, you are recording in a less-than-perfect room because that is where you are asked to record. The 4053b works OK recording inside non-professional spaces such as churches, in choir practice.
 
As Bruce stated "it depends".
I would generally prefer a standard cardioid capsule for a 'group' of vocals or instruments, the 53 hyper should work fine as a spot mic. YMMV for sure
 
Thanks for all the opines.

So if I were using the 4053b for a spot mic, say a stringed instrument, would I want to move the mic a little further back (a little, not a lot)? This would compensate for the narrow pattern of a hyper right?

Grant
 
I'm interested in this too. . .have the AKG SE300B/CK93 combo. Also have more mics to do stereo recording, but environment is my crap ass apartment. Be interested in hearing how folks would record an acoustic guitar.
 
This is probably a bit OT...

But the basic answer is, like most things sound, use your ears. What do you want it to sound like? You can mic the sound hole and yu will get one sound, you can mic the neck to get another, pull back and get a more complete sound, shoot at the sound hole but aimed up the neck and you will get another mix.

There isn't a "right" way, though there are probably wrong ways. The closer you can get the mic to the instrument the less the environment matters. If you get the mic inside the instrument (I know people who have snaked a lav inside and there are guitars that have a mic built in) then the environment almost doesn't matter at all.

And of course it depends on what you are playing and how you are playing. I would mic a trash metal guitar different than a folk ballad.

So I would set up the mics you have put on some earphones and position yourself where it sounds the way you want it to sound.
 
This is an interesting topic. For one of my shorts, I thought I might ask my Pastor to have his nice small choir ding a few hymns and other songs. This would be in a church setting, hardwood and carpeted floors, steeply pitched ceiling, concrete block walls, longer than wide.

Is there a general rule of thumb on how to record a choir? I assume this could be a stereo mix. Would one use matched microphones on stands in front of the choir?
 
scottfs said:
This is an interesting topic. For one of my shorts, I thought I might ask my Pastor to have his nice small choir ding a few hymns and other songs. This would be in a church setting, hardwood and carpeted floors, steeply pitched ceiling, concrete block walls, longer than wide.

Is there a general rule of thumb on how to record a choir? I assume this could be a stereo mix. Would one use matched microphones on stands in front of the choir?
Click to expand...
Take a look at this link. Shure has some other publications on recording choirs in their knowledge base as well as this page http://www.shure.co.uk/support_download/educational_content/microphones-basics/choir
 
At4053b sounds gorgeous as a high-end mic for acoustic guitar (aimed around the 12th fret, with a larger condenser near the soundhole or bridge). Great percussion mic, great on drum kits where you want to isolate things as much as possible. I've brought mine to concert shoots for the soundman to use, he's always quite thrilled to put it on an acoustic guitar, high hat, percussion, etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top