Very informative video, Dan. Thanks! I'd never even considered the microphone up over or around your head before but will give it a try in the near future for a project I've got to record my playing for.
You are right about putting the mic on the bell, it can tend to sound a bit thin and nasilly and don't like that much, especially on Soprano and you get the full sound from the mic pointed at the body of the sax. You mentioned flatter microphones. I have a Rode NT1 (2014 version) and its very flat sounding. I once recorded myself playing with it and it is almost too flat, didn't have much clarity in the highs which sounded a bit muffled even after equalizing the audio. Still a good mic though and its very low self noise helps. I never thought about putting the mic above like you said, but I will have to try that in future. I have Sennheiser ME66 and MKH 416 mics I normally use for voice overs and natural sound recording and once tried one of those to record my alto sax as they have more clarity in the sound, and it didn't go well. They are very sensitive mics even on the lowest gain setting on my Tascam recorder, and being further away from them when playing, I was getting the sound peaking easily.
Hi Dan, interesting vlog. I've also looked at other people's set up and put the mic roughly at chest level but I'm never really sure to have loads of gain or not so I opt for 50%. Even though, like you, I play with a reflector I'm surprised at how good I sound with basic EQ chopping the top and bottom. Thank's Dan
Never record with compression. Always put it on when mixing. The same for all other effects. You can have whatever effects in your headset monitor to make you feel good and make it sound like a recording while you are recording, but do not use that sound for the recorded mix. Everything can be added in the mix.
So if you have the patience of a gnat - the mic placement bit is @5:42
Dan Forshaw thanks for Mercy Mercy Mercy at the start
Very informative video, Dan. Thanks!
I'd never even considered the microphone up over or around your head before but will give it a try in the near future for a project I've got to record my playing for.
You are right about putting the mic on the bell, it can tend to sound a bit thin and nasilly and don't like that much, especially on Soprano and you get the full sound from the mic pointed at the body of the sax. You mentioned flatter microphones. I have a Rode NT1 (2014 version) and its very flat sounding. I once recorded myself playing with it and it is almost too flat, didn't have much clarity in the highs which sounded a bit muffled even after equalizing the audio. Still a good mic though and its very low self noise helps. I never thought about putting the mic above like you said, but I will have to try that in future.
I have Sennheiser ME66 and MKH 416 mics I normally use for voice overs and natural sound recording and once tried one of those to record my alto sax as they have more clarity in the sound, and it didn't go well. They are very sensitive mics even on the lowest gain setting on my Tascam recorder, and being further away from them when playing, I was getting the sound peaking easily.
Thanks for that Dan, very informative.. A bit surprised by the overhead mic, which sounded really good.
Hi Dan, interesting vlog. I've also looked at other people's set up and put the mic roughly at chest level but I'm never really sure to have loads of gain or not so I opt for 50%. Even though, like you, I play with a reflector I'm surprised at how good I sound with basic EQ chopping the top and bottom. Thank's Dan
Back in the day Got great recording results in a big room by accident with whole band. No post processing required.
Never record with compression. Always put it on when mixing. The same for all other effects. You can have whatever effects in your
headset monitor to make you feel good and make it sound like a recording while you are recording, but do not use that sound for the
recorded mix. Everything can be added in the mix.
Totally agree, I was referring to the fact that I’ve not mixed anything on these recordings. They’re just ‘dry’
I thought it sounded very good although the grey jumper may have had something to do with it ......
Sounding great on that ugly mouthpiece mate! 😊 🎷
Beauty is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder... ;)
Hi, i love the sound, Which microphone are you using?
AKG 414