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[Fibes]

Bob O' inspired me to post this because we really can get caught up in the stuff and lose sight of the source. There's a million things out there that can make up a recording chain but the powerful cog usually lies in the space between the artist and the mic. What are some of the things you have done (especially thinking outside of the box)to get a desired effect before the mic?

A few creme-puff 101s of mine to get started:

1. Using highly directional speaker cabinets and micing off reflected surfaces that are off axis.

2. Micing the wood, yep, closed back cab miced at the back and if needed polarity flipped against the front mic. Instant girth.

3. Placing a figure 8 mic in between two amps with their cabs wired 180 degrees out.

4. Using adjacent rooms.

5. cross fading between near and distant mics for psycho-acoustic reasons in a mix. Whoops.

6. Alternate tunings. Duh.

7. Tuning 3 unison guitars to a chord and letting them feedback simultaneously so they can be used as a pad.

8. Whisper. yeah, i know...

9. Box of Sucrets filled with cockroaches. add some delays and you have a sound beyond the insect realm.

10. Sphincterphone. Never tried it but...

[frinjplayer]

Fibes wrote on Wed, 22 June 2005 08:52

10. Sphincterphone. Never tried it but...

Uhhhmmm, Sounds like a possible use for a Behringer.
You try and get back to me.

[ted nightshade]

I'll always prefer the vulvaphone.

Rather than any ingenious trick, I think of it in wholistic terms, I hope. And that means the player is going to have to be playing not just the amp or their voice or the drums but the room. If they musician can become conscious of the way the room reacts to what they are doing, and they can be placed in a way to make the room in phase with and supporting the source, then you can mic the room, not just the source.

[Tomas Danko]

frnjplyr wrote on Wed, 22 June 2005 17:39

Fibes wrote on Wed, 22 June 2005 08:52 10. Sphincterphone. Never tried it but... Uhhhmmm, Sounds like a possible use for a Behringer. You try and get back to me.

So what's your take, the ECM8000 or B2-Pro, eh?

[ted nightshade]

Create a killer sound in the room. A great mix there in the air. Then dream up how to capture it.

[Fibes]

ted nightshade wrote on Thu, 23 June 2005 08:54

Create a killer sound in the room. A great mix there in the air. Then dream up how to capture it.

This pretty much boils it down for me.

[rankus]

Fibes wrote on Thu, 23 June 2005 06:11

ted nightshade wrote on Thu, 23 June 2005 08:54 Create a killer sound in the room. A great mix there in the air. Then dream up how to capture it. This pretty much boils it down for me.

Yes, it really is ALL about air!

Neat idea micing the back of the cab... I will try that tommorow! Thanks Fibes

[drumsound]

On a  guitar solo recently I miced the instrument not the amp.  It gave a really cool attack to the distance the mic was from the amp.

[lucey]

drumsound wrote on Fri, 24 June 2005 00:38

On a  guitar solo recently I miced the instrument not the amp.  It gave a really cool attack to the distance the mic was from the amp.

mmmm ... interesting ...

[Fibes]

lucey wrote on Fri, 24 June 2005 02:43

drumsound wrote on Fri, 24 June 2005 00:38 On a  guitar solo recently I miced the instrument not the amp.  It gave a really cool attack to the distance the mic was from the amp. mmmm ... interesting ...

On 12 string this technique kills. Hard strumming electric guitar passages ala "been caught stealin" too.

[Brian Kehew]

Akin to micing the back of an amp:

I've sometimes used a mic BEHIND an acoustic guitar. It really gives you a woody depth, without the "boom" of the soundhole thing. Doesn't usually work by itself (though it can) - I often mix it in under the front mic.

[NelsonL]

Brian Kehew wrote on Fri, 24 June 2005 12:53

Akin to micing the back of an amp: I've sometimes used a mic BEHIND an acoustic guitar. It really gives you a woody depth, without the "boom" of the soundhole thing. Doesn't usually work by itself (though it can) - I often mix it in under the front mic.

Sounds uncomfortable for the player, how do you position the mic?

[redfro]

When just DI-ing a bass, I'll sometime mic the player like I would if he were playing an acoustic guitar. You know, small diaphragm out front. Then you have a track of nothing but attack. Good for the funky part of the bass line that needs to be up front for 5 seconds..

[wireline]

rattleyour wrote on Fri, 24 June 2005 15:00

Brian Kehew wrote on Fri, 24 June 2005 12:53 Akin to micing the back of an amp: I've sometimes used a mic BEHIND an acoustic guitar. It really gives you a woody depth, without the "boom" of the soundhole thing. Doesn't usually work by itself (though it can) - I often mix it in under the front mic. Sounds uncomfortable for the player, how do you position the mic?

Never tried micing acoustic from behind, but Ben Harris turned me on to the technique of placing a SDC as close to the player's ear as possible, pointing down across the face of the guitar...gives the recording the PLAYER'S perspective, which we all know is much different than the listener's...

Another thing I like to do with straight out from acoustic tracks: reamp them through a Twin or similar open back 212 cab...blend in touch for taste when a "live concert" feel would help...and most of us over a certain age remember the somewhat unique sound of a Martin or Takimine running through a Twin when the house PA couldn't cut it...kinda cool.