a loud electric guitar is often a ribbon
microphone like the Royer R-121, or the
very affordable Cascade FatHead II.
These microphones handle loud amps
without flinching, and their beefy low
end and smooth treble response
complement overdriven rock
sounds beautifully. Also, because of
their natural figure-8 pickup pattern
and the fact that they are usually
placed at least six to eight inches
from the source, they pick up natural
room reverberations as well.
Finding the right mic is important, and
figuring out where to stick it is equally
critical. A good rule of thumb to keep
in mind is that most microphones one
comes across will have a stronger bass
response the closer they are to the
source, and will sound brighter and
thinner as they are moved away from it.
If the sound is lacking low-end wallop,
move the mic a couple inches closer
to the amp. If it sounds muddy, back
the mic off. In regards to placement
on the speaker, putting a mic right in
the center of the cone will yield the
brightest sound with the most attack,
and the sound will become noticeably
warmer and rounder as the mic is
moved away from the cone’s center. If
you’re using a dynamic like an SM57,
then the best place to start is probably
right in the center of the speaker cone,
with the mic right up on the grill cloth.
This ultra-close mic position maximizes
the SM57’s rather weak bass response.
When using a condenser or ribbon with
a more robust bass response, a good
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TONE TALK //
Get it on Tape: Tips for Nailing your Sound When Recording