Explaining microphone types, part two.

Knowing the different types of microphones can save you time when recording, and allow for a better quality of recordings.

In part one (of this three part post) we discussed the three most common types of microphone designs. In this post, part two, I want to dial in more closely on the polar patterns of microphones.

To begin I feel it is important to know what the microphones can actualy hear, or often times more importantly; what they can’t hear. This is what we sometimes call the polar pattern of a microphone. The term “polar pattern" speaks about the direction (outward from the microphone itself) that a microphone can hear.

The most common polar patterns are cardioid, hyper cardioid, omni, and figure eight.

But what do these microphone terms mean, and how can knowing these terms help in your recordings? What is this information good for? Well, knowing what you do not want to record is just as valuable as knowing what you do want to record.

“Bleed” is what we call any unwanted noise that enters a microphone from an unwanted direction. Perhaps it is as simple as a snare microphone picking up “bleed” from the guitar amp that is off in the distance. When the microphone is solo'd, the guitar amp can be heard along with the snare through the snares' microphone. This can muddy up a session.

We can control “bleed” by choosing a microphone that ignores, or rejects noise coming from certain directions. Enter into polar patterns of microphones.

Well, let’s start off this quick explanation with the cardioid polar pattern microphone. To be more specific, it details the width of an area that the microphone can hear. A cardioid microphones’ “hearing”, or polar pattern looks like the image below. Yea, it is crude, but it works.

Sound enters the cardioid microphone easiest from the front, less from the sides, and not at all from the rear. The ring arround the microphone in the image above shows this directional concept.

As you can see sound enters the cardioid microphone from quite a narrow range of direction. However, the distance that a cardioid microphone can “hear” is not as narrow as a “hyper cardioid” microphone, which is very limited. Bleed is more controled, or defeated much more with a hyper cardioid microphone.


But what if you need to pick up a sound source that is in a 360 degree space? An “omni” directional microphone hears in all directions, and can handle some amazing reverb like effects, and some very cool sounds! You can see the “omni” polar pattern in the image below…





You can see how a Hyper Cardioid microphone might come in handy for picking up just one piece of a drum kit and not allow any sound (bleed) from the other pieces of the drum kit to enter into the microphone. An omni polar pattern microphone might be great for picking up a 360 degree “room sound”, or a group of back up vocalists standing in a circle around the microphone.

A “Figure of eight” microphone polar pattern is named so due to its look on a diagram. See the diagram below to see what I mean. Sound enters these microphones from two directions, which are also at opposite directions. You can set one of these microphones up so that sound enters from the front and the rear, or at opposing sides. These microphones are great for picking up a rooms’ deflection of sound, creating a rooms' deflection, reverb, or delay effect.

Now that you are familiar with the polar patterns of certain microphones, you might still be asking “which polar pattern types of microphones should you purchase”?

Well, here is your chance to save some of your cash!
There are microphones out there that have polar pattern switching available on the microphones themselves! This allows for a wide range of recording applications from just one microphone. Microphones that are capeable of switching its polar pattern tend to be a little more expensive, and the cost increases as the number of switch-able patterns increases. However, purchasing a microphone with variable polar pattern switching might be cheaper than purchasing as many different types of microphones.

So what about this “Proxy effect” thing that we have all heard about? What are the “high and low pass roll off” functions, and what are they for? Do you need a popper stopper, wind screen, or isolation screen in order to get decent sounding recordings?

These are some great questions folks, and I will need to ask you to stand by and wait until the next post is posted. In that post I will try my best to answer all of these questions, and add some other great microphone facts and tips!


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Explaining microphone types, part one.

There is a great host of microphone types available today for the home recording enthusiast. Choosing the correct type of microphone for the right application that you need it for can be crucial! There is quite a lot that can go wrong in a typical recording session, not to mention the chances of not getting the best possible recording.

Some common mistakes are overpowering a microphones sound pressure capabilities, choosing a set up that makes for phase issues, and even using the wrong microphone to record an instrument or vocal.

But how do we know which microphone to use for what? Well, lets dive in and see just what some common microphones do, what they are capable of, and how to use them in your next session.

What you are recording may in fact dictate what type of microphone you might need to use, but it can be even more detailed than that. You must think about several things when it comes to choosing a microphone such as sound pressure levels (SPL), side bleeding of unwanted noise, and weather you want a mono or stereo recordings.

As far as types of microphones, there are not that many different types.

Some common types that you will use the most often are the condenser, ribbon, and the dynamic microphones. Here is a quick run down of what the three types are, and what they work best for.

Condenser microphones

Within the condenser microphone family tree the tree breaks down into two major types, the large diaphragm and the small diaphragm condenser microphones. The diaphragm is the piece that air moves in order to make an electrical current.

Then the family tree branches out even more, and includes polar patterns of the two types of condenser microphones. These may include cardioid, hypercardioid, wide cardioid, figure eight, and omni directional. All of these terms simply explain what the microphones can “pick up” in terms of the microphones surroundings. Omni means that the microphone can pick up sound from all around the microphone, where figure eight is only in front of and behind the microphone itself. The cardioid mic can hear only in one direction, and hypercardioid mics hone in to less of a wide angle, or a more direct incoming path.

A mic can also be either a mono or a stereo mic, which is actually two microphones in one. The detailed list goes on to include such internal workings of microphones such as a tube or a solid state microphone, phantom powered, and some mics may even have “EQ-ing” features such as a low frequency (LF) roll-off and/or a high frequency (HF) roll off pot.

The inner workings of most condenser microphones are a pair of conducting plates that make up the diaphragm. When moving air moves the plates of the diaphragm, an electrical current is made. When compared to dynamic microphones inner workings, condenser microphones are more sensitive due to the fact that they are more efficient in their movement. They simply require less sound pressure in order to make them work.

There are two sizes of condenser microphones available because of the type of sound that they can capture. A large diaphragm condenser microphone can work great for vocal work because of their warm sound. Small-diaphragm models tend to be chosen where a very high accuracy of representation of a sound is required.

Dynamic microphones

Dynamic microphones are perhaps the most common mics that you will see and use on the road. These are tough mics made to handle high SPL’s. Dynamic microphones work almost in the same way as condenser microphones, but not exactly. The electricity is made in a slightly different way. When you think of a speaker working in reverse, then that is a crude dynamic mic. These mics are road tough and can be dropped for any stage height and continue right on working. The most common dynamic microphone of all time has got to be the Shure SM-57. Basically, it takes a lot of air to get a dynamic microphone working. Guitar amps, bass rigs, and drums soak up a bands dynamic microphone supply.


Ribbon microphones

Ribbon microphones are a gentile creature. They do not like to handle the higher SPL’s, but the newer ones are getting better and better at this. Ribbons are known to give a very realistic or un-colored sound when recording. This is in part to the fact that it takes little moving air to set the ribbon in motion.

Next time we will dive in a little deeper and find out what other specifications some of these basic microphone types can come with, and what their capabilities are.

Fast web links for fellow original artists.

Today I have decided to post some links to some very cool sites that I have found to be quite active.

Sites that allow us to post and share our art are certainly plentiful. It is when I find such a site that allows us to upload our original art and/or download others' art, that also has become quite popular, that I take note. I would like to pass on a few such sites for you all to check out and possibly upload your own art.

First up is a "stumble upon site".

Sometimes I feel as if I am the last one to find cool and hip sites. Put it on Music is perhaps one of the hippest sites “poppin” today. I found that it is quite active, and folks are downloading my material. There is a metric ton of great music on there for you to find and to download as well.

The site also shows current stats, such as downloads, plays, and followers of your art.

Thanks goes out to IK Multimedia for the great looking link that they placed on their website. I look forward to reviewing more and more of their great products in the near future. Keep coming back to see what new gear (from IK Multimedia) I am trying out next!


“Worlds best producers” once again makes the short list! Worlds Best Producers is where musicians like you and I can find (and share) original beats, bass lines, and even complete original music. The fun starts with the voting of “Producer of the month”, and keeps going as you can “drop” other “producers” (or members) scores and messages.

The reason for the recent interest on the Worlds Best Producers site is that I found a “Listen to the track of the moment exclusive” banner, which is a quick link to any song that you upload for this feature! It takes folks straight to your newest jam! How cool is that?

Music Forte claims that they will have their websites’ download sales system up and running very soon. You can still listen to great original music here, but I am just not too sure exactly when the download sales will be implemented. When it comes online it will be the place to be!

Amplitube Fender Review

AmpliTube Fender

Created in cooperation with Fender Musical Instruments, IK Multimedia has released AmpliTube Fender guitar and bass amp simulation software.

AmpliTube Fender  software is composed of two separate versions, the stand alone, or VST version, and the Plug in, or RTAS version. I opted to upload the RTAS version, and will be “reviewing it” after using it as a plug-in; via Pro Tools software as a D.A.W.
Let me first say that I was very nervous.

This software comes with some very large demands from all of us recording musicians. Will this software really compare with some of the most famous Fender amps in history? Can someone actually come up with a way for us to actually possess 12 vintage, all tube Fender guitar and bass amps as software, and then sell it in just one affordable package?

The short answer is a triumphant “yes”. The long answer is a triumphant “no”.

“Yes”, this software is remarkably exact to the vintage Fender amps that we all cherish; in fact it is amazingly close.
To explain the long answer of “No”, IK Multimedia didn’t stop at just accomplishing this one amazing feat, but instead IK Multimedia has decided to include so much more in this amazing package.

What could possibly be “more”, you ask?

Well, how about 12 matching classic Fender speaker cabinets, in AmpliTube Fender , all of which are also of vintage fame. Look, the musical fun only begins with the amps and their amazing attention to tonal detail.

Next, in AmpliTube Fender to take the mind blowing tone carnival even further IK Multimedia and Fender Musical Instruments decided to include 6 iconic and also highly sought after stomp boxes, which include a Fender Blender, Fuzz Wah pedal, Volume Pedal, Fender Phaser, Tape Echo, and a Fender 1963 Reverb Pedal.


Just to keep even the most demanding guitarist and/or bassist happy, IK Multimedia and Fender made sure to expand the microphone selection to 9 different popular professional studio recording microphones to choose from, including ribbon microphones, condenser microphones, and dynamic microphones.AmpliTube Fender

   
Like effects? Well, how about a choice of six different rack effects, including a Pitch Shift, Sine Flange, Tape Echo, Triangle Chorus, Wah, and a Compressor, in four rack mounted effect units; each capable of supplying one of the six commonly used guitar and bass effects. AmpliTube Fender

Top all of this off with a guitar tuner, and you are deep into some serious Fender tone fun!


Let me be the first to tell you that the stomp box, amp, cabinet, microphone, and the rack effect combinations are all 100 percent customizable, or tweak-able. Plus you can run two separate guitar rig combinations together (series or parallel) at the same time! This means that you can plug your instrument into two Fender amps of your choice (complete with separate chains of stomp boxes, cabs, mics, and rack effects) simultaneously, just like the pros!

With each of the above mentioned included items in the AmpliTube Fender comes a host of tweak-able, more selectable modifications.

For just one example, each microphone can be placed either on or off axis to the speaker cone. The musician can place the microphone as close to, or as far away from the speaker cabinet as they like. Adding a room ambience is as easy as turning the “ambience” pot, which adds a very realistic live room feel. What’s more, it sounds as authentic as any studio that I have ever mic’d an amp in.

Now, let’s just toss in the fact that all of the tweaks that you might wish to perform on the fly, or as you play your instrument, can be fully automated in the AmpliTube Fender software itself!

O.K. Let me slow things down a little now, and get into exactly which Fender products IK Multimedia has replicated here.AmpliTube Fender

As for the Fender guitar and bass amps, they have taken no shortcuts. Included in AmpliTube Fender are the Vibro King, 1959 Bassman LTD, 1965 Twin Reverb, 1957 Deluxe, 1965 Deluxe Reverb, 1964 Vibroverb Custom, Supersonic, Vibro-King, Pro JR., Champion 600, Metal Head, TBP-1 Pre Amp, and a Bass Man 300.

IK Multimedia AmpliTube Fender is not like some of the loosely copied amp simulations out there, but instead these are as close to the real thing as I have ever heard. It is amazing to me that these amps not only look like the much loved original Fender amps of the past, but you can hear in the original amps little intricate details come to life as you tweak the pots and knobs themselves!

These Fender amps even “break up” and mildly distort when you turn the volume pots up past 6 or 7! Talk about attention to even the most minute detail! The respective Fender reverb amps feature a spring reverb that sounds completely authentic. The same is true for the respective tremolo amps with a tremolo so real that it brings you back into the tremolo laden college rock scene. The Vibro king amp sounds so close to the original that it has become my “amp of choice” when recording my music.

The fact is that the chosen Fender amps that IK Multimedia has provided us all access to are some of the most sought after and most loved amps of all time. Judging from the tone of this software package IK Multimedia certainly must have obtained the original amps, torn them apart in order to study them, and then replicated them exactly in software code. IK Multimedia claims that it is all possible using their DSM technology.

Whatever technology IK Multimedia used, their resulting product, AmpliTube Fender works.

Not just the tones of the classic Fender amps are correct, but the tiny characteristics of each amp, speaker, microphone, rack effect, and stomp box are also dead on. The amazing fact that everything in AmpliTube Fender is tweak-able and fully automate-able should once and for all prove, to even the most hardened recording professional, that software based guitar amp simulations have come to their place, and they are here to stay.

In parting I would like to add that instruction manuals have long been a deciding factor for me when it comes to choosing one product manufacturer over another. There are only a couple of manufactures that actually produce a musician friendly, easy to read and understand instruction manual. I have added the instruction manual (PDF version) from IK Multimedia  AmpliTube Fender to that short list. Not only was it simple to understand, but the images included left little doubt in my notably different, musicians brain. Downloading and printing the PDF instruction manual file was effortless and flawless.

Joining song writing guilds and clubs.

One of the best ways to get exposed to the music profession is through joining special groups and clubs. Joining a songwriter’s guild or club will only help you, and your career in the long run. Meeting with others that share your interests can bring knowledge and contacts. These can be powerful things.

There are music professionals all around us. There are also recording studios, home recording set ups, audio software recording gurus, and awesome studio musicians in our towns and cities. Instead of just wishing that these professionals would come to us, perhaps it is time to get out and meet them. These folks hang with others that share their passion, and so should you! They are just waiting to meet you!

Meeting folks that share your passion for writing, recording, and performing music can spark so many different business conversations that I dare not commit to even listing any. Think of the possibilities…. A songwriters group is like a big think tank, of which you can give and take ideas from. Friendships like these are ones that might just last a lifetime.

For a very small fee each month or year, you possibly can have access to studio space and time, music gear, song writing partners, studio musicians and singers, and that is just some of the potential benefits! What is that worth to you?

But what if you are not the social type?

Well then, perhaps an online group is more your speed. There are plenty of these to choose from. Worlds Best Producers, Forte, Blip, and Myspace are just some of the ones that I use often. These sites have all paid off in one way or another. I have met other people that share my musical interests, have had my musical questions answered, and received much helpful feedback for my original music.

Some of the online music forums are like meeting places for musicians. Most of these sites are jam packed with people just like us. Like us, these good folks enjoy reading blogs, answering other musician’s questions, and just sharing what is on their mind. They don’t mind sharing their ideas, giving others some much wanted feedback, and simply helping others in any way they can. Here are some of these great sites…

Shane O’Connor Recording Blog
Brians Bedroom Blog
Home Recording
Recording Review
Inside Home Recording

MARSHALL 1959RR RANDY RHOADS AMP HEAD

C’mon feel (this) noise, coming from the Marshall 1959RR Head.

Randy Rhoads was an incredible musician. A fact is a fact.

After recording and touring with Quiet Riot, Randy felt his first taste of fame. He then joined forces with Ozzy Osbourne and together they recorded just two albums. He left his blazing solos behind for us all to enjoy for eternity, when he passed away in 1982.

Randy Rhoads’ sound is unmistakable. One only need put any one of his recordings on, and within two notes you know it is Randy Rhodes. He was particular about such important things. His tone came from a mix of Jackson guitars with humbucking pickups, and an all tube, custom wired 1959 Marshall Super Lead amp.

Metal shredding guitar players figured out that the 1959 Marshall Super Lead amp could be made into a high-gain terror simply by running a cable from the channel one output into the channel two’s input.

Randy knew this trick, and he asked the folks at Marshall to internally hard wire his own ordered amp heads in this same way. This overdriven mod was remembered by the folks at the Marshall factory.

Randy also opted for the classic white Tolex covering for his amps, and tradition has stuck. Marshall 1959RR Head is wrapped up in all white Tolex.

Here are some You Tube videos demonstrating this hot amp.

Below are some specs for the Marshall 1959RR Head.

MARSHALL 1959RR RANDY RHOADS

POWER: 100 watts RMS

CHANNELS: 2

CONTROLS: Treble, mid, bass, presence, volume I, volume II

VALVES: (4) x EL34 output valves; (4) ECC83 (12AX7) preamp valves

Midi devices and midi control units.

With a fresh post on “understanding midi”, I wanted to add another more descriptive post listing information on some midi instruments, midi devices, and midi control units. Included in this post are some great links to some very informative videos, and links to products as well.

Why don’t I start with Midi instrumentation? What is that? Well, there are quite a few midi instruments available to the home recording enthusiast. Some of these devices include a midi wind controller, midi guitar system, midi guitar pickups, midi keyboards, midi drum sets, and midi drum pad units. These are all midi capable, but keep in mind midi is not noise!

Midi is here to stay, and there are some convincing reasons for this.

Midi is fast and easy to write music with. Editing midi can be either as easy or as intricate as you would like it to be. Midi sounds that are triggered (via a midi device) can be manipulated in many different ways. The sound that is triggered by a midi instrument contains information that can be altered. This information includes the triggered sound sample itself, its’ velocity, duration, note value, volume, and on and on. I can’t think of a better and/or a more precise way of programming and/or editing sound.

Let us start with some common midi instruments. Midi instruments relay midi information (not sound) to a midi device, found either in your DAW software, or in a stand alone midi sound module. The midi information sent from midi instruments triggers “sounds” to be played, which in turn can be played back, edited, or recorded.

The most common midi instrument is the midi keyboard, or the digital piano.

Midi keyboards can either be a full size keyboard (88 keys) or a mini keyboard (having only one or two octaves as a range). These mini units offer all of the octaves for recording use, but you simply must tell the device which octave you wish to work in. Some selling points for these instruments are such things as touch sensitive keys, and midi sounds (samples) included within the keyboard itself.

Most midi keyboards contain no sounds at all, and will not make any noise. They are cheaper to purchase than the types that come with midi sounds (samples) in them. The samples, or sounds for these midi keyboards come from software programs (midi sound files) or stand alone units called midi sound modules. These cheap midi keyboards are great for the budget minded recording musician due to the fact that they take up little room and they can trigger all of the instruments that most of us will ever need. Drums, bass, organs, and strings can all be programmed using one mini midi keyboard.

But what about recording midi information on the fly rather than programming each and every note?

No sweat! Midi can be recorded as sound, in our home recording set ups. Midi information played on the fly and the triggered sound files can be recorded as we play midi instruments. Midi keyboards, midi guitar systems, midi saxophones, and midi drum kits are all capable of this cool recording feature. Lets look more closely at these devices….

Alesis DM-5 midi drum kit

Designed for the percussionist, the Alesis DM-5 drum kits take the programming out of recording midi. Each drum kit comes with a midi sound module which contains all of the different drum kits and like sounds. The drum pads are simply touch sensitive triggers that once hit, triggers the midi sound file that you have chosen to sound. Several different manufactures make these kits, but when it comes to the most “Bang” for your buck, it’s the Alesis DM-5. Here is a cool video detailing what these drum kits can do.

Yamaha midi wind controller.

Yes, you read it correctly, midi wind controller! Yamaha has come up with a very cool instrument here. Blowing into this device and playing the notes triggers midi information to sound. You will need either a midi sound module or a software based midi sound bank to go along with the Yamaha sax. Here is a great video showing a performance of the Yamaha wind midi controller.
Brian Moore “I guitars”

These axes can play as regular electric guitars, midi triggers, or both! Not only can you get guitar sounds triggered via midi, but any midi sound that you want! Piano and guitar duet anyone?



M-Audio midi keyboard

Here is a prime example of a midi keyboard, of a smaller size. These might just fit on the bus, allowing for recording on the go.

As always, feel free to comment on any of my posts, as your thoughts mean a lot to me. Subscribing now ensures that you never miss a post! Thanks for stopping by Home Recording Weekly!