There’s something to be said about experimentation. It’s great if you got the time. But when you need to get down and dirty right away, experimentation is a luxury you don’t have. If you need a good sound fast, then walking around the room with headphones trying to find the sweet is not your idea...
During my interview with Andrew Scheps last weekend(audio will be up soon, I promise), we talked a bit about mic selection. Especially when it comes to vocals. You see, when you’re of different microphones until you find one that works for the singer’s voice. But that’s not all. The voice also needs to work in...
This is a guest post by Rajiv Agarwal of Audioshapers. Please read the guest post guidelines if you wish to contribute. A microphone preamplifier (or mic preamp) is one of the many things you’ll need to equip yourself with before recording anything with a microphone. To put it simply, a mic preamp amplifies the weak signal coming from the microphone and...
One of the most under-utilized recording technique is the polar pattern. If you know how to use the polar pattern of the microphone to your advantage, you’re golden. Your Ears as the Polar Pattern Imagine there’s a guitarist on your right side and a vocalist on your left side. Put one hand over your left...
All the greatness in the world is for nothing if nobody knows about it. Over the past few weeks we’ve gone into detail on how to set up an open mic system for small concerts. If you’ve missed any of them make sure you start at the beginning. The Open Mic Guide Part I –...
The Open Mic Guide Part V – Setting Everything Up If you’ve followed the guide so far, you’ve accomplished these things: Found a Location for your open mic night Invested in a small P.A. Learned how to work a simple mixing board. Decided how you want to mike things up Now we’re ready to set everything...
This is the fourth installment of The Open Mic Guide. So far we’ve covered some important topics, and this week we’ll look at the different microphones you need. If you missed the previous installments, check them out here. The Open Mic Guide Part I – Finding the Right Location The Open Mic Guide Part II...
This is part three in The Open Mic Guide. If you missed the first two check them out below: The Open Mic Guide Part I – Finding the Right Location The Open Mic Guide Part II – What Kind of P.A. Do You Need? There’s no point in setting up an open mic if you...
Welcome to the second installment of The Open Mic Guide. Last week we focused on finding a location for your open mic, and this week we’ll start to look into the various equipment you need. If you missed the first part, check it out below: The Open Mic Guide Part I – Finding the Right...
Open mic nights are a great way to demo your songs as a songwriter. They offer a laid back atmosphere where you can test out new songs. It’s also perfect for when you’re starting out, and you don’t have material for a whole set. But what if you are the engineer? What do you need...