There's no such thing as a bad microphone. Even a broken microphone has its uses...like making drummers happy who want mics on every element of their kit. Bad Mic = User Error The most common microphones in the industry, the Shure SM57 and SM58, are considered by some to be bad mics because they basically require close miking. (For further discussion, see my podcast with Philip Graham on Condenser vs. Dynamic Microphones For Live Sound.) These mics have a crazy built-in EQ curve, can handle … [Read more...]
Single Miking Groups On Stage With Condenser Microphones
In the last post I talked about how surprised I was to learn that my mic choices had been largely dictated by my habit of close miking everything. Many instruments and stage setups do not require close miking, and some even sound worse with it. Think of all of the opportunities for phase cancellations that you introduce by using so may microphones in close proximity! How about eliminating some of those microphones by single miking multiple sources using a condenser microphone? You're afraid … [Read more...]
Condenser Microphones For Live Sound
Last week's podcast with Philip Graham revealed some of my misconceptions about condenser microphones being a bad choice for live sound. Most sound engineers and musicians are so used to close miking with dynamic mics like SM57s that they don't really know how to use condenser mics for live performances. I know that I'm guilty of this, but many situations do not require close miking and actually would sound better without it. Let's take a look at some of Philip's ideas from his post, Condensers … [Read more...]
Sound Design Live eBook – FREE Chapter
Once upon a time there was a boy who was passionate about audio. Every day he talked to other sound engineers and sound designers, and one day he started publishing those conversations. Over time, he gained many followers and was inspired to publish an eBook to help them build careers in pro audio. This is the book that I needed in college when I was trying to figure out what to do with myself, unaware of the many opportunities and paths available to me as a sound engineer. This is the book … [Read more...]
Sound Design Live Is Back!
I love music, live events, and audio, and during the last few months I've rediscovered that I love Sound Design Live. I'm really excited to show you what I've been working on! First of all, there's this ballin' website. I'm not a pro web designer, so let me know if you see any problems. More on that later. Second, I wrote a book for sound engineers, yo! Well, not really. Actually I compiled the best parts of my first two years of interviews into an eBook, but that's close, right? This is … [Read more...]