Recording with microphones

How to record in different places with different microphones and recording in the studio.

Task 1: Recording in different locations using different microphones

We collected all the equipment that we needed and we set off to 3 different locations and did a recording of someone playing a guitar and then we checked it. We also had to make sure if the gain is right before we started recording.

Equipment

·      2 Shure SM58 microphones

·      Rode NT2-A

·      C1000S

·      Olympus Multi-Track Linear PCM recorder

·      2 microphone stands

·      2 XLR cables

·      Acoustic guitar

·      Pen and paper

Location: Classroom

Microphone: Shure SM58

We used this dynamic microphone and we kept it at least 6 inches away from the sound hole on the acoustic and we had the gain at number 7. There was no background noise so the recording went well.

Location: Classroom

Microphone: Shure SM58 x 2

We used 2 of these microphones to make the sound more stereo to get higher marks. Again we kept these microphones 6 inches away from the sound hole, however for the second microphone, we moved it a little lower and more towards the large body of the guitar so we could pick up the lower frequencies and the bass like sound coming from the guitar. Again we kept the gain at number 7 along with no background noise.

Location: Classroom

Microphone: Rode NT-A

For this microphone we had to turn the gain down due to the gain being too loud, we still kept the microphone 6 inches away and there was no background noise. However the microphone was set to Omni so it sounded different to how we wanted it.

Location: Classroom

Microphone: C1000S

This microphone was a condenser instead of a dynamic microphone. We had to turn the gain down from 7 to 6. Again the microphone was 6 inches away and there was no background noise.

Classroom sound cloud link: https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/sets/classroom-recordings-with-an-acoustic-guitar

Location: Theatre

Microphone: Shure SM58

The microphone was 6 inches away from the guitar, we had to decrease the gain from 7 to 6 and there was no background noise.

Location: Theatre

Microphone: Shure SM58 x 2

We used the 2 microphones to create a stereo effect and we kept the distance the same, however we did have to turn up the gain back to 7 and there was also no background noise.

Location: Theatre

Microphone: C1000S

For the condenser microphone, we had to change the gain from 7 to 6. This time there was some background noise in this recording.

Location: Theatre

Microphone: Rode NT2-A

For this we changed the gain back 7 and this time there was no background noise.

Theatre sound cloud link: https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/sets/outside-recordings-with-an-acoustic-guitar

Location: Outside

Microphone: Shure SM58

We kept the distance the same and the gain however there some background noise.

Location: Outside

Microphone: Shure SM58 x 2

Same as before we kept the gain and distance the same but there was a lot of background noise compared to the other recordings.

Location: Outside

Microphone: C1000S

We kept the distance the same however we changed the gain from 7 to 6 and there was some background noise in this recording.

Location: Outside

Microphone: Rode NT2-A

The gain was kept at number 7 and the distance was kept at 6 inches however there was some background noise.

Outside sound cloud link: https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/sets/classroom-recordings-with-an-acoustic-guitar

Task 2: recording studio

Equipment

·      Shure SM58 microphones

·      Rode NT2-A

·      2 C1000S

·      2 microphone stands

·      2 XLR cables

·      Acoustic guitar

·      One person for vocals

·      Tambourine

·      Studio

·      Computer

·      Cubase 7

·      Pen and paper

Polar patterns

Omni directional

It picks up sound from around the microphone. A microphone that has an Omni directional polar pattern is the Rode NT2-A.

Cardioid

This type of polar pattern only picks up sound that is in front of the microphone. A microphone that has this polar pattern is the Shore SM58.

Bi-directional (figure of eight)

This polar pattern allows microphones to pick up sound that is in front of them and behind them. A microphone that has this polar pattern is the C1000S.

Guitar

What we did with the guitar recording is get 2 C1000s condenser microphones. For the first recording we used one just for a standard recording and the second recording we used 2 of them to get that stereo effect. We plugged in 2 XLR leads for microphones into the studio wall box so it can be connected to the computer and record the sound that is coming out of the guitar and the sound that is being picked up by the microphones. This microphone has a Unidirectional or cardioid polar pattern.

Tambourine

For the tambourine, we used a dynamic shore SM58 to capture the sound of the tambourine. We used this one because it had an Omni directional polar pattern. We only needed one of these since we didn’t need to make the sound stereo.

Vocals

For the vocals we used the Rode microphone, which is a Condenser microphone. We also attached it to a Cage so it can be held up while the person sings. This microphone has a Bi-directional polar pattern.

Electric Piano

For the piano, we used 2 C1000S microphones. We aimed the microphones towards the bottom of the electric piano because that’s where the speakers are located.

Saxophone

For the saxophone we used a C1000S microphone. We aimed the microphone towards the hole of the saxophone so we could get the full volume and the right sound coming out of the saxophone.

Sound Cloud link to all the tracks

https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/sets/studio-recordings-with-different-microphones-and-instruments