Microphone Technique

A microphone is simply a very fast barometric pressure sensing device. The characteristics that it exhibits while trying to catch the air vibrating in complex shapes is what gives the microphone its sound. And while mikes have a characteristic sound, they can be modified a lot with proper positioning.

So let's pretend that you do own an SM58 (the odds are pretty good, actually). For voice work, it's good to decide ahead of time what you want, tonally. If you want a clear tone, spread your fingers and position yourself about that distance from the mike. Keep in mind that your voice doesn't just shoot out of your mouth. It shoots out of your nose, too. No, wait. That's gross.

Actually, the truth is that your voice radiates from your face and chest. This is a good thing to keep in mind when adding low end. Due to a thing called the "proximity effect," the closer to the subject the mike is, the more lows you get. So if you imagine that the upper body is literally set up from low to high tones from the chest to the forehead (which, coincidentally enough, it happens to be), you can mike it up and change the tone easily by moving the mike slightly lower toward the chest or higher on the face. However, always point the diaphragm toward the mouth.

When miking yourself it's generally a good idea to compare the over lows and highs with a favorite professional recording. A common mistake is to not reference your recording to another. You don't sound like you sound in your head. The tone is brighter.

You really shouldn't have to equalize the mike at all. If you find yourself adding lows, mids or highs, the microphone is probably in the wrong place. If you can't get the tone after that, switch mikes. Only as a last resort should you dive into the EQ on your mixer. Even then, a dedicated outboard equalizer is a better choice. The key here is to try at least two positions (that's what shesaid) and pick the more suitable one. You'll be surprised at the differences.

So I haven't touched much on particular mikes. I don't really have many opinions on the $100- $500 mikes available now; I haven't heard too many of them. We occasionally get new mikes but generally are satisfied with our current selection. We're using a Neumann M-149 tube mike that we are really happy with. Depending on placement, it seems to be versatile in most situations. I pretty much follow the placement techniques mentioned previously. SM57s are good for distorted amp miking. They seem to be a standard. We also use a few Sennheiser 421s (the black ones) on drums, unless there are enough condensors to go around. And as much as I suggest everyone have an SM58, I don't own one. My vocabulary is based on a wider variety of microphones. We just don't need it. But for versatility at that price, it can't be beat.

Many mikes are useful, they cost a lot to design and manufacture, and all of them have some sort of use. The trick when buying one scoping out its versatility on your instruments. I get calls all the time, "What's a good mike?" Get an SM58.

Just learn how to use it.

Kurt Riemann has something to do with Surreal Studios, although he can't figure out what. And if he had to choose one microphoine to take to a desert island, he'd choose one that looks like a woman.