There are many ways for you to create some live sound in your home, especially if you are thinking of establishing your own recording studio right inside your room, your recreational room, or even your garage. While you can make use of very professional speakers, mixers, and the best sound source, you can also add on to these a condenser microphone. This type of microphone is very effective in producing live sounds because it is very sensitive to even the tiniest sound that may not even be audible to the human ear. Because of this, this microphone is able to work even if you are working at the lowest volume.

There are a number of things that you need to know about a condenser microphone, so that you will also understand how it is able to give you the live sound that you want in your home. You have to know that this kind of microphone uses a capacitor. Although all microphones are known to work under the basic principle of having a diaphragm that receives music or audio and then converts this into an electrical signal, with the condenser mics, the diaphragm is placed in such a manner that it also acts as the capacitor. With this, the space between the plates inside the microphone is altered by the vibrations that are generated through the diaphragm. As a result, an Continue Reading...

“I plan to buy myself a microphone. What kind do you recommend for me?” Well, what are you going to use it for? If you plan to use your new mic on the stage for amplification you need to check out “dynamic-cardioid” mics, such as the Shure SM58 or the Shure Beta 58A. These are two of the most popular and effective stage mics available, but there are many more. Just go to your music store and ask about “dynamic-cardioid” mics. These mics are specifically designed for stage work. They have excellent sound, cause little feedback from speakers and are very tough (resistant to damage), and they usually run between $100 and $300. (The Shure SM58 costs $100. or less, and is excellent for stage work.)

Most of the mics I’m discussing can also be found on Ebay at reduced prices.

If you plan to use your mic just for recording you’d be wise to look at “condenser” mics such as the Rode NTG-2 or the AKG C 2000 B. These are just two popular, but Continue Reading...

Before You Buy A High End Preamp

After recording pretty much full time sense 2001, I’ve made about one hundred billion mistakes. One of the biggest mistakes of all has involved preamps. Yes, I know that just about every recording forum on the planet goes on and on and on about how important preamps are. They talk and talk and talk about the differences between one Neve 1073 clone and another Neve 1073 clone. This is all fine and dandy. If everything in your recording chain is so perfect that the difference between one 1073 clone and another 1073 clone becomes significant, than you are SMOKING!! In fact, if your chain is that good, your next recording should have no problem competing with major label recordings. You should probably look into booking major label caliber talent immediately.

The truth is there are very few singers who deserve to get to sing through a $2,000 preamp. Let me reword that a little bit. There are very few singers who will sound noticeably “better” through X preamp. A bad singer sounds bad through anything. The only time, in my opinion, a great preamp even matters is when the singers is GREAT! When I say “GREAT”, I mean that this singer sends chills down your spine. I mean you really think you’ve got something completely magical in this person and you feel lucky to record them. Few “local” singers are going to have what it takes.

If you think you are going to make up for a piss poor performer by switching to a $2,000 preamp, you are out of your mind. It’s just a volume knob!!!

My First Preamp

When I do something, I try to do it right. I always end up falling short of the goal, but that doesn’t stop me from going all out. I was reading on forums back in 2001 trying to figure out the gear I needed to start my recording rig. I stumbled on some threads about preamps. I was led to believe that if I didn’t have a great, professional preamp Continue Reading...