Analogic recording

[banjoprat]

Maybe is not a good idea but I'd like to recording a few tunes with a Teac Reel to reel tape recorder and a single condersor Mic.We are 4 , 4 instruments and voice. I know that it won't be easy, any advice?

[hunter]

Hey David,

With that set-up a good sounding room will be important. We've miked ourselves at gigs a few times with a single mic and it sounded good, don't know how well it would translate to recording though. Adding a second mic to record in stereo might help. And I guess a figure-8 pattern ribbon mic would really give you that old recording sound.

But try it out with what you've got and see if you can find a group configuration/mic position that sounds good.

[john]

Hi,
find a good tube mic. for singing and you are rolling. A single normal condensator mic. for instrument wont pick up the band as two will. So, a tube mic. with the right pre. amplifire and the sound will improve. Remember, the right room will give you a fine natural ambience.
cheers,
John

[dulcimike]

We've recorded our rehearsals using a Sony stereo condenser mic into a laptop recording using Cubase. Using that "one" mic works well for us. But I've noticed that if the vocalist doesn't have a string voice or doesn't project, they would need to move closer the mic to sing than when they are playing.

For instance our flute player sounds fine when playing, but is too far away for his singing.

So, to record using one mic is not a bad idea, but it may take some working to get it sounding good. It's just another way of doing things. In the States, sometimes Old-Time bands use one mic, as do some bluegrass bands, moving in toward the mic, and back as people play solos or sing.

[bagofnerves]

Hi can i ask you a question hunter, we play a lot of folk clubs and very often have to put up with what ever we are given from the point of view of mic s we are banjo guitar mandolin 3 vocals (we also have a bass player but he brings his own cab ) is ther anything which we could buy by the way of a single mic that we could just plug in and at least have some form of consistancey ? we play seated ?

[hunter]

Hi,

You know, I only did it with myself and a fiddler, but it seems to be common for bluegrass bands to use one mic. That's how the early bands did it and it's still emulated. Sounds like it could work for your band. I guess bluegrass bands usually do it standing, but seated would work too, just that you wouldn't be able to "play" the mic by stepping in for a break to get more volume on that instrument.
If you search for "single mic bluegrass" and similar you'll get a lot of stuff on it and suggestions for mics (there are some that are popular for the use nowadays, just can't remember which right now).

Hunter

[bagofnerves]

Cheers hunter thanks for the advice, maybe we will have to learn to play standing up to take best advantage of single mic,
Gar B B.O.N.

[john]

Get yourself a high quality tube mic.
a high quality pre-amp. for the tube and
a good board. This will do the job.
Eventually get a feed-back destroyer from Beringer.
Been using this set up many a time. Works for me!
Have fun
cheers,
John

[bagofnerves]

Hi John
been looking a bit at a mic made by audio technica model number 4033a does this fall into your suggestion ? or am i barking up the wrong tree,
cheers Gary b

[john]

Hi Bagofnerves,
an exellent choise!!.
Have fun,
cheers,
John