Question about Recording Sax

[BLCKOUT420]

What works better,large diaphram or small? Suggestions?

[Wayne]

>What works better,large diaphram or small? Suggestions?

Beyer M160 or 77DX ribbon mic.

Large diaphram for me.

--Wayne

-"sounded good to me"-

[BLCKOUT420]

Thanks Wayne. I have a 77D and will try it today. I wasn't real pleased with
the sound of my U87,so I'll check this out. I had read that ribbons were good
for sax. I have a 44 also, I'm going to try both.

[Scott Dorsey]

BLCKOUT420 > wrote:
>What works better,large diaphram or small? Suggestions?

I tend to grab a ribbon, but sometimes I grab an RE-20 instead. Once I
wound up with a wacky AKG interference tube thing in order to get the
right sound for the piece. Occasionally, I'll use an old EV 664, even.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

BLCKOUT420 > wrote:
>Thanks Wayne. I have a 77D and will try it today. I wasn't real pleased with
>the sound of my U87,so I'll check this out. I had read that ribbons were good
>for sax. I have a 44 also, I'm going to try both.

On sax, the main thing to realize is that much of the sound comes out of
the neck, and what comes out of the bell is pretty ugly by itself. Mike
the whole instrument, not just the bell.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[N2N Productions]

I like the AKG C414 for sax. I have had it requested many times and know
many sax players that even bring their own to the studio.

Sam Langley
N2N Productions
www.N2NProductions.com

"Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
...
> BLCKOUT420 > wrote:
> >What works better,large diaphram or small? Suggestions?
>
> I tend to grab a ribbon, but sometimes I grab an RE-20 instead. Once I
> wound up with a wacky AKG interference tube thing in order to get the
> right sound for the piece. Occasionally, I'll use an old EV 664, even.
> --scott
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Rick Powell]

(BLCKOUT420) wrote in message >...
> What works better,large diaphram or small? Suggestions?

If you are not averse to using a dynamic mic, Sennheiser 421 usually
does the trick. YMMV.

RP

[Jim Kollens]

Sam Langley: << I like the AKG C414 for sax. I have had it requested many
times and know
many sax players that even bring their own to the studio. >>

I like the Gefel UM70 (not the UMT) for tenor. It actually sounds quite a bit
like the 414 in this application, but a little "richer," at least to my ears.

[Chris Seifert]

Depends on the player but I usually prefer a dynamic mic like the
Beyer M88 or Sennheiser 421 on Sax. Sometimes the RE20 is a great
option because you can really close mic the sax without the proximity
effect build up.

When I do go with condenser mics I usually like U87's or Dragonfly's
on sax I've rarely ever miced a sax with small dia condensers.

best,
chris
wavetrap


(Wayne) wrote in message >...
> >What works better,large diaphram or small? Suggestions?
>
> Beyer M160 or 77DX ribbon mic.
>
> Large diaphram for me.
>
> --Wayne
>
> -"sounded good to me"-

[Wayne]

(BLCKOUT420) wrote in message
>...
>> What works better,large diaphram or small? Suggestions?

Remember the main thing is the player, the horn, and the sound your looking
for. Also, a tenor, alto or soprano all record differently.

If you're doing "when a man loves a woman" with spit running out the bell, use
a big condenser about two feet out in front of the mouthpiece and pointed
somewhere towards down depending on how much breath you want.

YMMV


--Wayne

-"sounded good to me"-

[Garthrr]

In article >,
(BLCKOUT420) writes:

>What works better,large diaphram or small? Suggestions?

I've never tried a small diaphram on sax although I'm sure it would be fine. I
frequently use the Lawson L47MP and am rarely dissapointed with it. Also have
had good results from the TLM 193 and Soundelux U195.
I would echo something Scott said about miking the whole instrument and not
just the bell. I think thats more important than mic choice.

Garth~


"I think the fact that music can come up a wire is a miracle."
Ed Cherney

[BLCKOUT420]

The sax player I recorded today was way open to me trying different mics, and I
did use a bunch of mics, including a mk 012, a EV 664, the 44, 77,and a Chinese
large diaphram. The 77D kicked butt. And he was way stoked with the sound.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

[Twist Turner]

To me sax has always been pretty easy to record. My favorite mic for
that was the Lawson L47mp which I just sold(I bought a Neumann M269 to
replace it and my Soundelux U95s so hopefully it will sound as good or
better, still waiting for it to arrive so I won't know for a week or so)

I"ve also had really good luck with either a RCA 44BX or a RCA77D. Also
I've used a RE20, Senn. 421, 441 and 409 all with good results



Twist Turner
http://tinyurl.com/ul70

[Wayne]

>The sax player I recorded today was way open to me trying different mics, and
>I
>did use a bunch of mics, including a mk 012, a EV 664, the 44, 77,and a
>Chinese
>large diaphram. The 77D kicked butt. And he was way stoked with the sound.
>Thanks for all the suggestions guys.
>
>

Some things never change <gr>


--Wayne

-"sounded good to me"-

[White Swan]

Sounds like I'll have to try one of the RCA's sometime, but I have to
say, I've never much liked the sound of a tenor sax through a Royer
121. I agree the Lawson L47 sounds fantastic on sax. What made you
decide to sell yours? They'll have to pry mine out of my cold dead
hands!

[Twist Turner]

I sold the Lawson because after having it for about 5 years it just
never got used other then for sax(about once a year), or occasionally a
room mic. I was looking for a really nice large diaphram condensor
mainly for vocals, the L47 seemed to totally buckle under those
conditions(even when the vocalist was 18" from the mic), it only made it
to tape once as a vocal mic, and I wasn't all that happy with it then,
honestly I like my $280 Sony C38 or my Soundelux U195 way better for
almost everyone who tried it verses the Lawson, or the Soundelux U95s
which I had for 3 years and it never made it to tape as a vocal mic, and
only rarely got used on anything else. No sense in keeping $3500 worth
of mics sitting around unused so I deceided to pick up the Neumann M269
which I think I'll be much happier with, and I"m sure it will take the
place of the Lawson for sax with no problem. And it will get alot of
use on vocals as well.

I never really liked the Lawson from the start and probably should have
returned it during that early return period, but I felt at the time
maybe I was doing some thing wrong, a $2000 mic couldn't sound bad could
it? So I kept it. I should have gone with my earlier instincts.

Actually in all fairness if I could have afforded to keep the Lawson I
would have, it was really good in front of a drum kit, and magical
sounding on sax, but I really was looking for something that would cut
it as a vocal mic, and I just wasn't getting what I wanted out of it.
Possibly the newer revised version sounds better, but I didn't want to
pay the money for the upgrade to find out I still didn't like it.

I found both the Soundelux and the Lawson sounded like someone placed a
limiter on them, just crapping out under pressure, kind of like
strapping a 1176 in line at 20:1 and just squishing it under too much
pressure. The Soundelux to a much lesser degree, but the Lawson did it
really badly and not in a good way at all. My Neumann M582 with a
M71(m7) capsule doesn't do this and neither does my RFT CM7151 bottle
mic with a M7 capsule so I know it's not just because it's a tube mic.
My Schoeps CM640 tube or AKG C61 don't act like this either.

I'll have to post later on how I'm liking the M269(once Tracy korby
get's it back to the dealer)

------------------------------------------------------
From: (White=A0Swan)
I agree the Lawson L47 sounds fantastic on sax. What made you decide to
sell yours? They'll have to pry mine out of my cold dead hands!



Twist Turner
http://tinyurl.com/ul70

[White Swan]

Thanks Twist.

That was a great description of your experiences. I think I know what
you mean, re the Lawson. I haven't had that happen to me as a rule,
but I have heard that limiting-type timbre on occasion when I've tried
to record a powerful classical soprano. What i've found usually fixes
it is using the pad on the power supply.

But I'm going to have to check out that Neumann. You've definitely got
me interested now.

[ScotFraser]

<< What works better,large diaphram or small? >>

B&O ribbon.
At least on alto.


Scott Fraser