Condencer Microphones ?

[Richard Tipple]

Would a good quality condencer microphone outperform say a SM57 for recording steel.
Ive never used anything but my 57 here at home for recording.
Would a condencer produce a better mid range pick up?

[Bob Martin]

Hi Richard, it generally depends on the quality of your condenser Mic and what kind of steel sound you are going for. I would say that a very high percentage of the recordings that you have heard down through the years on the radio and CD's were recorded with a SM57. Guitar speaker's output a pretty high sound pressure level and 57's just seem to do very well with that pressure.

Thats not saying that a lot of condenser Mics won't hold up to the pressure level it just seems that 57's have been the mainstay of recording stringed instrument amplifiers for many years.

The best thing to do is just try different Mics and see if you like them.

Bob

[Papa Joe Pollick]

I read somewhere,that almost every major studio had SM 57,s in there studios.Must be a reason.Dunno..PJ

[Richard Tipple]

Thanks fellas,,I guess if It aint broke,,dont fix it

[David L. Donald]

IMHO the answer HAS to be YES.

A good condensor will have a flatter response
and faster transient response time than a SM-57.
Almost ANY modern mic will have a flatter response....

Almost ANY modern mic will sound less colored than a 57.

57's are still useful mics, but ONLY if you are
wanting it's particular qualities.
Like on a rock snare drum
Most studios have them for that reason,
plus they are quite cheap.

But to say because there is one one in most ANY studio,
so use it for micing amps vs most other
more modern choices, is really not a correct response. IMHO
I have had studio's for 40+ years and never owned a SM-57,
though I HAVE used them many times; Snare and rock guitar amps, blues harmonica.
Just never saw the need to BUY one.

If the sound you get is JUST what you want
on your amp with a 57, then don't change it,
but if it seems lacking in highs,
not just the upper mid peak it has,
and the attck sounds muted,
then try another choice.

Unless I wanted a purposely retro steel sound,
I wouldn't use a 57 at all.

And when trying it, don't just use the same positions you used for the 57,
different mics call for different micing techniques too.

Hope this helps.

[Chuck Fisher]

I have good results with Sennheiser 421-U and with my Chinese tube condenser. Usually about a foot in front of amp off-center on 12" spkr.

57s ok but.........

[Webb Kline]

Chuck, my son did a session in a studio a while back and the cymbals just sounded killer, best Ive heard. I asked him what mics they used. He said, you're not going to believe it if I tell you--a pair of $39 Behringer (Chinese) condensers! I never hear SM88s reproduce cymbals any better.

I've recorded all my guitar and steel stuff for years through a Pod direct to the board. But I can tell you that I used to use 57s to mic the leslie for my organ until we tried a 414 AKG equidistant between the woofer and horn and I've never looked back. No comparision between that and the 57s. Of course they cost 10 times as much...

[David L. Donald]

I have recorded a leslie with 2, 57's and a bass mic.

For the twirling horn up top
one 57 on the left side
and another on the right side of the back
around 8 inches back

And a bass drum mic on the lower twirling drum
dead center of the back.

Mixed across stereo just as the mics are placed
gives a pretty darned BIG, slightly retro, Leslie sound.

I have also used a pair of U-87 condencers
instead of the 57's and bass drum mic too.
A more clear even sound but just as big.
I have done this both for organ and also for guitar through a Leslie.