Microphones Clipon microphone

c9off · Jan 6, 2009

Could I throw this cheapie into the ring...

the t.bone CC 75 for 33 euros

for e38 plus postage you get a stand and 10m xlr lead as well!

Although I do have one I'm not able to give any advice as I bought a zoom for my needs and abandoned this route...

cheers

Jules · Jan 6, 2009

wavygravy wrote:
thanks julian
one more dumb question...which is best for gigging with a sax

cheers
neil

Basically comes down to how far away you want to stand from you horn

ManEast · Jan 6, 2009

wavygravy wrote:
hi folks
does anyone have any suggestions for a (cheapish) clip on microphone...i realise you probably get what you pay for as in most things.

neil

Hi Neil
SM58 was predominantly designed as a Vocal Mic ... you can use it for sax, but it will pick up other stuff on the bandstand. esp at 3 or 4ft off the ground.
The SM 57 is an instrument specific Mic....Fantastic for sax with a crisp neutral tone. You can pick one-up for ?75-?90.
You could spend far more and not end-up with somthing as good for sax, esp when on a live Gig. (In the studio... its a whole dif ball game.)

One thing better than one SM57 & That's two.

Regards
ManEast

wavygravy · Jan 6, 2009

sounds like an sm57 is the one to get....thanks for the usual good advise.

ps any got a cheap sm57 for sale 😉

Taz · Jan 6, 2009

I use a clip on made for me by a firm in Oxford. They normally just do PA gear but they made me a clip on mike that has a monitor ear piece attached, so you can hear exactly what the sax sounds like. Its a real bonus if A. your playing with a loud band and B. you are not very confident. I found the latter to be brilliant. If I remember rightly, I paid ?129.99 for it. Its still going strong after nearly 3 years of abuse. The company is called Innerear and you can call them on 01865873118 I cant remember the chaps name. Its got a life time guarantee. Give them a call. If you want to go wireless, you can use one of those guitar "bug" things

stephen_howard · Jan 7, 2009

wavygravy wrote:
ok...enough said about clip ons....but..could someone please explain (avoiding technobabble if possible) the difference between a shure sm57 and an sm58

many thanks

neil

They're actually the same mic - or rather the same cartridge. The design of the 57 allows the user to get closer to the head of the mic without the sound becoming too boomy ( it's called 'Proximity Effect' ).
For that reason I prefer the 58 as it's more of a mic you can 'play'.

Regards,

Pjonah · Jan 9, 2009

Just ordered my SM57, ? 78 bad boys from Electro Music in Donny, includes postage too!

losaavedra · Jan 12, 2009

Bigger pic (and larger price!) at:

http://www.rockfactory.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=pmv-yoga002

... attachment looks useful for pointing the thing down the bell.

ManEast · Jan 12, 2009

Hi Neil
I think it was you who said......you get what you pay for.
Remember you only buy one, & that should last you a life time.
Respect your own sound....put the money into the SM57.

Also ,someone has told me about Cheap Knock-off sm57's and 58's on eeeebay. Make sure you get the real deal.

Regards
ManEast

wavygravy · Jan 12, 2009

i saw something about sm57/58 copies in an article too....i suppose you should buy from a reputable dealer and the old adage of `if it sounds to good to be true..it probably is` fits well here

neil

ManEast · Jan 12, 2009

wavygravy wrote:
i saw something about sm57/58 copies in an article too....i suppose you should buy from a reputable dealer and the old adage of `if it sounds to good to be true..it probably is` fits well here

neil

Hi Again
You are spot-on there.

ManEast

thomsax · Jan 12, 2009

There is a brand called TSM (57) and they do a replica of the SM 57. Sounds good, I can't hear the difference but I can feel it. Half the pice comparing to Sm57. I don't know how durable they are. Doubt they are as good as the SM57 when it comes to this matter.

Thomas

mfox · Jan 12, 2009

i you want a good sound thnen dont buy a cheap mic and dont point it down the bell. sm57 is a good durable mic which has been used for sax for years i have a few hanging around, and i do use them for louder gigs. clip ons are ok but you do get quite a lot of key noise regardless of the make, but what i like to use is a condeser mic for pure sound quality. my 2p worth

Moz · Jan 12, 2009

If one doesn't point it down the bell won't it pick up more of the surrounding instruments and less of ones own?

Miking is a black art to me as I have never played in a band until now and all these playing-live factors are coming up to bite me.

Moz

mfox wrote:
i you want a good sound thnen dont buy a cheap mic and dont point it down the bell. sm57 is a good durable mic which has been used for sax for years i have a few hanging around, and i do use them for louder gigs. clip ons are ok but you do get quite a lot of key noise regardless of the make, but what i like to use is a condeser mic for pure sound quality. my 2p worth

thomsax · Jan 12, 2009

Sorry it should be JTS! TSM ......??? The microphone is called JTS PDM 57. There is another called SSDN DM-57.

Thomas

Jules · Jan 13, 2009

The issues surrounding down-the-bell miking become very apparent if you ever gig on baritone. low notes speaker-cone-tippingly loud, high register really quiet and weedy. since finding that on bari, I've noticed an annoying sound level disparity on my tenor when it's too close miked.
personal tip- your mke pointing across the bell at your left-hand pinky table keys.....

Moz wrote:
If one doesn't point it down the bell won't it pick up more of the surrounding instruments and less of ones own?

mfox wrote:
i you want a good sound thnen dont buy a cheap mic and dont point it down the bell. sm57 is a good durable mic which has been used for sax for years i have a few hanging around, and i do use them for louder gigs. clip ons are ok but you do get quite a lot of key noise regardless of the make, but what i like to use is a condeser mic for pure sound quality. my 2p worth

Read more…

Pjonah · Jan 13, 2009

nachoman wrote:
The issues surrounding down-the-bell miking become very apparent if you ever gig on baritone. low notes speaker-cone-tippingly loud, high register really quiet and weedy. since finding that on bari, I've noticed an annoying sound level disparity on my tenor when it's too close miked.
personal tip- your mke pointing across the bell at your left-hand pinky table keys.....

Thats interesting, as mine will be on a Baritone, worth knowing, so thanks for that Jules.

Pete Thomas · Jan 13, 2009

Moz wrote:
If one doesn't point it down the bell won't it pick up more of the surrounding instruments and less of ones own?

Yes. It's a question of getting the right balance between down the bell and too far away. The ideal position for sound is probably at least 12" from the saxophone.

But, if the band s very loud on stage, sometimes getting right down the bell is the lesser of the two evils, ie some saxophone (miked down the bell) may be better than no saxophone.

The same applies to acoustic pianos. They sound best when miked with the lid open, but when you do this you are mostly just adding a couple of extra drum mics!

ManEast · Jan 13, 2009

Hi All
Mic down the Bell ! Hmmmmm, its not good news when you have to result to that. But i have been there ! Have you ever had a look at a book called:-
"The Saxophone Is My Voice by Ernest Ferron. Master Instrument Maker. "
In this incredible book, Ferron has a small chapter intitled, "THE BELL"

quote frome the book :-

Only the low B flat actually "comes out" through the bell,and it is far from being the best or most in tune note. Only the heighest sound components of the other notes go through the bell, in particular those notes whose fingerings have many open holes, because the filtering function of the closed holes is reduced. The bell's "output" varies with each note.
This underlines the stupidity of recording with a microphone in the bell. The microphone will receive only a fraction of the instrument's sound spectrum, which can give the disagreeable impression of being out of tune. Logically, three microphones should be used😱ne at the height of each hand, and one at the bell. (E.Ferron)

Obviously this isn't totally aplicable to what we are talking about, but interesting none the less.
If you can find yourself a copy of this book, I can highly recommend it. Jazzwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise.

Love to all

ManEast

mrjulian · Feb 3, 2009

There is a brand called TSM (57) and they do a replica of the SM 57. Sounds good, I can't hear the difference but I can feel it. Half the pice comparing to Sm57. I don't know how durable they are. Doubt they are as good as the SM57 when it comes to this matter.

A friend found an SM58 a few years ago that had be lost for 10 years or more. She dug it up in the garden!
Cleaned it up, plugged it in, and hey presto - it worked!
(Not sure I'd try it myself, tho)