Microphones Suggest a good clip on bell microphone please

[Halfers]

I find that actually playing more quietly is a perfectly adequate solution.

My reasons for wanting to be able to pull away from the mic are more to do with rectifying possible errors rather than control of volume Just turn away and face the drummer until I get back on track

 

[SaxMart]

I find that actually playing more quietly is a perfectly adequate solution.

Oh never thought of that

 

[SaxMart]

I find that actually playing more quietly is a perfectly adequate solution.

When I first started too many years ago I did a gig with the mic shoved down the bell I thought it looked cool noooooo not a nice experience I can tell you

 

[SaxMart]

My reasons for wanting to be able to pull away from the mic are more to do with rectifying possible errors rather than control of volume Just turn away and face the drummer until I get back on track

Or until the drummer gets back on track

 

[Halfers]

Or until the drummer gets back on track

Our Drummer is always on track I can't blame him

 

[Paul Bassett]

I want to get a clip on Mic for my tenor sax to do some recording at home . Could anyone suggest a good one on Amazon uk for up to £100 . Thanks

 

[s.mundi]

My personal recommendation is the Audio-Technica PRO-35 with XLR module. It's about $150.00.

 

[Nick Wyver]

Why do you want a clip-on for home recording? They're really designed for live stuff. For home recording you really want a mic a metre or so away from the sax.

 

[Wade Cornell]

I agree with Nick, but not about the distance to the microphone. I use a AKG CS 1000 condenser microphone. This is an excellent microphone but now an older model (originally very expensive). They are available on E-bay for less than $100. To check quality of recordings you can go to:
Wikiloops Backing Tracks

Nick would be right if you are in an environment where you want the natural ambience of the room in which you're playing. For most recording purposes this isn't what you want. You want to be as close as possible without one area of the horn dominating. About 30 to 40 cm away and usually pointing around G/F keys. If you have the mic pointing at the bell of the horn you'll get a "boom" with low notes played and the top end of the horn will be lacking presence. The recording should be "dry" without your hearing the room you're in. You can then modify the sound through whatever software you're using to add reverb, delay, etc. to fit with the track you're using, or if live, with the settings of the the rest of band. If using a clip on, the microphone shouldn't be in the bell, but above it, ideally again up around 30 cm off from the G/F keys, but most are short necked and just sit above the bell. If you never play below D then doesn't matter as much if it sits in the bell.

Recording is good fun and definitely a way to help improve every aspect of your playing. Being able to fit in with the backing takes a bit of time to learn, but is worthwhile. Ideally you want to sound like you're part of the band and recorded all together live.

 

[Nick Wyver]

Nick would be right if you are in an environment where you want the natural ambience of the room in which you're playing.

Indeed, you are correct. The room where I do recording is very dead so it's not really an issue. I agree with all the rest.

 

[TootSweet]

I use a AT 35PRO. The sound is more than OK, but it picks up quite a lot of key noise.

 

[DavidUK]

After a year and a half the new "Project" house is just about finished internally and I've been allocated part of a bedroom I can use to play. I've previously done a few recordings using Garageband and my iPad's internal mic which were OK but I'm looking at el cheapo USB mics now. Perhaps a Blue Yeti/Snowball or Samson C01U/03U (other cheapie suggestions welcomed).

My question is, I may want to connect the mic by USB to my MacBook Pro too and that seems the easy bit, but to connect it to the iPad I'm not sure if I'll need a lightning to USB3 camera connector as Google suggests I do and I don't. Is this dependant on the mic's ability to draw power from an iPad direct or am I missing some other ingredient which will tell me if a particular mic can connect direct to an iPad (having the correct cable supplied with it perhaps) or if it needs an interface of some kind?

I'm going table top or stand mounted as my recordings will be static at home. We forgot to build a stage.

Thanks for any suggestions. Kind of dreading going back into Garageband as I recall it took me an age to figure it out but I'm sure it'll come back to me.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I'm going table top or stand mounted as my recordings will be static at home. We forgot to build a stage.

The Blue Yeti does of course stand on a table or desk, but there's a good chance it will not sound great especially if stuck in front of a computer monitor

I found the desk can act as a sort of soundboard with undesirable resonances going on. Best to use it on a conventional stand (it has the fitting for a stand screw)

That way also it's easier to keep away from reflective surfaces such as your computer and the table itself.

 

[DavidUK]

Good points. I have a few camera tripods, is there an adapter?

I recall you use an occasional Yeti, is there any other I should consider such as those I mention?

 

[Pete Thomas]

Good points. I have a few camera tripods, is there an adapter?

Good question. I don't know

I recall you use an occasional Yeti, is there any other I should consider such as those I mention?

I've seen people recommend a Zoom H2, which is a mic and recorder. But I haven't tried one.

 

[DavidUK]

Mmmmmm... considering Snowball or Samson Meteor now, as I think both can be powered from the iPad with no additional power supply (such as that via a lightning to USB3 Camera adapter).

Not seen the Meteor before, still researching it.

 

[Tenor Viol]

Mics like the Zoom have a 1/4 thread, same as a camera, so can be attached to a camera tripod.

My friend the sound engineer (he has a masters in it sponsored by EMI) recommended the Samson Go to me as a cheap option.

He also got me to buy sound wedges to put under my monitor speakers to isolate them from the desk - it made a big difference to the sound. I think same for mic if not using a tripod or mic stand

 

[DavidUK]

Just reading the Samson Meteor has no gain control, from a user review here: B&H Photo Video

"Despite selling this bundled with iPad USB adapters it is NOT a good fit. While it will function with an iPad/iPhone there is NO control over the mic's initial gain / A-D stage. It will input a signal with it's gain at full ... so if you are close to the mic or recording a loud sound, the signal will distort in the mic itself. Even if you wind down an App's record level you just end up with a lower amplitude clipped signal.The manual is clear that the only way to reduce the level of the mic into the AD converter is via USB from a connected computer ( eg Apple's Sound Control Panel ). iPad/ iiPhone cannot do this. Maybe Samson should release an App to do it?The Apogee MiC is better ( and more expensive ) option. It has a physical gain control ( no headphone out though).The Meteor works great connected to an actual computer. NIce sound good headphone output... zero latency monitoring."

I'm using Garageband on iPad and just read @nigeld tips here: Software - Garageband Tips

Could someone confirm if "gain" is the same as input volume which Nigel's tips advise can be controlled inside Garageband?

Would I have the same or other gain/volume issue with the Snowball and other USB mics when used with iPad and Garageband?

Am I worrying too much!?

 

[DavidUK]

Mics like the Zoom have a 1/4 thread, same as a camera, so can be attached to a camera tripod.

My friend the sound engineer (he has a masters in it sponsored by EMI) recommended the Samson Go to me as a cheap option.

He also got me to buy sound wedges to put under my monitor speakers to isolate them from the desk - it made a big difference to the sound. I think same for mic if not using a tripod or mic stand

So did you go Go in the end? Any good?

I've seen the Go but dismissed it as I wondered what I'd clip it to? Not sure if it has a tripod mount under?

 

[DavidUK]

Another issue with the Meteor is that if my headphones are plugged into the mic I can't hear the backing track coming from the iPad. Apparently the headphone socket on the mic is for "monitoring the recorded signal with no latency" whatever that means?

Info from here: Samson Meteor

I can of course plug my headphones into the iPad directly to hear the backing track but then the mic headphone socket is redundant.

This mic choosing is complex!...