Accessories Microphones

[PigSquealer]

I know nothing about mics or recording, so please, keep it very simple - no long technical words😛

I use the Shure app. Open , record, pause, save, delete or off switch.
The used $7 mic I stated above as a Snowball was wrong. It’s the MV5 model. New kit is well within your budget @ £90 + VAT.
This is a condenser mic.
Information below is massive.

shure mv5 at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

 

[Pete Thomas]

This is also what a compressor is for. It controls the maximum volume for you so you don't have to back off on your playing.

But do bear in mind this is affecting the already recorded audio, and potentially stopping clipping at the mixdown. It won’t be affecting the level at the analogue to digital stage.

 

[Pete Effamy]

You shouldn't need to record with compression, just turn the gain down. Compression is an effect and is generally used to either push an instrument through a busy mix or to control a signal (player or singer) that can't control themselves.

In the old days, signal to noise ratios were important because of hiss etc Not really these days with digital. You don't need to be anywhere near the clipping point of 0db. Experiment with how far away from the mic you are and how high the mic is in relation to your horn.

There are "best practice" guidelines online from manufacturers such as Shure (and thousands of others of course). The only problems with being further from the mic is getting the sound of the room (your reflections / reverb) and this can be nasty - so adjust accordingly.
If you get right on top of a mic you'll be liable to Proximity Effect - a saturation / overload which makes the sound really big and nasty.

 

[Pete Thomas]

You shouldn't need to record with compression, just turn the gain down.

Completely agree. In the old days it was useful sometimes with over-dynamic performances, but even you really hade to know what you were doing as it there was no going back. But then again, in those days there was no Audacity and nearly all recording was done professionally.

 

[Pete Effamy]

Producer Al Schmidt has said that as a rule he never recorded with compression, and according to interviews (namely Elliott Scheiner) none of the Steely Dan stuff was either. And Gaucho was still analogue - arguably still blows everything out of the water even 47 years later.