Please recommend a second mic for fingerstyle

[TBman]

I use either 2 LDC mics (a WA-47jr and a WA14) or two SM57 (dynamic mics). I just haven't found the right 2 SDC mics. The ones I have, a Rode NT5, MXL 991 and a AKG Perception 150 are a bit too bright for me.

I think the LDC mics are warm sounding as compared to the SDC mics that I have. The dynamics have a warmth also that the SDC mics don't have, but they aren't as sensitive as the other mics.

[ACOUSTICDEWD]

I use the Line Audio CM4 (which replaced my KM184) due to the ruler flat frequency response. The lack of low cut does require extra room treatment.
The EV-RE20 on lower bout works wonders on the low end (stole the technique from Pat Metheny). A tube LDC would also work but I wanted something more rugged for travel.

I use this combo through a modified Focusrite 4th gen (thanks to Revive Audio, who upgraded the I/O compontents). I use minimal processing (my PuigChild does the heavy lifting) and one my clients (Discovery Channel) is loving it. Of course, were talking about 'wallpaper music' heard behind dialogue/location recordings... but I digress

As for capturing singing and playing at the same time, this Steve Albini vid favors the AEA Ribbon on vocals a Beyer M130 ribbon mic,and some DIY soundboard mics on guitar - nice technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ualm3rCZRz0

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

On the Townsend, I think the features of that system are incredible, with the ability to tweak everything in post and really dial in the sound. I assume the models aren't totally true to the real thing, most modeling systems are like that, but as long as they sound good, I'm fine with it. They could just call it "mic A, mic B" for all I'd care. One of the cool things is even the ability to create mics that don't exist, like maybe you wish you had a figure-8 SM57 :-) Or a hyper-cardiod Coles 4038, and so on.

To me, the main downside is that the mic itself is "ok", but you can tell it's a chinese capsule, and if you AB it with better mics, it just fundamentally doesn't quick stack up - tho if you don't compare, it sounds quite good, and could be a powerful tool for a home studio.

I have mixed feelings about the Townsend type of modeling systems. I've listened to that one and the Slate. Of the two, the Townsend is certainly the better sounding option but as soon as you put either up against a decent quality mic, the difference in sound quality is apparent.

My other issue is that any investment in software dependent hardware comes with a baked in expiration because a day will come when the company no longer supports the software and you're stuck with a mic-shaped paperweight.

That said, I do think such things serve a purpose. Many people spend years hunting and pecking for the right mic. That can be a costly endeavor with every mistake costing the user cash that likely could have been better spent. Something like the Townsend can be useful as a guide for future purchases. For example, if you like the 49 emulation, you might look for a dedicated 49-esque mic. These systems can give the user some sense of the flavor of the modeled mics but they're no substitute for mics dedicated to that particular sound. Even lower-cost offerings like, for example, the ADK T FET offerings, will outshine the modeled systems.

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I hoped when UA took them over, with David Bock involved, that maybe they'd come out with a truly high quality mic that supported all that manipulation. So far, that hasn't happened, and now they've just released an even lower end mic. Probably makes sense from a sales standpoint. But a really great mic that let you do all that polar pattern/proximity manipulation after the fact seems like it'd be very cool, (if expensive).

A lot of people hoped that would be a productive partner ship but UA and David Bock have parted ways. It must be over a year ago by now.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

II hoped when UA took them over, with David Bock involved, that maybe they'd come out with a truly high quality mic that supported all that manipulation. So far, that hasn't happened, and now they've just released an even lower end mic. Probably makes sense from a sales standpoint. But a really great mic that let you do all that polar pattern/proximity manipulation after the fact seems like it'd be very cool, (if expensive).

Plus, I've heard that David doesn't really agree with that idea, which is why he focused on the 3 mics he (re)designed for UA before they unceremoniously dumped him. They were all Bock Audio/Soundelux models prior to the agreement with UA.

[Ty Ford]

One Schoeps CMC641. You can see it on the sofa arm rest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Joseph Hanna]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

One Schoeps CMC641. You can see it on the sofa arm rest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

Regards,

Ty Ford

Lovely Ty!

[alohachris]

Aloha Ty,

Of course, +1 on the Schoeps CMC641. Best mic I ever heard or owned.

I have always enjoyed this song, Ty. One of a kind.

You've taught me a lot about signal chains & gear over the years. Thanks for that!

I love your unique music & sensibilities, your singular playing styles & your musical & recording knowledge which you share so freely. Always right on.

Eh, do you still "get dead people, in your mouth?" Ha!

A Hui Hou!
alohachris

[Ty Ford]

Hey Joseph!

Wow Long time! Thank you. Maybe you can give me some advice. Do you ever run into dry spells where you look across the room at the guitar on the stand and just go, "enh?" It's entirely mental. I'm having that right now and am trying to figure a way on to playing more. Got any clues?

Regards,

Ty

[Ty Ford]

Hi Chris,

Long time for you as well!

Thanks so much for the nice words. Same question to you as to Joeseph about getting back to playing.

Thank you for the compliments! Lately I've been working on mixes for a friend. He writes, plays 12-string, sings and arranges. His wife sings and plays percussion. A friend plays bass and sings harmonies. They are slightly out of the box (which of course, I like!)

He records with Logic Pro and comes in with the sessions on his laptop. I pull the folder to my iMac Pro and off we go. When we're done for the day, I save a new folder to his MacBook and off he goes. Usually I give some homework; fix this or that, come up with an idead for something.

My most recent "adjustment" came from finishing one of his songs on the iMac Pro and playing it on my older Mac with Event Opal speakers. There was a lot more bass on the Opals. I've been using old ElectroVoice Sentry 100 passives on the iMac pro. I like the sound of them. There's a certain clarity that, I guess, I'm used to. They just lack bottom.

I have a friend up the street who used to work at Polk. Several years ago, I finally caved and bought a subwoofer for the living room. After talking to him, I got a pair of these. https://www.polkaudio.com/en-us/prod...12632-new.html

As a result, I realized I was missing an entire dimension of low frequency composition work. I just go another one and have connected it to the C output of my Mackie Big Knob. The A output goes to a classic (old) Crown D60 amp for the Sentry 100,

The Polk subwoofer has enough input flexibility to allow me to check the low end response specs of the Sentry 100 and tune the low end bandwidth as needed; right about 60 Hz in this case. There's a separate gain adjust. After I added the subwoofer, I was playing a cassette with voice only. I needed to go to the other Mac and from across the room, about 15-20 feet, I could hear this low end chesty thing on the voice. Very subtle. I sort of just "filled the room" with his voice.

I played Jennifer Warnes' "Famous Blue Rain Coat" CD last night on the iMac Pro with the new sub. George Massenburg produced that CD and I really like the clarity of the mix. Again, the low end added a slight bit of a new color.

I need to be careful not to get enchanted by the sub. So far, so good.

Heh, I'll have to play "Dead People" over it next time I'm down there. Maybe I'll find out that the D28S has even more bottom than I thought!

Gotta go, it's late - or very early -- but I'll be back. Got a one off, PRS semi-acoustic body hat I had a 12-string neck put on by local luthier John Thurston.

Regards,

Ty