Foot Tapping: Recording Question

[Brian W.]

I’m recording with a large-diaphragm condenser mic on a shock-mount. I’d like to capture my foot tapping along with the guitar, but the vibrations travel from the floor right up the mic stand. It leads to a low rumble in the recording each time I tap my foot.

Do you think suspending the mic from the ceiling would do the trick?

[66strummer]

Originally Posted by Brian W.

I’m recording with a large-diaphragm condenser mic on a shock-mount. I’d like to capture my foot tapping along with the guitar, but the vibrations travel from the floor right up the mic stand. It leads to a low rumble in the recording each time I tap my foot.

Do you think suspending the mic from the ceiling would do the trick?

That's likely part of the idea of suspending condenser mics from above (vibrations picked up from the floor caused by any kind of movements while performing/recording)......

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by 66strummer

That's likely part of the idea of suspending condenser mics from above (vibrations picked up from the floor caused by any kind of movements while performing/recording)......

My next question is what to use to suspend the mic. I’m thinking a flower pot hanger in the ceiling and hook on each end of a chain. One could double-up the links in the chain to achieve the height adjustment, although I suppose it’s not necessary after you find the initial placement. BTW, they probably make some sort of mic boom for this.

[redavide]

If I were you, I would try a few things that might be easier first . . . Like putting some kind of padding, like rubber, under your mic boom's feet, or maybe putting the boom up on a chair or something. Hanging a mic from the ceiling sounds like a pain in the butt -- but in the end maybe that will be your only solution . . .

Also, try different shoes if you want to hear tapping -- I'm sure some will sound better than others. I always take off my right shoe when I record so I don't hear the tapping. But I like your idea of making the tapping part of the recording - it could sound very good. When I'm recording, I usually look like some kind of an imbecile walking around with one shoe on . . .

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by redavide

If I were you, I would try a few things that might be easier first . . . Like putting some kind of padding, like rubber, under your mic boom's feet, or maybe putting the boom up on a chair or something. Hanging a mic from the ceiling sounds like a pain in the butt -- but in the end maybe that will be your only solution . . .

Also, try different shoes if you want to hear tapping -- I'm sure some will sound better than others. I always take off my right shoe when I record so I don't hear the tapping. But I like your idea of making the tapping part of the recording - it could sound very good. When I'm recording, I usually look like some kind of an imbecile walking around with one shoe on . . .

That’s funny; I too walk around with one shoe on recording day. My dress shoes have leather soles that sound neat against wood floors, but unfortunately my music room is carpeted. A wood cutting-board to tap on works pretty good . . . just be sure to wash it before you dice tomatoes!

I tried the chair thing, but same result.

[Buc McMaster]

Foot tapping on a recording can be quite nice. Here's a track I did a couple of years ago. The foot tap is my Tony Lama bullhide boot on a 12x12 wooden kitchen cutting board close-mic'ed with an SM57. The rhythm guitar (SJ200) track was recorded with the foot tap and was done without a click track.....the tempo holds up pretty well throughout. (The second guitar was a Breedlove, unknown model, played by a friend.)

toe tappin' on the Front Page

[valleyguy]

I'd use a small condenser mic (or a dynamic mic) pointed at the tapping feet and relatively close, like 12". I don't think that is a good use of a LC mic as you don't want to pick up ANY low frequencies of foot tapping anyway.

The other alternative is to just EQ out the offending frequencies.

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by valleyguy

I'd use a small condenser mic (or a dynamic mic) pointed at the tapping feet and relatively close, like 12". I don't think that is a good use of a LC mic as you don't want to pick up ANY low frequencies of foot tapping anyway.

The other alternative is to just EQ out the offending frequencies.

I failed to mention that I’m recording vocals too. I’m actually using two condensers; a LC for the vocals and SC for the guitar. The foot tapping gets picked up in the LC more so than the SC. Since I’m going for a “live” feel, I’d like to record each part simultaneously. I’m using two mics so that I can later increase the vocal level over the guitar if need be.

Maybe I should try a dynamic for the vocal and SC for guitar and foot...

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by Buc McMaster

Foot tapping on a recording can be quite nice. Here's a track I did a couple of years ago. The foot tap is my Tony Lama bullhide boot on a 12x12 wooden kitchen cutting board close-mic'ed with an SM57. The rhythm guitar (SJ200) track was recorded with the foot tap and was done without a click track.....the tempo holds up pretty well throughout. (The second guitar was a Breedlove, unknown model, played by a friend.)

toe tappin' on the Front Page

Darn firewall blocks mp3s here at work . . . I’ll check it out tonight…

[ayavner]

just make sure you hang it far enough away from the ceiling fan blades LOL

(strum, pick, strum, WAP WAP WAP)

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by Buc McMaster

Foot tapping on a recording can be quite nice. Here's a track I did a couple of years ago. The foot tap is my Tony Lama bullhide boot on a 12x12 wooden kitchen cutting board close-mic'ed with an SM57. The rhythm guitar (SJ200) track was recorded with the foot tap and was done without a click track.....the tempo holds up pretty well throughout. (The second guitar was a Breedlove, unknown model, played by a friend.)

toe tappin' on the Front Page

That's a great tune Buc! I like the lyrics. The foot tapping really makes a difference. It gets my foot tapp'n. Nice soloing by the way.

[valleyguy]

I find it is always best to record each piece separately to its own track, so I'd record the toe-tapping separately afterwards, much easier to adjust volume levels that way and to add effects to each independently.

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by Brian W.

I’m recording with a large-diaphragm condenser mic on a shock-mount. I’d like to capture my foot tapping along with the guitar, but the vibrations travel from the floor right up the mic stand. It leads to a low rumble in the recording each time I tap my foot.

Do you think suspending the mic from the ceiling would do the trick?

Just to follow up on this thread . . . I suspended my mic from the ceiling using a chain and flower basket hanger. Cost ~ $10.00. Turns out the shock-mount and a quick link work great to attach the mic to the chain. I know . . . big deal, but I’m feel’n all MacGyver-like today. Best of all, no more rumble in the recording due to foot tapping.

[mud4feet]

Here's how Chris Smither does it........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpNoQaB2LT0