SDC vs LDC

[Glennwillow]

I have recorded guitar with LDC and SDC mics. I have gotten what I consider good results with either. However, after a while I decided I like the flatter response of the SDC mics I currently use (Warm Audio WA-84 pair).

On the other hand, I recorded three live piano CD albums on a small Steinway in a church using a pair of Audio Technica AT4050 mics (which are LDC mics) and I think the sound quality is excellent. I set both mics in the cardioid setting to help avoid picking up traffic noise and that worked pretty well most of the time. At the time that I did these CDs I did not own the WA-84 SDC mics I own today. I think they would have also sounded good, but who knows...

- Glenn

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by min7b5

Maybe try going a foot and half away, looking down at the guitar, shooting just over the top of the upper waist. Like at your sternum. To me it kinda sounds how I personally hear the guitar. And I’ve heard it used by singers as a good spot to get a nice balance between the guitar and voice in mono. I hesitate to leave this here as a quick example https://youtu.be/zlq6fo5Zt2c as it's just a quick personal tester I did yesterday in my tiny, untreated, office, etc, that I planned to try again today as this is little boomy for me... (I’ll leave this unlisted and probably take it down in a few days. But this is just my Ear Trumpet Labs Delfina in mono, like I said, just maybe 18 inches out, pointed down just above the guitar and directly above the soundhole. Not saying it's what I would use for a public facing recording, but it's a kinda fun fast and easy way to do it.

Eric, thanks for posting that. I'm surprised the mic isn't visible in the video, it must have been just out of frame.

I've been thinking about doing some of the same type of exploration in mic placement since I've noticed how much difference there is between what we hear as players and what we end up hearing as listeners when the standard recommended mic placements have been utilized.

Sure, there is the argument that we should focus our attention on recreating what a listener experiences when positioned in front of the instrument, but some of what I consider my personal favorite tone are those I only notice from the "player's perspective". I sometimes wish I could bring THAT tonal perspective to the listener, since I enjoy it so much.

Is that so wrong?

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Eric, thanks for posting that. I'm surprised the mic isn't visible in the video, it must have been just out of frame.

I've been thinking about doing some of the same type of exploration in mic placement since I've noticed how much difference there is between what we hear as players and what we end up hearing as listeners when the standard recommended mic placements have been utilized.

Sure, there is the argument that we should focus our attention on recreating what a listener experiences when positioned in front of the instrument, but some of what I consider my personal favorite tone are those I only notice from the "player's perspective". I sometimes wish I could bring THAT tonal perspective to the listener, since I enjoy it so much.

Is that so wrong?

Not wrong at all. After all, we play for ourselves first.
That is why we buy different guitars, different strings. Because we the player wants a specific sound. When I play, most of the time I lean my head down. Often only 8 or 10 inches away from the soundhole.

So a big yes for me on this. I want my recorded sound to be like what I mostly hear as the player. Of course, recording in the way that I hear it...it not always the easiest task. And I will add a few things here and there to add to the tonality. To get to the tonality that I wish.

And if you think about it... a hired recording engineer doesn't necessarily record guitars like they hear it, they record the guitar how they want it to sound.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

...
LCD and SCD react in slightly different ways. Here are some edited excerpts from one source:
"Directional mics have a rise in low-frequency response when used close to a sound source. It’s called the proximity effect. An SDC tends to roll off more at low frequencies than an LDC. Emphasizes the mid-lows in an SDC. Emphasizes the deep lows in an LDC.

What this tells me is in some cases SDC's and LDC's might need to be positioned at different distances. Maybe LDC's have to be a bit further out to relinquish the ill effects of too much proximity?
...

Actually the low end response of a dual diaphragm LD mic is more complex than that. The construction of a dual diaphragm mic results in a more nearly omni pattern at low frequencies when the cardioid pattern is selected. This reduces the bass buildup due to proximity, but increases the low frequency response due to characteristics of an omni mic. The degree to which these two tendencies interact is part of the character of different dual diaphragm LDs.

http://www.shure.com/publications/us...m_paper_ea.pdf

Fran

[BillCoplin]

Because of Glennwillow, I have a stereo pair of Warm Audio WA-84 mics on order! I have had some decent recordings with 1) a single Shure SM81; 2) a single Townsend L22 Sphere; and 3) a combo of both of these mics. But I want to use the Townsend for vocals so I think adding the pair of Warm Audio WA-84s will be the perfect combination. Thanks Glenn!