Jason Isbell's "If We Were Vampires"

[midwinter]

I posted a video of this a while back when I was testing out some software.

Today, we were testing out a new mic.

I recently bought an AEA R84a active ribbon mic on Reverb (after having watches on Reverb and Ebay for MONTHS waiting for a used one to show up), and the guy I bought it from and I got to talking about it. When I told him I had an AEA N22 active ribbon, he said he'd been curious about that mic for a while, and I offered to A/B it for him (the difference in sound is honestly pretty astonishing—the N22 sounds much thinner than the R84a).

We finally had a break in our gigging schedule and time to test it out. I put the mics horizontally between us, with the woman in my band on one side and me with a guitar on the other. We just did one quick take. It's not a perfect take, but it's a pretty good representation of how great this mic sounds!

So this is a single mic (the R84a) for guitar and two voices.

Guitar: 2010 Breedlove American Series C25/SR (custom shop).
Mic: AEA R84a
Preamp: Sebatraon VMP-4000e
Reverb: Valhalla Vintageverb

[Aimelie]

I’m not sure what to say about the microphone—but, wow, your performance is simply wonderful. Two beautiful voices and a single guitar married to a bittersweet song—I’m terribly impressed.

Bravo!

[jklotz]

Sounds great, performance and mic. Nice job.

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by Aimelie

I’m not sure what to say about the microphone—but, wow, your performance is simply wonderful. Two beautiful voices and a single guitar married to a bittersweet song—I’m terribly impressed.

Bravo!

Thank you! I'm a pretty big fan of Isbell's. When he's on, I think he's one of the best songwriters in America.

I keep telling the band we need to record it. We don't play this live enough, and I think our arrangement is really pretty—we add a Rhodes swirling around in there and three part harmonies on the choruses.

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Sounds great, performance and mic. Nice job.

Thanks! The difference between the R84a and the N22 was pretty staggering. And it's a MUCH darker mic than I expected.

It also gave us a chance to do some serious tidying up in the studio.

[Aimelie]

Originally Posted by midwinter

Thank you! I'm a pretty big fan of Isbell's. When he's on, I think he's one of the best songwriters in America.

I keep telling the band we need to record it. We don't play this live enough, and I think our arrangement is really pretty—we add a Rhodes swirling around in there and three part harmonies on the choruses.

Yes, please do. Then tell me where I can buy it.

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by Aimelie

Yes, please do. Then tell me where I can buy it.

Will do! In the meantime, you can listen in all the usual places.

[cedartop52]

I don't know the first thing about the technical aspects of recording but I know I just listened to a brilliant performance of a great song! Thanks, Dan

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by cedartop52

I don't know the first thing about the technical aspects of recording but I know I just listened to a brilliant performance of a great song! Thanks, Dan

Aww thanks!

[Teleplucker]

Nice job, that song is a tear jerker! and a great one at that.

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by Teleplucker

Nice job, that song is a tear jerker! and a great one at that.

Thanks! It’s such a great tune!

[reeve21]

Wonderful version of a great tune!

[FrankHudson]

Mic, what mic? Excellent performance of that fine song.

Which I guess is what we want to hear from a microphone anyway.

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Wonderful version of a great tune!

Thank you!

[midwinter]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

Mic, what mic? Excellent performance of that fine song.

Which I guess is what we want to hear from a microphone anyway.

That you! It’s such a great song.