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Old 04-10-2021, 10:55 AM
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Default Recording ukelele?

I am working on a song that features ukelele in the mix. Right now I'm treating it like a guitar, with SDC mics in an X/Y pattern facing the 12th fret. However, I'm not 100 percent happy with that. The more "compressed" nature of the small instrument is giving me issues. Any recommendations for microphone type and placement?
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Old 04-10-2021, 11:15 AM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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A condenser on a uke can be pretty "tinky" and sharp-sounding. See if you like this better. It was done with an EV666 dynamic mic about 4" or so from the bridge. Pretty counterintuitive, eh? This particular thing is solo and fingerpicked; for strummy stuff with a band I'll put the mic further back.

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Old 04-10-2021, 01:02 PM
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That sounds really good! I realize I'll have to EQ the recording quite a bit. I'm thinking of trying a Sure SM57 or an SM7b to see if that might be the ticket here.
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Old 04-10-2021, 01:47 PM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BoneDigger View Post
That sounds really good! I realize I'll have to EQ the recording quite a bit. I'm thinking of trying a Sure SM57 or an SM7b to see if that might be the ticket here.
Either of those will probably get you closer, although they'll both have more of a telephone-y peak in the midrange than that EV did. I've also had good luck with a Sennheiser 421N and U (but not the current II) and the Beyerdynamic M160 (a cardioid ribbon).
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Old 04-11-2021, 08:28 AM
grandstick grandstick is offline
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Alan Parsons recorded Jake Shimabukuro’s “Grand Ukulele.” Here’s Jake, describing Parson’s technique -

" I thought Alan’s microphone placement for my ukulele was interesting," Shimabukuro tells Ultimate Classic Rock of working with the 'Abbey Road' producer. "He placed one microphone under the neck of the instrument and another above the body. No microphones were placed in front. The tone was amazing. The ukulele sounds enormous."

Read More: Jake Shimabukuro, the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the Ukulele,’ Releases Album Produced by Alan Parsons |

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/jake...f-the-ukulele/
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Old 04-11-2021, 08:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hahn View Post
A condenser on a uke can be pretty "tinky" and sharp-sounding. See if you like this better. It was done with an EV666 dynamic mic about 4" or so from the bridge. Pretty counterintuitive, eh? This particular thing is solo and fingerpicked; for strummy stuff with a band I'll put the mic further back.
Hey BrentΩ…

That sounds more like a ukulele than most ukuleles! Great capture.




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Old 04-11-2021, 11:09 AM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Hey BrentΩ…
That sounds more like a ukulele than most ukuleles! Great capture.
Thanks. I didn't think it up -- when I was a young assistant engineer I worked on the "Kramer vs Kramer" soundtrack (the non-Vivaldi stuff) and the engineer had me put a Sennheiser 421 on a classical guitar. Seemed like an odd choice, but it sounded great and I've been doing it ever since. And a uke is kinda the same.

Credits: the engineer was Roy Yokelson, who has done tons of scores and orchestral work including a big bunch of the Woody Allen movies. And Roy's mentor (and mine, once in a while) was Frank Kulaga, an absolutely brilliant, magical engineer and mixer.
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