Topic: How can I improve my recordings?

[livingdna]

Omnis indeed.

I guess this is the hat? http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-HMS-1. For sure worth a try

[Lostbrook]

Personally I find it much easier to keep my shoulders still as opposed to my head. I've tried both and didn't hear a noticeable difference in the extra 8-10" height.

[yates7592]

Shoulders vs head - I think it really depends on where you are standing. At or near the front maybe not a big deal but further back and it should make noiticeable difference.

[earmonger]

Listening to the sample, seems like the problem is mic placement. It's not that the low end is overpowering--it's that the top end is muffled. You can improve that in post-processing by adjusting EQ--even in a program as basic as a freebie like Audacity. 

But it would be better to get the mics up higher--even if you clip them to the arms of your glasses or something.

You have them on your shoulders...are there people in front of you? 


On the SoundPro site, the CMC-8 are cardioids--the BMC's are binaural (omni) and the CMC are cardioids, unless you bought the optional omni elements.

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/category.cgi?item=AT-P12100

Are you careful to stay pretty still so that the mics are always pointed directly at your sound source?
With directional mics, what is picked up off-axis (not within the directional pickup area) can also sound muffled. 

I don't know how stringent the club is, but in most places, when the lights go down, no one is going to notice visible cords. People walk around all day now with earbuds hanging out, or have earplugs on cords. You could clip them to your glasses and loop the cord over your ear and probably not get busted. Try that at home first, though, to make sure you wouldn't be adding noise from the cord to the recording.  Otherwise you might have to let the cords dangle--which still probably wouldn't get noticed.

If you're really worried about stealth, you could also try the Sound Pro TFB-2, which go in your ears so they look like earbuds or earplugs.  But the capsules in them aren't as good as the ones in your CMC-8.

[livingdna]

Hmm yes I see they are listed as being cardiods.
I wonder if they changed the standard elements since I purchased my set. The description I have from my order lists them as: "Compare with Dpa 4060 and 4061 Omnidirectional elements".
Any way to find out for sure what kind of elements I have? I don't see any identification no .on the elements themselves.

Regarding mic placement: I generally stay still facing the stage. For this particular recording I was positioned near the center of the room (venue with capacity of 500) so there were people in front of me. However, I still seem to get a muffled sound on recordings where I am located with clear view.

Think I'll have to try experimenting with ways to get the mics raised to see if that'll up quality.
But sounds like there's also some to gain from post processing so I'll have to read up on that as well. Could you point me in the right direction as for what to adjust in the EQ? My limited skills tells me to just raise the high frequencies in order to reduce "muffled sound" - am I on right track?

[tooldvn]

Regarding mic placement: I generally stay still facing the stage. For this particular recording I was positioned near the center of the room (venue with capacity of 500) so there were people in front of me. However, I still seem to get a muffled sound on recordings where I am located with clear view.

Are your mics concealed with anything? You'll need something sonically transparent if you can't get them out in the open.   I think you said before they are on your shoulders?  Use the wrong kind of fabric and that could be your muffle issue right there.

[livingdna]

Good point about fabric - never given that any thought. I always wear a shirt over the mics. My standard concert uniform is 50% cotton / 50% hemp - any idea if this particular fabric have bad sonic properties?

[acidjack]

Omnis indeed.

I guess this is the hat? http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-HMS-1. For sure worth a try

Yup. That hat definitely does the trick.

[acidjack]

Hmm yes I see they are listed as being cardiods.
I wonder if they changed the standard elements since I purchased my set. The description I have from my order lists them as: "Compare with Dpa 4060 and 4061 Omnidirectional elements".
Any way to find out for sure what kind of elements I have? I don't see any identification no .on the elements themselves.

The pattern should be printed on the side of the capsule. If it's an omni, you'll see a round O. A cardiod should have a heart shape instead.

The CMC-8 series has interchangeable capsules, so you can always get cardiod or other caps as well. Listening to the sample it sounded like omnis to me; the cardiods in those mics are very thin-sounding, not at all like that sample.

[tooldvn]

Good point about fabric - never given that any thought. I always wear a shirt over the mics. My standard concert uniform is 50% cotton / 50% hemp - any idea if this particular fabric have bad sonic properties?

I've found it's not necessarily the material, but the weight of the material.  When holding it up to light, you should be able to somewhat see through it.  I made the mistake of wearing a heavyweight Dickies button down once and my recording was very muffled.   Now I mainly use very thin Gap or similar button downs.   There are other advantages to button downs for  as well. 

[livingdna]

Indeed there is an O printed on them.

Regarding fabric - will for sure try something lighter next time.

[stevetoney]

That 10 inches can make a big difference. 

Think of it this way.  At head level, there's a bunch of heads on the same horizontal plane where your mics are located...but heads occupy less free air space on that horizontal plane than our upper bodies occupy at shoulder level.  Since there's more free air space up at your head, there's a far better chance for unimpeded sound to travel from the speakers to your mics.  Down at shoulder level, there's much more body mass in a room, especially when people are packed in shoulder to shoulder.  There's less chance for sound to get down to your mics without following a more toturous path. 

If the PA speakers are up high and you're standing underneath them, maybe shoulder mounting would be OK.

[bombdiggity]

Good point about fabric - never given that any thought. I always wear a shirt over the mics. My standard concert uniform is 50% cotton / 50% hemp - any idea if this particular fabric have bad sonic properties?

Don't cover the mics, especially not with anything you can't actually see light through.  I suggest an extremely thin shirt (polyster that when you hold up in the light you can see the light through) if you feel you have to use a shirt.  I suspect yours are muffled mostly since a heavyweight shirt is over the mics.  I think CMC-8's can typically make a reasonable recording though probably aren't ideal for the sort of music the sample sounds like. 

I'm often a contrarian around here but stealth I always record with mics clipped to the collar of a dress shirt.  That allows you to angle them slightly upward and point them forward.  Cover them with a lightweight overshirt until the show is about to start then move that off them when recording.  I don't think one can hear much difference between collar and head, though I could see clipping them to the brim of a hat on a crowded standing floor, especially if you're on the shorter side of the crowd (and if you can keep your head absolutely still through a show). 

I've heard far too many hat/head mounted recordings that are a phasey moving mess (even with omnis).  Very few can keep their head still enough to get consistent results that way.  Collar mount allows you some freedom of movement and is easy to keep the mics in one place on point.   Inside hat again introduces the variable of some material covering the mics.  Most hats are heavier material, even mesh ones tend to be a reflective material where the holes aren't rather than transparent.  The SP hat you note above avoids those issues but does require one to get a central position and stare straight ahead without moving your head for however long the show (or at least each song) is. 

If your recordings tend bassy (as the floor at loud club rock shows tends) I'd suggest the SP CMC-25's or whatever the letters are now.  They record dynamic music very well and are under your budget.  For rock they are a good match and I find they are excellent at sort of naturally deemphasizing the mud that creeps into most mixes.  You'll get a lot of presence and pretty natural tone (especially for the money).  DPA's are usually considered the top step in miniature mics (and tend to be priced that way) but I personally don't think their pattern/sound signature is best in the sort of environment it seems you would use them. 

[CTjazzfanatic]

That 10 inches can make a big difference. 

Think of it this way.  At head level, there's a bunch of heads on the same horizontal plane where your mics are located...but heads occupy less free air space on that horizontal plane than our upper bodies occupy at shoulder level.  Since there's more free air space up at your head, there's a far better chance for unimpeded sound to travel from the speakers to your mics.  Down at shoulder level, there's much more body mass in a room, especially when people are packed in shoulder to shoulder.  There's less chance for sound to get down to your mics without following a more toturous path. 

If the PA speakers are up high and you're standing underneath them, maybe shoulder mounting would be OK.

Would the same analysis apply in a seated show, where there is possibly a bit more distance between you and seat in front of you?

[tooldvn]

That 10 inches can make a big difference.  .

All depends on how tall you are to begin with I think. At the top of my shoulders is at or over most concert goers headspace.   I've mounted them in hats before as well and never heard any difference in the recording. For a short taper he might be muddled in body space at the top of his head.  Whats funny is that I don't think I've ever met a taper under 6ft. I'm sure they're out there,  just never met one in 20 yrs of doing this.