microphone help

  • Thread starter Thread starter lesunONE
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lesunONE

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im tryin to build a studio in my basement,pretty much for strictly hip hop and the first thing i want to do is get s dope microphonefor vocals. i don;t know **** about them so any advice would be greatly appreciated, all i really know is that i need a condenser mic, i'm looking for something around 300-500 dollars. but the cheaper the better. replys and advice are really needed, thanks.
 
For that price range check out the Electrovoice RE-20. You wont regret it. It's actually a dynamic microphone but its my top choice for hip-hop vocals. Why do you say you need a condenser?? As far as what you need, that's pretty much application based.
 
There are some cheaper AKgs, look at Blue Baby Bottle ($600). Cheaper is not better by the way.
Of course he needs a condenser mic, the dynamic mics are for stage use and while they can be used in a studio, it is best not to, especially for vocals.
 
this is absolutly not true. Condensors and dynamics are both used on stage and in the studio. Off course a LDC (what you mean by a condensor) can not be used on stage cause it's to fragile, but SDC's like an AKG C451 is often used for overheads on stage

In a studio, there are a lot of dynamic mic's used. The Shure SM57 is a standard that you will find in any serious studio. Others are the Shure SM7 & beta52, Senheiser MD421 & MD441, the AKG D112, Beyer Dynamic M88, Electrovoice RE20, ...

The RE20 is a excelent mic for spoken vocals (like raps, voice overs, ...), Kickdrums, Bass, the lower rotor on an Hammond with leslie amp, bass-sax, ... It overclass a lot of expensive condensors on rap, so try it.
 
The RE-20 is excellent for almost *any* vocal recording for that matter. Most definitely the first choice for agressive male vox, but usually my "go to" mic for nearly vocal performance. And the SM-7 is in the same league - Although with it's "ribbon-like" demands on input gain, I tend to shy away from it unless it's a *really* aggressive vocal - Of course, most rap would fit right into that category...

I have no idea where this B.S. of "use a condenser" or "you *need* to use a condesner" comes from. Probably 90% of the greatest vocal takes ever were recorded through dynamics (including ribbons).

Personally, I chalk it up to ignorance mixed with marketing hype...

But seriously - If you're looking for a great, GREAT vocal mic - CHEAP, I might add - that's flexible enough to be used on nearly anything you put in front of it (as mentioned - guitar, bass, drums, brass, etc.) look no further than the RE-20.

Save the condensers for the quiet, female, "smoky jazz" vox, woodwinds, strings and drum OH's.

"Best not to use them for vocals in the studio" - Bah! Where do you get this from? You've obviously never worked in a studio if you think that's true for a nanosecond.

Honestly - I don't mean to sound unhinged, but there are two of the biggest "bunch of crap" myths out there that I just can't stand -

(1) Record your tracks as hot as you can without clipping.
(2) You need a condenser on vocals.

Utter garbage. Can't even imagine where it comes from.
Of course he needs a condenser mic, the dynamic mics are for stage use and while they can be used in a studio, it is best not to, especially for vocals.
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Almost makes my blood boil... Complete and total ignorance stated as fact. There is more wrong with that one sentence than I could possibly explain.
 
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MASSIVE Mastering said:
Personally, I chalk it up to ignorance mixed with marketing hype...

But seriously - If you're looking for a great, GREAT vocal mic - CHEAP, I might add - that's flexible enough to be used on nearly anything you put in front of it (as mentioned - guitar, bass, drums, brass, etc.) look no further than the RE-20.

Save the condensers for the quiet, female, "smoky jazz" vox, woodwinds, strings and drum OH's.
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Thanks for clearing that up. Most of the time people like to pick certain mics based more on how they look rather than how they sound. Personally i have tried a TLM103 condenser mic on hip-hop vocals in the past and i still believe that the RE-20 tops it. But that doesn't take away the fact that a microphone like the TLM103 is a great mic. Like Massive said save the condensers for other applications, when it comes to harsh male vocals the RE-20 is the way to go.
 
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gabriel48686 said:
Most of the time people like to pick certain mics based more on how they look rather than how they sound.
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Case in point. Who cares who makes the mic, how much it costs, what type or pattern it is...

If it sounds good for what you use it for, it *is* good. Mics that sound good in a lot of different situations are an extra plus.
 
My take: Every beginner should get an SM57 or SM58 ... learn to record vocals with that until you can get decent good sounding recordings, and then and ONLY then start to add to their collection of microphones.

Michael McDonald did all of his early Doobie Brothers vocals with an
SM57. Bono of U2 claims to record exclusively with an SM58 in the studio. The list goes on and on and on ... and it includes some of the most famous names and classic recordings known.

{For what it's worth,this is the weakest area in my skillset, and I've only been seriously getting into building a microphone collection - and related knowledgebase - for about 2-3 years.}
 
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dansgold said:
My take: Every beginner should get an SM57 or SM58 ... learn to record vocals with that until you can get decent good sounding recordings, and then and ONLY then start to add to their collection of microphones.
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Agreed.
 
The good thing about the 57's and 58's is that they are not bad mics at all. Even if you purchase a more expensive microphone down the line, the 57's and 58's are still useful and good to have.

If you must choose between one or the other, always choose the SM58. If you want a SM57, just remove the grille from the SM58.

I followed dvyce's advice not too long ago and went for a Rode NT2, the original version. I like it much better than a TLM 103 for vocals.
 
Rode NTK period. ITs $499. I went to sam ash yesterday and tested that against the TLM103 and it sounds better to me.
 
Rode mics and rap is something that doesn't work wel toghether in my and many other experiences. Rode makes some rather good mics, but more for singing voices, not for rap.

For rap there are way better options. Like the RE20
 
Im gonna have to try that Re-20 joint out, im in the process of puttin up my studio, so ima take a load and get sum new ish!
 
The RE20 is one of those mics that you'll keep forever and use all the time. Few other mics fit that bill... Other than the Shure SM57, the RE20 is probably the only other mic you'll find in literally every single studio you walk into.

At least, I can't ever remember going into a studio that didn't have at least one or two...

Wait - there was that one place -

No, they had one also...
 
selector waxx said:
Rode mics and rap is something that doesn't work wel toghether in my and many other experiences. Rode makes some rather good mics, but more for singing voices, not for rap.
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Thats wierd because I always thought the opposite. I absolutely hate them on artist that sing.
 
gabriel48686 said:
For that price range check out the Electrovoice RE-20. You wont regret it. It's actually a dynamic microphone but its my top choice for hip-hop vocals. Why do you say you need a condenser?? As far as what you need, that's pretty much application based.
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uhhhhhhhhh.........condenser mics are used for RECORDING vocals.Dynamic mics are used for live shows,concerts,and stage etc.
 
rando said:
uhhhhhhhhh.........condenser mics are used for RECORDING vocals.Dynamic mics are used for live shows,concerts,and stage etc.
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Maybe you should re-read the thread. Especially Massive's takes on dynamics.
 
rando said:
uhhhhhhhhh.........condenser mics are used for RECORDING vocals. Dynamic mics are used for live shows,concerts,and stage etc.
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uhhhhhh... No, you are absolutely, postiviely 100% wrong on that.

Dynamics are used for vocals *all the time* in the studio. Condensers are used fairly often also. You use the mic that serves the purpose.

But for most "non-soft" vocals, that is, aggressive vocals in particular, a dynamic will almost always be the first choice of most experienced engineers.

P.S. - Can someone actually tell me where all this "use a condenser" and "condensers are used in the stuido and dynamics are for live use" comes from?!? Seriously... Is it *all* marketing hype? I certainly understand that most of the mics aimed at the "home brewed" crowd are condensers - Probably because it's easier to crank out cheap, crappy condensers in bulk than to put out a fine quality dynamic like the RE20 or SM7... But while all these dozens and dozens of "run of the mill" condensers are finding their way into mic collections all over, the RE20's and SM7's of the world are just sitting back laughing at them.
 
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