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paulstefano · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 11:18 am Post subject: Mic for Demo Recording

Hey Everyone,

I'm about to record my demo in a studio with whom Edge contracts. I was looking at their mic and they don't have mine (AT-3035). The list they have is below. Are there any that sound similar to mine that I should request? I want the demo to sound as much like my personal setup as possible.

More importantly, should I just let the engineer do their job and not worry about it?

Thanks,

Paul

Here's the list

Neumann U47 (x3)
Neumann U48
Neumann U87 (x9)
Neumann U89 (x2)
Neumann KM84 (x cool

Neumann KM 86 (x3)
RCA 44
RCA BK5
RCA 74 Jr Velocity (x2)
AKG 414 EB (x2)
AKG 414 B ULS
AKG C451 (x4)
AKG C452 (x3)
AKG C460
AKG D900
Sennheiser 421 (x5)
Sennheiser 441 (x2)
Sennheiser 504 (x3)
Sennheiser 604 (x3)
Shure SM57 (x2)
Shure Beta 52 (x2)
EV RE20
EV 655
EV 666
Crown PZM (x2)
Sony C500 (x2)
Beyer M360
Oktava MK 319
Rode NTK (x2)
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Lizden · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: Mic for Demo Recording

Quicksilver · Been Here Awhile Joined: 29 Oct 2012 Posts: 217

I'd just let the engineer worry about it. If they have 9 U87's to play with I'd say it's a save bet they know what they are doing.

If you are anything like most, your demo will change frequently as your career grows, no reason to have everything sound the same and many reasons not to. Lots of flavors of great sounding audio out there, why be just one?

In fact, a good demo producer will tweak each segment to make it sound like it was recorded differently with different processing, etc. Gives it an air of authenticity.

Just my .02

Have fun!

Eddie Eagle · M&M Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393

If they are the old original 47 models that would be my preference.

Bish · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 3:02 pm Post subject:

Do not even try to get your head around 30 microphone choices! Let the engineer do his job. My guess is that he'll either start out with his favorite mic (or a u87) and change if he feels it's necessary. He may change mics occasionally to stop all the spots sounding... well, like they've been recorded on the same mic!

It's his studio, his equipment... and if he's a pro he'll have a pretty good idea of what's going to work the minute you open your mouth.

... and what Liz said... don't touch the mic!
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paulstefano · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:59 pm Post subject:

Thanks everybody. I was leaning toward just keeping my mouth shut. Glad you confirmed my suspicions.

I'm not new to studios in general, though mostly television and radio have been my experiences so far. Nevertheless, the first thing I ever learned in broadcasting school was DON'T TOUCH THE MIC.

Looking forward to getting back in that environment.

Paul
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vkuehn · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:36 pm Post subject:

Good decision. Sleep well. I'm organizing and packing up things getting ready for the relocation. I will not post a recording and call it a mic shoot out, but I just lined up my mics and made a recording including a track for each one. First on the list was my old AT2020 which has had a rough life.

But in that list was an AT4033 which may or may not be a lot like your AT3035. (I read somewhere that the 3000 series and the 4000 series from AT do not indicate that 4000 are better than 3000... just manufactured in a different county. Maybe it's folklore.

After playing back the recordings of my covey of mics, as others have said: Just let the studio do their thing. If I leave the same mic hanging for days on end and I record at 3 or 4 different times each day (using the same mic day after day) there is more difference in my recordings than there was in 5 mics in one sitting!! (Well there was one odd-man-out today that I forgot how to work for best results. He was today's sore thumb.)

Some day I will grow up, and my voice will finally change, and I'm sure I won't have that problem any more. Embarrassed

paulstefano · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:39 pm Post subject:

Thanks Vernon. I wasn't necessarily trying to compare mics. Just wondering if using your everyday mic for a demo was needed or recommended. Guess not!
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Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

Yes, just show up and have fun. My commercial demo was recorded on two mics
(TLM 103 and Shure SM7) that I never use in my day-to -day studio work.

You will be fine. Break a leg!

Philip Banks · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:09 am Post subject:

If people hear the mic the demo is lost.

bobsouer · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 3:03 pm Post subject:

What Philip said!
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PeterWhiteVoices · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:41 pm Post subject: DON'T

If the engineer reaches for a MXL right off the bat, RUN.
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sdaeley17 · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 8:03 pm Post subject:

You may be asked to provide audio from your studio when doing audiobooks (which I know you've already done through your ACX work) or working with foreign clients ( who like to use dry tracks for their rosters), but it's fine that you don't mimic your home setup in a demo. Mine certainly wasn't. The engineer used an AKG 414 (B-ULS I think?) because that was the best mic he had. Most clients would assume that a) your demo was recorded in a different studio or studios b) you are capable of delivering high quality audio through your own or another studio.

Congratulations, by the way! I know how excited you must be about this!
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Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 1:50 am Post subject:

Confession. As a child right through to my teens every day for fun I would read The Perishers in my Mum's newspaper (The Daily Mirror). Now I read the gear section. To all contributors a heartfelt thank you.

DougVox · Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 6:26 am Post subject:

"Thanks to Philip for helping me learn a new (very old) word: moil."

(Utterated through a SoundHouser SMD 46-teen and a Noymin BMA 1-0-tree. Which sounded better?) Confused

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