Harmonica

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 10:59 am

I am looking into buying a new dynamic mic for recording the harmonica.
My roommate is a fantastic player. I want to fully capture his talents.

I would greatly prefer one where it can be cupped, as I don't want to restrict him from rocking out to the song.

I am open to pretty much any ideas, so long as its not over $200.

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 12:41 pm

Take your mate, his harmonica and a set of good headphones to the best music/microphone shop in town.
Don't tell them you only have $200. Try before you buy Smile

What preamp are you going to use?

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 12:59 pm

I have a summit audio 2ba 221. It's all I have for the time being, that and my mbox's pre's.

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 1:32 pm

Shure 520DX aka Green Bullit
Audix FireBall Harmonica Microphone

A Shure sm57 or sm58 cupped in the hand is used mostly to record harmonicas (according to some guy I rang in Nashville), but this will need practice to accommodate holding.

Hope this helps.

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 2:35 pm

I need a 57 as it stands right now.
I should have asked who has successfully recorded with a 57.

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 6:11 pm

"Only if you put it into an amp then record what comes out of the speaker with another good condenser mic, Shure sm57 for example (expensive way to do things)."

Uhhh...

SM57 is a dynamic mic. At least it has been for the last while. Why wouldn't you just tap a line out of the amp instead of micing a cabinet?

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 11:44 pm

Yeah, was fairly far wrong there. Or at least confused. Fixed Smile

Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 4:37 pm

Seems like a LOT of confusion here. Run the mic- whether it's a Green Bullet or a 57/57- into a small tube amp. You'll need a matching transformer if you use the 57 or 58 so that they'll match the guitar-type input on the amp. I suggested a small tube amp because you can crank it up to rock out with all of the fat, greasey overdrive that a blues harp player usually desires. Mic the speaker, don't take a line out from the amp. In fact, most of the little tube amps out there don't even have a line out, because the whole idea is to drive the bejesus outta the amp and the speaker to get that "nasty dirty" tone. Then you simply mic the amp. Voila!
The Green Bullet works great and is a staple for this application IF you want to rock out on the harp. Don't settle for a cheap imitation!

Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 6:33 pm

I love the idea of rocking out of an amp. But there are plenty of times where I want a cleaner harmonica sound. I may still add a little drive to it with a plug in.

So would the 57 be a solid choice for recording through a preamp into an interface?
Also with a bullet, can I not just use the line in on my pre amp?

It seems my choice is between the bullet and the 57. I feel like I should be buying a 57 regardless. So I guess my real question is, will a 57 work well with most harmonica applications?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 8:27 am

57 is pure gold, enjoy.

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:03 am

A lot of players prefer the 58 over the 57 for harp. It is easier to cup the hands over it, and the pop filter works better to minimize wind blast noises and such. And, you need a mic preamp to run any of these mics to the soundcard (maybe you have that built in to the soundcard?). Plugging into a "line input" ain't gonna work...not enough level from the mic to drive the card.

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:25 am

Are you going to be able to get a clean sound from a cupped 58 though? I'm kind of thinking you'd be better off with a pencil condenser a la Rode Nt 5 or something like that at 4"-10" away for a clean sound. Wouldn't you still potentially get distortion at the capsule when you cup the mic? I was always under the impression that the Green bullet is essentially a 57 with a cool casing.

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 12:21 pm

Then the artist needs to stand still or levels become an issue. Can normalising still keep a clean sound?

Maby my first post could still be viable... Go see what bullets, 57's and 58's sound like with the artists holding one and standing in front of one... Though you would need a patient salesman or someone interested. So call around.

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 1:14 pm

Greener wrote:

Then the artist needs to stand still or levels become an issue. Can normalising still keep a clean sound?

No more an issue than with a violinist or flutist. I wouldn't use normalizing necessarily either but probably some mild compression or fader riding if need be.

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 1:20 pm

Isn't normalising computerised fader riding?

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