The Challenge Thread

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:07 am

So I thought for the purpose of fun and learning on the topic of mic technique, that we could have a thread that would give everyone to chance to say how they would record and instrument or scenario.

The idea is that someone makes up a scenario, and you the pro has to make a quick decision on how to mic the scenario or instrument, and which mic you would use and if necessary why. Just easy descriptions, and short answers.

Maybe we'll all learn some new tricks.

The rules are:

1) Only one person can answer the previous post.

2) And that person must post a new instrument or scenario for the next person to answer.

Example:

Person 1:

Q: The drummer shows up without a front head on the bass drum, how would you mic it?

---------------------------------------------------------------
Person 2:

A: I would build a tunnel 4 feet long from the bass drum using small mic stands and a heavy blanket to a Beta52 on the opposite end. I would also have a SM57 beside the beater switched out of phase to capture the attack of the
beater.

Q: The vocalist refuses to sing with headphones and wants monitor just like when he plays a show. What do you do?

---------------------------------------------------------------
Person 3:

A: Switch the monitor for the vocalist out of phase and a sennheiser.................

---------------------------------------------------------------

So here we go:

Q: The guitar player wants a big sound but his amp is a tiny practice amp with decent distortion, how do you attempt to give him that big sound?

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 4:08 am

Answer:

You utilize a SM 57 & balance things properly.

Next!
Ms. Remy Ann David

(The secret answer is you have to know how to engineer to begin with)

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 4:11 am

Really, I know you don't have much else to do in Nova Scotia than smoke salmon. But really, smoking fish is bad for you.

I only smoke weeds but would also consider a Swede
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 9:23 am

Maybe I drink too much Lobster milk. So much for a new quick guide on here.

It would be nice to see this thread grow though.

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:14 pm

Halifaxsoundguy wrote:

Q: The guitar player wants a big sound but his amp is a tiny practice amp with decent distortion, how do you attempt to give him that big sound?

A: throw a 57 for close micing, and another mic (condensor of course) somewhere further from the amp to use as a room mic. EQ so that they work together, maybe switch polarity if necessary. blend to taste. reverb/delay to taste as well.

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next Q: drummer wants his 22" kickdrum to sound a 28" bass drum (billowy, big, ambiguous pitch).

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 6:10 pm

A. Use a hightensile ,thick,and hydraulic head. Tune all the lugs to the same tension at as low a note as it will clearly go. Completely remove one lug. Leave off the front head. Mic with a D112 or a Beta. Do Not place the mic more than 2 inches inside the head. Keep the mic level and in the center of the drum. For some click, high-pass the channel.

next.

Q. The lead guitarist continues to insist on using a high-wattage, multi-speaker'd, high-gain amp in the studio because "Its like the sound I want, dude....." Every take with this setup sucks ass at a high failure rate.

After two hours of wasted time, energy, as well as budget cash, do you....

a. secretly disable the amp so he will have to at least TRY the one sitting in your studio supply closet...........
b. Insist he lights up another fattie and further puts the band in a financial hole with his crappola....
c.Have one of your biker buddies who only likes country music by Merle Haggard knock him out in the parking lot for 'Disrespectfull Behavior'..
d. Drug him and do his hot girlfriend in the hottub after hes out.
d. none of the above with explaination.

Theres really no real answer to this I just thought I'd spice things up a bit.

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:26 pm

Davedog the answer is actually "F" for funny. But really, you get a "D" or is that an "E" for accuracy? Eh (Canadian for A)? Or is that "B"?

Zee Whiz? Wha happened?
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:42 pm

Quote:

next Q: drummer wants his 22" kickdrum to sound a 28" bass drum (billowy, big, ambiguous pitch).

A 28 inch kik isn't gonna sound like that, but get him one anyway.

Call Ben, ask him what it's like to spend 10 years recording a 28 inch kik drum.

Laugh at Ben for doing so.

Learn how to replace the drums with the sound the drummer's actually looking for (low and behold, it might be that thunky, woofy sound that the 28 inch drum Ben's been recording makes is the sound he's after).

Call Ben and ask him for samples of a 28 inch kik drum...

Laughing

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 9:49 pm

I'll take: d. Drug him and do his hot girlfriend in the hottub after hes out.

And I'll STILL charge the goober for wasting my time!

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Q: The horn section and string section get times crossed up and show at the same time. Who do you record first?

Bonus; What mic's and patterns??... please show your work

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:19 pm

MadMax wrote:

----------

Q: The horn section and string section get times crossed up and show at the same time. Who do you record first?

Bonus; What mic's and patterns??... please show your work

Errr.....who was closer to being there at the right time?

Will there be video of the joust between the Soprano sax and the violas?

A. Put em all in one big room and have em play each others charts..........VOILA! Its the 'NEW' Jazz.

And use a bunch of 57's randomly placed with an 87 in the bathroom for reverb and ambiance.

(BTW...I AM laughing histerically at Ben.)

Did I ever tell you the story of the marching bass drum that showed up at a session? With fresh calf heads on it? In the summer? With high humidity? And a egoist ninth power behind it???? Did I?? Can you make your vein in the side of you temple do this?????

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:31 pm

Davedog wrote:

And use a bunch of 57's randomly placed with an 87 in the bathroom for reverb and ambiance.

After I laughed like a possessed Hyena, I coughed.

You need a 'no drinks in mouth' warning before that one.

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:28 pm

Well, Halifaxsoundguy - the thread's definitely growing...
Probably not exactly the way you'd hoped, but...

Wink

Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:08 am

Well I have a question!
Your client insists on raising the level of the master because "its not loud enough!" Regardless if it will clip or not. What do you do?

Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:36 am

scooterscot wrote:

Well I have a question!
Your client insists on raising the level of the master because "its not loud enough!" Regardless if it will clip or not. What do you do?

A:

"Yes sah!"

*under your breath* "Three bags full."

Then you push it to the limit, without clipping, explain that you've pushed it to the limit. Turn up your monitors. Big smile.

Cunstomer is happy, your work is still pro. Win Win.

Q:

A Cro-Magnon Viking Wanna Be with a penchant for push-bikes wants to start a fight. What do you do?

Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:05 am

A. You point him in the direction of a book that proves he can't exist, since Cro-Magnon was extinct long before the Vikings and much longer before the invention of the pushbike.

Q. You have a client that couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. How do you tell him he isn't going to be the next Luther Vandross?

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