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Anyone here have any Salsa or Latin session (tracking/mixing) experiences?

Have many questions...

Comments

anonymous Mon, 09/08/2003 - 14:17

Hi Alecio,
I've tracked congas with jazz, r&b, rock what have you. I usually use 414 or SD omni's, SM81's etc, or dynamics ev 408, 421 , D2, D3 for up-front in busy mixes.
I just can't get the "slaps" to come out like the current Salsa albums. It sounds more splattier? Nothing I can get with eq.IMO there has got to be a compressor with "color" involved at mix time. Or maybe a tube mic?
My setup is lacking in the dynamics processor, and was looking at possibilities in that regard.

Tony

anonymous Mon, 09/08/2003 - 21:19

I`m not a great producer or anything, but, if you use a Senheiser 421 as you said you have to obtain that "Slap" or how we call downhere: "galleta"...i love the Senheiser e604 too...they are very cheap and dynamic...maybe you must check the congas or the "conguero" :D i dunno but, i know, that even the popular SM57 is wide used with succes... ;)

PS: sorry about my english... :p:

Rick Tue, 09/09/2003 - 11:33

Hey Tonio, I record mainly Salsa and Merengue and the key to get that perfect sound is to use a wood under the congas, record in a big room to get that nice big sound, and a good percussionist.
I use a pair of beyer m201's and move the mic around until I get the perfect slap, a third mic can be used for ambience if recording in a big room. Also, you can tweak the eq at around +4db@12k and cut @150db.

Hope that helps, Rick.

anonymous Tue, 09/09/2003 - 13:28

Thanks all to your ideas.
I have a wood floor so muffling going on.

Rick, I've heard good things about the 201.
I usually cut around 100-250 , but normally boost around 5khz where the slap is at most of time.
So you're boosting at 12khz, hmm more air, OK.
Do you use any comps during tracking at all?

Thanks again for everyons' help.

Tony

Rick Tue, 09/09/2003 - 13:35

I am not recording with compression at this time. I used to but just like the sound a little better without it. Just open the bandwidth at that frequency a little, 5khz tends to get to midrangy for me. Also check the phase on both tracks making sure there are not out of phase. It happened to me once, mics to close I guess.

Good Luck, Rick

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