Mic Placement - finding the sweet spot

[trses335]

Do you all listen to the source in isolation? With the tracks/band playing? I don't have a separate control room, and am trying to get better sounds at the mic. What sounds good to me sometimes ends up a bit soft/warm/undefined in the mix. I know experience will help here, but I'm wondering how you all know when you find the sweet spot for an instrument. Thanks for your replies.

 

[RecorderMan]

I wear headphones when I move the mic. I only have the instrument that I'm micing, playing. I do this on stereo,multi mic stuff, important solo tracks, etc. Room mics, etc, I might just move around/up/down with my own ears and place a mic where they are. Then I come back in and listen. If it's too....anything I go back out with the cans on and listen/adjust to get more of what I heard was missing in the control room.

 

[trses335]

Thanks. I think I need more patience and attention in the listening/adjusting phase after recording samples of different placements. Maybe referencing to certain similar sounds on cd. I'm looking to capture cleaner, more defined sounds which will hold their place better in the mix later on. I think I have to ease off compression a bit also during tracking.