Salsa/Latin experiences?

[tonio]

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

Have many questions...

 

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

what do you mean latin?
Samba, Pagode, Axé, salsa, Partido Alto, frevo, xaxado, rumba, cumbia?

 

[Aziel]

Pregunta...

 

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

so?
C418s are nice for congas and snares. A little noisy but were developed for these intruments.

 

[tonio]

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

 

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

Tony, the cheap C418´s were originally suited for congas and snares. They have lots of 5.3kHZ shelf style eq, very open. Sometimes I also use beta 57s or At4050s.
Try also an arrangement including some ambience mic. My rec room is live, stones in the wall, so that nice slap becomes very present.

 

[Aziel]

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" i dunno but, i know, that even the popular SM57 is wide used with succes...

PS: sorry about my english... :

 

[Aziel]

i forgot, try to suspend you congas in the stand or over some wood box (sorry, i dont know the word for sobretarima) in that way you can obtain more resonance from the bottom and try a nice overhead...sounds sweet...

 

[mattssons]

A cool trick i've picked up in London for getting that Salsa style of hard hitting, toppy piano rythms.

Simply cut out 440Hz way down and you're laughing.

Use any miking techinque you wish.

Best regards

Toby

http://www.cascatoma.com
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[Rick]

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.

 

[tonio]

Aziel,
What is this Pregunta? I never heard of it.

Originally posted by Aziel:
Pregunta...

 

[tonio]

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]

oopss. I meant cut at 150hz

 

[Rick]

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

 

[tonio]

Rick no big about the 150db I figured you meant hz.

I'll see about giving more air instead of 5khz.

Tony

 

[Aziel]

Aziel,
What is this Pregunta? I never heard of it.

quote:
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Originally posted by Aziel:
Pregunta...
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ASK...