Hi,
I am looking to dual mic my acoustic guitar for recording.
I currently have access to 3 mics.
- Shure Beta 87A
- Shure SM58
- Shure SM57
Presently I just record via the Beta 87A onto one track for the guitar, I used to use the SM57 but the 87a gives a much nicer sound. I did just get the 87a for vocals though. Does anyone know if just placing the SM57 onto another track will sound okay or should I look for a pair of condensing mics to use? I was looking at the Berhinger C-4 studio mics but if these won't sound as good as the Beta 87A then perhaps I should just save for another of these?
Any ideas?
Thanks
Seb
Comments
Chinese SDC mics (like the Beh^&*&^&*er) tend to be overly brigh
Chinese SDC mics (like the Beh^&*&^&*er) tend to be overly bright and harsh. I have a Beta87 which I usually relegate to female vocals, but there's nothing wrong with trying it on a guitar, that's for sure (pun intended).
Actually, instead of another 87, you might look at a single GOOD SDC...like the Shure SM81 or an A-T 4041. And if you're really wanting a stereo pair, take a good look at the Rode NT-5 kit. You can find a good used SM81 online for around $200, these are awesome for acoustic guitar (as well as mandolins, banjoes, percussion, even certain vocals).
You probably liked the sound of the Beta 87 for tracking acousti
You probably liked the sound of the Beta 87 for tracking acoustic guitar over the sm57 because it's a condenser mic, which is more sensitive than either the sm57 or 58 and so it's capturing more detail. Tracking acoustic guitar usually works out easiest when using condensers. I don't know about those specific Behringer mics and how they might sound. But they are affordable, so even if you did end up buying them you wouldn't have lost too much money if you didn't like them.
Personally, I'd choose the [[url=http://[/URL]="http://avensonaudio…"]Avenson STO-2[/]="http://avensonaudio…"]Avenson STO-2[/]. They're omni pattern condensers. They're very natural sounding and detailed and you'll always find a use for them as long as you're recording IMO. To me, on acoustic guitar they sound more pleasing than dynamic mics. I'm not familiar with using the Beta 87 for tracking an acoustic guitar but I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't sound as natural (or as pleasing) as the STO-2. The Beta is a super cardioid pattern, with that windscreen on the top. That's great for vocals in a live situation. But it's usefulness is debatable in a studio setting, especially for tracking acoustic guitar. The STO-2 is a small diaphragm omni which, given you like and/or desire the sound of the room, is ideal for tracking instruments like acoustic guitar (among many other things).
Ultimately it all depends on what you want to hear. You might find that those Behringer mics sound just fine for what you want to do.