Mic help

[Root]

I am going to Guitar Center today to look at mics. I have a regular mic, but was wanting to try one of those mics that you don't have sing into directly. So what i am trying to say is that I want to just play my guitar and sing at the same time and not to have to sing right into it. I am not sure what that mic is called. Any tips or what to ask for. Sometimes the salesmen just want to sell certain products, even when they are not what is for me.

Oh, and I want this mic just for recording. Just me and my acoustic.

Thanks Jimmy

[GOCDMB]

Get a Shure SM 58 vocal mic.

If you want to mic your guitar get a Shure SM 57.

Best mics you can buy for the money, and VERY dependable, and will take a beating!

GOCDMB

[Root]

I have a beta 58a now. So the one you say would be good for what i want to use it for?

[Root]

What about this one. I not sure if this would be good but not a bad price.

http://www.shure.com/microphones/models/ksm109.asp

[GOCDMB]

Originally posted by rootbmw
What about this one. I not sure if this would be good but not a bad price.

http://www.shure.com/microphones/models/ksm109.asp

That is an instrument mic...kinda like the SM57.

What are you trying to accomplish?
Are you looking for a studio mic, or a "playing out" mic...or a mic you could use for both.

Are you looking to mic your guitar, or just your voice, or both?
What kind of equipment are you recording into?

GOCDMB

[Root]

well, I am new to most everthing. I have been playing for about 7 years and just acoustic and no amps or mics. I just got this urge to start recording and plugging in a couple of months ago. I got a Califorina blond acoustic amp and a sure beta 58a mic for vocals. My recording device is a Boss BR1180-CD. So from what I've been doing so far is recoring mainly guitar tracks. The br1180 is kind of complicated if you don't know much about recording, like myself.

What I was wanting a mic for is Studio recording. I've seen on tv and some other places where you don't have to plug in your guitar. Just have one mic a couple feet from you and you sing and play at the same time. That is what I like to do. I can't sing unless I am playing my guitar at the same time.

I hope that kind of explains what I am doing. Its been alot of fun so far experminting with all of this new equipment.

Thanks

Jimmy

[GOCDMB]

Originally posted by rootbmw
well, I am new to most everthing. I have been playing for about 7 years and just acoustic and no amps or mics. I just got this urge to start recording and plugging in a couple of months ago. I got a Califorina blond acoustic amp and a sure beta 58a mic for vocals. My recording device is a Boss BR1180-CD. So from what I've been doing so far is recoring mainly guitar tracks. The br1180 is kind of complicated if you don't know much about recording, like myself.

What I was wanting a mic for is Studio recording. I've seen on tv and some other places where you don't have to plug in your guitar. Just have one mic a couple feet from you and you sing and play at the same time. That is what I like to do. I can't sing unless I am playing my guitar at the same time.

I hope that kind of explains what I am doing. Its been alot of fun so far experminting with all of this new equipment.

Thanks

Jimmy

I have the BR1180cd as well...nice digital recorder.
OK...that makes things easy!

You really don't need a recording mic for your guitar since the BR will allow you to plug straight into it, which will actually be better that recording from a free standing mic since your guitar in that case would be a direct feed into your recorder. The only time you would need a studio mic for guitar is if oyu were going to record many people playing at once.

What yo uwant to do is buy a good vocal mic..plug it into the mic receptacle on your 1180.

So now you will have your Guitar and a vocal mic running into the 1180.

I have my 1180 running through my PA so when I plug my guitar into the 1180 the sound comes out of my PA.

I actually used my 1180 one time when a friend was playing out (Bobo from Nancies) as the soundboard...and recorded his live show for him...and let it be the middle man between him and the PA...also...this will allow you to use the effects on the 1180 when playing out if ya wanted to.

SO...what you really need is a good vocal mic, I would recommend the Shure SM58, it is a good mic for the money, and it is almost indestructable for use if you do decide to play out. Really no need for the guitar mic since you can plug straight into your 1180, and produce a better sound that way.

Like I said...unless you are trying to record a live full band on single or double tracking...there is no need to mic the studio.

Hope that helps.

GOCDMB

[Root]

Originally posted by GOCDMB
I have the BR1180cd as well...nice digital recorder.
OK...that makes things easy!

You really don't need a recording mic for your guitar since the BR will allow you to plug straight into it, which will actually be better that recording from a free standing mic since your guitar in that case would be a direct feed into your recorder. The only time you would need a studio mic for guitar is if oyu were going to record many people playing at once.

What yo uwant to do is buy a good vocal mic..plug it into the mic receptacle on your 1180.

So now you will have your Guitar and a vocal mic running into the 1180.

I have my 1180 running through my PA so when I plug my guitar into the 1180 the sound comes out of my PA.

I actually used my 1180 one time when a friend was playing out (Bobo from Nancies) as the soundboard...and recorded his live show for him...and let it be the middle man between him and the PA...also...this will allow you to use the effects on the 1180 when playing out if ya wanted to.

SO...what you really need is a good vocal mic, I would recommend the Shure SM58, it is a good mic for the money, and it is almost indestructable for use if you do decide to play out. Really no need for the guitar mic since you can plug straight into your 1180, and produce a better sound that way.

Like I said...unless you are trying to record a live full band on single or double tracking...there is no need to mic the studio.

Hope that helps.

GOCDMB

This helps out a great deal. Man you have been a big help on a lot of my questions lately. Just wanted to say that I really appriciate it.

So this SM58 MIC is different than my mic in what way?

[GOCDMB]

Originally posted by rootbmw
This helps out a great deal. Man you have been a big help on a lot of my questions lately. Just wanted to say that I really appriciate it.

So this SM58 MIC is different than my mic in what way?

If you have a Shure Beta SM58a that is actually a little higher quality mic than a regular SM58(which is an excellent mic for our purposes).

It sounds to me like you already have EVERYTHING you need to accomplish anything you'd like to do , if not more.

The Beta 58a mic as opposed to the regular SM58 has less of a tendancy to pick up some ambient noise..kinda filters out stage noise etc.

Mics are very important and the price range is phenominal, as I am sure you have seen.

The only time we use a studio mic is when we have these semi annual gatherings of friends , we all get together and do what we call an "Acoustic Roundtable". There are typically about 12-14 of us and we all sit in a circle and each person takes turns playing a song of choice...whoever else wants to play along (lead or rhythm) just joins in..vocally as well...the chooser of the song must sing lead...and others will join in on harmonies. We use about a $1500.00 professional studio mic for these little get togethers, as it will pick up almost everything (unplugged acoustic background guitars, voices, etc)...the guy who picks the song plugs into the soundboard with his guitar and he gets a vocal mic to himself to sing lead...all other players or harmonizing vocals get picked up by the studio mic....we record the whole thing even the chatting and BSing and stuff...usually ends up taking about four cd's for the night....just a fun thing we do for ourselves.

But anyway...that would be the only instance I would see getting a mic of that caliber.

GOCDMB

[Root]

Great, I am glad to know I have everything I need. I am going to guitar Center after work and thinking of buy a set of bongo's. I will just the mic I have for this as well.

What kind of music do you play or played with your friends and band? I would love to hear some of your stuff. Do you ever play out much?

[GOCDMB]

Originally posted by rootbmw

What kind of music do you play or played with your friends and band? I would love to hear some of your stuff. Do you ever play out much? The band (or more correctly, the two /threeman thing we did) I played in played somewhat of an "alt country" (Uncle Tupelo, SonVolt, Whiskeytown, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Neil Young) type stuff, and about 10 Originals in that same vein.

We covered all of the above mentioned bands as well as some other things, and sprinkled it with originals.

We are no longer playing together but are all still REALLY good friends...it just got kinda old.

I love to play out though!


GOCDMB

[Root]

Well if you ever play out, let me know and I'll come and check it out, since I'm only in lawrenceville. Later

Jimmy

[GOCDMB]

Originally posted by rootbmw
Well if you ever play out, let me know and I'll come and check it out, since I'm only in lawrenceville. Later

Jimmy
I'll do it!
Good luck with your stuff...let me know if I can ever help...and also let me know if you play out anywhere!

GOCDMB

[Root]

Originally posted by GOCDMB
I'll do it!
Good luck with your stuff...let me know if I can ever help...and also let me know if you play out anywhere!

GOCDMB

I will, I don't really have the balls to play out anywhere yet. I ussually wait utill my roomate is gone an them play. I don't think I am bad. I just don't feel totally comfortable with my voice. I don't think its bad either. I'm just kinda a perfectionist sometimes. Also, I don't know where to begin with finding a gig.

Man, I could ask you a ton of questions about the boss and other music advice, but I don't want to bother you too much.

[GOCDMB]

Originally posted by rootbmw
I will, I don't really have the balls to play out anywhere yet. I ussually wait utill my roomate is gone an them play. I don't think I am bad. I just don't feel totally comfortable with my voice. I don't think its bad either. I'm just kinda a perfectionist sometimes. Also, I don't know where to begin with finding a gig.

Man, I could ask you a ton of questions about the boss and other music advice, but I don't want to bother you too much.

Ya just gotta get out there and do it man!
Believe me, no matter how bad you are...there is some guy out there who is worse playing out!
Honestly....when ya play bars and such...no one is really listening to ya anyway!
We have proved that by changing some lyrics around sometimes...kinda funny.

You are not playing out for the people...you are playing out for yourself...because ya enjoy playing live!

Feel free to bother me , because it is really no bother at all. I'll try to answer anything I can!

GOCDMB

[Root]

Thanks man, thats very nice of you.

[GOCDMB]

Originally posted by rootbmw
Thanks man, thats very nice of you.

I am still kinda learning my way around the BR1180...as "simple" as it is...it is still kinda complex.

But any help I can give, which may be little, I am more than happy to do.

GOCDMB