Microphone

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Permalink Reply by Steve Sklar on November 19, 2009 at 12:23am

Hi Sauli,

Yes, inexpensive wireless mics aren't going to do your voice justice. Unless you really need wireless, just get a decent vocal mic. For studio pros, there is always an effort to find the best available mic for each source, but any decent vocal mic (usually will have a cage/ball around the capsule) should make you a lot happier. I don't know about prices in Finland, but here you can often find something adequate for $100.00 or so.

If it sounds good on your regular voice, it's likely to sound good for throat-singing. If you like to sing extremely low, as I sometimes do, or like Kuvezin, then you might lost some lowest frequencies, but most not-really-speakers won't accurately reproduce those frequencies. Not usually a problem, though.

I've seen great throatsingers use SM58s and sound good enough for gigs.

Let me know if you need more info.

Steve

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Permalink Reply by Harold Grandstaff Moses on November 19, 2009 at 8:12am

Yes, the Shure SM58 is an excellent choice. Experiment with placement to discover zones where the overtones are more prominent. You may find an off axis orientation is helpful.

HG

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Permalink Reply by Carsten Weidmann on November 19, 2009 at 8:51am

Hy, i use the ZOOM H2.
For better sound in combination with the OKM inear mic. The sound is good :-)
Carsten

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Permalink Reply by D.B.Lolaq on November 19, 2009 at 11:19am

I'm an instrumentalist and I don't like the fuss with microphones lying all around, so i use just a couple. When recording on computer I use a Shure 8900 hooked to a Behringer mic100 tube pre-amp to warm up the sound, especially the mid-tone region. The Shure is rediculously sensitive, really love it! The main problem with picking up the full range of frequencies is the placing of the mic (as Harold noticed). I noticed that when recording singing, it's best the mic is tilted down towards the mouth from a position that is slightly too high. The mic capsule ( the head) faces a bit down and the mic body is at an angle of about 10 degrees. I think with overtone singing you should keep your mouth at a slightly greater distance from the mic than with normal singing, but that's just my theory, since I don't have any experience.

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Permalink Reply by wolfman on November 19, 2009 at 12:50pm

hi sauli,

to me the best microphones to pickup the overtones are large ribbon geometry (LRG) microphones like the AEA R84. they can take the same soundpressure like dynamic mics and have the same brilliance like condensor mics and they are realy sensitiv. in other words, the best of both worlds. but it is not only the microphon, which makes the sound. you need also a good cable and a good pre-amplifier. and beleave me, i am not talking like a blind about colours, i am recording instruments for 40 years. wireless mics don´t have a good sound and if, they are realy expensiv. it is better to work cable-bound.

i hope i could help you out.

swinging regards

wolfman

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Permalink Reply by Mario Faustino on November 19, 2009 at 2:09pm

Hello everyone,

Thank you very much Jens for the invitation! I still keep an old "eagle" from the time I use to be in a band. A very reliable thing.

Best wishes, mjf

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Permalink Reply by Andy Bergman on November 19, 2009 at 4:27pm

One thing to watch out for is proximity effect. With most microphones, except perhaps omni-directional ones, singing very close to it will exponentially boost lower frequencies, which might sound bad or good depending on your sound/style. To avoid this, experiment by leaving more space between your mouth and the microphone - I suspect you'll hear a big difference.

I agree that a standard dynamic mic is a good place to start, if you're looking to buy one. And, if you're looking at the Shure SM58 (or 57), I'd recommend one of the "beta" models. There's even wireless versions of those, although more expensive of course. Good luck!

--andy

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Permalink Reply by Jan Ole Haber on November 19, 2009 at 6:52pm

Hi !
I don't really have a lot of experience with mikrophones that pick especially the overtones well. My main instrument is the Didge. I use the Audio-Technica AT-4041 and I'm very happy with it. Stephen Kent is using it live too. It's a small condenser Mic and it should work for your needs too. It's sensitive and clear but not too sensitive so you can use it on stage without feedback! I really like the sound of audio technica and the price is very good for the great performance! In my opinion the Price to Quality range is much much better than the common Mics from Shure ore AKG (You pay a lot for the Brand)! Audio Technica offers diferent Mics (Condenser and Dynamic) so I would guess to check some out to find a good one for overtones. May you find a Music-Store around where You can test the sound. In the end it's a question of what YOU like - and to what kind of technic the Mic is conected to... (Pre Amp, Mixer, PA , Speakers...)
Greetings from Bremen
Ole

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Permalink Reply by Sauli Heikkilä on November 19, 2009 at 9:22pm

Thanks to explosive discussion, helpfull and interresting. Yes, I have shure58, which is recommended by everyone but the problem is, while playin igil or morin khuur, I need to watch board ocationally and headset gives freedom. My friend is working in musicstore, maybe I make a research trip... I´ll report later, what I find out.

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Permalink Reply by Arjopa on November 21, 2009 at 2:48pm

Hey Sauli!!
You are absolutly right!!
If you are singing a propper Tuvan Khoomei on stage, it is like singing Rock´n´Roll, us the good old SM58!! Yeah!!
SM58 - That is my advice as an professionell Khoomeiji with around 50 concerts a year, mostly in big concert halls & on festivals.
All my Tuvan friends, like Albert Kuvezin, Mongün-ool Ondar, Gendos & Radik Tulush, wich are all famous Khoomeiji use this mic, cause it belongs to the equipment wich concert halls have worldwide!!

Khoomei Folk Punk Greetings from Berlin!!

Arjopa & The Master U-like

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Permalink Reply by Patrik Niels on November 23, 2009 at 4:57pm

Hi Sauli,
I have been distributing professional mic brands like AKG, Audio-Technica and Crown in Belgium years ago. My suggestion is that you take your time to try out several microphones for yourself. It is important that it sounds good for YOU, no matter what someone else thinks or uses. You have your own sound, your own timbre and your own opinion about “a good sound”.
If you want to stick to a wireless headset, I would suggest that you forget about the cheap stuff. Cheap wireless systems not only use cheap microphones, but the electronic parts are of poor quality too. That means that you’ll have drop-outs (less with diversity systems – using 2 antennas) every now and then, and that the noise level (hiss) could be quite high. Good wireless systems unfortunately have their price. You don’t necessarily have to get both microphone and wireless system from the same brand. Good wireless systems are AKG, Shure, Sennheiser. Good headworn mics are AKG, Countryman, Shure, Crown, Sennheiser. I wouldn’t go for less. But, as I said before, try it all out for yourself. Good luck.

Patrik

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Permalink Reply by 1sbg9ra85hw7k on March 15, 2011 at 3:19pm

Hi Sauli, well i think that microphones are kind of relative. I think it depends on what your looking for in terms of fidelity, knewing that, never would be ase real as our ears. Perhaps might be interesting to use some specific microphones with raw properties.... but that is just an idea, or a large diaphram valve, such as Rode K2 or Akg 414. I also can tell, as i experienced it, that is not only the microphone the most important part of a recording, is also the way we use them and the position of those. Look forward for stereo imaging techniques, cause that would determinate the kind of microphone you need to use for that specific idea you are wishing for. Here is a link to wikipedia article about stereo imaging. Perhaps you might be interested in Binaural recording. Or try to use EQ's and Spatial effects in a postproduction process. I think microphones is a fundamental part of the aesthetics recording process.

hope i help you a bit,
best,
Oscar

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