Did they use the correct microphone to record this singer?

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 8 Jan 2014 1:52 pm

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 8 Jan 2014 6:04 pm

Well, it would be hard to go wrong with that one--I have one myself...

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 6 May 2014 2:54 pm

That would be a pic of Nancy Wilson I believe.
She has some fantastic sounding records.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 6 May 2014 3:05 pm

robert kramer wrote:Did they use the correct microphone to record this singer?

Vague ambiguous question. The mic isn't identified. The "singer" isn't identified. Most importantly, the audio dynamics and other pertinent characteristics important to the producer aren't specified.

"Correct" can mean different things to different people. IOW, what's your point?

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 6 May 2014 3:52 pm

The mic is a Neumann/Telefunken U-47 microphone. The pic is of Nancy Wilson iconic jazz stylist, probably in New York 1959. The golden age of jazz. The last American art-form. So yeah, most definitely the right mic for the job.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 6 May 2014 8:52 pm

Right mic for sure, and given the time period of the recording, the preamp and dynamics control were well suited to it--I own a 1957 U47 and it sounds pretty magical on most anything you put it on...

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 7 May 2014 1:49 pm

That singer would probably sound good thru a paper cup with a string tied to an interface !

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 13 May 2014 4:25 am

My very poor attempt at humor. It's Mavis Staples at a Staple Singers session for Vee-Jay in 1962. As Tony Prior says: "That singer would probably sound good through a paper cup with a string tied to an interface!" I should have ID'd Mavis in front and not tried to be funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxgZuE14he8

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 14 May 2014 7:19 am

Those VeeJay recordings of The Staple Singers are some of my favorite ever. If you don't already own it, pick up Uncloudy Day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7V7OMw7tg8

James Quillian · Post by **James Quillian** » 15 May 2014 7:11 pm

The only way to tell if something is the right mic for a singer is to try a bunch of them and pick the best sound.

Large condenser mics are usually the best for a singer. If the singer is not particularly good, sometimes a dynamic mic actually sounds better because a large condenser mic is totally unforgiving.

Also, a terrible combination is a terrific condenser mic and a miserable recording engineer. Those mics are not that easy to use correctly.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 16 May 2014 9:57 am

Sometimes I go through mic shoot outs and sometimes all I have to do is hear the singer talk for a while and I know what mic I'm going to use....it's also knowing what mic Pre works best with the microphone you choose...

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 16 May 2014 4:01 pm

Mavis Staples ! My bad

The Steel Guitar Forum

Did they use the correct microphone to record this singer?

Did they use the correct microphone to record this singer?

Re: Did they use the correct microphone to record this singe