We could have happily spent the entire day it took to film all these examples just trying out different positions and setups with one or two mics rather than the 15+ mics we ended up recording.
In each of the videos below you will hear five types of playing chosen to help demonstrate as broader sound palette as possible.
First - Generic strummed chords
Second - Staccato chord stabs
Third - Finger Picking
Fourth - Percussive playing
Fifth - Tapping
Each of the sections has its audio track normalised, this was done to make best use of the available headroom and raise the level of the audio in a way which did not involve compression etc.
When listening to the videos you may find that the Fourth percussive section is quieter than the rest, this is due to the fact that the drumming creates very loud peaks which are far louder than the chords.
Normally I would use several mics to recorded this kind of playing and even then some compression and post processing would be applied to reduce the difference between the loudest and quietist sounds.
Conversely the fifth tapping section has a much smaller dynamic range so it will seem louder, I will make a video explaining these concepts in more detail with some visual aids very soon....
This is my introduction video for the series
Here is the first mic test the Neumann TLM 103
The Neumann TLM 103 is present on a lot of my recordings and youtube videos. It is a microphone with a real pedigree, I have used it to record all kinds of instruments from drums to didgeridoos. In terms of cost it falls at the top end of the microphones in this test.
The Rode NT5
I purchased my Rode NT5 mics as a stereo pair, they have been used as drum overheads and for stereo acoustic guitar micing mostly.
The Rode NT5 with NT45-O Omni Capsule
The addition of the Omni Capsule makes the NT5 even more versatile. I really enjoy the sound I have been getting with this setup, the pickup pattern allows for some very creative mic positioning.
The Blue Baby Bottle
Thanks to TC Electronic (Blues European distributor) who loaned me this mic.
Shure SM57
A standard for decades the SM57 is tough cheap and reliable. Whilst it won't compete with the detail you get from some of the condenser mics it does what it does day in day out.
Shure SM58
Really a live vocal mic it can still turn in decent results on other sources, worth learning to know how to get the most from this one as you find them everywhere!
Golden Age R2
This is the only ribbon mic on in the shootout. It is very cheap but can turn in some very nice results, the combination of figure 8 pattern and 'ribbon sound' mean this is not a mic for all situations. You will need a decent preamp with lots of clean gain.
AKG Solid Tube
Another one-off the only tube mic in the shootout. Again a very different kind of mic with a fair bit of character in the sound.
