Recording - May 2016 - 15

with jangling keys, there's nothing better
to weed out a mic that can't handle its
transients. The dreaded crotales are particularly unforgiving.
Even though the usual recommended
miking techniques can be similar-a
good condenser a foot or two away
from (and sometimes slightly above) the
instrument-the resulting recording may
still suffer from excessive brightness or
harshness, along with the potential edge
from the transient issue. Many condensers have a built-in presence boost in
the high end, but it might be a good
idea to try models with a flatter
response, to get the high end in check-
even a flat-response ribbon mic might
serve to tame any glare.
H : Harmonica
Depending on your musical tastes,
when someone mentions harmonica
you'll probably think of one of two
things-the clean, plaintive melodies
heard in everything from folk to pop
music, or the raucous, amplified distorted wailing of the classic blues "harp".
When it comes to miking, blues harp is
the more interesting.
Needless to say, as with the electric
guitar, what may have started out as a
simple quest for volume defined a new
sound. Blues harp is typically played

through a small amp (like a classic
Fender Tweed, for example), cranked to
distortion, for a lovely wail. If you're
recording, that means there'll be two
mics involved. One will pick up the
sound of the amp-the usual techniques
apply, either close-miking the amp right
up against the grille, or from a couple of
feet out, or both.
The other mic is for the harmonica
itself. Unlike most instrument miking,
especially for recording, this mic is held
by the player, cupped in his hands
along with the harmonica. Any handheld dynamic could do the job with the
right cable (plugged into the amp like a
guitar), but the mainstay for blues harp
is the Shure "Green Bullet". The original
is no longer made, but the current version-the 520DX-offers similar coloration and grit (see picture 4). No
need to worry about breath or handling
noise, that's all part of the intended
sound-that wonderful wail that has
graced so many blues songs.

straightforward. Start with the traditional
technique: a mic about a foot or two in
front of the instrument, aimed at around
the center, possibly from slightly above.
The mic could be the usual condenser,
or a dynamic or ribbon-each will yield
a different tone, ranging from bright and
crisp (condenser) to more midrangy
(dynamic) to warm and natural (ribbon).
Breath sound is an integral component
of the sound of the flute, and how much
of it the mic picks up may be the main
issue you'll need to address. With flutes,
sound emanates from the mouthpiece
and the first open hole. If you aim the
mic at the mouthpiece, you'll likely get
too much breath, hence the recommendation of aiming toward the body (also
true with other wind instruments).
However, for some rock or jazz flute
performances, that strong breath sound
may be part of the style (remember Ian
Anderson?), so you need to know what
kind of sound the music calls for before
settling on a final position.

I : Irish Flute
Irish flute will serve to introduce the
general category of transverse flutes.
With these familiar wind instruments,
sound is produced by blowing air across
an opening. We all know the sound of
the flute, and miking is mostly pretty

J : Jarana
Jarana-a Mexican guitar-like instrument-is an instrument I haven't personally dealt with, but I have recorded others in its general family of smaller
stringed instruments, like mandolin and
ukulele. Usually, the approach is more or



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - May 2016

Contents
Recording - May 2016 - Cover1
Recording - May 2016 - Cover2
Recording - May 2016 - 1
Recording - May 2016 - 2
Recording - May 2016 - 3
Recording - May 2016 - 4
Recording - May 2016 - 5
Recording - May 2016 - Contents
Recording - May 2016 - 7
Recording - May 2016 - 8
Recording - May 2016 - 9
Recording - May 2016 - 10
Recording - May 2016 - 11
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Recording - May 2016 - 13
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Recording - May 2016 - 15
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Recording - May 2016 - 17
Recording - May 2016 - 18
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Recording - May 2016 - Cover3
Recording - May 2016 - Cover4
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