nice keetee

Perhaps if we ALL wring our hands vigorously enough, sea levels will lower. Oh woe is me...

Don't have a pot to piss in so don't much have much to lose still have music gear I barely use but should...

I've never really spent any time or money when it comes to microphones because I just play guitar, and that's kinda the extent of it. I know a good deal on the six-string end of the equation, but not much beyond it. I was surprised when I was a kid to hear that people were paying over $1000 for Marshalls and the like. And I was blown away to find out that boutique amps were (arguably) even better and more expensive. But mostly, I was floored when I recently saw how much some microphones go for. I'd always understood that recording gear was expensive, but when I stumbled onto some Neumann microphones on eBay, I nearly choked on my black licorice. (I think the model I saw was the U47 fet). So, after a lengthy preface, why are they so pricey? I know it's silly to ask, and it can't be hard to figure out, but I can hardly imagine that such a (physically) small element of sound reproduction can have such variance in qualities to cost so much. I mean, is there really that much money's worth of manufacturing going into those little guys? I understand that there are different microphones for different needs, but isn't there, like, a condenser mic that is just sufficient, and any fidelity higher is just infinitesimal? I mean, with speakers, one generally looks for a set that colors the tone well, but isn't there just a simple, "color-free," neutral sounding microphone that works for all needs when micing a specific instrument? Ha ha ha. Sorry to ask such an introductory question, but I've become really fascinated by the recording aspect of music, and this is especially interesting to me. I believe you will be happy after auditioning some mics to spend what you can afford. Source instruments, guitars, etc. mics to record, will probably still be used during our next update of software or hardware as the front end...so buy nice

No human in history has ever exceeded their own capabilities. No, we all have limits on what we are capable of... but not everyone realizes where those limits are, or more specifically, that those limits are probably beyond what they "think" they're capable of. Sometimes it just takes the right motivation, and other times, it just takes the right inspiration. If you've only heard yourself through crappy PA systems and beat up SM58's all your life, and someone sticks you in front of a good 251 or 47, it's probably going to be a bit of an eye opener for you... and it may indeed be inspiring. Headphone mix made the singer perform better than ever before? I think this is wishful thinking -- I don't think there's a single competent studio vocalist who will credit their best performance to an inspiring headphone mix. Maybe not (although I'm not willing to fully concede the point), but a BAD headphone mix can absolutely DESTROY a performance. Headphone mixes are absolutely CRUCIAL IMHO. I spend as much time as it takes dialing them up to the singer's satisfaction. If you can't hear what you're doing, you can kiss pitch accuracy goodbye. You can also say bye bye to any kind of inspired performance - if the singer is the least bit distracted and spending any time and effort thinking about the cans mix, then they're distracted from what they SHOULD be doing - which is feeling the music, laying down a great performance and SELLING THE SONG. Give them a great mic that is suitable for and that brings out the best attributes of their voice, give them a killer headphone mix that lets them hear what they're doing, and suddenly they are not only inspired, but they also have the tools available to start reaching further towards the limits of their potential. They can hear themselves better, which means they can tell what they're doing and start controlling it more accurately and expressively. The sound kills, so instead of being distracted and spending time thinking about the bad headphone mix, or how they're bummed out, they are happy and inspired and focused on the song and their performance... It most definitely has a positive effect IMO. Save all your comments here, edit and you have a book.

I just got back from an ENT specialist who could find nothing wrong with my ear. I guess a little background first... About 4 weeks ago I had the worst miagraine I have ever had in my life. The day after it turned into the flu that lasted for almost 2 weeks. Like every spring, the cold went into my right ear and it plugged up with fluid. I went to my walk in clinic like I do every year and got some anti-biotics and a cortical steroid which helps to drain my ear within a day or two so I can get back to work. Only this year the steroids didn't drain my ear completely. Within a week I was feeling fine and could hear 90% out of my right ear, but there was still some fluid in it, so I went back to the walk in clinic. The doctor said there was no more sign of infection, but was kind enough to prescibe a tougher decongestant along with another round of ear draining steroids. These still did not work, so I made an appointment with a ENT specialist. Well, after looking in my ears, sinus cavities, and sending me next door to a hearing specialist, I apparently have no fluid in my ear, no eaustation tube disfunction, and my hearing tested fine up to 8k (the highest the test goes) with no asymetery between my 2 ears. This is NOT what I hear inside my own head. I'm currently taking a break from editing some sound effects I need to complile for a show I'm sound designer for, because I cannot get my mind off this. I can't exactly explain it, but something is really not right with my ear. It feels like there is a bit of fluid stuck in there. Although in the everyday world, it really does not bother me too much (kinda like my tinitus), in the studio/theatre it affects my work, because I can not tell what I am really hearing. There also seems to be a slight pressure on the right side of my head surrounding my ear, but I don't know how much of that is just psycho-somatic (sp?). I also have neck problems from a bad car accident 12 years ago, and have even recently been to a chiropracter to get an alignment in the hopes that is the cause. Still no relief. So now I am faced with trying to figure out what else to do with my life, because I refuse to become the stereotypical "deaf sound engineer" and just wing it for another decade or 2 because it's all I know how to do. I can only assume that this latest infection caused some sort of internal damage to my ear that can not show up in the usual round of tests, and that I'm basicly {censored}ed. Before anyone suggests more comprehensive tests, I have no insurance, and my ENT said the next step would be to get a CAT scan (didn't say what he'd be looking for) that would cost around $1,000. I just don't have that kind of cash, the $200 it cost me yesterday just to see him was borrowed from my mother. Does anyone here have any advice or suggestions? This has really, really depressed me; as I have had nothing but this as a carrear goal since I was a freshman in high school and recorded my first band. I love music, I love engineering, I love sound design. I would hate a life where I couldn't enjoy all these things to their fullest. Thanks for any advice you may have for me, or for just allowing me to rant to people who can understand. Marty Mix your tunes eq flat? Beethoven was deaf, so they say. Keep on as long as you can.

Certain harmonic distortion is said to warm up audio. Even number harmonics, I could be mistaken.