D Charles

The Chinese 1 works every once in a while so I haven't got rid of it, but if I didn't have a bunch of mics, I wouldn't like it as one of my only sounds.

I just record myself and vocalist/instrumentalist friends that can do what I can't. I do everything so my biggest problem is not seeing the forest for the trees. I've got way better at finding the right gear for me and my sweetie/vocalist. Not a ton on my wish list right now. But mixing is hard! Man, if I could get an outsider for anything it would be mixing. I'm too close to the project; forest/trees thang. I feel good about tracking, I can fix minor mistakes, I can master (and by that I mean sequencing the songs for an album, making their apparent volume fit each other and that's about all I want). But I'd love to work with a good engineer who can mix, a drummer with amazing touch and understanding of tuning and how it affects recording and a good piano player. I can cover the rest vocal, guitar, bass, sax, percussion, synth etc wise... I just need help on my weak points. If I had a budget, Nashburg is just two and a half hours down the road. I'd definitely import some guys.

Some people just like to start controversy (pissing contests). If they say something useful use it, if they don't, ignore it. Chili, what I would do if I were you is put a mic like across the room and sing the song all the way through. Is your verse very quiet and your chorus knocking your socks off? Any song you record you should be able to do live in a room with no gear so some adjustments might have to be made here and there. One trick that no has mentioned is say you find your cool tone verses proximity affect at 3" from the mic. When you need to belt to hit the high note, just turn your head around 30 degrees. Sing beside the mic on the left or right. You'll still get the volume and emotion, but you won't have the air and pressure building up straight into the mic. Try it, it works! Just don't think gear is always the answer. What's in front of the mic is so much more important.

"You Know what I mean?" "You know what I'm sayin'?" "You Know?" "Like" "Well the thing is..." "This is the thing...."

I'd probably head down to Nashburg and audition some stuff. On my list: A good compresser or two, distressor, 1176, LA 2 and 3 A's. Like to check a Vintech 1272 or similar just to see what all the fuss is about. My sweetie wants a Kiwi and she sounded great on the one a friend brought over, but I'd like to hear her on some others. I love her voice on our 80's 414 B/ULS, but like to check some darker mics. There are only two mic's I've tried that truely suit my voice. One of them cost like 40 bucks in the 80's and the other one costs 5K; half the winnings. Surely there's something in between? I've got a nice little 60's Ludwig drum kit but nasty cymbals. Need some small loverly sounding Zildjians. 19" (or bigger; got the 40 something messed up eyesight going on) flat computer monitor. A great big hard drive to copy my music computer's C drive to and then store the original drive in case of lightning or other trajedy. Tranzport. A little endpin pre for my Martin. Just has the thinline pu right now. A rack mount geetar tuner. Always yanking my little boss off the desk by it's cord or misplacing it etc. Some of those little passive Adam monitors to make fun of my NS-10 M's. Some 3/4" birch plywood. Want to design and build a cool workstation. Some or all of that stuff.

If you're trying to be portable, I wouldn't get a tube mic. They have a big box/power supply and extra cableing to drag around. Another vote for the AKG 414, fantastic all purpose mic on acoustic instruments and female and tenor male vox. A beta 57 might be just what you need though...

I'd definately send it back at his expense, after I knew my credit card call back went through.