Last year (2016) has produced some of the best Monitors around in terms of bang for your buck. In this edition of Gear of the year, we will take a look at two of the most impressive models. The Genelec 8320A and Dynaudio LYD series are our competitors, who will come out on top in the battle of the Monitors?
Shure KSM8 Dualdyne Vocal Microphone Review – A New Icon?
The KSM8 vocal microphone is an attempt at rectifying some of the issues that were present with the SM58. These issues were rectified without having the need to resort to active circuitry or a condenser capsule. The biggest development with this microphone overall was the development of the capsule in general which has replaced the standard cartridge from the SM58.
Key Takeaways:
- The Shure SM58 is the vocal microphone to beat for live performances. It’s a standard issue on most stage riders, and every venue will have at least one.
- Even in studios, the SM58 is popular as dynamic nature of the mic can act as natural compression and EQ compared to the more detailed condenser mics.
- Vocal microphones are very much a personal thing, and every professional vocalist should try out several before picking the one they want to use.
“The Shure SM58 is the vocal microphone to beat for live performance.”
PreSonus FaderPort8 Mix Production Controller Now Available
PreSonus’s new mix production controller, the FaderPort8, offers a wide array of faders, buttons and functions for precise editing at the touch of a finger. This USB 2.0 controller offers Session Navigator to for a seamless workflow with a variety of views and programmable buttons for a customized experience. Both Mackie Control and HUI protocols are supported, so you will not need special drivers – simply plug it via USB 2.0 and get to work using your favorite DAW.
e-Instruments Session Keys Electric S Review
Recently E instruments session keys electric s is an electronic that offers not only some great value but it also offers a lot of features that are not normally found within freeware or paid for software. For this software there are two main sets of presets included with it as either studio or live. All in all the software is filled with so many effects that it naturally becomes a synthesizer in nature.
The 3:1 Rule
When it comes to studio recording there is one trick that every beginner recorder is often taught, which is known as the 3:1 rule. To break down this rule in general it is pretty simple. When recording the distance that is from the first to the second mic should be at least three times of the distance from the source to the location of the first mic in general.
One common misunderstanding of the 3:1 rule, however, is that it applies to stereo mic-ing of a single source. Untrue. In fact the most set-up for stereo mics is to have the mic ends practically on top of eachother, but pointing in different directions. So the 3:1 rule would totally negate that.
Where the 3:1 rule applies is when you plan to use multiple mics on the same channel. The different distances will reduce phase problems between the 2 mic signals. In stereo recording, you need to pan the two recordings from the 2 mics, so the phase differences are not really an issue at that point. Also, the 3:1 rule most often applies to mic-ing multiple sound sources (drum kit, 2 singers, etc.) rather than a single one.
Key Takeaways:
- I would certainly have used some outboard gear and other mics better adapted to the situation, but always with the same minimalist approach of reducing the number of mics to the strictly necessary.
- An urban engineer friend of mine once told me that it’s extremely rare for people to turn around when they’ve realized they’ve gone down the wrong road.
- Something similar happens when you have several tracks for a single instrument.. I mean you already have them, so why not use them, right? Well, because it isn’t always for the best.
“The 3:1 rule is pretty basic: the distance from the first to the second mic should be at least three times the distance from the source to the first mic.”
http://en.audiofanzine.com/recording-mixing/editorial/articles/the-3-1-rule.html