Topic: USB Microphone recommendations?

[eric]

Any suggestions?  I'm looking for something that would result in decent sound for digital recording of fingerpicking acoustic guitar and maybe voice, mostly for practice.  Thanks,

[harriet]

Hi Eric,

I like the Shure Motiv M51 so will suggest for consideration.

It works for me to pick up both singing and playing when sitting in front of the computer - I record into garageband. I have not really had to do anything to the files and I don't find that the Motiv is very fussy about positioning..

I've tried the iMIc but I ran into a problem positioning it recording guitar with vocal.

http://www.shure.com/americas/motiv/recording-musician

Harriet



 

[Rivers]

Wow, the future has arrived, again. It blows me away that these things exist. I would imagine you would be pushing the storage limits of an already loaded 16 Gb phone, say an iPhone 6* base model, recording very much high res audio though(?)

I have a Zoom H4n that writes the files to an SD card that I can pop into my macbook. It's another step in the workflow but I don't have to worry about filling up my phone, or mac for that matter. And I can take it anywhere. It also has a USB port if you want wired transfer.

I get the clear impression that the Zoom is quickly going to become 'old school' as iOS & Android devices, and their storage capacities, continue evolving. I've got to read some reviews of the Motiv kit and find one to audition.

[StoogeKebab]

I personally love my Blue Yeti. I was given it by my friends for Voice Over work, but have found it very useful in a few purposes, primarily because it has multiple polar patterns.

It was great to make guitar videos with using the condenser pattern for directly in front and placing it nice and close. Quicktime on Mac can easily be set up to use it as the audio source. I do the same for vocals, but that's usually for voice overs.

When I use it to record 'in the field' so to speak, I use the omnidirectional setting, great for live jams that I want preserved or a quick guitar vocals job (where I can 'set the balance' between guitar and vocals through positioning the microphone physically closer or further away from the mouth or guitar)

There's also a stereo pattern, which I don't use much aside from mucking around with stereo voice overs, however I do find it incredibly useful for use recording the piano, the stereo meaning I can give a boost to one side or the other and play around with it in Garageband or Logic.

I think it's a really solid microphone, ignoring the fact that it's the popular choice for amateur, irritating, annoying, childish, YouTube celebrities.

[eric]

Thanks all, I'll look into those.

[harriet]

Regards the obsolete - it royally annoyed me the earlier version of the iMic was not compatible with an IOS upgrade and now only works on my mac - I don't record through IOS - but I think that is a valid consideration for purchasing. 

I wasn't going to post this but for my iphone I used an inexpensive Rode Videomicme that plug and plays into an iphone headphone jack and got good results - I think. Why I wanted it was because if you capture through the headphone jack you can leave the iphone plugged into electricity.  (The video capture was simultaneous through an ipad - I don't like closeups... ) The guitar is coming both the instrument and the amp on the floor and the vocal is still audible over that at 1 minute



If anyone wants to consider this - http://www.rode.com/videomicme

Harriet

 

[Blues Vintage]

I also recommend the Blue Yeti. I just got one second hand. The Yeti Pro is hardly an upgrade and not worth the extra bucks from what I've read but it does have the abillity to record at 192 kHz/24-bit.

[westside ryan]

Looks like Toby Walker has recorded his latest (yet to be released album) "From The Ground Up" using a Blue Yeti with Audacity.

[Mr.OMuck]

I got this "Widget" which looks silly and cool and sounds pretty damned good! The price is right.
http://www.guitarcenter.com/NEAT-Microphones/Widget-C-USB-Microphone.gc

[hms]

I have the Zoom H2n.
Benefits, multiple polar patterns for the mic.
Choice of recording formats.
Can be used as a USB mic, or standalone digital recorder.
Great piece of kit.
h

[GinoHam]

I got quick Ligandrol results which looks silly and cool and sounds pretty damned good! The price is right.
http://www.guitarcenter.com/NEAT-Microphones/Widget-C-USB-Microphone.gc

That does look neat, Mr.OMuck. Do they come in different colors btw?