Which mike do you believe is best suited to the dynamic range of the classical guitar?

-- Alan Fetzer (alan@fetzerandcompany.com), October 04, 2001

Answers

Perhaps I don't understand your question. The dynamic range of acoustic guitar is very limited, and is not the difficult thing to capture well. See the book for mike recommendations, though I might remove the Beyer M260 from the list now.

-- James Boyk (boyk@caltech.edu), October 04, 2001.

Thanks. I have your book, and hope to pick up a pair of 4038s sometime in the near future.

You do not include the Neumann line of mikes in your list. A few well respected classic guitarist have had some good results with the Neumann KM184, a small cardoid mike. Any comments?

Another question: Have you seen any recent progress in the realm of affordable digital decks for home recording? The last material of yours that I have read on this topic is dated August 1999?

-- Alan Fetzer (alan@fetzerandcompany.com), October 05, 2001.

Your interest seems to be in professional recording rather using my book's techniques to improve your performing or teaching. Professional recording advice is beyond the scope of this forum. I consult professionally in the field, and I offer free equipment reviews--done with far greater care and accuracy than those by any other reviewer I'm aware of--in my book and from time to time via this forum. I'm afraid that's all I can do for free.

No comments on the Neumanns. Haven't heard them. Haven't heard any condenser that equals a good ribbon for capturing music.

Regarding "affordable digital decks for home recording," the situation is complicated, but the bottom line is that there's still nothing inexpensive which I can recommend. The era of higher-resolution digital recording (higher than "CD standard") is upon us, but there are still almost no good-sounding machines, even at elevated prices.

If you do get a pair of Coles 4038 mikes, be sure to get a really fine mike preamp to go with them. They reward using the very finest preamp and recorder. But remember that for the work in my book, you simply do not need anything of that quality level. Of course better is always nicer and more useful, but the important thing is to *start the work,* not to worry about the equipment.

-- James Boyk (boyk@its.caltech.edu), October 05, 2001.