[LAU] Mic for accoustic (bass) guitar

[Jostein Chr. Andersen]

 On Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:26:06 -0500, jonetsu wrote:
> Hi all,
>
>   What would be a good microphone for recording both acoustic steel
> string guitar and acoustic bass guitar ?  In the $200-250 range.  I
> currently have a M-Audio Pulsar and am looking for a recording that
> has more of everything I hear from the instruments which does not
> currently gets in the recording. The recording sounds like a digital
> compressed version that doe snot have all the warmth and nuances 
> heard
> in the room.

 I suspect that your Pulsar will do just fine within the budget you 
 asked for. You should probably experiment more with placements and 
 mixing techniques. Is that room really something you want to share with 
 the rest of the world or will a good reverb (say IR) do the trick? If 
 your room is important, then just keep a longer distance from the 
 instruments, but that mic will not hear what you hear anyway.

> Would upgrading to a $200-250 microphone help ?   Or
> would any difference be made only with much more expensive
> microphones ?  I basically would like to record as much what my ears 
> are
> getting when playing.

 You will probably not want to hear that because both the guitar's and 
 the bass' low frequencies will interact and muddy your recording when 
 they are mixed together from the recording.

 Why not use that money and buy one of the small Mackie VLZ3 mixers 
 (possible the 802)? They have wonderful preamps and when you get more 
 money, then you can buy even better mics. :-)

 That said, if your target is is to mimic you ears, that you will 
 probably not find anything better then the Zoom H2 in this price class - 
 or wait a little bit longer, then you can afford H4.

 Jostein