Mark Payne is the co founder and former Technical Director of SFL Group. One of the UK's leading Audio and Visual Systems suppliers both in terms of installation sales and production hire. SFL use and sell equipment from d&b audiotechnik, L-Acoustics, Midas, Yamaha and Digico to name a few. Mark is a mentor and trainer in the field of live audio production. Now that Mark is retired from his full time leadership role at SFL he has time for more work with bands and live events. This channel will present technical updates and training in the area of live event production, media and acoustics.
How about using live condenser mic in home studio recording? good idea or better use ldc/more expensive dynamic for that application? Can $200-400 mic can provide 'pro' results?
Good video! Over 30 years of moving those faders. I agree on most of what you said. My basic kit is almost identical. Where it differs: I got some Røde NT5 in addition, I got the e905 on Snare (with the Audix i5 as an alternative), got an Audix D6 in addition to the Beta52A and the Beta91A (if I use only one mic for the BD I like the D6 better, but 52 and 91 are better in combination). My goto mic for guitar etc. is the Sennheiser e609 or e906. If people want two mics per git amp, I‘ll put on SM57 in addition. They sound more „metallic“ then the Beta57 in my opinion, so they are a better contrast to the e609/906. Oh, and I have some Audix OM7 for a special clientele. It is solid advice to recommend mics everyone knows to be at least ok and can be found on almost any rider, at least as an alternative for the actual wish list. Where are you located? Do I hear a little bit of a London cockney accent?
Optimize macOS processor assignment: Understand how macOS allocates processes across multiple cores to maximize efficiency. Utilize M1’s CPU clusters: Leverage the high-efficiency cores (Ice Storm) for basic tasks and high-performance cores (Firestorm) for demanding processes. Monitor CPU utilization: Use the performance monitor in Logic Pro to track core activity and CPU usage. Add plugins strategically: Test adding multiple plugins to see how Logic Pro utilizes cores and avoid system overload. Adjust Logic’s audio settings: Tune settings like buffer size and multi-threading for smoother performance during complex sessions. Understand processor affinity: Keep related processes on the same core for better cache usage and reduce the need for data to move between cores. Know M1 system behavior: Logic Pro typically prioritizes using the Firestorm cores, but monitor if that’s the best approach for your project. Limit multitasking: Avoid running other programs alongside Logic Pro to prevent competition for CPU resources. Balance system resources: Manage your project’s plugin load to prevent CPU overload, especially with demanding plugins like reverb. Fine-tune buffer settings: Experiment with the processing buffer size and multi-threading settings for optimal performance based on your workflow.
Hey! Have you had a chance to check out the SE Electronics V7? I quite like it on voices that need better high frequency response than the usual suspects in this price range can provide.
10+ years out of practice but we all have our go to mics AKG d112 for me not just for kick but the odd bass cab. I don't think you can be an engineer if your best friends aren't a few 57s and 58s. yeah 414s because I doubt I'd risk a u87 being dropped. but dead right on the Tbone stuff cheap cheerful and great for anyone starting out or working with youths in a college studio.
Wow, I'm old. I was the designated sound man for my city government, and of course. on a very tight budget. That was in the 70s thru the 90s. I had a fairly good selection of the rudimentary types, giving me more flexibilty than most public-employee soundmen. My go-to mike was Shure SM58, and they never ONCE let me down, from the ruggedness standpoint. Matching, though, not really well-matched. But 90% of my work was outdoors, and in poor acoustic venues. Good thing I wasn't going for studio-quality sound. gain-before-feedback was usually my major challenge. The response curve tended to vary with the date of manufacture. But the price was right, and I got praise from some really knowledgeable people for my work.
The reviews on Thoman's site for the Ovid C100 from Thomann are not good. But they are 10 years old. Perhaps the design has been improved. They do have a 30 day returns on it, so I would think they perhaps have a lot of returns. I used very inexpensive condensers in the 70s for recording. The spec looked good on paper and they performed well on mic stands, but were not suited to handling. I'm sure this will be a very useful video for some. Nicely presented.
Great video! Always buy from Shure directly. The market is flooded with fake mics. Not just Shure.. If you see a Beta 57 or 58 for $35.00 US, guaranteed it's a fake. Also, check out the pics. If you see a cable with the mic that has a cheap XLR female on one end and a 1/4 inch male on the other, it's fake. 57s and 58s are low impedance mics only. They're $149.00 plus tax from Shure directly. Free shipping.
Great intro to mics I sent to some of my trainees- though I have a few taste differences in daily driver mic kit, still staying in the same price range. My star vocal mic is the SE V7, sometimes with a Soyuz Launcher if I want more saturation or higher levels into the preamp. I don't like the senny drum mics, largely because of the non-repairable enclosure problem, but also because there are better sounding things, also more durable and in same price range. AKG Drum Set Session I, with an SE V7X on the snare. MXR 606 on the hats, similar to what you've got, though even cheaper. Pair of senny 609s for guitars, (Though the AKG tom mics also work well for that) then the vocalists get one of these, (I bring one of each) dependent on what genre, what the lead vocals are doing, etc: AKG D5, Senny e835, SM 87a, and a couple 58s just to fill out the roster, which I'd also like to replace with 58 alternatives that fit well into this lineup. Sometimes I'll break out a D112 if the AKG P2 is a bit too bass heavy, and I'll use the same mic I would system tune with, the behringer ecm3000 ($50) as an ambient/crowd mic for live recording/streaming. I also have an extra pair of those AKG P170s for horns, strings, etc, though do like the clip-ons and have been experimenting with a few different things there, haven't settled on a winner yet. Big fan of wired lavs for video production; it's most of the benefits of wireless systems, without the cost.
This is such a great explanation of the issues involved in microphone selection and technique, comprehensive and delivered with straight forward language. Ideal to share with anyone who needs to work with mics in either production or performance.
The Beyer M88 is not a ribbon but is a dynamic mic. The M88 is a little less durable than most other dynamic mics so they can sometimes be damaged after long and repeated use as a kick drum mic right on the port of a kick. The M88 being just a bit fragile along with Beyer being known for their ribbon mics (like the M130 M160 M260 M500) is probably the source of confusion here.
I find it hilarious that you pronounce Beta 58 sounding like beater 58 because people often call Shure 57s and 58s beater mics meaning that they can either take a beating and might actually be physically beaten up, in other words they are mics that you aren't particularly worried about because it's not expensive and it can take abuse.
I could do that. I am retired now. I founded SFL Group with Graham Preston here in the UK back in 1992 ish. We went on to build a large a/v production company that d&b audiotechnik purchased outright around 2021 and SFL became d&b Solutions UK. Our company then absorbed Whitelight. I have not been back to the warehouse for a least a year.
21:47: using legacy smartphones for extra cameras (and audio recorders) -- What tips do you (or other viewers) have for moving the files around (air drop is easiest for me, since i'm out of hard drive and can't update my MacOS to permit sync via Apple Music iPhone management interface) and also for syncing audio or A/V, post-production? I'm very much in the consumer range of knowledge and equipment (using iMovie, iPhones, and a Zoom Q4N wide-angle camcorder w/ good audio capabilities, at the moment), and have found massive record speed differences between iPhone 14 and Zoom R16 multitrack recorder, for example.
33:44: interesting that the A/B comparison of Beta58 vs. MD435 revealed dramatically smoother and more present on the mD435 -- listening on my iPhone 14pro! But auditioned on a pair of low/mid-grade Polk TSi-300 tower speakers bi-amped by a decent Sony multi-channel car amp, the Beta58 maybe(?) does sound cheaper on the lower frequencies, but the difference on the high end disappeared.
30:45: beta57 - same as beta58 but with different basket that changes polar pattern and sets the ‘front lip on the mic’ position closer to the diaphragm for better signal/noise ratio. Good for guitar cabinets and kit snares.
20:00: monitoring: use both ears of your performer! Focus monitor fill from the opposite side of the performer of any loud stage noise (drum kit, guitar amp, loud keys fill). The effective perceived monitoring volume is +6dB due to the low-noise ear getting the monitor fill.
18:45 hypercardiod stage mic (Sure beta58 not SM58) pics up feedback if you direct monitoring from dead-front of the singer. Use an angled monitor to get outside the backside ‘lobe’ of the hypercardiod pickup pattern.
I don't mind being fairly close to the microphone but you're not getting my lips to touch it as a habit. That's a hell no from me. And the Shure Beta 58A and Beta 57A are supercardioid mics. Their pickup patterns are pretty much equal.
Congratulations Mark, the best lesson on mics on the YT. I don't need to listen to anything else after this! I'm far away from you (Brazil) but I know now what to buy even if I'm on a low budget. Nothing like the knowledge of someone who lives of a subject. Never saw someone talking about the MD435 and it was a great find. Very hard to find it here because it's so much expansive for us, but I'll save the tip for any intl trip in the future. I play chromatic harmonica and most top players use a SM58 because you know it's a classic and the frequency range is quite similar to the voice but as the sound is produced by free metallic reeds, the higher frequencies are almost of a brass instrument and I think the MD435 would produce a very interesting output. If you ever have a chance to record one harmonic on it, please let me know; I also study sound quality a lot as I'm an Electrical Engineer too. Thanks for the video, lovely British accent! Already saved to a playlist and subscribed to your Channel.
The classic harmonica mic is the Green Bullet, which also is very cheap, though be advised it does need a preamp pedal to integrate well into a spund system. It somewhat depends on if you're going for the classic blues sound or trying to do something new, because the green bullet is objectively a bad frequency/dynamic response; it just happens to pair really well with harmonica. Also because traditionally harmonica is closeiced and very loud, and producing a lot of air, a very detailed mic will be vulnerable to those things even more. I also suggest trying out the worst, cheapest mics you can find on harmonica, because a dirty, midrangey sound actually works well there. Stuff out of karaoke machines and home tape recorders.
@@madrooster7 many thanks for the answer, totally agree with blues/rock/pop.. approach. But the challenge for us is the chromatic harmonica for Classical/Jazz. As you said, and I totally agree, very loud and lot of air. As Toots Thielmann used an SM58, many after him just used it, but we have to be very careful when playing because of the problems already mentioned and also avoiding the instrument touching the mic, silly but happens sometimes. There is one guy in US that makes and sell a model, a SM58 with a volume knob on the body because the player can control the volume. In a gig is helpfull, but still not the best solution. Because your attention gets divided sometimes. Instead of playing you have to keep remembering to low the volume. Anyway, if you have any other tip I would be very glad to listen. Thanks again.
