rhdroc

I'm looking for a good, reasonably priced microphone for amping trumpet and/or sax. I've been considering a Shure PG57 - it sounds like a good match for what I need and it's reasonably priced. Good choice or not?? Suggestions?? Inexpensive places to buy one??

Thanks---<Rick

Skip

AT822

rhdroc

Is the AT822 a Shure?? Went to their site and couldn't find it. What price range who this model be in??

Thanks---<Rick

Skip

rhdroc

Thanks, Skip, for the link BUT that particular mic is way, way too expensive for my budget. I was looking for something decent in the $40-$80 price range.

---<Rick

Skip

Check out the rest of the site. They have other mics.

tom turner

Hi,

In that price range, I'd consider purchasing a better mic by purchasing used on e-bay.

A trumpet places more dynamic range energy into a microphone than most any other type of input source and most mics will crap out and distort greatly when receiving the full 140db blast of a trumpet at 6."

I'd recommend trying to find a good, used Audio-Technica ATM11 (from their old commercial line), or it's consumer line brother (the Audio-Technica AT-811).

These two mics have been discontinued and the new pro version is the ATM-33 I believe.

Both the mics I've mentioned above sound wonderful AND NATURAL on trumpet and don't easily overload on trumpet either! Best of all, these two mics aren't make like most mics for singers . . . they are actually made and equalized to accurately reproduce accoustic instruments!

Originally the ATM-11 sold for about $150 and the 811 for a little less.

AVOID VOCAL MICS!!!

Tons of trumpeters use the brutally rugged VOCAL mic called the Shure SM-58. Sure (no pun intended), it IS a tough mic that's used in most bar band applications in the world BUT . . . it is equalized to sound natural when the soft human voice sings into it and get lipstick on it at the same time. That close to the mic, if the mic reproduced "naturally" and accurately the sound would be very, very "boomy" (meaning that the bass end of the voice would be greatly accentuated.

To avoid this problem, vocal mics are made with greatly reduced bass response AND they add a mid-range boost to make the voice sound a little breathy. Blow a trumpet into a vocal mic and the horn's sound will be "thin" (due to lack of bottom fundamentals thanks to the rolled off bass response) PLUS sound harsh and brittle thanks to the mid-range boost.

Hope this helps! I was in the audio and sound reinforcement business for quite a few years and experimented with most mics out there on my horns. The Audio-Technicas I wrote about were the best in the sub-$150 price range and I still have several. All still work fine.

Used they should fit into your budget and give you a great sounding trumpet mic at around $40 bucks or so via e-bay.

Good luck!

Tom

kdawg

hmm...
in our college jazz band the sax's use sure 57's (i think)
and as the "solo" mic we use a sure 87 (i think again... i hate remembering numbers)
we leave the brass un-miced
But we also only play on small venues so it works pretty good.

rhdroc

Thanks, Tom, for the great advice -- you sure appear to know your sound equipment inside out!! I just checked eBay for the Audio-Technica models you suggest but couldn't find any at this time. I'll search the web and see what I can find there.

From what I read I thought that the Shure PG-57 was an instrumental microphone -- could be wrong about that one. This model is widely available on eBay in the $40 - $50 price range.

I play in a jazz-rock band setting and am constantly at odds with the amplified instruments (guitar, bass, keyboard, vocals). While I'm blowing my brains out, they simply turn up their amp or PA. Since most of these guys grew up "worshipping" their amps in the 60s/70s/80s, they're not usually receptive to advice from the brass/wind players...so the struggle continues!!

Thanks---<Rick

2LIP

Tom:

I too am in the market for a horn mic, only I don't use the horn mic that much but do need a mic that will work for both trumpet and vocals. I already know that there is not such thing. Right now, I am using an SM57 and find it too directional for vocals, but good for trumpet. The SM58 and Beta 58 are the other mics that I have been thinking about getting. I was told that the Beta 58 would be a bit hotter sound wise, but would add some warmth to my vocals, and if I blow my horn towards it from 2-3 feet away, I will hear myself out of the monitors. Mostly, I need the mic to hear myself on stage, otherwise the audience generally hears me fine without it. All electric instruments are amplified, but not run through the PA. Electric piano, sax, and my vocals/horns are run thru the PA. Let me know if there is a magic mic that would work well for my application. I have to be able to sing and play.

Thanks,

LIP