microphone for flamenco guitar

[tsandvik]

Does anyone have a microphone that you will recommend for live playing with flamenco guitar? I have been recommended AKG C 430. I am interested in buying a microphone that is not too expensive and that makes least possible feedback and of course a good sound for flamenco playing.

[Great Googly Moogly]

Todd K is your man. I'm sure he'll see this thread so you should get your answer soon.

[vabulo]

I have got two similar condenser microphones.
The PRO 37 a small diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone from Audio Technica and the E614 from Sennheiser.

I prefer the Sennheiser above the Audio Technica.

[flamencoguru]

AKG C1000 is a great mic. Definitely give it a look. Great live mic.

Un saludo, Errol

[Tony Hyman]

I watched a recital by Trevor Nasser who is a classical guitar player held in
high in my country ,using what looked to me like a Shure SM58 ,but I never
got to actually see the mic up close in order to be cirtain .It could also have been a 57 .But be that as it may.He had the mic pretty up close which is what the SM58 is desighned for being mainly a moving coil mic.The feedback is very limited not being omnidirectional as the a ribbon condenser
cordiod mics which I think are great for the studio environment and
other situations where one requiring anplifiction at a conserable distance
and wide range like Choirs ,whole sections of instruments like in an orchestra
wether live or studio.But from my experience they feed back very easily.
I would imagine the Flamenco Guitar as a pulling no punches like a vocalist
needing to be able to belt it up close into the mic without distortion.
I would imagine the SM58 being ideal for those cafe or pup gigs not picking
up to much of the other happy noises that of couse go with the vibe.
Consert stage work as mentioned above also showed it to perform well.
I see the SM58 as the tough up front, taking all the punches in the trenches
type mic .Like Grandpas old Ford Pickup.
If you have a Shure SM58 or 57 give it a shot or borrow one from a vocalist buddy before actually buying one .Worth a try I would imagine

[El Diablo Suelto]

flamencoguru,

Do you recommend the AKG C1000 for classical also? Would it make any difference for each style and sound?

[Todd]

May sound odd, but the Shure SM 57 can work really well for live
flamenco guitar. Especially if you're running it into a nice mic preamp
and a really good speaker system.
If you dont have a great system, it can be not so good.
All the recomendations here are good.
AKG, Audio Tecnica, etc.
Just be aware, condensors will present more feedback problems than
dynamic mics like the 57.
TK

[Tony Hyman]

Thanks for that Todd,but not to want say more than is necessary on the pros
on cons of the Shure choice which is almost like the nails thread as far personal choices.But I what I forgot to add regarding the SM58 spesifically as I dont have practical experience of the 57,Wether or not this is just a muso myth or not I cant say but ,but popular concensus over the years has been
that SM58 without the switch has allways been the favoured choice for voclists,or brass players over the model with the switch for some reason or other was found to be a bit "tinny", Ok for speeches and that sort of thing where one would need to mute the mic under cirtain circumstance .
Could an analogy on the 57 as far as this myth or be it fact, be drawn in your
opinion.

[NFalla]

May sound odd, but the Shure SM 57 can work really well for live
flamenco guitar. Especially if you're running it into a nice mic preamp
and a really good speaker system.
If you dont have a great system, it can be not so good.
All the recomendations here are good.
AKG, Audio Tecnica, etc.
Just be aware, condensors will present more feedback problems than
dynamic mics like the 57.
TK

i couldn't agree more with TK on this...........
i've used SM57's in a pair for "Live" performing for over 20 years...........and they are the same ones i bought way back when!!!
They are tuff as nails and if you take a little time setting them up right...............you'll get the most "Natural" sound out of them!.....<period):cool:

the AKG's are nice and have used them also..but i went back to the SM57's after a couple of gigs.

On a side note.................many of the professional flamencos i know also use the SM57.........."For Live"
;):mrgreen:

[Anjelo]

I was actually on the same boat here. Been pondering on getting an SM57... but noticed the BETA 57. BETA 57 i believe is the supercardoid version of the SM and more durable.

Does anybody have any opinion on the real-world difference for Flamenco/Classical on both?

[brian richardson]

i also use the sm57
for gigging.

opps sorry for crossing the tracks.
i use it for classical and i have
it placed very close to the soundboard.

[NFalla]

opps sorry for crossing the tracks.


AND Don't you forget it bub!!!!:mad:

kidding..........

although i must say it's so much nicer for me on your side of the tracks lately........8):mrgreen:

[flamencoguru]

flamencoguru,

Do you recommend the AKG C1000 for classical also? Would it make any difference for each style and sound?

I just think it's great mic all the way around. I'm sure it would be fine for classical too, although I've never used it for that.

Un saludo, Errol

[El Diablo Suelto]

I just think it's great mic all the way around. I'm sure it would be fine for classical too, although I've never used it for that.

Un saludo, Errol

Thank you flamencoguru!

[BrentinFL]

I'm pretty "Shure" I've chimed in on similar threads before, but here goes my 2 cents worth.
3 years ago I called Shure and asked them what they recommended for classical guitar in live app. The rep firmly recommended their PG81 because:
1) Very sensitive (you dont need to be right on top of it)
2) Flat responce (your guitar's sound is not altered by the mic)
3) Great off-axis rejection (low feedback and low bleed through in ensemble situations)
4) Nearly identical performance to their SM81 in the price range of the 57 and 58

I've been using 4 with my guitar quartet and they work quite well.

[tsandvik]

Thanks!
If you use two SM57 microphones, how do you set them up? And how do you set it up if you only use one?

[Francisco Vega]

... Does anybody have any opinion on the real-world difference for Flamenco/Classical on both?

Classical is for wimpies, flamenco is for real men!

[Anjelo]

say whaaat? That question was about the use of the above mentioned microphones for both genres man!

[NFalla]

Thanks!
If you use two SM57 microphones, how do you set them up? And how do you set it up if you only use one?

You'll have to do some experimenting yourself..........

i like to put one facing up toward the sound hole from the treble side and one facing the soundboard from the neck side of things...............distance varies on the venue and PA system/ amp...........yer going through.8)

[Tony Hyman]

Of cause there is also the added aspect of microphone teqnique like a vocalist
or other blowing instrument ,where you develop a unique sense of distance between yourself and that mic or mics which comes naturally as you experiment .I must say with all respect that I have seen some big name brand
players who in my opinion have no sense of mic teqnique with distortions no matter how you EQ them ,even though they blow up a storm .Got to move with the times though in my humble opinion.

[Anjelo]

Brentin,

Listened to some of your recordings. Mind sharing what preamp you used for that?

[jtucker]

I agree with the C1000 as a great mic, both for live and recordings. I've used mine for years in various applications (classical, steel string, choral, flamenco, amateur recordings) the work excellently and I've never had a problem with them whatsoever.