Getting it Down: Recording Applications & Techniques Better ways to record that'll give you the awesome sounds you hear on your favorite CDs There are many classic approaches to miking and recording all sorts of standard arrangements of instruments. You don't have to exactly follow them - or follow them at all - but knowing the traditional approach is a great place to start. Let's examine the classic setups for a few specific recording applications. Recording Guitars Acoustic Guitars - - If you're trying to lay down a thumping rock rhythm on acoustic guitar, try using a dynamic mic instead of the traditional condenser mic. Condensers pick up a little more high end sizzle but dynamics feature a great midrange "honk". For a classic two-mic setup, take a small-diaphragm condenser mic and point it toward the 12th fret, about 12 inches away. Then take a larger-diaphragm condenser and place that about six inches from the bridge. Run the mics to separate channels and blend until it sounds right to you.

	Electric Guitars - Like vocals and their acoustic counterparts, electric guitars can be greatly enhanced by recording them in an ambient space, like a bathroom, garage, or long hallway. One trick is to close-mic the speaker cabinet with a dynamic mic, and then take a condenser mic and place it several feet back, or even way back at the end of a hall for a cathedral-like ambience. In this case, the ambient mic takes on a much smaller role than, say, the two-mic method for an acoustic. Blend the ambient mic subtly together with the direct mike for a fuller sound.

	Miking a Drum Kit There is no one correct way to mic a drum kit. Some people like to set up two mics in front of the kit in a nice, live room, about six feet high and ten feet back, and just let the drummer wail. Others mic every drum, send them all to separate channels, and then hunker down for a marathon mixing session. But most strike a balance somewhere in the middle. That usually involves separate dynamic mics for the kick and snare, a condenser mic for the hi-hat, and two large-diaphragm condensers for the overhead mics, to pick up the toms and the cymbals. Alternatively, you can use a pair of dynamic mics on the toms, if you like.

Using 'Effects Sends' Effectively For a true stereo sound, you must record a source with two mics and send each signal to a separate track. But that burns tracks in a hurry, so a great way to create a fake-stereo effect on single track-recorded instruments is to put just the effects in stereo. Use a stereo effects unit, but feed it one input from either a channel (one instrument) or the entire mix. Then return two outputs - the left and right from the effects processor - and patch them back into the main stereo bus. That way the reverb, delay, or chorus will shimmer with a subtle stereo effect, even if your instruments are all panned up the center. This is also a great way to ensure mono compatibility. Remember - microphone technique is largely a matter of personal taste. Whatever method sounds right for the particular, instrument, musician, or song is right. There's no single ideal way to place a mic. There is no "best" mic to use for any given situation. Experiment with different mics and positions until you get to what you think is good. Hey, it's your sound. Want to know more? Check out www.shure.com for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), downloadable literature, and plenty of tips on getting the best recording results. This article was excerpted from the Shure booklet, Microphones and Multitracks, available for download by visiting www.shure.com.