PZM (boundary) mics

[cream123]

Would it sound good to have your amp close mic'ed with like a sm57 and then have two sound grabber mics on two of the walls to pick up the reverb and act kind of like a MV?

I'm thinking like the whole band playing together and each instrument having their own mics.

[StrangeSound]

Well, if you're all playing at the same time you have to avoid another signal in your SM57 for the guitar.

You'll hear drums and the other instruments also although it should be just the guitar signal there.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=97170

That's the best position I got for micing my amp but there's no other signal around it.


My band and I record song ideas on mini disc and we put a Shure SM57 or an Audio Technica (condenser mic) in the room and it sounds quite good.

You have to tweak the whole track and that's one disadvantage..there's only one track you can edit lateron. So, no eq-ing on guitar only.


You could throw a SM57 in front of the amp and the other instruments get their own mic too, it will work but it won't be perfect nevertheless. I figured out that 1 mic is enough to record the whole band quite decently!

A condenser mic (AT) would do the job imho but you'll need a preamp with phantom power -> 48V.

[kevlar3000]

All I use these days is PZMs. I no longer like the sound of guitars mic'd close, too much gets left out. I use them for drums too, my old beat up Radio Shack PZMs are on every recording that I have done. For live, if the room sounds good, PZMs do a great job of getting what it 'actually' sounds like. Now for mixing a live band at a gig, it isn't they way to go, but for simple stereo recordings it is great.

Here is a tune with just the 2 PZMs, it is a long winding tune, but it really gives a sense of the detail these mics can pickup. Everything is right there sonically.

Sophisticated Mama LIVE II only use lofi if you have dial up, hi founds much better.

lo-fi URL: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getpl...d=3867288&q=lo


hi-fi URL: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getpl...d=3867288&q=hi

[cream123]

All I use these days is PZMs. I no longer like the sound of guitars mic'd close, too much gets left out. I use them for drums too, my old beat up Radio Shack PZMs are on every recording that I have done. For live, if the room sounds good, PZMs do a great job of getting what it 'actually' sounds like. Now for mixing a live band at a gig, it isn't they way to go, but for simple stereo recordings it is great.

Here is a tune with just the 2 PZMs, it is a long winding tune, but it really gives a sense of the detail these mics can pickup. Everything is right there sonically.

Sophisticated Mama LIVE II only use lofi if you have dial up, hi founds much better.

lo-fi URL: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getpl...d=3867288&q=lo



hi-fi URL: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getpl...d=3867288&q=hi

That sounds a lot better than what I had in mind. What amp did you use? I'm thinking about the Crown Sound Grabbers. Any idea as to how these sound?

[kevlar3000]

That sounds a lot better than what I had in mind. What amp did you use? I'm thinking about the Crown Sound Grabbers. Any idea as to how these sound?

On that tune I am useing a late 60s Kelly head ( I do the leads on this tune) Nate, my other guitarist is useing a Hilgen head on it.

I have heard mixed reviews on the crowns. I would try and pick up a pair of the old Radio Shack PZM, still cheap. They are wonderful sounding. I converted mine to XLR inputs, but even with the 1/4 inch they do well, just noisier. I have had mine since 91.

[cream123]

On that tune I am useing a late 60s Kelly head ( I do the leads on this tune) Nate, my other guitarist is useing a Hilgen head on it.

I have heard mixed reviews on the crowns. I would try and pick up a pair of the old Radio Shack PZM, still cheap. They are wonderful sounding. I converted mine to XLR inputs, but even with the 1/4 inch they do well, just noisier. I have had mine since 91.

How much and where can I find them? are they still in production?

[kevlar3000]

No they are not, you will have to look on ebay.

[cream123]

No they are not, you will have to look on ebay.

shucks.....

[Virtual Kevorkian]

I personally only like PZM's on drums.

[cream123]

I personally only like PZM's on drums.

So.....what makes them not so good for guitar?

[Virtual Kevorkian]

PZM's sound way too distant for me - I don't like room sound in my guitars, really. Not a lot, at least... I mean, the room has to sound nice, but I don't want to be hearing much of it in the actual signal.

I'm also going for a very different tone with a different style of music than Kevlar.

[cream123]

PZM's sound way too distant for me - I don't like room sound in my guitars, really. Not a lot, at least... I mean, the room has to sound nice, but I don't want to be hearing much of it in the actual signal.

I'm also going for a very different tone with a different style of music than Kevlar.

What style do you play? Metal? Just guessing by the "Rock and Roll Clown"

[Virtual Kevorkian]

Yeah - I don't venture too far out of the extreme metal realm.

[kevlar3000]

I can totally see how it would not be the thing for metal as the response is not as immediate with the guitar tone.

[cream123]

I can totally see how it would not be the thing for metal as the response is not as immediate with the guitar tone.

What do you mean by that? As in the mic is a bit slow to pick things up?

[kevlar3000]

Mainly that a room mic is not as immediate as a mic right on the cone. It gives a softer edge to the note, which for really hard metal may not be desirable... Doesn't mean that you can't get great rock tone with a PZM a few feet back, but it is a different sonic vibe.

[cream123]

Mainly that a room mic is not as immediate as a mic right on the cone. It gives a softer edge to the note, which for really hard metal may not be desirable... Doesn't mean that you can't get great rock tone with a PZM a few feet back, but it is a different sonic vibe.

I got ya......