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Snowball USB Mic
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kbgtr001



Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 122

PostPosted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:20 pm    Post subject: Re: More "Snowball" Projects Reply with quote

Mark wrote:
kbgtr001 wrote:
Beautiful fingerstyle blues example.

Here is a sample of a Newfoundland Folk Piece arrangement I'm working on


Kb,

Very nice, my friend. And thanks for the kind words on the fingerstyle blues track, as well as your thoughts on recording acoustic guitar. As I may have mentioned in another post somewhere, my first two good acoustics were Martin steel-strings (D35 and D18), but once I fell in love with the sound of the classical nylon-string, well... I haven't looked back since. Wink

My "museum-piece" handmade classical is a 1970 Paulino Bernabe (Madrid), but for contemporary work I am absolutely thrilled with the Pavan I bought from luthier Tom Prisloe about a year ago.


Mark,

Very sweet Pavan. I have on order, a Taylor NS34ce;



It won't be ready for a couple weeks yet (because of the left-handed thing).

Among a number reasons and it's sound, I decided on a Taylor because of the it's neck.
I very much like the feel of a Taylor neck. On this instrument, it's not as wide as
standard classical neck, but has more width than a steel string.


Quote from Taylor;

"...Designed to sound and perform like classical guitars, Taylor's Grand Concert and
Grand Auditorium Nylon Series models come with slender, comfortable, 1-7/8 inch necks to provide
the familiar feel of Taylor steel-strings."

The price point is ok too.


I think this instrument will be a good choice for working through chord melody
arrangements as well as standard jazz tune progressions and line improvisations.
At the moment I'm liking a Fred Kelly Polycarb thumb pick with fingers; sort of
a "hybrid classical/pick style."


I haven't decided on my microphone or direct approach yet. I will post
some results when my instrument arrives.


-Kb

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Mark
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Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:57 pm    Post subject: Re: More "Snowball" Projects Reply with quote

kbgtr001 wrote:
Among a number reasons and it's sound, I decided on a Taylor because of the it's neck. I very much like the feel of a Taylor neck. On this instrument, it's not as wide as standard classical neck, but has more width than a steel string.


Kb,

Different strokes, because the 1 7/8" nut width is precisely the reason why I wouldn't buy one. I need the standard two-inch width and find that when playing fingerstyle I make FAR more mistakes when using a classical with a hybrid neck. I mean, it's doable and and I even recorded an entire jazz duo CD going fingerstyle exclusively on my Gibson archtop, one of the Super 400s with a thinner neck (1 9/16" at the nut).

My Bernabe is a true concert classic with a 2 1/8" nut, which would really freak the average acoustic guitarist out Wink. It takes some getting used to, but the reality for me is that between all of my instruments (basses included), I'm pretty comfortable with a wide variety of widths. I realize that for many steel-string players there's a concern with the extra width that a standard classical presents, but it's a proven fact that you adjust to very quickly once you play it every day. And of course the pliability of the nylon strings themselves when compared to the tension involved with steel strings makes it a much easier instrument physically to play (at least for me).

Martins and Taylors have always had a great reputation in the steel-string arena, but I've never been particularly impressed with their nylon-string models. The quality is good, but then you're paying extra bucks for a name that was earned via a different instrument. The other benefit with the Pavan is the price point itself, because that Taylor lists for around $2k with a street cost of around $1500. That's great, but I was really looking for something to recommend to my students for under a grand, which is why I think the Pavan is an amazing value for the price. All for now...

- Mark
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kbgtr001



Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 122

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:08 am    Post subject: Re: More "Snowball" Projects Reply with quote

Mark wrote:
My Bernabe is a true concert classic with a 2 1/8" nut, which would really freak the average acoustic guitarist out Wink. It takes some getting used to, but the reality for me is that between all of my instruments (basses included), I'm pretty comfortable with a wide variety of widths.



Mark,

I too have a 'true concert classic with a 2 1/8" nut', made by
"The Artist of Atlantic Avenue" Guillermo Del Pilar.

Here is a link to a thread about one of his instruments;

http://www.musurgia.com/products.asp?ProductID=3006&CartID=5154032222007

I paid 500 USDs for a Del Pilar rosewood instrument. The only left-handed
guitar he ever made, so I'm told.





Del Pilar became quite ill. He was an "old school" luthier who
suffered in later years from the toxic effect of glues and
other chemicals. He also suffered respiratory problems
from breathing wood dust residue.


My issues with mics for acoustic guitar recording in my project studio;

- I live in an NYC apartment. My project studio is just off the lobby
of the main entrance. With a mic, I hear my neighbors and other building tenants
coming and going, getting their mail, having conversations, etc.
Outside street sounds are picked up pretty good too.
Also, for acoustic recording, this room simply doesn't work well.
Moving a mic back gets too much bad room tone plus every other sound in the space.

- I could build an iso-booth, that is a possibility, but for miced acoustic guitar recording
I usually just take it to another space.

- I do often work late, till 4:00 or 4:30 am, with my acoustic instruments and
my DAW. I've been doing this for quite some time and it's ok with everyone else
in my building.

- If I want a amp/cabinet sound here at anytime, then it must be isolated.
There are apartment dwelling musicians in my neighborhood who definitely
take it over the top, for example working a drum kit at "full on." Trust me,
this can lead to some interesting "Kodak Moments" with neighbors and
the police.

- I've learned to get a pretty good sound recording direct from the
built-in electronics on my instruments. It requires some post recording work,
but is very do-able. Actually I can setup my eq prior to the
record track, so what I monitor in headphones while tracking
is a very workable recorded product. I can include reverb before or after
recording. Very flexible.

-kb

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nylenny



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 291

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful recording, Mark.

I, too, use a Snowball mic. I use it on a PC, and have had no problems. The software consistently recognizes the mic, and I am happy with the tone quality. I use it for electric guitar as well, and I find it easy to mic my amp -- just stick the Snowball in front of it!
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kbgtr001



Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 122

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nylenny wrote:
I, too, use a Snowball mic. I use it on a PC, and have had no problems. The software consistently recognizes the mic, and I am happy with the tone quality. I use it for electric guitar as well, and I find it easy to mic my amp -- just stick the Snowball in front of it!


nylenny,

Are you using your "Snowball" generally in Omni, Cardioid or
no preference ? What type of acoustic are you using ?
Thanks... I'm interested to know.

Are you in an NYC apartment ... is an amp an issue ? If so, how do
you deal with it?

-Kb
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nylenny



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 291

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi KB. I usually use it in cardiod, but sometimes use it in omni when I record with other musicians. I don't have any volume restrictions. One of the things that is a little strange with the Snowball is getting a good level... I do sometimes have to turn up the amp more than I would like. However, with digital recording (as compared with analog recording), you do not need a saturated signal to sound good. So I will sometimes record at a low level and then increase the track when I mix.

I use the mic to record bass, electric guitar and classical guitar. My "acoustic" is a Manuel Contreras top-of-the-line classical with Brazilian rosewood and a spruce top. Many of these come with cedar; however, I prefer spruce. It's a fairly unique and amazing instrument. On electric, I record a wide range of sounds -- from Strat through a Marshall to a Triggs 17" jazz box through an Acoustic Image / Raezer's Edge setup. On bass, I am playing a Fender Jazz Bass through an Aguilar head and cab.

I also have an expensive Rode microphone (cost $300), but I rarely use it, because the Snowball is just fine for most things (unless I want to get a really good classical guitar sound).

Hope that helps!
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Mark
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Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:50 pm    Post subject: Lightsnake Returns... Reply with quote

nylenny wrote:
Beautiful recording, Mark.

I, too, use a Snowball mic. I use it on a PC, and have had no problems. The software consistently recognizes the mic, and I am happy with the tone quality. I use it for electric guitar as well, and I find it easy to mic my amp -- just stick the Snowball in front of it!


Len,

Thanks, man. I had no idea that you were using the Snowball mic, or that you have a Triggs archtop. Dave (Illig) has one, too. How long have you owned that guitar?

Btw, the past two nights I got away from the acoustic and returned to the jazz recording trenches, using the Lightsnake cable once again. I hadn't done any bass recording in a long time and was anxious to try my Padulla using the LS, so I ended up improvising a Rhythm Changes "A" section and turning it into what is now my 7th composition to date over those changes. Have We Met? is the tentative title, appropriate since I added my guitar after the fact, sort of a "Bass Meets Guitar" bebop jazz duo affair Wink .

Undoubtedly what inspired the effort was the previous night, when I finally got around to recording the much more uptempo Oleo by Sonny Rollins, using a Hal Leonard backing track. As you probably know, it's a tricky head due to the syncopation, and I used to play it as a bassist in a jazz piano quartet in the Bay Area many years ago. I think that and the fake rhythm bridge is what prompted the new tune last night. On Oleo I improvised through the bridge and did a one-chorus solo. On HWM I played a Ron Carter-influenced bass walk on the bridge and used upper-string chord punches on guitar.

One thing that really dawned on me with both of these projects was how the ear trumps everything else, especially when it comes to matching the attack and phrasing with another instrument. Just an ongoing work in progress on many fronts. Hope you (and the others) enjoy the tracks!

- Mark
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nylenny



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 291

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Mark, Sounds great!

I've had the Triggs for a couple of years. I usually play my Heritage ES-335 for jazz (the guitar I use on most of the tracks I've sent you), but I'll send you some with the Triggs. The Triggs has a great acoustic sound (it has an Adorandic Sprice top), but it's a little bulky for me -- not a fault of the guitar; it's just a huge guitar. Jim Triggs makes a great jazz guitar.
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kbgtr001



Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 122

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nylenny wrote:
Hi KB. I usually use it in cardiod, but sometimes use it in omni when I record with other musicians. I don't have any volume restrictions. One of the things that is a little strange with the Snowball is getting a good level... I do sometimes have to turn up the amp more than I would like. However, with digital recording (as compared with analog recording), you do not need a saturated signal to sound good. So I will sometimes record at a low level and then increase the track when I mix.

...I also have an expensive Rode microphone (cost $300), but I rarely use it, because the Snowball is just fine
for most things (unless I want to get a really good classical guitar sound).


Lenny,

I was curious about your polar pattern preference in this type of mic for coloring, pickup etc.
I sometimes prefer an omni pattern because it negates the "proximity effect" of the
cardioid pattern. You can get in closer without increased "low end" bump.
Not always suitable, but it works in some circumstances.

Obviously, were discussing the "conveience setup in the project/teaching studio"
approach. I have a Neumann TLM 103 (got it on sale w/shockmount for about 850 USDs),
I take around to other places, but it's just not suitable for the project studio; or really
the room(s) available here aren't suitable for it. If I go to the other Manhattan location
I do work in, then it's moot. There, I have a four channel API mic preamp, a Pro Tools HD rig,
access to other mics and a "workable" room. I generally use the TLM 103 for purposes other than
guitar recording anyway.

A Pro Tools "recording trick" I like with to use with low record level issues is to bus (route) the incoming
audio through "auxiliary channels" prior to the record track. I can adjust the aux channels in the
software and bring up the gain before reaching the record track. It doesn't change the signal to
noise ratio of the incoming signal, it just gives you more of what your actually recording.
No surprises after the fact. You know what you're getting; good or bad.

For 99 USDs, it seems the "Snowball" might be worth a try. I'll work late-night when all the other "whoos"
in the building are sleeping. I can record into "Garageband", "Peak" etc..., then export the audio files
over to Pro Tools if I like or just do the production work in the other softwares.
The thing that truly annoys me about Pro Tools is being locked into specific interfaces.

-Kb

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Mark
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Joined: 26 Feb 2007
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Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:56 pm    Post subject: Back to Snowball: "Blues for Oscar" Reply with quote

kbgtr001 wrote:
For 99 USDs, it seems the "Snowball" might be worth a try. I'll work late-night when all the other "whoos" in the building are sleeping. I can record into "Garageband", "Peak" etc..., then export the audio files over to Pro Tools if I like or just do the production work in the other softwares. The thing that truly annoys me about Pro Tools is being locked into specific interfaces.


Kb,

All I can say is that I've VERY pleased with the mic and given the short period of time I've owned one, it was nice to get a positive report from Len.

Speaking of Snowball, you guys might get a kick out of what I recorded last night. Blues for Oscar is an acoustic fingerstyle original dedicated to jazz piano legend, Oscar Peterson. I wrote it about ten years ago, and if I do say so myself it's a fairly unique composition in that the melody was inspired from an OP blues piano solo chorus that I transcribed from a sixties trio release. I transposed it to the key of C, then fused it with a walking bass line right out of the Ray Brown playbook.

Outside of a pair of turnaround chords and the ending C7#9, the entire affair is just melody and bass. I've played it off and on for years, but this is the first time I've recorded it. Not perfect, but enough to convey the basic idea. Hope you dig it! All for now...

- Mark
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