Any advice on mic'ing a Didgeridoo?

[Mattayus]

Had one for years, thought I might try recording that sucker. I'm just thinking about how to approach it from an engineering perspective. I want to capture that throatiness and the real warbley low end that they have.

SM57? 2 inches from the grill?

Seriously though.. I was thinking maybe an NT5? I was thinking across the bottom hole at a 45 degree angle. I'm assuming the closer I get to the hole the more rumble/resonant peaks I will pick up so backing it off would be a plus.

Does anybody have any extensive experience with wind instruments? particularly the didge?

 

[FarBeyondMetal]

I've never tried it before, but maybe try the NT5 as you stated, but also put a large diaphram condenser about 3 feet in front of the didge.

I'd be interested to hear how this turns out.

 

[pikachu69]

I have recorded alot of wind instruments but never a digi although I always wanted to lol.
The main thing is catching enough low end without to much wind blowing. I think treat it similar to a sax. A sm57 or similar dynamic mic close to but slightly off axis to the sound hole and a condenser off to the side of the mouth catching more low end, about a meter away at most.
Worth a shot as it works great on sax as I said.

 

[The StabbinCabin]

Go DI

 

[colonel kurtz]

back when i was going to school for recording arts, our teacher was a really experienced jazz musician and engineer, and told us that the digi was the toughest instrument he'd ever had to record. IIRC, he said ended up using an LCD a few feet out in front of it to capture the "bigness" of the thing.

 

[Mago]

MS could be worth a shot

 

[SethTheGreat]

Do a shoot out and post it!

I'd be interested in hearing a cheap ribbon on it if you've got one

 

[Mattayus]

Thanks for all the advice guys!

Do a shoot out and post it!

I'd be interested in hearing a cheap ribbon on it if you've got one

Good idea, this is probably the best course of action! I warn you though, I can't circular breathe and I'm not amazing at it And I'm gonna have to do a new take for every mic! If only you could re-amp didgeridoo... And no ribbon mic atm, just SDC's and dynamics, really.

 

[arv_foh]

I used a beta 52 on one at a live show and it was ballsy as fuck but I wanted that fat low end

 

[SethTheGreat]

Thanks for all the advice guys!



Good idea, this is probably the best course of action! I warn you though, I can't circular breathe and I'm not amazing at it And I'm gonna have to do a new take for every mic! If only you could re-amp didgeridoo... And no ribbon mic atm, just SDC's and dynamics, really.

If you try to keep the performance as consistent as you can I think it will work out.

I'd say try not to stick to some of the common shoot out rules. One mic might sound better at a different distance than another, etc...

 

[Mattayus]

Well the NT5 was the clear winner there. I'll post the results in a new thread later on

 

[Sloan]

digi samples for aboriginal metal. plz.

 

[Mattayus]

no, i suck far too much at the didge these clips are hilarious...

 

[abt]

no, i suck far too much at the didge these clips are hilarious...

Ummm... you're supposed to blow not suck!

 

[Mattayus]

d'oh!

 

[TheDustbowl]

Had one for years, thought I might try recording that sucker. I'm just thinking about how to approach it from an engineering perspective. I want to capture that throatiness and the real warbley low end that they have.

SM57? 2 inches from the grill?

Seriously though.. I was thinking maybe an NT5? I was thinking across the bottom hole at a 45 degree angle. I'm assuming the closer I get to the hole the more rumble/resonant peaks I will pick up so backing it off would be a plus.

Does anybody have any extensive experience with wind instruments? particularly the didge?

LDC, 48v off.

 

[Sloan]

FUCK.