Category: Jam Session
Well, I think I've got a good idea of what microphone to get, but i just wanted to cast this out for other opinions.
Currently, I am planning to audition for the school of music, and I practice fairly regularly. I also am in the habit of recording my practice sessions to keep track of my vocal progress.
I sing opera, but also other styles of music, and as such I need a mic that will be able to pick up the highs, lows, and mids equally well, allowing me to get a fairly accurate representation of my sound.
Unfortuantely, I don't have the money for a mixer, so it'll need to be a mic that I can use with my computer. I've got a Sigmatelle sound card and a Del Latitude 630, if that helps.
Any suggestions?
Oh, and stereo pick-up would a bonus too.
Honestly, you're not going to find anything of great quality to use with a sigmatel built-in card, but if you go to www.americanmusical.com, and look at USB interfaces, I'm sure you can find a good one with a preamp for farely cheap. Sometimes, they'll even package a decent mic in with it. As for a mic, I'd recommend a large diaphragm condenser for opera, that way you could stand back from it, and it'll get a good pickup. Of course, for close miking, there's always the Shure Beta58, which is great on female vocals, and the Beta 87, which is a condenser. Remember that condensers require phantom power, which will come with most interfaces.
A friend of mine was suggesting a Cad U37.
Have any of you used it?
That would probably work, too, and I think that's a USB-powered mic.
If that cad is usb powered then that should be great other wise Iwould suggest checking out the MXL usb mics as well.. You definately wont get good results going through a building sound card like a sigma tell. esp if you are using a screenreader thats using the same sound card.