Neumann TLM 49

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The Neumann TLM 49, a large diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone. This microphone is versatile for almost any application you may have for it, whether it is studio, broadcasting, vocal or even instruments. The TLM 49 uses a K47 capsule, which is also used in the M49 and the U47. The capsule provides a cardioid directional pattern with characteristics of a super cardioid, due to the special capsule construction. When I first purchased it, I knew straight out of the box that very few could stand up to such a legendary vocal microphone. Therefore, I did the exact opposite and to start, recorded everything other than vocals. First off, I recorded a guitar cab with mild distortion. The frequency curve on the microphone gave it a nice presence while having less bite than expected. Next, I recorded an Epiphone EJ-200 placing the capsule towards the lower portion of the body pointing at the bridge. The sound was very warm with more presence in the mid-range. I continued to test the TLM 49 over multiple instruments including a banjo, slide guitar, cello, violin, xylophone, and a bass. Many of these instruments would normally require two microphones to capture the full spectrum of the instrument, but the Neumann held up to the test. All this at a great price. After testing every instrument, I have available in the studio I had to bring in a vocalist and see this microphones true ability. I called in my friend Luis who was excited to come and run some tests with me. From the very start, there was that famous brilliant sound with amazing clarity. I have a locker full of very well known vocal microphones and the Neumann blew most of them out of the water. It was the sound I was looking for which made all the difference to me. My signal path is a Universal Audio 710 Twin Finity pre amplifier running threw an Allen and Heath GL 2400 console converted by RME ADi8 interfaces. Overall, the TLM49 is a superior microphone that comes with a superior price. For most places, it sells for around $1,600 US Dollars, which is a large sum for a single microphone. It may not be suitable for most small home studio budgets, but it is always a good idea to have a Neumann in the locker. I rate this piece of gear a 5 out of 5 and would recommend it for professional vocal and instrumental recordings.

Sources

http://www.neumann.com/?lang=en&id=current_microphones&cid=tlm49_description

EQ Basic Tips

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Once you have recorded all the best possible vocal performances down in you digital workstation, you are now ready to start the mixing process. Mainly the first thing to do depending on personal mixing taste, is to equalize the vocal takes that have been recorded. Typically, you would want to cut all the problem frequencies first instead of boosting the good ones. We start of first in the low-end frequencies with a High Pass Filter around 80Hz to 150Hz. By doing this we remove, any low-end rumble and usually these frequencies do not contain anything important. If you feel that your vocal lack body or sound to thin, then most likely you would need to apply a narrow band boost around 200Hz to 600Hz. This will give you vocals a bigger sound and not so weak sounding. If you find that your vocals sound to harsh or crunchy sounding, then you would need to cut frequencies around 2.5Khz to 4Khz. By cutting the frequencies, you will soften the vocal sound. To add brightness to the vocal without adding that harness sound you would have to boost around 6Khz and above using a wide band pass filter. If you feel your vocals are still sounding harsh then a good place to cut frequencies are from 1Khz to 2Khz. This will smooth out your vocals more. If you find that you are stuck trying to find a frequency that is bothering you, the best way to find out if busing a large narrow boost and swipe the frequency ranges. Once you find it, simply cut that frequency. These tips will not always apply to every vocal, since every person sings and sounds different from one another. These basic tips are good to know because most of the time these kinds of problems usually lie around the stated frequencies.