Why did I write this?
Since I’ve gotten a ribbon microphone, my guitar sound has dramatically improved. I read about why. I found it interesting. Sharing some of what I’ve found. Good morning. ☀️
My ribbon mic, (a love story).
I bought a ShinyBox Ribbon Mic. It is the 46 MXL model. The various models have different transformers. Mine has a “Lundahl” transformer. Apparently it has a broader range of frequency response than vintage ribbons.
Ribbon mics are high. They’re so high that I think these are a great deal. They still can set you back 4-5 hundred dollars. Took a while to save up. But no complaints!
The power of the figure 8.
The power of the figure 8 is real. See, ribbon mics pick up sound in a figure 8 pattern. This is very handy for lots of things. I use it in mid/side recording turned sideways to capture the left and right. On a loud amp, it’s divine. It picks up close, but also a little further back. All in one mic. It works as an over head. It works amazingly on acoustic guitar like nothing I’ve ever used. Much of this has to do with the figure 8. But there’s something else!
Introduction to mid/side recording:
It’s just smooth.
Ribbon mics pick up warmth and cut harsh tones. This is the main deal for me. It’s just smooth. It’s easier to mix. It sounds better. It sounds how I wanted, and didn’t know. It wasn’t mixing tricks, it was the mic.
“You shall not pass!”
Condensers pick up EVERYTHING. You need that sometimes, arguably. But ribbons have a filter, haha. Ribbons are Gandalf telling the Balrog of shitty sounds, “you shall not pass!” The best thing about ribbons, to me, is tone. They have it in spades for certain instruments and voices. They do a lot of mixing for you. I’ll take all the help I can get.
Ribbon mic acoustic guitar excellence: an example.
“Mount Royal” is an album by Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge. On it they play two acoustic steel string guitars and use two ribbon mics. It’s not complicated, from an engineering standpoint. That doesn’t mean it isn’t brilliant. They had everything they needed in themselves and acoustic guitars. That’s an easy day, engineering-wise.
The tones and vibe on that record are raw. They’re not slick. Loud. Or even over produced. They’re acoustic guitars. All you need. Brilliant engineering. The focus is on the acoustic guitar, melody, and mood. Mixing never comes up. I dig songs like that. It’s like not being distracted.
Mount Royal on BandCamp
Borrow one!
If you happen to record guitars, I urge you to try out a ribbon sometime soon. Maybe it’s feasible for you to save for one. I’d buy you all one if I could. So many players out there could use one. They have amazing tone in person, but can’t get it down how they want on tape. The ribbon is likely a difference there.
Other options…
It should be said that before a ribbon mic and my Vox amp, I was using sims in Logic Pro. I prefer an amp and ribbon. The reason is the sound. But it’s also for feel. My favorite setting on a Les Paul right now is clean when I’m soft and gentle. It gets dirtier the harder I lean into it. That one setting in particular is hard to do in sims in my price-range. The amp and ribbon was cheaper than high-end sim models. Probably better too. I use the ribbon for loads of stuff. Anyway, if you’re there, I thought about it. Went small tube amp + Ribbon. Got a VOX AC4, Collector’s Edition along with my ShinyBox 46MXL. That’s pretty much my Les Paul “rig”.
Maybe gears are turning?
Gear is tough. I hate it, actually. I like looking at it and playing with it. But the cost feels like gambling out of my price range. I wrote this for guitarists looking for better tone on tape. What that is worth isn’t up to me, it’s up to you. I just hope I contributed to your decision-making process, one way or another. Take care.
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