Mics for Saxophone

[AudioJunky]

As a sax player... I should know which mics work best- but I don't... so lay it on me. I need to record in all styles.

[Professor]

Depends on the sax, the location, and well honestly, what's available in the locker.

Lot's of guys kind of dogmatically pull the Sennheiser MD-421 from the locker whenever they see a saxophone. And it works about as well as always using an SM-57 on snare drum and guitar amp. You won't get a bad sound, but you may not get the best sound for your particular horn on that particular session.
Don't get me wrong, I like the MD-421 (more than I used to) and I use it on saxophone. Indeed, when I track our big band, I put out 4 of them for the 2 altos and 2 tenors.
But I do like to change it up for horn solos or other work.
If I had to generalize, I'd say reach for an MD-421 on soprano or alto sax, but then reach for an ElectroVoice RE-20 for tenor and baritone sax. But I also like a nice ribbon from time to time. I normally don't mention vintage mics because they can be hard to find, but I've had success with an RCA 77d and even more success with the smaller RCA 74b ribbons on altos and tenors in the past. Ribbons, in general, will smooth out the highs so the horn isn't edgy or brittle, and really pull out the lower mid-range. Even those current Chinese-built ribbons do a really nice job, and I just miced an alto horn with a 'TapeOp' ribbon on Wednesday night for a jazz combo recording. Indeed, when that deal went around I bought 6 of the mics specifically so I could mic the whole sax section with them on big band sessions... of course, I don't but I do hit the trombone section with them.
For some applications, tube mics, especially nice ones like someone might use for lead female vocals can be really nice. If the studio has a Neumann U-47, then that's at least worth a try - but don't sweat them if they don't have something of that calibre.
Of course, I also recorded a couple discs that were published in the Saxophone Journal about a year and a half ago, and the mic I used on the tenor sax there was a Microtech-Gefell M-930 solid-state condenser. It was clean and smooth and blended nicely with the piano. If you have access to back issues, one of them is July/August 2005, and the other is Nov/Dec-2004.

I'm sure I've used about a half-dozen other mics on various brands of saxes along the way, and that doesn't even count stereo pairs out in front on a 'classical' style sax recording.

-Jeremy

[jtdeans]

about 6 months ago i recorded marcus strickland and a few friends of mine in new york onsite in a church. I brought a good amount of mics and tried some different ones on the two sax players. I settled on a U195 which is a large diaphragm condenser for strickland and a rode K2 (a tube mic) on the other sax. I found that when placed a foot or so from the bell of the sax i got enough growl when needed while still being able to really hear the dynamics of the sax in a way that wasn't overbearing. The U195 really captured a beautiful sound from the instrument which was crisp and musical. Of course a U87 would also do if you have the money, but if not i've also used a rode NT2 (which sounded alright.)

I've never used any of the DPA or clip on mics though, perhaps i should try.

[cgarges]

I've had the most luck with the RCA 77DX, RCA BK-5a, and Lomo 19a13 on almost all varieties of saxophone in almost all varieties of rooms. I've also had good luck with Telefunken U47s, Neumann U47 FETs, EV RE20s, Sennheiser 421s, and in a pinch, the MXL V67, which sounds particularly nice on soprano saxophone or for adding a bit of top to a baritone sax.

Hope this helps.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[Leopold]

I've been playing sax for six years and my teacher and i both recorded some parts on a few different mics and from the affordable range of mics we both liked the AT4033 and BLUE Babybottle the most. We only tried them on tenor but none the less those mics worked really well.

Eddie

[rhythm ranch]

I agree with the ribbon mic recommendations; they can definitely smooth things out. I've also had good luck with an AT4047.

[jayro_rockola]

I usually reach for a ribbon whenever I see brass...

[NewAndImprov]

I like the Shinybox 23 for sax, just recently did a tune with an overdubbed sax section done one horn at a time, each one through the Shinybox. Beyer M260 is my go-to mic for soprano. I've used a 414 and an SM-7 on the sax player in my band, but he has such a great sound that any mic works for him.

[joel hamilton]

FET47 or U47 work well.
I have had great results from an SM7, an RE20, a BK5, AEA R84, royer stereo was great...

[JohnDavisNYC]

it all depends on the players sound... someone with a big, dark sound will rule with a good tube mic... i love the sound of my U95 on a good tenor player with a dark sound... the top end on that mic picks up detail that would otherwise be lost.

however, if the player has a bright, hard sound (not necessarily bad) a ribbon is great. also, the rejection on a ribbon is pretty awesome for tracking a horn with a live band.

the 4047 is awesome for sax as well, because it isn't very bright... pretty natural. one of these days i have to do an A/B test with the 4047 and a FET47... it always seems sooo similar to me, but i haven't done a direct comparison.

i think the main thing about record a woodwind instrument (saxaphones are not in the brass family...) is to remember that the sound does not come out of the bell entirely... the sound comes from the entire front of the instrument, so position your mics accordingly. nothing sounds worse than a mic shoved in the bell of a saxaphone. wierd ringy high notes and then the mic gets trounced by any low notes.

john

[kweis7]

Just use one of these!

(Ribbon?)

[inflatable]

I picked up a 441 for live work and use it judiciously for recording as well. It's great for acoustically compromised rooms (read small) cuz it's super cardioid. The bass roll off and presence boost switch allow me to get the sound right on the way in instead of relying on EQ to fix it.

[qbert1]

I couldn't really pick out why this is, but the Tape Op Omni that I built for $25 is quickly becoming my favorite for my tenor sax - at least in my room. It might have to do with the omni pattern and thereby the lack of proximity effect. I really wasn't having great luck with my other mics - Oktava ML52, 012 (w/Dorsey mod), NTK, EV N/D 468's, Earthworks SR71, etc. All got me close to what I wanted, but I usually had to futz and futz with the placement, and still I wasn't all the way there. But the Tape Op DIY Omni to a FMR RNC (at 2:1 in Supernice) to a Millennia Media got me the rest of the way. Little to no positioning hassle. Go figure. Perhaps I should look into other omnis for a even better result still...

hope that helps,
BK

[AudioJunky]

Recently, a first call sax guy in LA reccommended to me what he uses, a Neumann M147. He raves about using also with flute and clarinet. Anyone familiar with this one?

AJ

[???????]

i'd say avoid cheap condensors (e.g. rodes, etc) that are screechy in the top end like the plague. It has been my experience that nothing is less friendly to a tenor saxophone than a brittle-top-end cheap condensor.