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I've found that when recording live bands, I can simply Photoshop the recorded waveforms to get the exact sound the client is looking for. I don't bother with sand, or anything like that. I've also purchased 124 "pre-delay" effects and chained them together. This way, before the singer even gets to ...

Hey, it looks really cool. Even if the top face is cut crooked.

That's a side benefit of DIY for Audio... Nobody cares what the mic looks like when they're listening to the recording!

Alternately, you can just Photoshop the images to make it sound better, right?

- Rickshaw

Pixel,
Is this my Austin Ribbon Mic design at the link below?

I can't wait to hear your samples!!

- Rick

Andy Smash wrote:Wow. That's cool. I wonder if it could be made to work with X-Y rather than ORTF?

I can't tell if that was a joke post

...But if not, just turn each mic around in it's clip.

- Rickshaw

Rick has done an outstanding job jumpstarting the do it yourself ribbon mic activity of late. Thanks Bob. I'm working on Rev 3 of the plans, and a prototype "kit" for DIY'ers who don't have the time to gather the parts. BTW here is a link to the Roswellite video mentioned above. It gets hit with ac...

There is another metal leaf supplier here: http://www.lebowcompany.com/foils_list.htm Many thicknesses, many metals. Some from Japan, some not. I have not used these foils yet in my own mics. I'm quite impresed by the very inexpensive Aluminum gilding foil. (signwriter's leaf) Lebow Aluminum foils f...

The paper & scissors method to cut the ribbon hasn't made it into the plans yet (I've been busy with other things!), but for those not in the know, here is the method that Sears mentions: http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159688 There are some other things I'd like to add to the next ...

Technically the recordings below were not all made by me, and only a couple are actually of me... But I wrote the tutorial that these people used to build the mics that these samples were made with, and I'm a bit humbled by the sounds people have sent back to me. I am quite proud of the recordings t...

I just posted a new sample and some photos made by Jean Cesario in France. It's a Church Choir with a Pipe Organ. His Austin Mic bodies are made from PVC pipe, rather than the metal chassis that's recommended. They look good, and he reports no noise issues with using PVC instead of metal. The track ...

If anyone's interested, there are more samples of these mics - including some made in a Blumlein configuration - on the website in my signature.

- Rickshaw

At first I thought, why pay someone ten bucks for plans? Isn't that anti-internet or something? It was worth it. Rick answered a ton of questions for me. I was his problem client. I had never used a hacksaw for its intended use, nor a Dremel at all. But the principle and design are so simple that i...

There's a thread about this in the tech room over at the elecrical audio forums. Somebody over there suggested using a compass (like a drafting compass) for getting the tension and mounting the ribbon into the motor assembly. That would have been me. If you'd like, please visit the link in my signa...

Pixeltarian, Have you seen my DIY Ribbon Mic Plans? They might be just what you're looking for: www.rickshawrecords.com/ribbonmic (Also reviewed in Jan/Feb 2008 TapeOp #63) At $9.99, they're cheaper than most any book, but I'd be willing to consider offering educators a student discount if there was...

Just a shout-out that Garrett Haines did a write-up on my DIY Ribbon Mic Plans in the current edition of Tape Op - Jan/Feb 2008, p.80.

- Rickshaw

Your description of the flat spot in the ribbon shouldn't be a real issue. Corrugations in the ribbon allow it to be tensioned. A corrugated ribbon gives it some "spring" and "stretch" capability, and prevents breaking. Some designs have a couple corrugations only at the ends, and the ribbon is flat...