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Hello; I’ve been recording my trumpet using a Shure 58 into an UA-1G into PowerTracks. I am new to this. I’ve read that 57's and 58's are great for gigs but not great as recording mics. As a result, I don’t know if I should be buying another mic (your recommendations would be appreciated) to improve the sound quality of my recordings. I don’t know if I would need to replace the UA-1G as well. I understand that there are a lot of things that can be done during the mixing stage that can improve the sound of a performance but I’m not there yet. I am wondering if you would be willing to listen to a sound bite and let me know if I am on the right track with the sound that I am getting. Trumpet is live. The rest is real tracks. I would appreciate any advice. http://www.twobucksdanceband.com/thats_all_snippet.mp3Thanks
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SM 57 and SM 58 have been on a ton of hit records in featured spots, including horns.
I think you're doing fine so far. Nice tone.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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The Shure mics shound great with your horn.
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Warm tone and good intonation. Nice sound.
To improve on this, you would probably have to spend $600 to $1,100 on a ribbon mic, and most of those require a more expensive preamp that has more gain than usual.
The 57 and 58 have the same element; the ball on the 58 gives it a slightly different response that horn players and vocalists like.
I think you're doing fine.
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Sounds great . . . I would not change a thang!
Welcome aboard!
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You would be hard pressed to improve on the sound your are already getting by replacing the mic.
The Shure '57 or '58 as you have is an *excellent* choice for recording the Trumpet.
Problems arise when Internet newcomers to the art and science of recording begin to pontificate about stuff like this. Most start recommending large diaphragm condenser mics and phantom power, etc. etc.
But the Trumpet has such a high dynamic range ability that it is exceptionally easy for we TruMpet players to overdrive such a microphone as the large diaphragm condenser, plus they are typically too sensitive and pick up more of the room, sometning that is typically not that desirable in home recording environments.
Hell, I can *destroy* a large diaphragm with my horn if I have a mind to do so, and likely so can you from the sound of your embouchure, etc. And don't even *think* of what either of us could do to a Ribbon Mic... - There'd be little pieces of tinfoil confetti floatin' around the studio when we got done *grin*. A Trumpet in the right hands can generate up to 7 Watts of RMS Audio Power at the bell. Stupid kids have actually managed to permanently damage other kids hearing with trumpets in school bands, never a funny trick to blow a trumpet or trombone into someone else's ear. Or into their expensive and sensitive ribbon or condenser mic, either. We play the instrument of the battlefield, man.
The Cardioid Dynamic Mic is still my mic of choice for Trumpet (and Trombone) sections.
I have quite often specified those Shure mics for pro recording sessions of both sections and soloists.
In my opinion, the only step up from your Shure that would really mean something also has that pesky "Law of Diminishing Returns" riding along with it, meaning that the amount of money spent that is over and above the cost of the Shure is far more than the amount of improvement gained in sound quality.
And if you must know, that mic is still Cardioid Electrodynamic design, same as your Shure, it is the infamous Electro Voice RE-20. Great trumpet mic when used in a great acoustic environment with an even greater mic preamp.
But you really don't NEED to spend that kind of money on a new mic for your intended purpose, what you've presented here sounds very good indeed to this old recording engineer and trumpet player's ears, man.
"If it works, don't FIX it."
One thing I've learned to do over the years is to *NEVER* discuss the technical aspects of my recordings when presenting them. I just put 'em out there and sit back and watch the listeners. And remain mum.
That is because I have found out empirically that if I go ahead and volunteer any technical info at all, it invites the kind of situation which prompted your question.
So I never maention anything at all before or after the presentation of the recording.
If asked a specific wuestion such as "what mic did you use for the ________?" -- I have learned to respond with a question: "Well, what Mic do you *think* I used?"
As Duke Ellington once pointed out, "If it sounds good, it IS good!"
And your recordeing sounds GOOD, man.
--MAC
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Thanks for the input everyone. I appreciate the kinds words coming from other musicians. I'll keep trying.
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It sounded good. And, disregard what I said about ribbon mics. I'm going to tell all the studios that have used them on me that they were wrong.
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I surely didn't hear anything wrong with that recording. Sounds great...post some more!
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Jally, Just adding my comments......same as the others.....lovely warm sound! As Mac says.."Don't change!" I've recorded Trumpeters several times in my little home studio  ......with studio condenser mics AND SM58s........the horn guys always liked the SM58 sound better! You have horn players here, who really know their stuff....if they say .....it's a good sound...then it is! Regards, Joe G.
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Quote:
It sounded good. And, disregard what I said about ribbon mics. I'm going to tell all the studios that have used them on me that they were wrong.
Hey Matt,
I didn't say that you could not use a ribbon mic on a Trumpet.
What I said was that a Trumpet can indeed generate enough Sound Pressure Level to SHRED one, or at least risk damaging the ribbon.
But this also must depend upon the particular player and more importantly, the STYLE of their playing at the time of recording. A lot of Latin style Trumpet, and especially Flugelhorn, isn't likely to be the same kind of playing that a Section might have to belt in a bigband or the likes.
But you know that.
The advice was given to someone recording at home with their own limited amount of equipment available and regards the purchase of - or not - a new microphone, one microphone. At that point, we shouldn't be looking at specialty tool as much as a tool that is *easy to get good results, *doesn't pick up much of the room, which is very likely not going to be studio acoustics, *covers a wide dynamic range such that any type of music style could be conceiveably recorded with the least amount of technical setup and provision to the user, that sort of thing was where I was headed.
At a well-equipped studio, if charged with the Tracking Engineering, I might go to the well-equipped mic cabinet and select a Ribbon mic for you as well, after auditioning what was to be recorded. Or maybe not. A lot depends upon other factors as well, such as what type of mic each particular engineer favors, what type of preamp they intend to use, sometimes it grinds down to what they feel most comfortable with using.
Bear in mind that in the studio there is typically another person involved at least, that
Tracking Engineer can manually "ride the gain" if need be to prevent overdriving inputs or other possible means of distortions that can occur while the recording is being done. A person playing by themseles in the home studio is likely better off concentrating on the playing and using a mic/preamp combination that is pretty much "set and forget" in order to git-r-done.
--Mac
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Jally, that recording and mix that you posted sounds better than a good 99% of what shows up on home recorded forums that I haunt.
I would say that with the ribbon mic that I have; a Cascade Fat Head - one of the less expensive ribbons on the market - you would run into the issue that Matt Finley describes - you likely wouldn't have enough gain in the UA-1G to get a nice clean signal.
It has been a somewhat disappointing mic in that regard. So you would be looking at a system solution that not only includes a ribbon mic of lower noise floor, but also a pre-amp and for that matter, likely spending some major coin on treating your recording space.
What you are doing now is working VERY well, and you have a good ear for mixing.
Record away. Sell some music (if that's your goal).
-Scott
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Mac, thanks for the clarification. My ribbon mic at home is pretty much 'set and forget' so it can be done. I worked up to the optimum input level very slowly and carefully, and adjust only the preamp output for specific instruments. In the studios, they regularly bring out an old 1950s RCA ribbon mic for me, and we love it.
Scott, good call. That Fat Head mic is well-known on the trumpet forums as the least expensive ribbon mic to get a 'warm' sound. Next up in price is a Beyerdynamic at around $700, then the two Royers at over $1100. All require lots of gain in the preamp.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Again, I will say thanks for the feedback.
And after reading your postings I am hoping (REALLY hoping) to have the same dumb luck the next time I try to record as I had the last time.
Cheers.
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