# Best microphones to record hammered dulcimer



## Joshua Day (Jun 1, 2021)

Hi. I’m in the market for some really good microphones to record my hammered dulcimer. If you’re not familiar with the instrument, miking it would be similar to miking a piano but on a much smaller scale, and the instrument sounds brighter. There are some upper transients that you would not want to emphasize too much, though they can be tamed with EQ. I’m wondering what stereo pair of microphones would be the best for this? I have been watching reviews of recording acoustic guitar and piano with Rode NT1, NT1-A, and NT-2A, Neumann TLM-102 as well as AKG C414. I do not want to spend a couple months salary on the likes of a U87. I have a treated recording room. Any suggestions? Thank you!


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## Joe_D (Jun 1, 2021)

I would use a stereo pair to get a richer, 3D image of the instrument. You could get a pair of pattern-adjustable small diaphragm condensers, which would allow you to experiment with ORTF, NOS, and XY stereo patterns with the cardioid capsules or settings, and since your room is treated, you can also try AB with the omni capsules or settings.

There are quite a few good quality but reasonable SDC's these days; some have swappable capsules for cardioid and omni, and a few like the Shure KSM141 allow you to change the venting pattern to switch from cardioid to omni.

If you have an excellent preamp with lots of gain, another option would be to get a pair of cheap ribbons (there are many cheap but useable "fathead clones"); their high end is a bit smoother if you are interested in taming the harshness of the hammered dulcimer attack.

If I were you, I'd probably get a cheaper pair of capsule-swappable SDC's and a cheap pair of ribbons, and experiment quite a lot with mic placement and stereo imaging strategies. For instance, try mic'ing from underneath, or one above and one below with the phase swapped on the "under" mic, as well as the "regular" stereo pickup patterns. And try different distances between the mic array and the instrument and the walls of your room.

Once you have a few mic options, you'll find lots of uses for them. If you go over the the "Low End" forum on GearSpace, you can find plenty of surprisingly good mics these days for peanuts.


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## Joshua Day (Jun 1, 2021)

Joe_D said:


> I would use a stereo pair to get a richer, 3D image of the instrument. You could get a pair of pattern-adjustable small diaphragm condensers, which would allow you to experiment with ORTF, NOS, and XY stereo patterns with the cardioid capsules or settings, and since your room is treated, you can also try AB with the omni capsules or settings.
> 
> There are quite a few good quality but reasonable SDC's these days; some have swappable capsules for cardioid and omni, and a few like the Shure KSM141 allow you to change the venting pattern to switch from cardioid to omni.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your advice. In my research I am also finding that SDCs are recommended for guitars and nuanced string instruments over LDCs. I’m such a noob at this though. I thought that SDCs tended to suffer in the low end or sounded thinner compared to the bigger mics. I just listened to some really great unprocessed acoustic guitar recordings on Shure SM81s and Neumann KM184s.


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## OleJoergensen (Jun 1, 2021)

The Audix 25 sounds quite good for piano. A full tone, not to bright but still clear and transparent.
I think they will be good with the mostnstruments. There are only few videos on youtube…….









Audix SCX25A-PS


Piano Microphone System Consists of 2 SCX25-A incl. cable and D-Flex clips in aluminum case, Condenser microphone, Polar pattern: cardioid, Patented integrated capsule decoupling, Small housing design, Frequency response: 20 - 20,000 Hz, SPL: 135...




www.thomann.de


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## davidanthony (Jun 2, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> I’m such a noob at this though.


Don't worry, we all started there!

If you're really after the best, I'd encourage you to save your pennies and look at offerings from Schoeps, Gefell, and DPA. They're a little more affordable than the super expensive classics, and they're the brands many engineers would turn to after them. Will run you around 2-4k for a pair of mics, though.

Also, I know you said your room is treated, but for some people "treatment" means elimination of some of the most prominent reflections but the actual space remains far from ideal. Polar pattern and positioning of the mic is extremely important in these spaces (affordable dynamic mics will often "outperform" expensive condensers ones in a room like this) so I would try to purchase from somewhere that allows you to evaluate multiple mics with various patterns in your room in order to make your choice. 

If your budget is a little lower, I'd second the recommendation to have a look at Gearspace and investigate brands like 3u Audio. They tend to offer better bang for the buck than you will find in the "affordable" mics from the bigger name brands (and often use many of the same materials!)


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## Joshua Day (Jun 2, 2021)

I appreciate all the great advice! Thanks so much.


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## bill5 (Jun 2, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> Hi. I’m in the market for some really good microphones to record my hammered dulcimer. If you’re not familiar with the instrument, miking it would be similar to miking a piano but on a much smaller scale, and the instrument sounds brighter. There are some upper transients that you would not want to emphasize too much, though they can be tamed with EQ. I’m wondering what stereo pair of microphones would be the best for this? I have been watching reviews of recording acoustic guitar and piano with Rode NT1, NT1-A, and NT-2A, Neumann TLM-102 as well as AKG C414. I do not want to spend a couple months salary on the likes of a U87. I have a treated recording room. Any suggestions? Thank you!


I second the idea of posting this at gearslutz.com for input. 

I also add that you do not want the Rode NT-1A, which is notorious for being harsh on the high end. The NT-1, however, is a great mic and well worth being on the short list. I would also consider the Rode M5 and the isK Pearl (called an "SDC" but with the diaphragm of an LDC and very highly regarded by anyone I've known who had it despite being insanely inexpensive).


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## Joshua Day (Jun 4, 2021)

@bill5 Thanks. Ugh I wish money was not an issue. Don't we all?  I think the most I'm willing to shell out after saving for a few more months would be the cost of a matched pair of AKG C414s. I still love the sound of those from the demos I have heard, and there are options to switch one of them into a figure 8 and try mid side stereo recording as well as X Y configurations.

I was also very intrigued by the Rode NT1 but I can't find it in a matched pair. After reading and researching I'm not sure that is so much of an issue. I can probably just buy two of the same microphone. No figure 8 options on that one though, but that might be ok. The Rode NT2-A is multi pattern though!

Some SDCs I have been considering are a pair of Shure SM81s or Neumann KM184s. But I still don't know why I should go with an SDC vs an LDC. Any thoughts?


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## bill5 (Jun 4, 2021)

Yeah, "matched pair" is really just two of the same mic, don't get hung up on that (having to buy in a pair)

Placement is easier with SDCs; they have a better off-axis response, which is why they're popular for instruments. But LDCs tend to be a bit quieter, which is a bigger deal for vocals (but also matter for instruments to varying degrees). All of my instrumentation is via MIDI though, I only use a mic for vocals, so from there I defer to others who know more about it.


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## davidanthony (Jun 4, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> AKG C414s


Just a heads up to make sure you identify exactly which C414 variant you like the sound of -- there are several, and they all sound different!


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## Joshua Day (Jun 4, 2021)

davidanthony said:


> Just a heads up to make sure you identify exactly which C414 variant you like the sound of -- there are several, and they all sound different!


Definitely the XLS variant. For the hammered dulcimer, you either get too much knock from the hammer strike or it can sound pretty shrill if recorded with a mic that boosts presence, and the XLS can be tamed in this regard with the hypercardioid pattern. The dulcimer isn't a large instrument either, so hypercardioid makes sense for stereo recording. I see value in the C414 because of its versatility for other applications too.

A pretty well respected hammered dulcimer player, Joshua Messick, uses a pair of Peluso P-12's which are tube condensers (and cost a fortune as usual). The tube likely adds the warmth in his sound and counteracts the shrill sound of the Masterworks dulcimers. Not sure what he's doing with EQ, and I know that I can get any really good mic and do an EQ match if necessary.

As for SDC's I have a pair of cheapo Behringer C-2s that do pretty well, but there's just something about them that sounds... cheap, despite having a pretty good frequency response. Any of the options I have been mentioning will be an upgrade.


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## wst3 (Jun 4, 2021)

Let me toss out a couple other ideas...

I really like the Warm Audio WA84s. They are not KM-84s (mores the pity), but they are quite good for a lot of sources.

I also really like the Telefunken M60s. They are equally useful, just different.

That said, my current favorite for really challenging instruments like the hammered dulcimer, mandolin, and banjo is the Royer R-101 (superceded by the R-10). I imagine almost any ribbon microphone will behave in this setting, there is just something lovely about the way they capture sharp transients.


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## Joshua Day (Jun 4, 2021)

Thanks for the additional ideas!! I was briefly looking into the WA84s but I'll revisit their reviews.

I'll check out Telefunken and the ribbon option.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 4, 2021)

If you go to Guitar Center's site and search for "small diaphragm mic" you'll see a lot of choices of instrument mics. The Royer ribbon mics Bill is suggesting are outstanding and very natural-sounding, but they're far from cheap. I have a matched pair of KM-84 knock-offs that are actually very good (I got lucky) - Oktava MK-019s. 

And while I haven't shopped for budget mics recently, at the time I bought the Oktavas you definitely had to check that they were matched. One of the risks with cheap mics is just that - they're not always consistent from one to another, at least that used to be the case.

As far as positioning, you can try the whole microphone kama sutra. But my go-to for piano, which I'd try first on hammered dulcimer, is spaced mics, one pointed at the low strings and one at the high ones. That gives you a nice stereo spread to work with.

If you happen to have a large-diaphragm mic as well, or a pair, try it/them farther back to capture room ambience. The basic 3:1 rule of miking is for the second one (or pair) to be at least 3x the distance the first one/pair is from the source. That avoids cancellation nastiness.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 4, 2021)

By the way, if you're looking for one do-it-all mic, my answer would be very different.


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## Joshua Day (Jun 4, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> By the way, if you're looking for one do-it-all mic, my answer would be very different.


What would be your suggestion for an overall workhorse mic in the studio?

Thanks for your suggestion about mic placement. Spaced apart is what Joshua Messick does as well.


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## bill5 (Jun 4, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> What would be your suggestion for an overall workhorse mic in the studio?


You didn't ask me but several mics come to mind  

The SM57 for starters. Do-it-all mic for instruments, tough as nails.

And since the 414 is in your target budget, few mics get called "workhorse" more than that as far as I know.

For an SDC, the isK Pearl. I still can't believe how little they charge for them.

For a ribbon if you're looking for an all-around ribbon, the Cascade Fathead.


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## Joshua Day (Jun 4, 2021)

bill5 said:


> You didn't ask me but several mics come to mind
> 
> The SM57 for starters. Do-it-all mic for instruments, tough as nails.
> 
> ...


Wow the isk is cheap! Doesn’t sound half bad either. I own a pair of SM57’s and one 58. I also have an AKG Perception 220 and Studio Projects B-1. I acquired these back when I didn’t have a decent paying job. 😜 

To my ears the KM184 is winning hands down on recordings of acoustic guitar and piano. I just wonder if the presence boost will sound as nice on dulcimer or make me always reach for the EQ.


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## bill5 (Jun 4, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> Wow the isk is cheap! Doesn’t sound half bad either.


Full confession I have not used...but I don't know anyone who's gotten one and didn't feel like they practically "stole" the mic. Not just "good for the price," good, period.



> I own a pair of SM57’s and one 58. I also have an AKG Perception 220 and Studio Projects B-1. I acquired these back when I didn’t have a decent paying job. 😜


Those are all very good mics IMO, although personally I would never record vocals with a 57 or 58. The B-1 is a bit bright, but that can be good or bad (or neither). You don't have to spend a lot to get great mics anymore!


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 5, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> What would be your suggestion for an overall workhorse mic in the studio?
> 
> Thanks for your suggestion about mic placement. Spaced apart is what Joshua Messick does as well.



There are a lot of mics on the market these days, and I haven't kept up with them, so hopefully other people with have more current recommendations.

What hasn't changed is more generic: you probably want a relatively uncolored mic rather than a character one with an opinion. And the price range makes a big difference.

You won't go wrong starting with a Shure SM57, but it's not going to give you a detailed sound for, say, hammered dulcimer - although its acoustic compression is great for guitar amps and percussion, among many other things. So I'd suggest a condenser mic, which is going to be more sensitive (because their diaphragms are lighter). Or a Royer ribbon mic if you're richer than I am.

My all-rounder is an Audio-Technica AT 4055, which is still being sold. It's a large-diaphragm condenser mic with switchable pickup patterns, and it works for pretty much everything - in fact I haven't found anything it doesn't work on. Unlike many large-diaphragm mics, the sound isn't especially larger than life unless you get close to it. It's just a very good workhorse mic.

One thing that intrigues me, that I need to play with, is different mic modeling software. You can't increase the transient response or change a mic's off-axis response in software, but what are the differences between mics other than frequency (which you can change - in nonlinear ways)?


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## Joshua Day (Jun 5, 2021)

Thanks @Nick Batzdorf. Interesting... nothing too fancy about the 4055, and it’s super affordable. I still don’t understand the difference between the LDC and the SDC in terms of how the diaphragm size affects the sound. Does it at all?

I often get stuck. I think something sounds good, like even the sound from my Behringer C2’s on occasion, but I second guess myself because it’s not what all the audiophiles out there are talking about.


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## bill5 (Jun 5, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> I still don’t understand the difference between the LDC and the SDC in terms of how the diaphragm size affects the sound. Does it at all?


Of course. If you do a net search, you'll find more info on specifics.




> I often get stuck. I think something sounds good, like even the sound from my Behringer C2’s on occasion, but I second guess myself because it’s not what all the audiophiles out there are talking about.


arghhh - I shudder to think how common this is. Trust your ears! Don't gravitate towards or away from something because it is or isn't trendy or so-called "experts" do or don't like it. Besides, for every alleged expert who loves or hates a mic, you'll find one who feels just the opposite. And all in between. Don't get caught up in that foolishness, you'll just waste time chasing your tail. The C2 is a classic example. Some will turn their nose down at the "cheap" mic, others who have used will tell you it really surprised them with how great it sounded. Again the "you get what you pay for" mantra is a joke in this day and age. There are so many exceptions to so many varying degrees that it's best ignored.


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## oboemaroni (Jun 6, 2021)

Beyer mc930.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 6, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> Thanks @Nick Batzdorf. Interesting... nothing too fancy about the 4055, and it’s super affordable. I still don’t understand the difference between the LDC and the SDC in terms of how the diaphragm size affects the sound. Does it at all?
> 
> I often get stuck. I think something sounds good, like even the sound from my Behringer C2’s on occasion, but I second guess myself because it’s not what all the audiophiles out there are talking about.


Did I write 4055? I meant 4050, which isn't all *that* affordable!

Sorry about that.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 6, 2021)

What Is the Difference Between Large and Small Diaphragm Microphones?


Studio microphones are offered as small and large diaphragm types. What does that mean, and what are the sonic differences? Here’s all you need to know!



www.neumann.com





That's a great explanation of the difference between large and small diaphragms.


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## chillbot (Jun 6, 2021)

I'm not really a mic guy but just wanted to throw in that we got a really great sound using two sE Electronics sE8s on our hammered dulcimer.


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## Joshua Day (Jun 7, 2021)

chillbot said:


> I'm not really a mic guy but just wanted to throw in that we got a really great sound using two sE Electronics sE8s on our hammered dulcimer.


Wow the se8 has a super flat frequency response and only a slight presence bump. Definitely a microphone without an opinion.

Would you mind posting an audio sample?


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## Joshua Day (Jun 7, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> What Is the Difference Between Large and Small Diaphragm Microphones?
> 
> 
> Studio microphones are offered as small and large diaphragm types. What does that mean, and what are the sonic differences? Here’s all you need to know!
> ...


Excellent article, thank you! This makes a lot of sense.


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## chillbot (Jun 7, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> Would you mind posting an audio sample?


Sure, sorry don't have time for anything else but here's a quick bounce from a tension track I did a year ago. Dry and no EQ but with some delay.


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## Joshua Day (Jun 7, 2021)

chillbot said:


> Sure, sorry don't have time for anything else but here's a quick bounce from a tension track I did a year ago. Dry and no EQ but with some delay.


Thank you for that!


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## Joshua Day (Jun 7, 2021)

I'm leaning toward LDCs because each one I have heard on guitar and piano add a little bit of warmth to the lows and mids, whereas dulcimers can sometimes have a bit of an upper mid-rangey clang in the performer's face (around where the mics will be) that I don't want to over emphasize. I can always process with EQ if necessary, but I'm a firm believer in getting it right at the source. I'm also considering connecting to a tube preamp for the same purpose.

My goal is to have the transients be an accurate, subtle ting ting ting on the overall sound rather than a knock-clang if that makes sense.


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## chillbot (Jun 7, 2021)

Joshua Day said:


> Thank you for that!


Forgot to add that was also recorded through Avalon vt737sp preamps.


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## Joshua Day (Jun 9, 2021)

@wst3 Hmm I found a good deal on the Royer R-10. I want to record my dulcimer in my small treated recording room, but there are still some slight reflections in there that almost sound like a slap delay. Is there a way to get a ribbon mic to reject sound from the back, or can I put some foam behind it?


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 9, 2021)

The R-10 has a "figure 8" pickup pattern, what most people call hypercardiod - meaning it has good rejection on the sides. So (if it's possible) you turn sideways to the problem reflections.

That's the trick if you have traffic outside the front of your room - you turn sideways so it's minimized. Sounds obvious, but then so do lots of things!


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 9, 2021)

If you can't turn sideways, it's probably better to use diffusion than try to absorb the reflections. Try something like a bookcase, which is a poor man's diffusor.


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## Joe_D (Jun 9, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> The R-10 has a "figure 8" pickup pattern, what most people call hypercardiod - meaning it has good rejection on the sides. So (if it's possible) you turn sideways to the problem reflections.
> 
> That's the trick if you have traffic outside the front of your room - you turn sideways so it's minimized. Sounds obvious, but then so do lots of things!


A figure 8 is not really hypercardiod. In the hypercardioid, the rear lobe is still considerably smaller and differently shaped than the front lobe. In a classic figure eight, the lobes are pretty close to identical. It's true that some Royer ribbons have asymmetrical ribbon placement within the motor (magnets), so that the two lobes don't sound identical (which can be a good thing as it gives you two sound options), but that doesn't make it hypercardioid. The only true hypercardioid ribbon I have used is the Beyerdynamic M160 (a specialized beast).

Nick's second point is important; the "nulls" in a figure eight pattern are the deepest of any common pattern, so if you orient the mic perpendicular to the sound you want to reject, it will extremely effectively "ignore" that sound. It's almost eerie to stand right next to a ribbon mic with headphones on and speak directly toward it at the null; you don't hear your direct voice at all; you only hear the room reflections. The "foam in the back" trick can work somewhat. Put in one earplug, listen to the sound source with your open ear about where you'd place the mic, then listen again while holding up the foam where you'd place it to get an idea how effective it would or wouldn't be in a particular situation.

To the OP: I wouldn't want to have a pair of ribbons as my only choice. 

If you want to get an expensive pair of mics now, I recommend hiring a well-equipped studio for an hour or two to hear their different mics and mic types that would be in your price range before deciding. Bring your Hammered Dulcimer, and have them record samples for you so that you can hear the mic pairs over different playback systems before deciding. Or rent the mics you're considering so you can hear them in your room.

If you're not going to audition mics, you're gambling with a fair chunk of change. For instrumental use, you can't go too wrong with a pair of the darker-voiced C414's (XLS, or I have an older ULS that is really smooth).

If you think you'll be recording other instruments and voices in the future and don't want to or can't audition mics before buying, maybe just by a one pair each of the many available cheaper LDC, SDC, and ribbon mics. Possibiiities are endless, but a pair of 3U Audio Warblers (very versatile multi-pattern mics with three top end "voicings" each, maybe choose one of the darker models, prices are cheaper if you contact him directly), a pair of Pearls, and a pair of FatHeads or FatHead clones (there are tons) will run you considerably less than one really excellent pair. You'll learn a lot and have the start of a versatile mic locker. 

I'm not at all against buying truly excellent (and expensive) mics, but I wouldn't do that unless you really know what you want and how to use them.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 10, 2021)

Joe_D said:


> A figure 8 is not really hypercardiod. In the hypercardioid, the rear lobe is still considerably smaller and differently shaped than the front lobe.


True.

And I'm only going by what the bumph about that mic says - that it's brighter in the rear than the front - so it's not like I have hands-on experience with this mic.


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