Greetings all. I’m new to the community. On the off chance any of you hang out around OC Remix, you may have heard of me. Otherwise, I guess I’m just some n00b.
Anyway, my question is this: what’s the best way to record a whistle? What kind of mic should I use, how should it be placed, and should I use a windscreen or pop filter?
I use a dynamic mic (cardioid pattern) with a foam windscreen/pop filter - same sort I use for vocals.
You’ll get the best, least “airy” sound if you keep the “window” In line with, but away from pointing directly at the mic, and stay around a foot from it. Watch a whistler or flautist at a concert to get the idea.
With as many experts as there are on this board, I’m kind of surprised there aren’t more replies!
Slainte,
Bill Whedon
So you reccomend a dynamic instead of a condenser?
Would an SM57 be good, or should I get a 58? (I already have a 57)
I was just recording in a nice, live room, and we used a large-diaphragm condenser, set on omni, with a spit-screen, and the mic was about 24" away, set at a 45degree angle. First time using this setup, and it was nice. No fancy processing required.
A good stage vocal mic (SM57 or 58) has worked well, too.
I recommend whatever sort of mic your recording equipment will support. I use a Tascam 414 that takes a dynamic mic. My mniidisc uses condenser mics, and the FD4 uses dynamic. I record live with the minidisc, and use a stereo pair of omnidirectional condenser mics in the middle of the stage when doing concerts, or the room when at session. Works great! In the studio, the vocal mics seem to work best to avoid any incidental noise pickup. I don’t have the foam eggcarton walls (yet) so that’s important.
Try setups using what you have, before going out and buying stuff. Some A/V houses will also rent you mics and equipment to try out, and they tend to have good professional gear.
shop Musician’s Friend for your recording gear. They have some of the best prices.
Cheers,
Bill Whedon
I think my equipment will support any type of mic; I have a mackie 1202-VLZ PRO mixer. Switchable phantom power, so either a condenser or a dynamic should work.
I run a mic cord under the door into my closet and record there to reduce background noise.
Ok, so my other question is this: if I continue using my SM57, how should I position the whistle in relation to it? Do I want the end of the whistle aimed at the mic, or do I want the mic near the hole where the air comes out at the top (sorry, I know there’s a term for this hole, but I’m still learning the terminology, so bear with me)?
What I’ve seen here in the past (and what I use myself when playing into a microphone) is to have the microphone a little above the window (hole.) The suggestion is also made to back away from the microphone a little when playing in the second octave, which tends to be a little louder in most whistles.
Both for recording and performance, I like to have the mike above the window, pointed downward. Ends up kinda right between my eyes, but it seems to work well. When I’m recording into the computer at home, I clip a lavalier mike to the brim of a baseball cap, pointed downward. That’s about the same placement, more or less, that we use live.
…and a second to Jim’s suggestion to back away from the mike a tad in the upper octave. At first I thought it was my beautiful playing that brought tears to the soundman’s eyes, then I noticed him clawing at his headphones. 
Mark
Thanks, all.
I completely agree. Try what you have. Case in point: the combination of a cheap contact mic and an old green-bullet harp mic make for the world’s coolest dobro sound!
Anything that keeps me from having to fiddle-fart around with EQ and processing makes me happy. Easier to make a silk purse out of a silk purse than a sow’s ear.
Two matched large diaphragm condenser mics about 2 feet apart, with the player at the apex of the equilateral triangle formed by the mics and the player, will produce a nice close-mic’d stereo soundfield. If a more distant sound is desired, simply enlarge the triangle. If the room does not have a pleasant sonic signature, use cardioid mics. If the room sounds particularly good, use omni-directional mics, to capture the room sound.
Do not be afraid to use standard (@$100) dynamic microphones to record. While they will not produce the shimmering quality of a good condenser, the dynamics do quite well, and they do not need an external power supply, as do the condensers. Models to consider are Shure SM 57/58. The 58 is best known as a vocal mic, but its proximity effect characteristics do well on many whistles - especially those with a rather thin voice…The Shure Beta 57 works well, also, as does the Sennheiser e835. There are a number of @$200 condenser mics that work well. One that does really well with whistles is the Audio-Technica AT3035. At half the price, the AT 2020 has produced good results…
For simple recordings, no effects are needed. If one wishes the Joanie Madden sound, dial in a warm reverb - with a 2+ second tail, but use very, very little of it.
If one wishes, very slight compression can help to level out the dynamic range of the whistle recording. This is particularly desirable if your instrument has a large dynamic difference between octaves. If no compressors are available, simply moving yourself slightly further from the mic (mics) on high notes while recording, can be a useful practice.
Good luck with your recordings. Best to all.
Byll
Whoa! Great info, Byll. I’ll try the stereo setup on flute.
I’ve been using e835’s on stage because they seem to feedback less (totally unscientific claim), and I got a 4-pack of them for an absurdly low price. They do work great in the studio for cutting out extra noise, especially HVAC and computer noise at home.
Another note on foamy windscreens: after doling different coloured foamies out to the members of the band, we seem to be passing colds around less (totally unscientific claim). It also makes life easier on sound guys when we move mics around on stage.
I’ve been a big fan and supporter of Kel Audio mics. They’re a small company from Canada that produce some really great products. The HM-1 is very inexpensive and produces nice warm sounds for whistle.