hello folks.

I suppose this has been covered a bit, but I thought I'd share some mic background for flute and other use mics which really do sound rather stunning.

I leave this post open for anyone to suggest other mic makes and models and techniques as it's always a good help for studio and live ideas for newcomers or those who fancy a bit of creative work.

I've been a fan of Aston mics for some time now and have to say that their range of mics really do cut the mustard, from the starlight which is a light, compact mic with a very flexible sound palett through to the spirit and origin which are more bulky studio mics, the spirit is a more adaptable studio mic and really does pack some punch for the money. Over the last couple of years, I've used these with a zoom H6 recorder on locations including some rather nice old churches, etc.

I've never worked with clip mics, so my experience isn't there, but from a stand based mic, either close or distant mic work, the above are great mics for the money. See what you think.

Leaving lurking mode...

My favourite mic for flute is the Sennheiser MD 441. Used Rode NT1A (cheap) and Horch RM3 (ridiculously expensive) in studios before, both nice, but I still prefer the 441 which I use for studio work and playing live these days. It sounds less hissy than most condensers to me (and looks damn cool). Before that, I used an Audix lavalier with a selfmade clip for a few years, but that thing let me down on a recent tour for no particular reason, just stopped working - and so I decided to switch back to good ol' Sennheiser.

Entering lurking mode again...

Which Aston Mics are you using? I've considered buying a Zoom H6 for recording flute, but haven't gotten around to it. I was thinking of buying one and maybe an SM57 (I just haven't gotten around to buying anything).




Thanks for that information. It is good to know. I haven't actually looked much at Sennheiser mics.

Nothing beats ribbon mics for recording flutes. They are the most natural sounding, and take away a lot of the hissiness that a condenser mic emphasizes. Many brands out there these days, and very few bad sounding ones. They are much more delicate, so you have to take care of them, but it's well worth the effort. I have one made by Cloud, and I've been wanting to get a stereo ribbon too.

The XY mics on the H4/5/6 are wonky in the high end.

If you get an H5/6, get a microphone to plug into it. The SM57 is good for stage, but it doesn't sound good for many applications. It has a giant boost at roughly 4 khz, but it's not a smooth boost. If you want vocals that sound like Tom Petty, then the 57 is your ticket

I have an SM81, which is quiet, detailed, and flat. If you want to make an accurate recording of anything, it's hard to beat an SM81.

I don't have any ribbons, but from what I hear, they have specific needs WRT preamps. Might not pair well with H4/5/6

Never heard of a "ribbon mic." Sounds cool though! I use an Audio-Technica Pro 35, which is removable from the little "arm," rubber-banded just above the embouchure hole and turned toward the audience. I do a low cut at around 220 hz if the room is boomy, and I might duck the highs just a little, but as long as the mic isn't in your airstream I get very little additional hiss.

Edit: To be clear, this is for live playing. My producer has a Neumann that is literally irreplaceable for studio work

They use a pleated aluminum ribbon. You can find instructions to build them from scratch without any exotic tools. An interesting fact about ribbon mics is they are all figure 8 by design.

I tried lots of ribbon mics a few years ago, and settled on an AEA R84, sounds sublime on flute and whistle (and fiddle) you can boost the top end to get extra clarity and it sounds great. You need quite a lot of gain from the preamp but any good preamp should do that without any noticeable noise. I was using a Neve 8801 channel strip, but still sounds great straight into my Universal Audio Apollo. I didn’t like the Royer121 or the Coles, found them too muffled for my ears... but it’s a very subjective art!

Another upvote for ribbon mics. A good affordable option are the Cascade ribbon mics. They can often be found discounted as refurbs through the company (possibly as buy it now on eBay? Search CascadeMics or similar as the seller. The refurbs come with warranty.

Also true that you will need a preamp, the Cloudlifter is a good reasonably priced option, particularly if you grab one that’s pre-owned for cheap, as I did on eBay. The basic cloudlifter is pretty compact.

It should be noted: Ribbon mics aren’t the best choice for rough handling, and do require a pop filter to protect the element from strong airstreams/bursts from hitting and damaging the ribbon.

If you’re going to go with a ribbon it’s hard to beat a Beyerdynamic M 160. They sound great on everything.

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