Choosing the Best Mic Emulation for your Needs
Today we focus on the Antelope Audio Modelling Mics and how they can be used within one's work, depending on the sources that they want to record and process.
For those in search of a Standard Condenser Mic, accompanied by a great Software Emulation the Solo, Duo, or Quadro are the perfect options. For close-up mics for Drums, Overheads, Room Ambience, or Strings Verge, or Note are recommended. For streamers or podcasters, or if one needs a small portable interface, the Edge Go, and the Axino are not only Mics with great sound emulations, but they are also standalone Interfaces, allowing for convenience and mobility without sacrificing sound quality.
All of these microphones have their own Mic Emulations designed to match the sound of some iconic mic models by modulating the mic's frequency response and other factors. Although most of the mics have similar models, each model has some emulations exclusive to it.
Vocal Recording
For those primarily working on Vocals, the Edge Solo is recommended. This little mic packs an incredible amount of power despite its compact size. It is great for Pop/RnB/Hip Hop music, as well as recording most string instruments, some smaller pianos and drum sets. The Duo is suitable for most instruments, room ambience, or some b2b vocals. It also has different directional modes, allowing for various purposes just by switching the polar pattern from the emulations. The bigger brother of the Duo, the Quadro, has four membranes in total and can have two different emulations running back to back at the same time in the different capsules. This allows for a lot of creativity, as the Quadro can be used in literally any situation, no matter if one wants to use it as a vocal mic, an overhead, an ambience Mic, an instrument mic, or anything else. The Quadro is yet to be used in work, but there are recordings available that demonstrate its capabilities. You can see a recording which demonstrates the capabilities of Edge Quadro here.
Vintage King Video On The Edge Series
Depending on the vocalist, genre, language, tone, harshness, room, energy of the track, etc., a different mic may be needed for certain songs or parts of songs. For female artists, most of the time, the Berlin M103 is recommended, although the 7B emulation may be used if the esses and shhhs-s are harsher. The M251 emulation adds some pretty nice mid and high-mid flavor, making it a great tube mic emulation overall. For most male vocals, depending on the Tone and Energy, it is recommended to switch back and forth between the Tokyo 800T, the 414, the 7B, and the Berlin 87. The Vienna 12 is great on some darker vocals.
Certain genres and Languages have their unique features and flaws. For example, some languages, especially the Balkan ones, are really harsh, which then raises the need for a lot of de-essing and de-harshing. The 7B or the Vienna 12 are recommended as they are soft and warm and always help in those situations. For most US/UK Vocals, it is recommended to use the 87 Emulation or the 800T for a really aggressive high-end. The M25 Ribbon Mic emulation may be used on some background harmonies for both a female and vocal voice, although it is not very popular. It adds some interesting depth feeling to the harmonies, but it sounds too retro-ish for main vocals. The V563 is great on rock, jazz, or blues vocals, but it tends to get a bit heavy for the ear when inputting at a higher level. If you use it with the VPA 76, or the BA-31 preamp would sound great!
Drums and Instruments recordings
If one records drums or instruments, the Edge Note is recommended as a close-up style condenser mic with impressive sound quality. For drums, the Berlin 184 and KM 86 emulations are often used, while the 441 or 4006 are preferred for overheads, depending on the drum set. For pianos or keys, the K53 or K54 is suggested, which can also be used as overheads. The Hamburg 21 has been tried on strings with interesting results, but it may not be suitable for classical recordings. The 57 and 86 emulations are recommended for vocals with the Note, and the 7B is more appropriate for brass. The emulations can be used with any microphone, although the sound may be colored differently compared to using Antelope Audio microphones.
It is suggested to experiment with the emulations extensively to become more versatile in future recording situations. Assistance in selecting the best emulations can be obtained from the Antelope Audio Customer Support team.