How To Make A Cajon Mic - Tips For Live Setup And Recording (2023)

FAQs

What is the best mic for cajon live? ›

The Shure SM57 is a cardioid dynamic microphone used in live concerts and studio recording situations. It is one of the best-selling microphones in the world. It is not only used in a lot of music situations but has been used for the speeches of every American president since the its introduction in 1965.

I will generally use a dynamic mic for this application, and something such as the Shure SM57 works very well. I actually prefer these over a kick-drum-style mic, as they tend to pick up the snap of the edge hits on the cajon in a more pleasing way. Note that you do want the mic to go into the cavity a bit.

Where To Place Drum Mics. One of the most important considerations, when you are miking your drums live, is where to place your mics and how many to use. As a general rule of thumb – at a minimum, you will need a mic placed on your kick drum, a mic placed on your snare, and a mic overhead to pick up the rest of the kit ...

Live musicians should get a dynamic microphone

Live performers prefer dynamic mics for a few reasons: they're durable, affordable, and can withstand plenty of loud noise before signal distortion sets in. Many have a built-in high-pass filter to attenuate sub-bass frequencies.

The most common form in live use is the cardioid pattern, although hypercardioid mics are also common. Omnidirectional mics are less often seen. Hypercardioid mics have the best feedback rejection.

Condenser Microphones

They produce a more “colored” sound than other microphones because they are more sensitive to both lower and higher frequencies. In short, if you ever want to pick up room noise or general ambiance, a condenser microphone will be the best bet for the job.

While on a regular kick drum your low-end fundamental might live somewhere between 50-80 Hz, on a cajon, we're talking more along the lines of around 80-140 Hz.

Inside the Cajon: Placing a microphone inside the cajon is a popular method. It involves placing a condenser microphone inside the cajon, close to the sound hole. This placement captures the sound of the snare and bass tones of the cajon.

For the Cajon to properly work, you will need to drill a big hole in the back panel. We used a hole drill with a diameter of around 10 cm. We spaced our hole 15 cm from the bottom edge.

Purpose: Most cajons will have snares to give some rattle or buzz to the high tones. However, some cajons are purpose-built to produce mainly deeper bass tones, whilst other Cuban-style cajons may produce higher, bongo- or conga-like tones. Cajons without snares will sound different to cajons with snares.

Which is the best brand for cajon? ›

When using one mic, place it in between the two drums and try to make sure it is about four to six inches away from each head. If you choose to use two mics, you will want to use positioning similar to the snare drum. Place the spaced pair one to three inches above the head of each drum.

Kick drums can be tuned to have a fundamental frequency as low as 50 Hz and as high at 80 or 90 Hz depending on the drum size, the type of drumheads used and the style of music that is being played.

Using just two microphones is a perfectly valid approach for tracking drums, especially if you are looking to capture the drums exactly as they sound in the room.

Shure BETA 87A Review – Supercardioid Condenser Microphone

With a supercardioid pattern it achieves superior gain before feedback and minimum stage bleed, giving you the ability to perform on smaller and more aggressive stages when needed. The frequency response is nicely balanced and sounds natural throughout…

Do singers use dynamic or condenser mics? They use both depending on the situation. For live use a dynamic microphone is more robust and perfect for the dynamic range of a PA system. Whereas a condenser microphone is more sensitive and great for when you're in a quite and controlled recording environment.

Dynamic microphones can take a lot of signal without being damaged due to their low sensitivity and higher gain threshold, so you'll see these used in many live situations. They're also really good studio mics for things like drums, brass instruments, pretty much anything that's really loud.

The most common way to play the cajon is by sitting on top of it and reach over the front to smack the face. Some percussionists choose to sit behind the cajon on a chair and straddle it with their upper body while they perform. Others will tilt it inward as they play.

Place the microphone element to the side of your mouth to avoid noise from breathing. Keep the microphone element about an inch from the side of your mouth, but not touching it. Make sure the front of the microphone points toward your mouth. The front may be labeled with, for example, a colored dot or the word "Talk."

Which microphone type is highly durable and produces little feedback in live performance? ›

Dynamic microphones are the most rugged, and are most suitable for live performing, as they can tolerate more abuse than the other types of microphones. There are two types of dynamic microphones: moving coil and ribbon.

Generally speaking, dynamic microphones work best for capturing loud sounds and are commonly used in live settings. Conversely, condenser microphones will pick up more subtleties in sound and perform better at capturing higher frequencies.

Fidelity and accuracy are expensive qualities to build into a microphone, so those are the areas that will generally improve as you increase your budget. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that your voice will sound better through a more expensive mic; it's more important that you find the right mic to suit you.

A microphone's frequency response refers to the range of frequencies, from low to high, that a microphone will pick up. This range is referred to by its lowest and highest frequencies, measured in hertz. A microphone with a frequency response range of around 80 Hz to 15 kHz would make a good choice for a vocal mic.

Nowadays, cajons are mostly around 48 x 30 x 30 cm in size and primarily made of birch or beech plywood, while some high end models are made of solid wood.

Many cajons have a single sound hole located towards the top of the rear face. We have found that a really effective way to amplify this type of cajon is to use a dynamic microphone (we use a Shure SM57) situated about an inch above the top of the sound hole & about an inch away from the rear surface of the cajon.

Typically, low-end, beginner cajons can be as inexpensive as $50-100, and the highest-end cajons can be as expensive as $400 or more. If you're looking for a good quality entry-level cajon, look to be spending between $100-250.

So, to answer the question; yes, condenser mics can be used live, but they sometimes have certain drawbacks for louder bands like rock or metal bands, for example.

Never put your condenser mic where you would not put your ears. Condensers are very sensitive instruments that respond to minute changes in sound pressure. Excessive sound pressure level (SPL) will eventually degrade the capsule's diaphragm the same way prolonged exposure will damage your hearing.

Condenser: Typically used in a studio, these are known for being extremely sensitive to popping due to their light diaphragm. It's very important for studios to equip their condenser microphones with pop filters to achieve the highest quality sound output.

How do you make a cajon sound deeper? ›

The pitch of your cajon can actually be adjusted by loosening or tightening the screws that hold the playing surface in place. Generally, the rule applies: the looser the screws, the lower the pitch. With a new cajon, the screws are usually tightened as much as possible, so loosening them up will be your only option.

In this instance, a kick-drum-style mic works well on the back of the cajon. An AKG D112 MKII or a Sennheiser e 602-II on a short stand or a mounted clip works well.

A cajon player is often referred to as a percussionist or a drummer, as the cajon is a percussion instrument. However, some musicians may also refer to a cajon player as a “cajonero” or “cajoneador,” which are Spanish terms for someone who plays the cajon.

Ideally, you're able to sit comfortably without having to extend too far forward to be able to strike the center of the playing surface. Most cajons are roughly 45cm tall, which is a good size for adults. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the cajon, the higher the sound.

Fortunately, birch has the right characteristics for the cajon, since it offers a very sharp and clear sound. And just like drum kits, plywood is often used to make cajons. Most of DG cajons are made of birch.

It's one of the simplest instruments out there and great for beginners. Like most percussion instruments, they are usually quite easy to play and have a low barrier to entry, but mastering them will require years of practice and technique development.

Acrylic Cajons

Acrylic cajons are considered the most durable option. Their sound is not as warm as a wooden model, but that's not necessarily a downside, especially if you gig a lot.

The most common method is to have the singer(s) stand in a room with microphones positioned around them. This captures a natural, "live" sound. Another popular method is to have the singer(s) sing in a studio booth, with the microphone placed close to their mouth. This gives the vocals a more intimate sound.

2. How do I record system audio and microphone at the same time bandicam? To record computer sound and your voice at the same time, you can launch Bandicam, go to "Video", and "Settings", and choose "Default Sound Device and Microphone" at the "Recording" settings. Then, check the "Two Sound Mixing" option.

Can I record a live conversation? ›

Under Federal law, it is legal to record a conversation as long as one-party gives consent to the recording. This is known as a “one-party” consent rule.

Cube ACR is an app that allows you to manually or automatically record calls. It's only available for Android phones, but it's fairly advanced and compatible with not only your built-in phone app but also third-party apps like Skype and WhatsApp. You can even customize which contacts you want to auto-record at no cost.

In general, place the mic anywhere from three fingers to a foot away from the singer. Remember, the closer they are, the bassier it'll sound. The farther away the singer is, the thinner it will be, and the more room you'll capture.

A microphone with a frequency response range of around 80 Hz to 15 kHz would make a good choice for a vocal mic. However for miking snares and toms, you would look for a range that starts lower, at around 50 Hz, and for a bass drum mic, you will want a low end of 40 Hz or even lower, down to 30 Hz.

Audio levels should be kept around -10 to -12dB. Quietest recorded audio to should be kept well above the noise floor, maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio.

Generally, you'll want your vocals to be peaking around -10 dBs, with an average input level around -18 dB. If you're peaking higher than - 6 dB, it's time to turn down the microphone gain or adjust your vocalist's position for more balanced vocal recordings.