How to Choose the Right Type of Microphone in CabRig
When you’re dialling in your guitar tone, a big component of the sound of the amp and how you hear it is the choice of microphone that is placed in front of the speaker. Different microphones will pickup the same sound source in difference ways because each microphone capsule has it’s own frequency response.
In this article and accompanying video we’re going to look at the 3 main types of mics inside the St James plugin and talk about their main uses.
Dynamic Mics
One of the most commonly used microphone types is a dynamic mic. Dynamic mics work great on guitar speakers across a whole range of styles and genres. They sound just as good on clean guitars as they do on high gain tones.
Dynamic mics have a high SPL limit which means they can handle a lot of volume. In the real world, if you’re using a mic on a cabinet live, a dynamic mic is the way to go.
Most dynamic mics have a slight low end roll off and a very focused midrange making them the ideal mic to put on a guitar cab if you can only choose one mic type.
Condenser Mics
Condenser mics are a great choice for a microphone that can pickup detail in both the lows and highs. If you’re recording clean, or moderate volume electric guitar, or you just want a full capture of the sound across the whole frequency spectrum, a condenser is the way to go.
In CabRig a condenser can handle whatever you throw at it, but in the real world, they are not as adept at handing high sound levels in the same as a dynamic mic is.
Pairing a condenser with a dynamic mic is a great way to get a focused, but full range guitar tone.
Ribbon Mics
Ribbon Mics are a little harder to use as an overall mic unless you are playing a style of music that has more of a vintage vibe. Tonally the Ribbon mic leans more into older tones and can give your guitar recordings a more “boutique” feel.
If you’re looking to capture some vibe in your playing, a Ribbon mic can add a lot of character to the sound. Some Ribbon mics can be voiced fairly dark so they won’t make a great choice for anyone looking to record hi-fi modern guitar sounds.
On or Off Axis
The other option you have is to run each mic type as being on-axis or off-axis. This refers to the angle at which the mic capsule is pointing at the speaker.
On-axis means the microphone capsule is pointed directly at the speaker. This gives a more direct, brighter sound which is great for capturing articulate guitar parts with lots of bite.
Off-axis means the microphone capsule is placed at an angle to the speaker. This approach softens the high end attack giving a rounder, warmer tone while also emphasising the lows and low-mid range of the guitar tone.
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About the Author
This article on how to choose a mic type in CabRig was written by Leigh Fuge. Leigh is a professional guitarist and content creator and also works alongside musicteacher.com to create guitar focused, educational and entertainment content.
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