Most of us are used to reaching for the EQ as soon as we notice something we don't like or something we feel that we need to add. If we can't get the job done with the built-in EQ on the channel strip we can even insert a 10-band EQ on top of that to get more surgical. We essentially have endless ways to carve out the sound we are after. I've walked up to consoles and seen engineers have two EQ's inserted on a channel, that then goes to a group that has an EQ inserted on the group. At some point you begin to work against yourself and you are just lowering (or raising) overall gain.
There's a better way and it is very simple.
Before you think about using EQ to change the sound of the source you should change the mic position. I learned this important lesson while I was in my first studio job. It was 2002 and I was the second engineer working on a record. I was still green to this world and I was blown away every time I saw the head engineer work his magic. We were recording an acoustic guitar part and as the guitar player played, the head engineer said, “That needs to have more bottom end to it.” I expected him to reach for the EQ, but instead he turned to me. He asked me to get into the iso room and adjust the microphone. I put on a set of headphones and as the guitar player played, I moved the mic slowly away from the fret board, closer to the sound hole as directed by the head engineer. I immediately heard the difference and was amazed at how such small movements made such a dramatic difference to the sound. I finally heard, “That's it!” through the headphones when the engineer heard what he was after. I came back into the studio and heard the beautiful sounding guitar and noticed that the EQ wasn't even inserted on the channel.
This same technique can be applied to a number of sources that you use every Sunday morning. It requires two people and a way to communicate. The most common application where I use this today is on guitar amps. Often called “sweeping the cone.” It is the process of moving the microphone across the path of the speaker until you find the optimal sound.
Start the microphone on the outside edge of the speaker cone. While you are at FOH and the guitar player is playing, have the A2 slowly move the mic from the outside edge toward the center of the cone (earplugs are recommended for the A2). Typically you will notice that the speaker sounds darker on the edge, and brighter at the center of the cone, though each guitar/amp combo will yield different results.
Another factor to consider is distance between the speaker and the microphone. Proximity effect means that as a dynamic microphone is moved closer to the source, the bass frequencies will increase. By moving the microphone off of the speaker just a few inches, you will notice the low-end frequencies will diminish. I have mic'd guitars with seven or eight inches or space between the speaker and the microphone with great results. Work with your A2 and find the right spot for your mix.
This idea is relevant for sources on which we can control the distance and position between the microphone and source. On vocals, a source that is constantly moving, it is not so helpful. However drums are the other most common stationary source that we all use on Sunday morning. Let me offer two ideas for the kit.
The Snare: Unless you are going for a “fat snare” sound, most of the time the engineer wants more clarity out of the snare drum. 99% of the time this is a result of the drum hardware preventing access to the snare mic in a way to reduce proximity effect. If the drummer can reposition the hardware in such a way that allows you to get more distance from the snare then it will help. If you and your drummer cannot find a way to make both of you happy, then one creative solution I've used in the past is to position the snare mic on the side of the drum shell. From my experience this works better on snares with metal shells vs wood shells. That being said, experiment with this and see what works for you.
The Kick: It's very common to see two microphones used on kick drums. One on the outside to get the lower frequencies and another plate-style mic in the drum to capture the high frequencies. While I use this approach occasionally it is not what I prefer. I often find placing one microphone in the correct position will give me the frequency balance of thump and attack that I'm after. If I find that I need more attack, I simply move the mic closer to the inside of the beater head. By positioning the mic right at the spot that the beater hits the head will give you the most attack. If I have the opposite issue and I want more low end, I simply pull it away from the beater head.
Move your mics before you EQ. By doing this you will get to know your microphones and sources much better. With the correct placement you will work less to achieve the mix you are after, and the monitor mix will do the same. Only after you do this process should you reach for the EQ. It'll take a bit more time during soundcheck, but give it a try this this weekend to see what you may be missing.
