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Post new topic Microphones of the 60's
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Author Topic:  Microphones of the 60's
Henry Matthews


From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
Post  Posted 5 Dec 2011 8:51 am    
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Des anyone know or have any experience with the mikes that they used on some of the shows from the sixties?
This is a pic of Willie on Porter Wagoner and have found other old videos of Ernest Tubb and several other using these mikes. They must be great because most of the time, the singer is 2 or 3 feet from the mike and the videos I've seen, they are really singing. Don't know how they got such a good sound from back them on one mike, harmony and lead vocals. The mikes now, you have to get right into them before they even pick up good enough for a live show.

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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.
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Tim Whitlock


From:
Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 5 Dec 2011 10:11 am    
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I don't think it's the mic so much as the setting. Most mics were designed to do this back then. The musicians would balance the stage sound themselves without relying on multi-channel mixers and monitors. Therefore the engineer could just stick out a mic for the singer and one for the band. He could open up the mic without fear of feedback and the singers don't have to eat it to be heard on stage because they're not being drowned out by overly loud amps. Later, modern close proximity mics evolved as a result of increasing volume and the need for feedback rejection.
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Henry Matthews


From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
Post  Posted 5 Dec 2011 3:15 pm    
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Pretty sure you are right on Tim. I don't even think they used monitors back then and the lower stage volumes made it easy to crank up the mike to pick up singer. They really had some good live sound back then for the equipment they used. The Buck Owens show sound was really good and also the Wiburn Bros. still amazes me me how it was done with one little mike.
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.
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Dave Grafe


From:
Hudson River Valley NY
Post  Posted 5 Dec 2011 5:35 pm    
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That's an omnidirectional mic which would not fare well in a live band situation or even most small studios, works great when there is not a lot of other noise or reflected sound present, like a huge sound stage with the band at a distance....
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Blake Hawkins


From:
Florida
Post  Posted 5 Dec 2011 9:15 pm    
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The microphone shown was made by Altec. It was specially designed for television so as not to
block the view of the performer.
I'll check some of my old stuff for the specifications. I may be wrong but I think it
was a condenser mike.

I worked in television production starting in 1956.
The live studios all had "foldback" which was a low
level monitor signal fed through the studio speakers.
You could hear the program but it was not loud enough
to cause feedback.
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