Microphones?

[sayanything513]

I have had my Micro Br for a few months now and so far I have been really happy with all of it has to offer.  The one thing I am concerned about is the built in microphone.  I have started recorded lyrics using the built in microphone but it just doesn't sound great during playback (not that my voice sounds back it just sounds like its lacking something).  If I bought one of the microphones listed as being compatable with the Micro BR would the sound quality be any better than the built in microphone or should I not bother buying one? Thanks for any answers.

[AlchemyMN]

I'd say the consensus here is use the internal or use that simple stereo sony mic. 

As long as you get enough gain and your singing in tune it should be fine.  If you start investing in fancier mics, you might need fancier preamps, then processors, then pitch correction, then editing software - and pretty soon you have a $10K studio...

[Glenn Mitchell]

Do try playing with the position of the mic and the distance from it and the room that you are in before playing with external mic options.
EG on loud songs I like positioning it above my head and horizontal about 9-12" away rather than flat on to it. On soft songs you can get right up to it. It's pretty responsive.

[sayanything513]

I thought I read somewhere that with the built in microphone you can only record in mono, whereas with an external microphone you can record in stereo.  Wouldn't recording my vocals sound better if I recorded them in stereo rather than mono?

[Flash Harry]

It is mono, but you can place the track anywhere you want within the stereo sound stage.

Reall, your voice is only a mono source, there are few stereo sources, it's where you place your instruments and voices in the mix that creates the stereo image.

Some effects processors, reverb etc. the ones that invoke ambiance that need a stereo input, but that is done for you in the mastering.

Built in is good. It's a portable device and the mic is a very good mic.

[Glenn Mitchell]

I've had good stereo results with either:
1. a copy to a second track and then changing the effects or
2. simply singing the part twice.

[hewhoiscalledj]

Make sure you experiment with all the different MIC effects. Find the one you like the most and then you can go in and tweak it further. Things like INput gain, Reverb, MIX (eq to taste), and compression; although it shouldnt need much if any while tracking/recording.

Have you mastered a song yet? At this stage, you get to fiddle with similar effects and final touches before hearing your final product. It can be quite a dramatic difference once you've mastered the song.

Can you tell what it is about your vocal recordings now that seem lacking? Is it tinny? or does it sound weak and faded? These things can be compensated for and adjusted using the effects. Make sure you are recording as hot as possible by setting the INPUT and SENSITIVITY as high as possible without clipping/distortion. Another great trick is to try recording the vocals in different rooms depending on the effect you are after. Natural reverb from the room you are in will sound better than digital reverb. Like the difference between singing in a large auditorium or church vs singing in the bathroom or a walk in closet.

good luck and keep at it!

[sayanything513]

I guess my main question really is are there any advantages to buying one of the microphones compatible with the micro br that were listed on this website?  The fact that they are listed on the website makes me think there is a reason to buy an external microphone instead of just using the built in microphone.

[BossMicroBRew]

The Sony Electret is supposed to work pretty well, but I never have used it. I use the built in mic all the time. To me, it sounds pretty good, actually, and you can pick up some good sound from an acoustic through it as well. It's all personal preference really, depending on what you're doing. However, I do use an MXL mic sometimes also just to try and eliminate the clicking sound of the BR buttons.

[hewhoiscalledj]

Avoiding the clicking sounds from button pushing and maybe the ability to place an external mic where you wish are pretty good advantages to having an ext mic. I've bought the Sony stereo mic on Ebay for about $10 but I have a sinking feeling that it's a fake or replica. Hard to tell since I'd have to spend $80 or so at Guitar Center to compare, but the results are quite stellar for a $10 purchase. And yes, there's a noticeable difference between the Sony and the builit-in mic. It's a little more transparent (IMO) and crisp/airy. It may have something to do with the fact that I hang the Sony mic from the ceiling and doesnt sit inside the box of the BossMBR. Not sure about that.

The thing about this MicroBr is that you can keep it simple if you are just songwriting or experimenting or you can get as complex as you want to try to get the best recording possible. With that said, it's great fun to experiment with all the equipment you can get your hands on; at a budget you can handle. $10 bucks for the Sony mic from Ebay is worth trying. But spending $500+ for an awesome mic (which will also need a decent pre-amp or more $$$) might be over the top. Or it might not depending on where you are headed as a recording engineer/hobbyist.

Just listen to the posted songs and judge the quality for yourself. Pretty good stuff posted. One day i'll man up and post some of my band recordings... As it is, it's tough getting a perfect signal that isnt distorted by the very loud jams we have. I'm getting close though.