How to record harmonica in the studio

Gear
1

Dear community
I am an intermediate player, I don’t have the goal to get great, I am just looking for another sound/mood for my band, mainly singing and playing guitar. I do have my own small studio space and a great collection of mics, ribbons, dynamics and condensers.

However, I just never had to record harmonica, so I am now getting into songwriting where I reall want the harmonica to have some fundamental part in it. I see that a lot of players are using dynamic mics hold them very close in the same hand as the harmonica, going into a guitar amp. However, I am looking more for a natural sound, more folky, less blusy, also in a live situation I would always play the harmonica in a rack and hold my guitar, so I don’t want to learn the technique to hold the harp with a microphone.

So what would you suppose? Record like I would record vocals? I think a ribbon mic could be cool, but what are the experienced guys saying?

thanks for some tipps!

1 Like
2

If you check out some Will Wilde videos on you tube. He records his videos using a ribbon mic (I think) not in the hand. I’ll try and find you one of his videos.

3

@raketenmann Yeah I agree with you a ribbon mic will work great on an acoustic harmonica. Ribb0n mics in general are a great antidote to the brittle digital world.

But any large diaphragm condenser will also do just fine.

I like using an Empirical Labs compressor - I use the UAD model called Fatso Jr. I believe because it has a “warmth” setting that dynamically rolls off some of the highs if things get shrill, but that can always be handled in post.

Your idea of “just like the vocal” is right on imo.

Rock on! :smiling_face_with_sunglasses: