Why Polar Patterns Matter - A Vocalist that Moves too Close to the Mic

What do you do when the vocalist moves around? You may notice a change in proximity effect, which is the low-end boost when the vocalist gets close to the mic. The Lewitt 640 is a unique mic that allows a mixer to change the polar pattern, and thus the proximity effect after the recording process is over.
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[@creativesoundlab]

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[@taopagan]

I love this! It feels as if the possible applications have not yet been exhausted (lol!) For recording band practice: Band sets up in a circle. Put two of these in the center - maybe on a single stand - pointed 90 degrees from each other...

[@MrIantodd]

Wow! What a difference! Omni sounds much smoother! Which is your favourite?

[@J-DUB-F1]

THIS is a really good lesson!... one of my mentors showed me this technique early on. I didn't understand how valuable it could me until I started working with lots of different singers. I'd forgotten about this over the years, but I'm going to re-examine it ;-)

[@Martin-kn6vc]

This is absolutely incredible! I mean, it could be seen as another way of 'not committing' when getting sounds and 'fixing it in the mix', but I can see it being so useful to really dial in how much rejection you want (if any) from certain sound sources, either in a live session setting (for vocals, especially) or mic'ing toms to reject cymbal bleed. Or, as you demonstrated, how much proximity effect you want from a sound source. It'd be great if they had a dual capsule dynamic version too. The added bonus of it being particularly clean means Lewitt leave you to pair it with a coloured pre of your choosing, or working in the same vein as the mic itself by using something like Slate VCC or Scheps Omni Channel after the fact. Side note, I'm all about buying equipment that's useful/feature-packed now, rather than lusting for gear. Recent purchase was Sonarworks Reference 4, and I think the Dynamount would be cool too. After watching this video, the Lewitt 640 looks to be another one of those 'big win' products.

[@creativesoundlab]

Yeah, it really depends on what you want out of your gear. For me, I like a lot of vibe, and to my ear the Lewitts sound very clean. Which, I think, is what their goal is. Totally great sounds though and I'd have no problem using this mic.

[@coreyreynolds3585]

Wow! I knew there was a difference in directionality but the proximity effect usefulness just blew my mind and really presents a lot of solutions for problems I've had in the past specifically dealing with too much proximity effect). Omni might be my new favorite use of getting an even sound and figure 8 for a punchy sound.

[@DeSRecordings]

I remember seeing the 640 at the AES show last year and thinking it was the coolest thing ever. I also thought it would be a great teaching tool. Keep it up!

[@tedc6694]

I learn something from every video you make

[@schance1666]

fantastic episode. wow, 'fix it in the mix' polar patterns. rad. i can definitely see how useful it could be to roll the presence/proximity in and out depending on the where you are in the arrangement.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Very informative. Thanks for your effort.

[@mastershake9374]

you should try its tereo function! Simply point it sideways to the source and pan the outputs. I love its stereo..

[@creativesoundlab]

Yeah I did for drum room. Sounds great!

[@NogorianChant]

Fantastic demonstration and lesson! Very cool!

[@creativesoundlab]

Thanks!

[@MaPa60]

Thanks man, I didnt know I’d prefer omni to cardioid!

[@creativesoundlab]

Yeah, omni is always fun. It tends to be smoother on the top end, and warmer for distance recording. For close recording, the bottom end is almost gone. Lots of stuff to try and use for your advantage if you know why you are picking on polar pattern over the other.

[@RodsBobavich]

What happens if you start to EQ the back and front of the mic separately so that you mess with phase? ...could be fun!

[@Ibanezman03]

Sennheiser MKH 800 Twin does the same thing...for quite some years now. Nothing new that Lewitt did there, though this mic sounds quite nice here. For me the huge advantage of the Sennheiser is that it is a SDC, superb as a main A/B mic for orchestra production (and everything else)...

[@gabrielazzopardi6037]

thanks for the lesson!

[@bassaroo]

Oh, man...you gotta check out the Townsend Sphere L22 mic - it can do all this plus SO much more!

[@littledrummerboyph]

I'd love to see how this would fare in a fat mic situation on a drum kit with the possibilities of changing the amount of bleed!

[@AdamRainStopper]

God........I have watched, listened to, read nothing but current events and political stuff lately, and it is ripping me the fuck apart. I can't just look away, it isn't me. But I needed a 15 minute CSL video pretty badly. Ok, time to hit play, Ryan is gonna calm me down. Lettuce talk polar patterns. Fuck. I can't even un-clench my fists to type. In this time, I should've been able to write a god damn essay.

[@Nintendoazerty]

Awesome video as usual. You have that abiltiy to transmit interest and knowledge at the same time. I just found that the splitted screen was weird and not that useful. You should maybe focus only on the DAW. I also found the lights weren't that good on certain image. Exvept these small details, this is a wonderful work!

[@marcushawkinsmusic]

Nice!!!

[@PeoplewithAccents]

I wonder what using this mic in mid-side applications would have if you used it as the figure 8 mic, but tweaked the figure 8 polar pattern toward one side or the other. This app looks like it automatically balances the output between L & R so it might give the track the illusion of a slightly panned effect, but without affecting the balance of the master output.

[@lejuanhaggins8052]

I love omni perfect for singers.

[@TheBMiester]

Cool. But show the symbols along with the names of the patterns for beginners since mics only show symbols

[@lance134679]

I wonder how close you could get to the functionality of the 640 with two cardioid mics placed back to back. Anyway, thanks for the video.

[@creativesoundlab]

Yep, totally going to try it and use the plug in. Might work better if it's for a drum room, but maybe not as good if it were a close vocalist.

[@rylandweet7750]

what pop filter is that he uses?

[@djentlover]

I'm surprised that the omni sounds the best

[@GrandNebSmada]

Ive seen nothing but impressive things from Lewitt

[@creativesoundlab]

This is the only mic that I've tried from them.

[@AdamRainStopper]

Huh, I think you might actually be creating a unidirectional polarity with the phase cancellation on the back, although I suppose a figure-8, used in a dead room, on a very directional source, is going to sound indistinguishable from the classic unidirectional pattern (like old Unidyne mics and I think shotgun mics are also unidirectional).

[@PSORIK]

придумают же

[@comradekirilov3483]

*too

[@creativesoundlab]

THanks for the catch! Fixed!

[@jf542]

proximity effect suckkkkks