Claves
- Sources
- 55 independent: not from a mic maker
What it is
One row. Krys (Daley): a condenser 10-12 ft away. Cowbell: one row. Alvarez (Daley): an SM57. Guiro: nothing found in a second search either; the only relevant hit (SOS, Daley) names it in a glossary and gives no mic. Gap.3
Frequency bands
| tone | 1.8 kHz – 2.1 kHz | main mode near 1.85-2.0 kHz in both sets measured |
|---|---|---|
| click | 3 kHz – 5.5 kHz | higher modes and contact click |
| upper | 5.5 kHz – 12 kHz |
Own analysis: 1/3-octave band levels of the first second after the hit (dB re loudest band), plus a 12 ms attack window and spectral peak picking. A band is listed where the level stays within about 10-15 dB of the loudest band (weaker bands are given with their level). "tone" = clear spectral peaks; "noise" = dense or broadband energy. Measured from: VSCO 2 CE Claves1_Hit_v2_rr1; Virtuosity Drums claves close mic.
Sounds it makes
| Single sound | one hardwood stick struck against another held over a cupped hand |
|---|
The sound
Two hardwood sticks: one strong bending mode near 2 kHz gives the ringing "click".
Recording it
- Where: from a distance; one engineer uses a condenser 3–3.5 m (10–12 ft) away for a darker sound; up close the transient is harsh3
Mics
- 6 setups from 5 sources, 5 of them independent of any mic maker.
- On top: the mics more than one source names for this instrument, in any role, the most named first. That is a count of sources, not our verdict.
- In the full list, each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those come from a mic maker.
No mic is named by more than one source yet: each names its own.
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (1)
Studio
Close
The 6 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Room condenser (unnamed)distant, in the reverberant field, farther away to capture room ambience
For chimes and claves, place the mic in the reverberant field (Tonio, paraphrase)
1 - Close Electro-Voice RE15 or beyerdynamic ribbonclose (distance not given); claves need a flat mic
these instruments sound best with something like an RE15 or a beyerdynamic ribbon (claves, gourds and bongos)
2 - Distant Condenser (unnamed)10-12 ft away
A distant microphone, usually a condenser, set up 10 to 12 feet away to capture claves (Sebastian Krys)
3 - Close microphone (type not named)distant, back the mic off a few feet
nobody wants a shaker deep inside their eardrum - or a clave! (joninc, on backing off a few feet)
4 - Distant Small percussion advice microphone (type not named)distant, 3-6 ft from the mic
If it jingles, rattles or scrapes, give yourself a good 3 to 6 feet from the mic for clarity and believability.
5 - Close Small percussion advice condenser (unnamed)close (distance not given); cut 3-4 dB around 6 kHz
Javier Garza uses condenser mics on shakers and tambourine, cutting 3-4 dB around 6 kHz (paraphrase)
3
Sources
- My Conga Place forum: suggestion for percussion recording (2007 thread)
- Recording Magazine: The Doom of the Dumbek (Paul Stamler)
- Daley, D. (2006) Recording Latin Percussion, Sound On Sound
- Tape Op message board: Percussion session today - HELP (2021 thread)
- Recording Magazine: Drumming and Drummers and Mics - Oh My! (Paul Vnuk Jr. with David Blascoe)