Mic Archive

Cowbell

Sources
66 independent: not from a mic maker

Frequency bands

tone450 Hz – 1 kHzmain modes 450-700 Hz and about 1 kHz
clank1 kHz – 4 kHzinharmonic partials near 1.3-1.4, 1.8 and 2.5 kHz
upper4 kHz – 10 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 Cowbell1_Hit_v3_rr1; Virtuosity Drums cowbell close mic.

Sounds it makes

Mouthstruck near the open end: louder, brighter
Bodystruck on the flat side: lower, fuller

The sound

A folded steel bell: a few strong, inharmonic plate modes give the clanking pitch.

Recording it

  • Mics: a dynamic like the SM57 handles the attack; farther away than you think: very loud peaks
  • EQ: a small cut around 6 kHz leaves room for other bright instruments5

Mics

  1. Shure SM57 3 sourcesClose
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (4)

Studio

Close

X-Y

Top

The 14 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close microphone (type not named; condenser, dynamic or ribbon)
    close, about 2 ft in front of the bell and 1 ft above it, angled down
    Place a mic about 2 feet in front of the cowbell but about a foot above it and angled downward.1
  • Bottom microphone (type not named)
    bottom, 12-18 in away, below the mouth of the bell and angled upward
    place a mic about 12 to 18 inches away, below the mouth of the bell and angled upward.1
  • Close ribbon mic
    close, as in either technique above
    A ribbon mic in this situation can be the best of both worlds.1
  • Top Oktava MK-012
    top, about 2 ft above the cowbell
    Oktava 012, about 2 feet above the cowbell. (Harvey Gerst)2
  • Close Behringer ECM8000
    close (distance not given)
    we usually use the Behringer ECM8000 for cowbell. (Harvey Gerst)2
  • Close Shure SM57
    close
    57 and 57 only. It's a cowbell! (Big Kenny)2
  • Close 2 × small-diaphragm condenser pair
    pair, matched SDCs in X-Y about 2 ft back, for a 'tink' sound
    I'd use the best matched pair of small diaphragms I had (X-Y, about 2 feet back; Richard Monroe, paraphrase)3
  • Close Shure SM57
    close, about 12 in away, aggressive in-your-face sound
    I use an SM-57 about 12" away from the cowbell. (kid klash)3
  • Close Sennheiser MD 421
    distant, 18-36 in away, blended sound with less mid ring
    MD421 about 18 to 36 inches away for a blended sound with less mid ring (kid klash, paraphrase)3
  • Room large-diaphragm condenser
    distant, about 3 ft away, slightly higher than the bell, in a fairly dead room
    stick an LDC about three feet away, pointing in the direction of the cowbell (keerus)3
  • Room condenser (unnamed), omni
    distant, about 3 ft or more, omni if the room is good (bells)
    For shekere and bells, about 3 feet or more in omni if the room sounds good and bleed is controlled (Tonio, paraphrase)4
  • Close Shure SM57
    close
    I also like to use an SM57 for the cowbell (Carlos Alvarez)5
  • 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.6
  • 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)5

Sources

  1. Bobby Owsinski blog: Two Excellent Techniques To Mike A Cowbelleducational · bobbyowsinskiblog.com
  2. HomeRecording.com forum: Cowbell (mic choice and placement) (2004 thread)forum · homerecording.com
  3. HomeRecording.com forum: How would you mic a cowbell? (2003 thread)forum · homerecording.com
  4. My Conga Place forum: suggestion for percussion recording (2007 thread)forum · mycongaplace.com
  5. Daley, D. (2006) Recording Latin Percussion, Sound On Soundmagazine · soundonsound.com
  6. Recording Magazine: Drumming and Drummers and Mics - Oh My! (Paul Vnuk Jr. with David Blascoe)magazine · recordingmag.com