We recently did a video on the iZotope Spire, which is a lovely device that singers and songwriters can use to record without using a DAW. We had the artist Laura Padaratz here who is Brazilian singer at the tender age of 18.
What I loved about doing that video is it showcased equipment that is affordable and easy to use. In the spirit of that, we have decided to do two things, we’ve brought back Laura to do another song and we’ve decided to do a review and giveaway of Blue Microphone’s new Ember microphone.
The Ember retails for only $99! We figured this was the best way to showcase an affordable mic made by a really high-quality company like Blue! – It’s available for people to get and use on a regular basis and create music. – I love this theme, it shows you can make great music with inexpensive equipment.
The Blue Ember Microphone is a small diaphragm condenser, we will record it on acoustic guitar, vocals, we will do either a mono drum mic or have David play and do a kick or snare. We will also do some piano and use it on electric guitar.
We will basically record a little mini band using just the Blue Ember Microphone and we will use it with the Audient so you can get a really good sense of how affordable and how good it can sound.
The Blue Ember is a Cardioid Polar Pattern, has a 38 Hz – 20 kHz so we’ll get enough low end out of the kick and enough high end on anything else. It has a Maximum SPL of 132 dB which is actually quite a lot, which is why they are probably confident that you can stick it on an electric guitar.
Taking the Ember out if the box it’s clear that it is high quality and has some weight to it. – It’s pretty substantial and feels good! All of Blue’s stuff is made great.
After recording the song I can say the Blue Ember is really good, at only $99 it sounded great, to be honest, the thing it sounds the best on is the vocal. If you want a microphone to do one job really really well the vocals on the Ember sound phenomenal.
Don’t get me wrong, Laura is a wonderful singer, she wrote the song and it is a wonderful song, but the microphone did a good job. The reality is, half of our job as producers and engineers is to not mess it up and capture it well.
Congratulations Blue, $99 is money well spent on this microphone I am very impressed with it. I know a lot of people love blue stuff and I can see why.
Thank you to our wonderful friends over at Blue Microphones who have been so kind as to give us a Blue Ember Microphone to give away to one of you. (Scroll up to enter!!)
Have you used this Microphone? What has been your experience? Let me know in the youtube comments