Clark Huckaby article on amplification

Clark Huckaby is a musician a musician, audio electronics technician and recording engineer. I found him while searching for good articles on amplification of fiddle.

While this article is a bit old I really found it to be quite interesting with some good info and observations.

It covers 4 subject: Microphones, pickups, preamps/amps/monitors and a chapter on how a pickup "hears" the bowing.

Read part 1 here, 2 here, 3 here and 4 here

DIY wireless violin mic

Here is a little DIY project for the weekend. This video demonstrates how to modify a headset microphone into a semi-permanent violin microphone.

The video is a bit fiddly, but I like the idea of modifying existing products into something useful for the fiddle.

  

Remic Strings

I just got this video from Thorkild, the microphone designer at Remic microphones.



This is a preview of their new line of microphones for strings, of which I have been testing the prototype v5200-lb. A test you can see and hear here on this blog.

I have also been testing two never versions of this mic and at the moment I am testing a wireless system consisting of the Remic V5200 and a Sony GB30 digital wireless system.

Microphone vs. pickup for fiddle

I talk to a lot of fiddlers who wants advice on their stage amplification gear.

Questions about what microphone or pickup to use and with what amplifier or PA.

These questions have so many variables that they are hard to answer.

I have myself done much experimenting and found many good systems.

Remic v5200 lb - live

This summer I have been testing the Remic v5200-lb microphone on a couple of live gigs.

My band consists of 2 guitarist, a double bass player, a drummer and me playing the fiddle. We always play amplified with wedge monitors on every musician.
The fiddle is the main instrument in this setup, and it can be difficult to get at good monitor sound without feedback occuring.

The Remic proves to be very feedback resistant, maybe the most feedback resistant microphone I have ever tried.

I have had talks with Remic about making me a wireless system to give me even more free room on stage.

The Fiddle Mic

The Fiddle Mic is designed by Bruce Bartlett.

It is a miniature omnidirectional condenser microphone, with a frequency response tailored specially for violin and viola.

Bartlett sells The Fiddle Mic in two versions: One with a long permanently attached cable, and one with an inline jack so the mic can be left on the instrument.

How mic placement affects tone

This article is an extract of an article made by microphone designer and engineer Bruce Bartlett.

Your mic technique has a powerful effect on the sound of your recordings and your amplified sound through a PA system. In this article we’ll look at how mic choice and placement affect the sound you pick up from various acoustic instruments. To get a good sound, you need to start with an excellent mic and mount it on your instrument where it sounds good.

Which mic should I use
If you want an accurate or natural sound, first go for a microphone with a wide, flat frequency response. Such a mic reproduces the true timbre of the instrument -- its fundamental frequencies and harmonics, and how loud they are relative to each other.

Remic v5200-lb

Remic Microphones is a rather young Danish microphone company founded in 2009.

I first came to hear about Remic when my good friend and guitar multi-instrumentalist Perry Stenbäck introduced me at the soundcheck for a concert with my band.

The microphone in focus here is the prototype v-5200-lb miniature condenser for violin and viola.

DPA 4061

Miniature omnidirectional microphone.

Mounts with a special clip to the strings behind the bridge.

Visit DPA microphones website

Mässbacka Microphone

Finnish designed and hand-built microphone called Mässbacka (from the name of the designed I guess).

I do not hav any additional info on the origin of this microphone.

The microphone is an omnidirectional miniature mic. It sits in a metal housing and mounts on the violin through the tailpiece G-string hole by the sue of a small finger-screw.

Microphones for violin

Wether you are performing on stage or recording in the studio it is good to acquire some basic knowledge about the different microphone types and their uses.
The right choice of microphone will save you from waisting a lot of time trying "fix" your sound and good sound makes you perform better.

Microphones come in 3 different types: capacitor, back-electret and dynamic - these three types has different properties but can all be brought to good use on bowed instruments.
The first two types requires some powering to work (phantom power). Tube capacitor microphones come with separate power supply and do not need phantom. Dynamic microphones does not require phantom powering either - be aware that phantom power can in some cases damage dynamic microphones, for instance ribbon microphones.

SD Systems LCM110c

This microphone is a cardioid version of the LCM110.

It mounts on the tailpiece in the G-string hole.

I have modified the microphone slightly with a windjammer to block out breathing noise.

It comes with battery box.

Visit SD Systems.com

DPA 4099v microphone

The DPA 4099v is a super-cardioid instrument microphone.

It has a specially designed mount for violins, violas and can be mounted on mandolins as well.

There are different versions with mounts for a variety of instruments.

Visit the DPA website