New colors

To celebrate the first 1000 visitors on this blog. I have decided to make a change in colors to my design.

Thanks for visiting.

Source Audio Programmable EQ

The Source Audio Programmable EQ is a compact, digital, graphic-equalizer pedal.

A graphic-eq is a good tool when playing live because you can quickly see which settings you have made.
The Source Audio EQ even lights up in green. However the scale is a little small and can be hard to read. Luckily the knob for adjusting the EQ has a clicking feeling and every click is 1db.

The true bypass EQ has another important feature: It can store up to four presets and scroll through them, making it convenient to select different presets for different songs or solo/ backing or two different instruments.

The Programmable EQ also provides a output knob for leveling or boosting the eq'ed signal.

EQ and new microphone..

I have started a test of my new Source Audio Programmable EQ - A good tool for tweaking the live sound setup. I will be posting more on this soon.

I am also waiting for The Fiddle Mic to arrive, which Bruce Bartlett graciously send me for testing. I will be posting more as soon as the microphone arrives.

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.

Instrument rigs and gear setup

"How much gear do i need to play my fiddle live?" I am often asked.
Well, it depends greatly on what style you are playing and what sounds you are going for.

If you play in great concert halls with fantastic acoustics all the time, you might never need anything but your great acoustic instrument.

If you play at festivals, concert venues or small cafés in an amplified acoustic or electric setup then read on.

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.

New mic

Just got this exciting new mic from the new Danish  company called Remic Microphones.

It is a miniature omni made for mounting on the instrument.
The special feature is the 20db's rejection of ambient sounds.

I will be posting a test shortly.

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.

Schaller Oyster

The Oyster is one of the oldest and cheapest pickup designs I know. I have seen other manufacturers use the same design with small detail changes.

The pickups is a piezo placed inside a metal housing, providing shield from hum and potection.

The Schaller has 3mtr's of cable and is terminated with a 6,5mm jack.

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.