miking violin for nowt

[back_ache]

I have a friend in a amateur production who need to mic her expensive violin, in my professional life in would consult and hire from someone with a speciality in classical instruments.

 

However she is in an amateur production and this isn't an option and she is frighted of even the slightest modification of adjustment to her instrument.

 

I was thinking of adapting one of my clip on radio Mic's using some wire and trusty gaffa tape to point the Mic from a position maybe 10cm away at the body of the instrument, it would be temporarily attached by gripping the bracket between the shoulder rest and body of the instrument and I would adjust the gain on the pack to suit. I would also put a gate in the signal chain between the receiver and desk.

 

 

I was think of using some wire of the gauge used for coat hangers so that the contraption is quite sturdy as she is only going to use it for the finale so will it will have to be mounted quickly each night (she only has the one violin)

 

Has anyone done this or something like this before and point me out anything to watch out for or do differently?

[Bobbsy]

I've had reasonable luck miking a violin with a miniature omni such as you'd use on a radio mic...I've used both MKE2 and Sony ECM77 models.

 

The mount I've used was homemade (yup..coathanger wire, hellerman tubing and lots of trial and error) but modelled after the purpose built DPA mount shown here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...list&sku=282460

 

The sound quality miked this was was quite good, certainly better than any of the purpose-made transducers I've used before. I used a bit of EQ to tame the top end, but it was far less shrill than the "pickup sound" I've had before.

 

One comment: I'd be leery of using a gate on a violin...there can be very subtle tones in the attack and decay of any note and it might me a bit nasty if these were gated off.

 

Bob

[bruce]

You also may get some ideas here: http://www.microvox.co.uk/violpage.htm

 

I've never used that particular product, but have used other ones in the range successfully.

 

Another option for mounting involves Velcro cable ties - NOT the adhesive ones, but the ones with hook on one side and loop on the other. Similar to the ones used for coiling cables. As well as securing the mic to any handy attachment point, they provide a degree of mechanical isolation.

[Ben Langfeld]

It probably sounds stupid to you guys, but last time I had to mic a violin I used a spare Omnitronic BDM-500 ECO I had knocking around on a mic stand, told the violinist to try and stay kinda still, and it worked wonders. I expected to get huge level drops, but she hardly budged and I managed to get excellent gbf, even though she was almost level with the FoH speakers. Painless.

[BlueShift]

My usual tactic is to use a small lav mic (mke2 or similar) either held just by the bridge suspended below the strings - pointed somewhere between straight up toward the head and down toward the 'f hole' to get a good balance between the rich resonant sound and the crisper sound of the bow against the strings. I have found this is best where GBF is critical and for ensemble applications where the violin sounds need to be seperately captured.

 

However, when GBF is not such an issue, a nice condenser positioned over the violin pointing down, slightly tilted away from the head sounds quite good...

[zonino]

argh! staying still while playing? hate having to do that!

 

depending on the violin they don't always need modification to allow a pick up to be used, I have 2 violins, one has been modded, one hasn't! it all depends on the gap in the bridge, the pick-up I use is a fishman.

 

otherwise as blueshift said, but don't use gaffa, just clip it onto the bridge,

 

also don't think you'd need a gate

 

edit: just had a quick search, this page might give you some ideas http://www.dpamicrophones.com/

[paulears]

When I do this, I put an mke-2 on an elastic headband, centre forehead - keeps it well away from the body (which I always think sounds very harsh, no matter how you eq. The forehead is about the right distance away, and gives a pretty natural sound (it also works on flutes too) Other instruments too, no doubt, but I've not tried them yet, so can't comment.

[TeeJay]

When I do this, I put an mke-2 on an elastic headband, centre forehead - keeps it well away from the body (which I always think sounds very harsh, no matter how you eq. The forehead is about the right distance away, and gives a pretty natural sound (it also works on flutes too) Other instruments too, no doubt, but I've not tried them yet, so can't comment.

 

I've done similar but had the mic on an ear hanger then twisted the mic so that it was facing away from the player's head and towards the violin. It's always seemed to work pretty well - the violinist will most likely have their head at the same relative place to their instrument.

 

YMMV

[mr_towers]

Usually telling people to stay still works alright, do it all the time at my church :)

 

Oh, and if you're going to put a MKE2 or whatever on the bridge, put a windshield on or something just in case resin from the bow gets in. It's unlikely, but if it happens it's not going to be a happy mic.

 

Just my experience :)

[Jivemaster]

A friend uses a mic capsule by the bridge with the wire leading out under the tail piece and chin rest where it terminates in an SMA connector. This then links to his own micro eq/fx and a Tx made into the shoulder rest. (all the chargers are in the case so he just plugs the case in to charge all the batteries.