Amplifying A Concertina

[Henrik Müller]

JIM: "In my opinion, no sound engineer is better than a bad one."

 

FRANK: ... Since rock bands are often guitar centred, they crank up the guitars to the point that you can't hear anyone else. ...

Hear, hear! And we won't mention bodhrans

/Henrik

[Mark Evans]

]

The most important thing is a competent sound engineer, who understands what sort of sound you want and can give it to you.

 

Yes Jim a pearl beyond price. In my long, frustrating experience I've run into only two (damned near 30 years).

 

All amplification is a compromise and I've given up wanting to deal with it. To those who do, my sympathies.

[Mark Evans]

Hear, hear! And we won't mention bodhrans

/Henrik

 

I can't pass this one up. At session Tuesday evening, a fellow who shows up infrequently and plays well enough was there with a new bodhran (tuneable head, deep body a real impressive peice of hardware). I was late and the only seat was right beside him. I couldn't hear my Albion (and she's no shy lass by any means). It would have been rude to squeeze in elswhere so I sat there and engaged him in conversation between sets asking many questions about this new instrument. It seemed to calm him down and in the process of dealing with my nattering inquiries the chap remembered there were other musicians in the circle. He started demonstrating some very interesting subtle pitch changes and in the end added some texture and interest.

 

A bodhran can be such a wonderful addition (at the right moment) but a constant onslaught can drive this particular box squeezer to raving chop-slobberin' lunacy .

Edited August 3, 2007 by Mark Evans

[Pete Dunk]

you might do fine with a pair of regular ubiquitous stage mics like Shure sm58's.

 

I would have been quite surprised if the AKGs outperformed SM58s, they just happen to be packaged in a more suitable way for the purpose. It strikes me that the unidirectional SM57 is more suited to instrument mic-ing. SM58s tend to be a bit 'toppy' and therefore more suited to vocals, AKGs (like the D190) have traditionally been mid to bass weighted giving a very warm vocal sound with the unfortunate side effect of making instruments 'boomy' and prone to feedback. Later AKG designs (like the CS 1000) are much more suited to mic-ing up instruments but I've no idea if most of that is down to the skills of the sound engineer, nor if a mic designed for 'accordion' is suited to faithful concertina sound reproduction.

[mike averill]

I use a pair of Shure PG81 instrument mics. They are fairly clinical in there reproduction and I find if I point them at about 45 to 60 degrees i.e

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about 12" away from the flat of each end I get a pretty even and authentic sound for the whole instrument. This copes with bellows in and out as well .

 

No problems with monitors either.

[Tina]

I used both systems - 2 micros on stands on each side pointed at the sides of the instrument, and 2 swan neck ones (forgot their name) glued right to the instrument with double sided tape - the strips never failed - cable are no problem (unless you get caught ... but you just don't do it!)

 

The only thing I don't like about micros taped to the instrument - i can't steal out of the performance in case I forgot the tune ... but everything else is so much better. Volume is stable, too - not with the stands.

Edited August 4, 2007 by Tina