It is quite easy to use microphone amplification with instruments like electric guitars and electric bass. These instruments have been designed and built so that their output can be amplified. Things become more complicated though when you start using instruments like violin, viola, and cello for live performances where there is a need for capturing the sounds that they produce and to amplify it. The challenge is to capture the natural sound of the instruments and make sure that it will not be affected by all the treatment that it will have to undergo in order to amplify it. Another challenge is to ensure that the individual nuances of the playing does not get lost.
The position of a strings microphone for live pick-up is one of the most important aspects of amplifying the sound of stringed instruments. In order for this to be really effective one has to experiment and try out different positions and angles until the best one is discovered. Here are some tips that you can use when you are using a strings microphone for live pick-up that I have found beneficial:
1. Before you use a microphone on an instrument make sure that it sounds good acoustically. Remember that the purpose of the mic is to amplify the sound, so if the instrument sounds terrible when played acoustically, there is no chance that you can get good music out of it when you play it in front of a mic.
2. One way of ensuring that you can pick up the best sound from your instrument is by choosing a mic that has a response that is limited to the range of frequency made by your instrument. If you can not get a microphone with that kind of feature, then you can try to filter out anything that’s lower than the lowest frequency range of your instrument.
3. A quick and easy method for finding the sweet spot for your mic is by plugging your one ear with a finger and then try listening to the sound source. Once you find a good location you can then place your mike there.
4. Consider the fact that the closer you place your microphone to the sound source the stronger it will be compared with the ambient noise, but be careful in placing the mic too close. That might cause it to only pick up one part of the instrument or for it to overemphasize a certain string or group of strings.
5. Use as few microphones as possible. Using plenty of microphones can increase the chance of feedback and other effects that will affect the quality of the music. I have had great success with just one strings’ microphone pickup, but you can get away with 2 and sometimes 3 mics if you’re careful.
6. If you plan on using more than one microphone remember a simple rule: The distance of the microphones from each other should be three times their distance from the sound source.
7. Remember to reduce the chances of feedback and handling noises and thumps from handling instruments. All of those things can be avoided just by the way you handle and pick up your violin or other instrument.
Remember that using a microphone for string instruments is a matter of taste. Whatever sounds best to the musician and listeners is what you’re after. These tips are mere suggestions from which your own exploration can begin.