Recording Fiddle and Banjo?

[TimOz]

Hi everyone, I'm starting a project next week and I'll be recording a fiddle and a banjo amongst other things. I have rode nt2 and nt3 for microphones and a hhb radius 40 preamp.
Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Tim [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[mandomatt]

Whoosh! NOW you speakin' my language! I've been playing bluegrass music for several years and have begun recording it on my digi001 this last year.

From my notes gathered from various professional bluegrass recordists, here's how to do it:

1) fiddle: Neumann KM184 is best mic. Ribbon mics work well too. Live room better than foam iso booth. Keep it about a foot away from the fiddle, and move it around to see where you like the sound the best. You'll end up slapping some reverb on the fiddle, perhaps more than the other instruments.

2) Banjo: if you're short on condenser mics, use a dynamic on the banjo first. a Shure sm-57 will do. Otherwise a Neumann TLM-103 or km184 is nice. always mono. again, about a foot away, and move it around. closer to the bridge will get more bright/crisp sound; center of banjo head more warm/bassy.

Any specific questions, just ask/post.

Matt

[TimOz]

Thanks for the info Matt,
The closest I have to the KM184 is the nt3 which is a small diaphragm condenser, Ive also got a sm58 not a 57, so I'll try that and the nt2 on the banjo with your micing tips.
Thanks again,
Tim [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[where02190]

The NT-3 should work fine in both cases. (we cannot all afford the expensive toys, and often times the midline ones work just as well or better.)

For the fiddle, place the mic about 18 inches in front of the player, and about 2 feet above them, with the stand in front and to their left, out of the way fo the bow. Point the mic just below the players eyes.

For the banjo, I use the same micing techniques as for acoustic guitar. About 12 inches back, about 30 degrees in amd up, toward where the neck meets the body, and about bottom of the instrument in height. Listen for the scratching of the hands and/or pick on the skin vs string tones. You may want to try the NT-2 on the Banjo as well, with similiar placement.

The HHB preamp is a nice unit. We have several TL Audio units, which are from the same Tony Larkin designs.

Good Luck!!!!!!!