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Author
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Topic: microphone position over dobro (stage)
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Chris Walke
Member From: St Charles, IL
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posted 02 April 2002 07:17 AM
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I have a show coming up friday and I'll be playing dobro on a few tunes. Small theater, approx 80-seat capacity. Should be nice and quiet in there...listening crowd. More percussion than drumkit (the guy tends to bring a kick, snare, some things to shake, weird cymbals and bells...not real kit playing). Pretty much all acoustic instruments, gtrs going direct to the board, banjo miked, mandolin to the board, accordion (maybe) miked, cello miked, elec bass into board or thru a very small amp... I don't believe there will be any electric guitars...other than my steel, which I obviously won't be using when I'm playing dobro. Should be a fairly friendly environment for getting the miked instruments into the PA.I was wondering where I should position the mic over my dobro. When I had a studio session, the engineer placed a Neumann about 18 inches above the 15th fret area. At the show, I'll be sitting, using a dynamic mic (probably SM57, or an AKG D3800). About where over the body should the mic go? Over the cone? Somewhere between the cone and the neck? [This message was edited by Chris Walke on 02 April 2002 at 07:21 AM.] |
Howard Parker
Member From: Clarksburg,MD USA
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posted 02 April 2002 07:51 AM
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Well...It depends  On your preferred sound and the guitar. My personal position is at about the 18th fret, pointed more towards the bass strings. If I need to get a more agressive sound I'll position the guitar as the mic points closer the treble side, closer to the right hand position. There is no right or wrong. Try to play around with position before the gig and you'll appreciate the options. Cheers, hp ------------------
Howard Parker
poobah@resoguit.com
www.resoguit.com
ListOwner RESOGUIT |
D Schubert
Member From: Columbia, MO, USA
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posted 02 April 2002 08:37 AM
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I get best results in all-accoustic moderate-to-loud bluegrass setting with SM-57 mic somewhere between 15th fret and the three little soundholes just beyond the fingerboard, slightly towards the treble side. No more than 4-6" above the strings. One additional thing to watch out for -- with a SM-57 turned "upside down" over the guitar, you must watch out for feedback, depending on location of nearest monitor cabinet. I try to angle the mic head towards me at about 45° rather than straight down for that reason. Get there early and make sure there is no feedback demon lurking on your part of the stage. For recording, I've used large diaphragm Neumann or AKG directly above this same sweet spot, about 12" above the strings. |
Chris Walke
Member From: St Charles, IL
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posted 02 April 2002 09:02 AM
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Thanks alot! If anyone else has any tips, warnings, etc, I'd love to know more. |
Ron Randall
Member From: Dallas, Texas, USA
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posted 02 April 2002 06:19 PM
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Bob Brozman has some great tips for setting up his Nationals before a gig. Check his website. Tips on EQ, no reverb on the monitor. Lo volume on the monitor. How to ring out the hall looking for feedback ghosts.He does some neat tricks like moving the guitar/dobro/reso under the mic to change timbre on purpose. I notice with my Dobro, that I get a deep mellow tone with the mic over the 3 little holes or over the itty bitty grill. The tone changes as you move back to the resonator. I get a pretty good all around sound with the mic near the tail piece. Best sound I ever got was with two mics mixed. One over the 14th fret and one over the tailpiece. Knock em dead. ------------------
Fender Stringmaster T-8
PV N400
Dobro squareneck
Dobro roundneck
Lots of Taylors
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Chris Walke
Member From: St Charles, IL
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posted 03 April 2002 07:00 AM
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Thanks Ron! Don't know why I've never been to Brozman's site. I don't have a National, but I'm sure his tips will be a good starting point, at least. | |
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