 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Miles
Date: 2002-07-11 21:45
Hello All,
Looking for a good system that can be used for making the clarinet sound better. I play a lot of outside gigs. One mic on the clarinet just dosen't cut it anymore.
Thanks,
Miles
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Author: Birch
Date: 2002-07-12 00:15
Play really **************** [Watch your language. First warning. Second you're out.] loud! That's the only thing that works in the slightest. If you play extemely loud, an inadiquate mic will work better because it will pick up less background noise.
I play a lot of loud bar gigs, and I've been using a Shure 98 condensor mic that weighs 12 grams. I rigged up a hose clamp to attach it to the bottom of my lower joint, pointing up towards my head, and it works better than anything else I've tried.
Shure does make a mic designed by Eddie Daniels with two mics, one pointing up, and the other into the bell. I haven't tried, but a friend of mine bought one and said it worked pretty good. I think it's a pretty expensive mic, though.
--Birch
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-07-12 15:17
Applied Microphone Technology (single & dual "mikes on a stick" that clamp to the clarinet) and Barcus Berry (transducer) supply clarinet microphones. The pros and cons have been discussed on the BBoard before - you might want to try searching.
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Author: mike
Date: 2002-07-12 15:45
This is truly the biggest pain in the !@#$%^&*() to deal with. I play sax and flute and they are much easier to deal with. The easiest thing to do is get a large diaphragm mic that isn't too expensive (AKG C3000 or similar) Not great mics for live playing (much better for recording) but your problem is solved. The drag is that they are so live that if you aren't careful, you will pick up everything around you as well.
The other thing that works and works better (in my opinion) is to take 2 decent mics (I use Sure SM 57) and put 1 in the bell and one on the body. The bell mic at about 8-10 inches away and the body about 8 inches away pointed toward the middle. Mix the 2 until you find a sound that works.
The easiest and best answer if you have about $600 is Applied Technologies mic. 2 mics clipped to the body 9really good sounding mics) I think the company is in Livingston New jersey.
Mike
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2002-07-12 18:03
This is a dollars-to-donuts issue. The better solutions cost more money.
Several companies make transducers (mikes) that can be mounted, epoxied into a hole in either the barrel or mouthpiece. I have the latter. Key-click is an issue. If you EQ out the keyclick, what remains is a rather dull, unappealing sound. Having someone good go over your keywork will make things livable but not perfect. This setup is immune to wind noise. A big problem is that the sound level will increase significantly for full-fingered notes (full B, low E). I have one of these setups, but would not recommend this particular model - it only works because my electronics wizard friend made it work.
Using a microphone on a stand will give a similar effect, except that open notes (throat A and B-Flat) will produce significantly lower sound levels as well. My approach to this method is to use a cardiod-pattern mike, mounted low but off-axis, so that it hits both the direct sound coming from the bell and the diffuse sound from the tone holes.
Buddy Defranco uses something the sound man I spoke with called "a funky old lavalier mike" that worked surprisingly well, similar to above. Clipped to his lapel, it reproduced everything except the full-fingered notes.
A two-mike setup is best. The EMT is highly recommended but I haven't played on it. If you don't want to spend the big bucks, try two lesser expensive mikes. You should be able to get the hardware to hang them both from a single boom - any decent store that caters to professionals should have something, or else try the mail order places. Note that a cheap boom with two mikes and other hardware on it will sink out of position. Point one mike directly into the bell, and the other one above and between your hands. Play with the relative levels until you feel they will work for you.
Regards,
Ralph
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-07-12 20:19
I'm currently using an SD Systems LCM 82, wireless 2 mic condenser bell mounted/lyre-ringed set-up. Belt clip power pack with volume, tone and stand-by switch. A bit pricey at $669, however it adequately represents my natural sound when EQd flat. Overall a very nice, reliable piece...it certainly goes through batteries like Christmas tree lights though! The main benefits of the LCM 82 for me is freedom of movement, I can stroll on demand, don't have to contend with working the mic like a vocalist and it projects a more steady signal from the mains and in turn, back at me in the cans. However, when comparing it to the good old used multi-directional Sure SM 58s I played into for years it's almost a close toss up. I generally ran one on a gooseneck 8-10" between upper/lower joints and the other on a floor-mounted 12" kick drum stand pointed 80-85 degrees (gain boosted). Never really had an issue with them other than the throat tones seem to be a tad hot and boomy if I wasn't careful and backing-off way up in the trees. They are/were GREAT mics, some of the best made and sounding for the money...durable, roadworthy little gems! We'd throw them at each other like lawn darts during set up/tear down and they never failed us once. Many big venue rock bands couldn't survive their 6-8 month 140-gig national/world tours without them. v/r KEN
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Author: Colin Farquhar
Date: 2002-07-13 18:44
From the point of view of both a clarinetist, and a professional sound tech, all I can say about clarinet mic'ing is try, try again. I've seen/heard variations on all the above systems work with varying results (although the AMT sytem is my personal fav). If you have to use a stand mic, try the A-T 3525, E-V ND/408, or AKG 451. I personally try to stay away from SM-57's, I find the sound a bit too nasal and honky, but thats just the quaslities that make the '57 a great snare and guitar amp mic!
C'est la Vie
Colin Farquhar
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2002-07-16 13:02
Ken & Colin,
Great comments!
I have worked with an SM-57 in the bell, and an SM-58 up higher, with good results. These can be gotten reasonably inexpensively, and are indeed a lot of bands' "war horses".
Regards
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