 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wdavis1948
Date: 2015-02-23 10:39
Playing in a big band and need occasional clarinet solo miked. Other than the two pickup, $700 clip on mike, any suggestions for clarinet/mike matchup? Currently trying to position mike near middle of horn about 1 1/2 to 2 feet away. Any success stories with other setups?
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Author: Wisco99
Date: 2015-02-23 13:57
You are correct in placing a mic in the middle of the clarinet, but 6-12 inches. Just use a Shure SM57 or SM58. The SM58 will give you more proximity effect, that is a boost in the lower frequencies as it gets closer to the sound source. They can be had for around $125. I am assuming someone has a mixer to run the mic cord to for the P.A. You do not need pickups on the instrument just for an occasional solo. Using a mic allows you to back off on a high note if needed. If you are doing a Broadway show on multiple woodwinds, you usually just lean in a bit closer for a flute or exposed clarinet solo. Keep it simple. Your fate rests in the hands of the sound man.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2015-02-23 15:53
AKG has a couple of very good clip-on mics that are much cheaper. I think I remember Shure has a good one too but not sure of the cost. The non-double mic from AMT is also not anywhere $700 last time I checked... which was a long time ago.
What you describe could work but it depends on the situation and the specific microphone. In some situations a mic more than a foot away wouldn't amplify much before feedback. Sometimes you have to compromise eveness for being able to be amplified at all. I've great results with a pretty close basic dynamic mic and I had terrible results with the best condensers (and vise versa). It really depends on the sitaution and the sound person.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-02-23 18:30
You can use an omni-directional microphone which will be free of proximity effect. have a smoother response and less coloration. To make up for the gain that the cardioid microphone has, you can reduce the distance to the clarinet by 1/2.
Other possibilities are dipole or cosine (figure 8) patterns that will have very high rejection to the sides and to reflections off the floor and ceiling. This type of microphone has the highest proximity effect so, more bass boost up close. A ribbon microphone or something like and AKG-414 has this pattern as an option. You might find that this works better than the cardioid or omni for maximum isolation and "gain before feedback" ...
Some cardioid microphones like the Electrovoice RE-20 have less proximity effect and more uniform rejection off the back.
For recording clarinet (not sound reinforcement), I generally use two Earthworks TC-20/30 or QTC-30 microphones, experimentally spaced apart to smooth out the uneven polar pattern of the clarinet.
If you have access to different microphones you just have to experiment to get the best results.
The Shure SM-57 and SM-58 are a good place to start and may be just fine. More exotic microphones like the RE-20 and Earthworks will set you back at least $500.00 each. An amazingly good ribbon microphone can be purchased for about 130 bucks from Cascade Microphones ... sounds better than some $3500.00 microphones. IMHO. Only downside is that they only come in figure 8 patterns and are very fragile because the aluminum ribbon is just a few hundred molecules thick and can be stretched with just a blast of air.
Tom
Post Edited (2015-02-23 18:53)
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Author: Wisco99
Date: 2015-02-23 18:34
I toured with the Buddy Rich Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, done numerous Broadway shows, and more name acts than can fit here. Everyone used a mic for the woodwinds on a mic stand. You can spend big bucks, and I have $700 Neumann mics, but a Shure SM57 is still widely used for live performances, even where the sound level on stage is ear splitting like the Temptations and 4 Tops. I have used a clip on mic for saxophone that attaches to the bell, and you will have problems with it picking up key noise, fingers noise, and have wires hanging from your instrument. Using a conventional mic setup on a stand allows you to use the mic by moving closer or further away just as a singer does. Here is a link for Pete Fountain on the old Tonight Show. You can see exactly where the mic is. Pete played the same way at his club only he had a very expensive mic because he had the money. Most shows I have done with professional sound companies will still use a SM57 for woodwinds. They are bulletproof, get a great sound, and have a cardioid pickup pattern which is what you need. Here is the link for Pete. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGV0DjYXBLk
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-02-23 18:50
Shure SM57/58 have been around for decades and are rugged, sound great and last forever. I think Shure has outsourced all of their production to Mexico on these microphones. Although the 57 and 58 measure and sound different, they use the same capsule and the only difference is the wind screen. In addition, the Shure SM-57 has been the official presidential microphone for decades ... the ones you see on TV have the optional foam windscreens attached, so they look different.
I read a blind shoot-outs for vocalist applications on microphones including Neumann, Schoeps, Coles, etc and a lowly SM-57. The SM-57 came out tops, and was the cheapest of the pack, by as much as of 40:1!!
Tom
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-02-23 19:02
Also, keep in mind that the cardioid has more handling noise than an omni-directional microphone. You may need a shock mount if the microphone gets bumped, if it is mounted on your music stand. Rolling off the low frequencies on the mixing console can help this, if it is a problem.
Unfortunately, there are precious few omni-directional dynamic microphones, most are condensers ...
Tom
Post Edited (2015-02-23 19:04)
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