Violin microphones
Part of a series on Instrument Microphones:
Violin Microphones is part of a set of web pages written to demystify the miking and amplification of acoustic instruments.
Violin Microphones: To quote Aidan O'Rourke of Blazin' Fiddles and Lau, "It's an eternal challenge ... the fiddle is difficult to capture and can sound harsh if you get it wrong".
To mic-up an acoustic instrument can be difficult but the use of a good instrument microphone will take you a long way to getting the correct sound.
Just like any instrument the violin produces sound using many different parts of the instrument.
1. initiation - strings and bow/fingers
2. amplification - soundboard
3. secondary amplification - sound box or body
Each part plays its own role.
The initial string sound gives the note which is to be played. The sound of the string, with the characteristics of the string's fabrication, is then transmitted to the instrument via the bridge and soundboard and ultimately into the main body of the instrument.
The soundboard increases the moving area and therefore the volume of air that is in motion so producing a natural amplification of the initial sound. This increased sound level can be collected by a violin microphone or violin contact pickup. The important thing is that a quality instrument microphone must be used.
Once the soundboard is excited by these vibrations, the internal volume of the instrument comes into play and the natural resonance of the instrument body increases the volume of the sound but furthermore it imposes it's character on the sound. This is the unique sound possessed by that instrument, the reason you bought this instrument and the sound you want to amplify.
But where do you place violin microphones ?
There are three main choices,
1. close to the strings to pick up their initial sound and character,
2. close to the body to pick up the vibrations of the instrument,
3. close to the f hole where the main sound leaves the instrument.
All three locations have their advantages and disadvantages.
Close to the strings using a suspension violin microphone, which hangs from the strings behind the bridge, will give a very pure sound, rich in the initial string character and full of body from the bowing action. This will give a very real violin sound, it will have reduced instrument resonance which can be manifest as a lack of the full character of the instrument or as a pure sound which you can amplify successfully and tailor with your amplification system to create the sound you want.
Using a contact microphone on the body of the instrument will give a high volume with minimal risk to feedback when amplified. The strong, sometimes dry, signal from the body will give great punch to the violin sound.
For a more mellow and rich sound, a violin microphone close to the f hole is the answer. The full character of the instrument will be heard by this microphone.
The exact position of any instrument microphone must be tuned by the player. Although the manufacturer's suggested location will give a good sound it can often be improved by making small adjustments on your own instrument. No two instruments are the same, even from the same maker. Experiment and change the position until you are happy that you have the best sound for you and your instrument.
Summary
Try different types of violin microphone.
Try your choice of microphone in different locations on your instrument.
Consider your instrument and your microphone as two units working together.
If you have found this short article useful perhaps you would like to read others;
If you want a practical instrument microphone which will perform as described above then why not visit www.accusound.com
To learn more about violin microphones go to;
Accusound - Violin Microphones.
Accusound workshops - Violin Microphones.
