Miking an accordion
Iam
using modern (this century) equipment and am especially interested in
wireless.
This summer in Norway, I saw a band called Kvarts. Their accordionist
was using some sort of mike on a small gooseneck that was attached to
the top of his accordion. He only miked the treble side (he hardly
played the bass side at all) and it seemed to do a great job. It may
well have been an AKG c 516 ml but I'm not sure. I know he wasn't
wireless.
Any info or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!
Adrock
When I did an amateur studio recording earlier this summer with my
friend (a flautist), the engineer used a fairly sensitive vocal mic
(don't remember specifics, but it sat in a no-contact cradle) on my
treble side. He didn't have another mic for the bass side, and so the
one mic sat about a foot and a half from my grill, and it actually
ended up getting a fair capture of the sound of both sides. That might
have been as a result of my swaying a little bit as I was playing, but
I was trying to be conscious of my movement for the recording, but the
accordion sound is pretty quality for a tight, no-budget session in a
home studio.
I would also be interested in learning more about this topic, though,
since a majority of engineers probably haven't got a clue as to how to
mic an accordion effectively, and I would like to continue to record
as I am able. Eventually, I'll buy my own mics for the job, so I
second the above poster.
John's Musical
"Iam" <jtb...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191765410.1...@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
Possible you saw the LIMEX gooseneck vocal mic and the Limex microphones
fitted
into an accordion.
John
http://www.johnsaccordionservice.com/
Iam
Thanks John. I'll check out Limex. The accordionist I saw was not
singing ot talking so that gooseneck mike, whichever model it was, was
it for miking the treble lobe. He had the cord coming off it draped
over his shoulder, then going down hos back.
Iam
Check out the AKG model I mentioned in the earlier post at their
website. It's one of the only mikes I've found online at least where
the manufacturer actually promotes it as an external accordion mike
and has a drawing in the user manual (which you can download) of two
of them mounted on an accordion to cover both sides. The interesting
thing about these mikes is that you can get a beltpak that actually
has two inputs on it, with separate volume controls for each input.
You could then pass the signal from that into the wireless transmitter
they make and prance around cord-free!
Krazy Kanuck
Just google "accordion microphone system" and there's at least one company
that makes a set of external mics like you describe that are held on each
side of the accordion with velcro strips, and the output lines from each go
to a beltpack/eq/mixer.....
Len
--
....Order the "Accordion Evolution" documentary of the Las Vegas
International Accordion Convention from my website:
http://users.accesscomm.ca/limbery/
...Del Sur Al Norte...Regina Sk. Canada Latin and South American Folk dance
band:
www.DelSurAlNorte.info
"Iam" <jtb...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191771393.2...@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
Iam
wrote:
Good stuff, Mr. Kanuck! Looks like lots of wires though. Anyone used
this system? Here's another one that looks interesting:http://
www.zzounds.com/item--SAMCON77SHM40 Just a single mike and channel in
the transmitter, but it's wireless and the price sure looks good.
There's also a version that features the wireless transmitter right on
the mike's gooseneck for even more freedom of movement:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--SAMAIR77SHM40
Iam
> the transmitter, but it's wireless and the price sure looks good.
> There's also a version that features the wireless transmitter right on
> the mike's gooseneck for even more freedom of movement:http://www.zzounds.com/item--SAMAIR77SHM40
Another interesting looking system that I just discovered:
http://www.sdsystems.com/300/mic300.htm
rod...@mont-alto.com
M310, which has a bar with three microphones that attach to the treble
grille, and a single mic that attaches to the bass. It gave a nice
sound, but I didn't like attaching velcro to my instrument (it's a
natural wood grille, it would be less offensive on black). The two
channels are mixed in the bar, and a single output comes out that can
go to a mixer, or to a belt pack if you want to go wireless. The other
drawback is that I wore one out by breaking the wire to the bass
section and it made horrible noises when the wire bent in certain
ways. I bought a replacement, and I still use it on that accordion.
http://www.microvox.demon.co.uk/accpage.htm
My more recent accordion came with an installed Sennheiser system, and
it sounds wonderful. Best of all, it's part of the instrument and you
don't have to keep track of it separately -- just plug in the cord.
The cord is a stereo 1/4 plug, which you could run into a belt pack
again if you want cordless. This would be more work to install, I'm
sure, but it's only once and you can probably get an accordion
repairman to do it for you.
There may be other good systems out there, but those work for me and
they handle the bass adequately. I've never been able to mic the bass
with a separate mic on a stand; your left hand just moves too much.
Rodney Sauer
Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra
www.mont-alto.com
MK
wrote:
I have tried a number of methods and really any 2 external mics placed
just a few inches from your bass and keyboard sides work very well.
(The important thing is to have a monitor so you can hear.) I have
sennheisers and just play with them all attached to one mic stand.
Three mics in all, including one for vocal. Sometimes I don't use a
bass side mic, and just twist to move the accordion bass side to be
closer to the mic. That is not ideal for picking up all the sound at
all. The bass side can not be heard if it is not mic'd too.
All the internal mics I tried were too prone to feedback, and I have
since read that everybody notices this is the case with the internal
mics although the manufacturers will say they are perfect ;-) - they
are just touchy - but were workable and it was nice to be able to move
more freely instead of having to be right there in standing in one
position right next to the mic all the time. - - which is why that
little mic on the curvy mount you saw looks like a very good idea. For
sure, sticking a mic right on the accordion is not so great. We tried
some stick on mics from my husband's collection for guitar and
mandolin, and woah what a racket especially from the bass button
clicking ha! I thought we might pick up some clicking, but it was
unbelievable how loud it was.
Last year I got a really good deal on a like new accordion that was in
a pawn shop with one of those little directional mics tied with a
bread wrapper tie to the front grille... the previous owner probably
sold it because that setup didn't work very well in his rock band or
something - which would be understandable. (Too bad though, because
more bands need to be using accordions.)
MK
Hey Rodney, It's cool what you are doing. I did not see your photo w.
your accordion on the site though.
MK
Krazy Kanuck
which can be turned on or off. This eliminates a lot of feedback....
Len
--
....Order the "Accordion Evolution" documentary of the Las Vegas
International Accordion Convention from my website:
http://users.accesscomm.ca/limbery/
...Del Sur Al Norte...Regina Sk. Canada Latin and South American Folk dance
band:
www.DelSurAlNorte.info
"MK" <sup...@aufrance.com> wrote in message
news:1191909724.6...@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
Iam
wrote:
> One advantage of the Limex internal mics is that they have a noise-gate
> which can be turned on or off. This eliminates a lot of feedback....
> Len
>
> --
> ....Order the "Accordion Evolution" documentary of the Las Vegas
> International Accordion Convention from my website:http://users.accesscomm.ca/limbery/
> ...Del Sur Al Norte...Regina Sk. Canada Latin and South American Folk dance
> band:www.DelSurAlNorte.info
>
This is just great - I'm seeing and hearing about gear that I never
knew existed which is exactly what I was hoping for in this thread.
The one that Mr. Kanuck was talking about I believe is this one:
http://www.kksound.com/accordion.html
bou...@gmail.com
> This summer in Norway, I saw a band called Kvarts. Their accordionist
> was using some sort of mike on a small gooseneck that was attached to
> the top of his accordion. He only miked the treble side (he hardly
> played the bass side at all) and it seemed to do a great job. It may
> well have been an AKG c 516 ml but I'm not sure. I know he wasn't
> wireless.
>
> Any info or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!
Kvarts has both a website and a myspace page...you should try writing
them at either place and asking one of the accordionists (there're
two, both a CBA (c-griff) and DBA player) what he's using. ;^D
Iam
I know - I actually met Jo Asgeir Lie at the Landskappliek in Geilo
this June and have his email address. I wasn't that interested in
miking solutions at the time so I didn't ask him then, but I'm going
to. Man - are they a kick ass band!
rod...@mont-alto.com
Thanks! I use piano much more than accordion when working on silent
film scores. I have occasionally played accordion for live film scores
in a trio with piano, accordion, and percussion, totally improvised,
and that's a lot of fun. I've also done some double-tracking for some
film scores where I play both accordion and piano, which has been
interesting; there are a couple of DVD releases that have those
recordings. The most fun was doing some Bach keyboard suites for multi-
tracked accordion.
I've put up a little snippet on the web site if you want to hear what
1910s-era silent film music sounds like adapted for piano and
accordion.
Go to our home page and look towards the bottom of the text.