mini mics on mandolin - movie clip

[mando-bob]

Hi picking follows,

for those of you who are interested in the different sound qualities of some mini microphones for mandolin I recently uploaded a short video.
I used a DPA 4061 omni, a Audio Technica ATM 350 cardioid and a Countryman Isomax hypercardioid.
I would have loved to include a DPA 4099, a AMT violin/mandolin mic and John Bartlett mandolin mic - all great pics I owned but sold or loaned them to friends.

I also did some clips trying different small condensers (Schoeps, Neumann, Gefell), large condensers (Neumann, AKG, Brauner, Mojave tube, Ear Trumpet) and a ribbon (Coles).

Best,
Bob





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1htqvaQLg8

[rockies]

John Reischman and the Jaybirds use mini mikes on their instruments (including the Loar) with a radio tx and rx to the PA. The condenser mike on stage is just for the vocals etc. I do not know what make or model the mini mikes are (barely visible) but do know that Jim Nunally devised the set up they use when he was with the band.
Dave

[sblock]

I have seen it: John Reischman uses a DPA 4099 mike. The wireless transmitter is cleverly mounted to a ToneGard (the "Art Deco model") attached to the back of the mandolin.

[sblock]

I listened to the recording (thanks).

The only close-in mini mic that stood out for me, really, was the DPA 4061. It sounded brighter and clearer, with more high end. It was hard to tell from the Shoeps MK4 (regular mic). The two others, ATM 350 and Countryman, both sounded quite "muffled," by comparison, and easily distinguished from the DPA 4061.

This leads me to wonder about the differences between the DPA 4016 (omni) and DPA 4099 (directional) mics. Too bad you weren't able to test the DPA 4099, as well. Also, I am not sure why one would choose to use an omnidirectional mic on a mandolin. Is it not more prone to feedback? What is your experience with that?

[mando-bob]

Hi sblock,
and thank you for your reply.
I sold my DPA 4099 some weeks ago because i didn't use it any more. But I will ask a fiddle friend to give me his and then post a new comparison with DPA 4099 and DPA 4061. That will take some time.

I used many mini mics on stage over the years on locations from 50 to 500 visitors: Crown GLM 200, DPA 4099, AMT violin/mandolin, Countryman Isomax, ATM 350, Shure Beta 98 clip on, John Bartlett mandolin mic, DPA 4061. The conditions on stage were mostly consistent using my own personal monitor, a QSC K8, which is the best tool I ever used as a monitor (and I used AERs for years).
What I found out is that the DPA 4061 is not more prone to feedback than the other pics and it gives a great sound. For half the price the John Bartlett mandolin mic is in the same league.
I use the DPA 4061 in several acoustic guitars and one day I tried it on mandolin. I expected feedback hell and landed in mandolin heaven ! The trick with the omni pattern is: There is no proximity effect with omni, so you can mount it right on the edge of the f-hole and get a lot of gain there which is gain before feedback. Only EQ that I use is a 80 Hz HPF. But no problems even if the mixing desk doesn't supply that.
Decent monitoring is crucial as with all mics on stage. The QSC K8 is great for that because it gives an even sound, no hyped trebles. That is the problem with many dedicated acoustic amps: They tend to hype the trebles to give the guitar pickup some sparkle or air. Combined with a microphone you get much closer to feedback than using a decent active speaker.