Fiddle Clip-on Microphone Placement
When using a clip-on microphone for a violin, where should you place it and what way should it be pointing? I've heard conflicting advice on this, and seen fiddlers put them in several different places, so what sounds best? Chris Jacoby and I tested a common cardiod condenser clip-on microphone (the Audio Technica pro 35) in several positions and orientations. We simultaneously recorded with a common cardiod dynamic stand-mounted microphone, the Shure sm57, positioned about four inches above and pointed at the bridge. As we varied the position of the clip-on, we didn't change the dynamic one.
I asked several people to evaluate recordings of the 10 mic positions plus two randomly chosen ones of the sm57. These were blind evaluations; no one knew which recordings were which. Evaluators were:
Jeff Kaufman (me)
Contra dance musician (mandolin, octave fiddle) listening on a QSC K10 speaker.
Alice Kaufman
Classical violin player and fiddler, also listening on a K10.
Classical and contra dance musician (mandolin, guitar), unknown speakers.
Classical and contra dance musician (violin, viola) listening on Tannoy pbm-6.5 speakers
Everyone listened to the samples in the same randomized order, which in retrospect wasn't ideal. If you would like to test for yourself what you liked and disliked, before reading further make up your mind from these blinded samples and then check the key.
notes chords 1162 1035 1179 1111 1264 1132 1304 1168 1338 1276 1359 1300 1445 1345 1463 1448 1476 1569 1657 1616 1726 1738 1942 1818
Overall we were surprised how many sounded good. There were some we didn't like, but most of the tests gave clear sounds across the range of the instrument. Looking at everyone's preferences, position 11 with the mic just above the G-string seems to be the best all-around:
Aside from that, we were kind of all over the map. There were a few that we all agreed sounded bad (#4), and we had some agreement on ways particular ones were unusual (#8), but there was no clear second choice position. Contrary to my expectation, the dynamic mic (sm57) was not generally preferred to the best clip-on locations.
Labled recordings with pictures, sound samples, and reviews:
1: Center, 45 degrees, 1.25" away clip-on: notes Jeff: good Alice: worse Chris: 0 Audrey: not too shabby, #1 chops Jeff: good Alice: ok Chris: - dynamic: notes chops
2: Center, 0 degrees, 0.38" away clip-on: notes Jeff: good Alice: no Chris: 0 Audrey: meh chops Jeff: good Alice: ok Chris: -, too dark dynamic: notes chops
4: G string, 0 degrees, at the body clip-on: notes Jeff: ugh Alice: muted Chris: + 0, #6 Audrey: meh chops Jeff: interesting, dislike Alice: no Chris: -, seems like more mids, less other things dynamic: notes chops
5: E string, pointed at the sound post, at the body clip-on: notes Jeff: interesting, unsure Alice: good tied #1 Chris: + + 0: bassier, less highs, #3 Audrey: meh chops Jeff: interesting, unsure Alice: too much baritone or something, unbalanced,
can't decide if I like it, #1 Chris: 0, whoa more lows/mids, interesting sound,
not bad, but not what I like, #5 dynamic: notes chops
6: Center, 0 degrees, almost touching clip-on: notes Jeff: muffled Alice: fine, tied #2 Chris: less shrill Audrey: meh chops Jeff: fine- Alice: not quite as good Chris: +, #2 dynamic: notes Jeff: good+, some light buzzing Alice: fine, tied #1 Chris: + + 0, #4 Audrey: yuck chops Jeff: fine Alice: fine Chris: + Has a lot of bow noise, but that
might be okay. Otherwise, I like it. #5
7: bottom of the bass f-hole, straight down, 2" away clip-on: notes Jeff: good- Alice: fine, tied #2 Chris: + 0, #5 Audrey: ok chops Jeff: slightly muted Alice: good, more bass sound, good for chops #3 Chris: + +, seems most balanced (is this the sm57?) #1 dynamic: notes chops
8: inch below the bass f-hole, straight down, 1" away clip-on: notes Jeff: too screetchy, bad bass Alice: fine, #3 Chris: 0 Audrey: yuck chops Jeff: ok, electric Alice: no; too much treble Chris: -, scratchier, sounds more electric dynamic: notes Jeff: maybe a little too much high Alice: shrill Chris: + + + 0, #2 Audrey: yuck chops
9: bottom of the treble f-hole, straight down, 2" away clip-on: notes Jeff: very good Alice: fine, tied #1 Chris: 0 Audrey: meh chops Jeff: ok Alice: good, not balanced, but I like it #4 Chris: -, in comparison to the previous bunch
seems dull in the low mids. dynamic: notes chops
10: inch below the treble f-hole, straight down, 1" away clip-on: notes Jeff: good-, not so vibrant Alice: worse Chris: 0: Less Audrey: yuck chops Jeff: ok Alice: fine; breathy grumbling Chris: -, darker dynamic: notes chops Jeff: not quite as good Alice: slightly better Chris: +, #4
11: G string, 0 degrees, 0.5" away clip-on: notes Jeff: good; slightly screetchy Alice: no Chris: + + + +, #1 Audrey: alright chops Jeff: fine Alice: good, more balanced #2 Chris: +, #3 dynamic: notes chops
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