New here, and a bit of advice about sticky stuff...

[elbowgeek]

Hi all, new to the board here and I've already found an immense amount of info.

I am researching micing techniques for an upright for a small jazz combo I'm doing sound for at an intimate venue in March. I am leaning toward the "mic-between-the-bridge-legs" concept I've found written about here, but I do have another option. I was given a Barcus-Berry piano pickup a while back, and was wondering if anyone had ever tried this on a DB.

The reason I ask is that I may not get to experiment with different DB amplification options before the event (not many DB's here on the island - I'm not even sure where they're going to rent the bass from!), but if I do get my hands on one to play with I probably won't have much time to muck about with it.

As for the sticky stuff... the BB pickup uses double-sided foam tape stuff to attach itself, and I'm concerned that it might damage the finish of the bass, so if that's an issue I'll not use it.

Sorry for the rambling post here - I'm just obsessed with getting the sound as good as possible as I'm trying to build my reputation one of Bermuda's only live sound engineers who actually gives a toss about sound quality. (That's not horn-blowing - that's the reality here, sadly).

Cheers and thanks for any help y'all can give

[Jake deVilliers]

If those are the only two choices, then go with a dynamic pointed at the top between the feet. A decent amount of signal and good rejection.

The H-clamp holding the mike further up the top as per Chris Fitzgerald may sound better but there's a lot more hardware involved.

[otis_thick]

If dynamic is what you have. You can take a dynamic and wrap in a bathcloth or padding foam and carefully place it between tailpiece and body. That will give the low end. For articulation, mic it from the front and a little to the side but pointed to the body about 2 feet from plucking hand.

You can also use the Berry with the bathcloth or (in this case, better) foam. Use the foam to press the Berry against the body without using the tape.

Good luck

Originally Posted by elbowgeek

Hi all, new to the board here and I've already found an immense amount of info.

I am researching micing techniques for an upright for a small jazz combo I'm doing sound for at an intimate venue in March. I am leaning toward the "mic-between-the-bridge-legs" concept I've found written about here, but I do have another option. I was given a Barcus-Berry piano pickup a while back, and was wondering if anyone had ever tried this on a DB.

The reason I ask is that I may not get to experiment with different DB amplification options before the event (not many DB's here on the island - I'm not even sure where they're going to rent the bass from!), but if I do get my hands on one to play with I probably won't have much time to muck about with it.

As for the sticky stuff... the BB pickup uses double-sided foam tape stuff to attach itself, and I'm concerned that it might damage the finish of the bass, so if that's an issue I'll not use it.

Sorry for the rambling post here - I'm just obsessed with getting the sound as good as possible as I'm trying to build my reputation one of Bermuda's only live sound engineers who actually gives a toss about sound quality. (That's not horn-blowing - that's the reality here, sadly).

Cheers and thanks for any help y'all can give

[elbowgeek]

Thanks all. I've found that the music school I work for does indeed have an upright I can experiment with. Not a great one, but what the heck.

I do want to try the BB pickup though. I figure if it's made to capture a good piano sound off the sound board, it should sound decent with a DB. I will have to experiment on placement though, but that's half the fun for me.

Cheers