How to pick up a Shakuhachi (acoustically)
How to pick up a Shakuhachi (acoustically)
Hi,
though I'm not anywhere near proficient enough, I have the opportunity to play with other musicians from various Genres. I tried a few sessions, but we never found a good way of picking the shakuhachi sound up with the microphones we used. I had vocalist mics placed in front of me, towards the bottom end of the flute, but in order to amplify it this way so it could compete with a drumset or rock guitars required so much gain, that feedback occurred. At lower levels the Shakuhachi just went under.
I went to one of the biggest music stores in Europe (four story building, like IKEA for music instruments), where I was shuffled from one department to the next for hours but no one really could help me. In the end I landed in the PA department where I was presented with the option of using a special microphone pre-amp with a certain headset:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/akg_b29l.htm and http://www.thomann.de/gb/akg_c_555_l.htm
They didn't have the ability to have me try things out (such a big shop ...), so I politely declined. Does anyone have a tested option for this problem? I'd like to be able to plug the Shakuhachi into a standard PA somehow.
Thanks!
though I'm not anywhere near proficient enough, I have the opportunity to play with other musicians from various Genres. I tried a few sessions, but we never found a good way of picking the shakuhachi sound up with the microphones we used. I had vocalist mics placed in front of me, towards the bottom end of the flute, but in order to amplify it this way so it could compete with a drumset or rock guitars required so much gain, that feedback occurred. At lower levels the Shakuhachi just went under.
I went to one of the biggest music stores in Europe (four story building, like IKEA for music instruments), where I was shuffled from one department to the next for hours but no one really could help me. In the end I landed in the PA department where I was presented with the option of using a special microphone pre-amp with a certain headset:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/akg_b29l.htm and http://www.thomann.de/gb/akg_c_555_l.htm
They didn't have the ability to have me try things out (such a big shop ...), so I politely declined. Does anyone have a tested option for this problem? I'd like to be able to plug the Shakuhachi into a standard PA somehow.
Thanks!
I used a similar headset for my skype lessons. I am located in Germany as well. If you are near you can try it at my home with a (home) PA.
I have seen some bag pipe players on stage with hard rock drummer. They used to bind the headsets to their forearms pointing to the flutepipe. Worked very well and they where loud!
look here "vermaledeyt" playing "Karascha" arround 30sec you can clearly see the mike and micamp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0jcDGT1c-I&feature=related
BTW Can anybody identify the flute played at 30sec. The angle is like playing a ney but its seems not to be a ney
I have seen some bag pipe players on stage with hard rock drummer. They used to bind the headsets to their forearms pointing to the flutepipe. Worked very well and they where loud!
look here "vermaledeyt" playing "Karascha" arround 30sec you can clearly see the mike and micamp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0jcDGT1c-I&feature=related
BTW Can anybody identify the flute played at 30sec. The angle is like playing a ney but its seems not to be a ney
In a live setting you need isolation to mic a shakuhachi with a band. Many people use the Countryman E6 with great satisfaction. Though it's a little more expensive than the AKG unit, it's much more elegant. Here's a link http://countryman.com/store/product.asp?id=92&catid=2
"iontichy""iontichy"I had vocalist mics placed in front of me, towards the bottom end of the flute, but in order to amplify it this way so it could compete with a drumset or rock guitars required so much gain, that feedback occurred. At lower levels the Shakuhachi just went under.
If you use a vocal mic it should be near the mouthpiece end. For the sound check, you play up close to the mic in the lower register and have the sound man adjust the gain. Then back away from the mic play stuff in the higher register and ask how it sounds, if it's too loud back away more, if it's too weak don't back away so much. Remember how far away you need to be for upper register stuff, if you are standing you can mark the floor with masking tape. After the sound check is over you play the upper register stuff where you made the mark away from the mic, and move up closer to play in the lower register.
I like to use the headset mics for home recordings, then you can adjust for the differences as you do the mix.
I see a lot of pro's using the headset mics for live performances though, I don't know how they manage the volume differences in different registers.
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