I'm in a band with a banjo player and it is difficult to hear the banjo over everything else. Using a pickup has proven better than using a mic. We have run the pickup into an guitar amp and also strait into the mackie mixer that we use for our PA. If we turn up the banjo volume loud enough for it to get heard the pickup starts to feedback uncontrolably in the amp or the PA everytime. I know that the banjo is a hard instrument to work with in a rock setting, what with drums and all but there has to be some way? Any tips or gear suggestions. I was thinking some sort of compressor maybe or specialised amplifier. I don't know? Any help would be great. Thanks!
Banjo Players!
- Thread starter Dipthong
- Start date
memphissound
New member
What type of EQ, if any, are you using on the banjo?
One of the least heard phrases in the English language: "That's the banjo player's Porche."
Peace <><
One of the least heard phrases in the English language: "That's the banjo player's Porche."
Peace <><
We are using the Eq on the mackie board that is hooked up to our Pa speakers. We also experimented with a korg guitar effect pedal. This increased the volume of the banjo a little but not enough. The korg is able to do allot more to raise the volume but as always the pick up starts to feedback. I was thinking about padding the area around the pick-up with some foam material. Is that worth a try or No? Thanks.
Treeline
New member
What kind of band? Don't know as I've ever heard that particular complaint. It's a little counterintuitive!
Is the rest of the band really loud, or are there many pieces?
Are you using monitors?
Do you have a really high stage volume going on? I'm just wondering what could make a banjo and a SM57 not cut through anything other than heavy metal, and I keep wondering about the setup.
Is this happening in the same room every time, or is it a problem no matter where you play?
Has anyone ringed the room?
When you refer to using the EQ on the Mackie board, are you referring to the (nearly outboard) graphic EQ on a CFX board, or just a parametric EQ on the banjo's channel?
I'd stuff a towel or two in that sucker in an instant - it just can't hurt and would be a cheap and easy fix if it worked.
Sorry for so many questions, but this has me intrigued.
Is the rest of the band really loud, or are there many pieces?
Are you using monitors?
Do you have a really high stage volume going on? I'm just wondering what could make a banjo and a SM57 not cut through anything other than heavy metal, and I keep wondering about the setup.
Is this happening in the same room every time, or is it a problem no matter where you play?
Has anyone ringed the room?
When you refer to using the EQ on the Mackie board, are you referring to the (nearly outboard) graphic EQ on a CFX board, or just a parametric EQ on the banjo's channel?
I'd stuff a towel or two in that sucker in an instant - it just can't hurt and would be a cheap and easy fix if it worked.
Sorry for so many questions, but this has me intrigued.
Thanks for the interest treeline.
We are a acoustic rock band. We have conga drums, acoustic guitar, Bass, fiddle and banjo. Not exactly heavy metal.
We have only played live once and the sound people miced the banjo and it sounded great. No problems.
I am referring specificlly to our practice room , which is a converted barn with our amps and PA set up in it.
The eq I'm referring to is the parametric eq on the banjo's channel.
Maybe the towel thing will work. THe banjo only seems to feedback when he is not playing or when he strums a really loud chord.
Thanks for your help.
We are a acoustic rock band. We have conga drums, acoustic guitar, Bass, fiddle and banjo. Not exactly heavy metal.
We have only played live once and the sound people miced the banjo and it sounded great. No problems.
I am referring specificlly to our practice room , which is a converted barn with our amps and PA set up in it.
The eq I'm referring to is the parametric eq on the banjo's channel.
Maybe the towel thing will work. THe banjo only seems to feedback when he is not playing or when he strums a really loud chord.
Thanks for your help.
Treeline
New member
The towel might work, but it sounds like you also need to EQ ("ring" or "sound") the room. See if you can borrow an outboard EQ - as many bands as you can manage - and try to EQ the room itself. There's a lot of information here in the archives about ways to do that - you could start with a search for "live sound" and then do a search on the participants to that thread. You'll pick up a few who have been at it for a while.
The basic idea is to crank some pink sound through the speakers and then boost individual frequencies until they feed back. Those touchy bands get marked and are cut, and you keep going with the others. The room's natural harmonics can make it cranky, and cutting the spikey resonant bands can allow you to boost overall gain without feedback, or in this instance, fuss with the mix.
You need a graphic EQ to do this, and it has to be between the mixer and the amp to work.
The basic idea is to crank some pink sound through the speakers and then boost individual frequencies until they feed back. Those touchy bands get marked and are cut, and you keep going with the others. The room's natural harmonics can make it cranky, and cutting the spikey resonant bands can allow you to boost overall gain without feedback, or in this instance, fuss with the mix.
You need a graphic EQ to do this, and it has to be between the mixer and the amp to work.
memphissound
New member
Treeline said:
Do what he said.
Peace <><