Violin Mic

elvstudios said:
Whats the best mic for a violin?
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Just like your similar question about best way to mic a violin in the Recording Techniques forum, it depends.

Solo violin?
Violin track as part of a larger mix?
Musical style?
As moresound said, the room you're going to record in?

Budget?
 
I will be doing mostly solo recordings, and some with a few backing instruments. I dont know whether mono or stereo would be better. Budget, under 300 Dollars, perhaps more if needed. Im recording in a very flat room, and the style of music is classical and fiddle.
 
I personally like the sound of a good ribbon mic on fiddle. The high roll off can remove some of the shrill high end, and leave nothing but the warmth of the mids and lower end. We use an AEA R84, which is out of your budget, but there are some good ribbons within your price range. :cool:
 
Mono. (definitely)
Ribbon mic. You decide how far based on overall sound and bow sounds.
Some like to add an extra mic, back a bit, for room noise but I find that the figure eight pattern picks up enough room for me.
 
elvstudios said:
I will be doing mostly solo recordings, and some with a few backing instruments. I dont know whether mono or stereo would be better. Budget, under 300 Dollars, perhaps more if needed. Im recording in a very flat room, and the style of music is classical and fiddle.
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I would think you would want stereo. If you are not sure, then a mid-side pair might be a good way to go. Google "mid-side stereo" and learn more, but essentially you will be able to choose between mono and varying amounts of stereo width after you have recorded. For $300, you can probably find a used Shure VP88 that would serve you well. It is a mid-side pair of mics in one mic body.

Failing that, a typical stereo pair of cardioid mics would likely be flexible enough to mess around with placement to get the sound you want. For violin, I'd look for a mic without much high freq. bump. In the $300 range, a good choice would be a pair of Oktava MC012's.

On the cheap but good, look at a pair of Naiant mics. A pair of small omnis spaced about a foot or so apart and angled away from each other a bit might be what you want as well.

Mic pattern and placement depends on the source, the room, and the sound you want. If you are searching for your first mic(s) to record in a room you have not recorded (that instrument anyway) in before, there is a bit of a crap-shoot element to it. A pair of variable-pattern mics will give you the most options, but that will cost you more than $300.
 
Jim Lad said:
Mono. (definitely)
Ribbon mic. You decide how far based on overall sound and bow sounds.
Some like to add an extra mic, back a bit, for room noise but I find that the figure eight pattern picks up enough room for me.
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I agree ribbons are great.
 
Thanks for all the replies!

I was also wondering if the akg c214 would be a good mic for violin? It seems to be in my price range, and it says online that it can be used for other things also?

That vp88 looks pretty neat!
 
For fiddle mono is fine.

elvstudios, you should listen to some recordings you like of classical solo violin, and violin in small ensembles to decide if you'll be satisfied with mono for that. If you're not familiar with stereo mic'ing techniques you might want to have a look at DPA's site:

http://www.dpamicrophones.com/en/Microphone-University/Stereo-Techniques.aspx

There's also a forum at Gearslutz that focuses on classical recording and there's a lot of expert info there on how to mic classical violin.
 
A stereo pair of the oktavas seem to be a bit out of my price range. zzounds is having a sale on akg perception 170's. any good for violin?
 
Why a pair?
You are not going to improve the sound of a violin by recording it in stereo.
Seriously.
 
Seriously? Because we have two ears, and OP is recording solo violin
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.
Well we enjoy a lot of solo sounds with our two ears.
Okay.
I'll say it one last time and wholeheartedly respect your right to disagree.
The violin is a beautiful instrument.
Each one provides a unique blend of sounds which are rooted in the bow, the instrument and the hands of the player.
You can't improve on the sound but you can aim to get as flat a recording as you possibly can.
That's my humble opinion.
That's all. :)
 
Jim Lad said:
.
Well we enjoy a lot of solo sounds with our two ears.
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But those solo sounds exist within a space, which is enjoyed along with the direct sound of the instrument.

Do something simple and make an MS recording of a good violin in a good space, and compare the mono and stereo. See which you honestly prefer. Even if that's mono, when Joshua Bell shows up in your studio you better put up that S mic just in case . . .
 
Wouldn't the figure 8 pattern of a ribbon microphone give the sense of a stereo recording of a violin in a mono recording?

And if your micing close then also micing with a room mic is this to be considered a stereo sense when listening back?

When doing a live show nothing beats a plain old 57 about 8" above the violin pointing straight down on to it.



:cool:
 
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