Bluegrass On The Cheap

  • Thread starter Thread starter Harvey Gerst
  • Start date Start date
thanks for the reply Harvey..and sorry for the lack of info on my part..
as it stands right now, about the only two mics I have available would be an AKG Perception 400, and a MXL 990 (which i know has a love/hate relationship with most people)..but I`ve recorded my acustic a few times with it, and was happy with how it sounded...
I also have a couple VERY cheap dynamic mics..but I don`t really see them comming into play..
(obviously, I need to work on gathering some various mics..to put it mildly)..
anyway, I have an ole small "spirit folio lite" board, which has 4 LOW Z jacks, and also has phantom power so I`m good there..I also have an old 24channel board, but that`s defiantly not gonna be needed..

Here`s a pic of my old spirit folio lite..LOL..its not the biggest thing around, but should cover me for this aplication anyway....(for the 3 mic plan)
https://img191.imageshack.us/img191/520/pb210012k.jpg

Anyway, Yeah I`m just looking to get a decent recording for my dad to listen to them at home, and was`nt sure what the best plan of attack would be, mics on each, or like you mentioned, one low, one high, and perhaps another on the bass...I`m not sure when, but one of these days, hopefully sooner then later, I`ll be able to give it a whirl, and see how it goes...

here`s a video of the band...but let me point out before you watch, if you do, that this was basically an "open jam" night for them, and this footage was taken later in the seccion (their may have been a cold one or 4 drank by a few members at this point..LOL), and..the video was taken by my 10 year old plus video recorder..LOL..and lastly, there`s normally only one mandolin player, the guy on the left..the other guy (in the middle/back) was just setting in with them..
PB190003 - YouTube

thanks again Harvey...ohh and I`ll be hopfully getting a set of them headphones your selling soon..
 
Put your AKG up as the vocal/fiddle mic, and the MXL down low for the banjo, mandolin and guitar solos. Check the frequency response on the cheap dynamics. Whichever one goes down to the lowest frequency, use it as a bass mic...about 16 inches away pointed directly at the f-hole of the bass. If the bass player tends to move around a lot, wrap a dish towel around the barrel of the mic and stuff it under the tailpiece. Stand in front of your mics. Slap your hands together. If you hear the slap bouncing off the walls, hang heavy rugs/blankets whatever you have available to get rid of that.
Check this video out of a great bluegrass capture. Lester Flatt, Jim and Jesse McReynolds and the Nashville Grass Looking at the video of the band you are recording, they seem to have a good sense of working the mics. They will do the rest of the work for you. Good luck!
 
wretchasketch said:
Put your AKG up as the vocal/fiddle mic, and the MXL down low for the banjo, mandolin and guitar solos. Check the frequency response on the cheap dynamics. Whichever one goes down to the lowest frequency, use it as a bass mic...about 16 inches away pointed directly at the f-hole of the bass. If the bass player tends to move around a lot, wrap a dish towel around the barrel of the mic and stuff it under the tailpiece. Stand in front of your mics. Slap your hands together. If you hear the slap bouncing off the walls, hang heavy rugs/blankets whatever you have available to get rid of that.
Check this video out of a great bluegrass capture. Lester Flatt, Jim and Jesse McReynolds and the Nashville Grass Looking at the video of the band you are recording, they seem to have a good sense of working the mics. They will do the rest of the work for you. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply & info/suggestions wretchasketch...
Ya probley can`t see it in my video, but the bass player does have a MIC wrapped, and placed under the tailpiece..I`m not sure what MIC, but I may have to find out, and just go with it..
for a little while, they were working with several mics, then a little while back, they started just using the one, but there are getting pretty good at all working around a single mic (not including the one on the bass)..

thanks for the link, by the way, it sounds GREAT!!!!...it brung back memories from many many years ago, as a young`in hearing my dad, and other various family members and friends playing that song during family get togethers....

I went to my first bluegrass festival sometime around 1977 (sault river) and continued to go many many years after that..it`s probley been about 8 years or so since I`ve been to one, but it sure was alot of fun, and a whole lotta talent to be heard!!
 
I've never really listened to much blue grass before but this is really cool. The guitar solo on Feels Like I'm Falling in Love is really smoking. Liked the singing too. What's the solo around 1:30 on the Bucks Run, is that a mandolin? Very nice playing.
 
I kept the same setup for all the songs: Glen Mitchell (mandolin) on the left, and Brian Wright (guitar) on the right. Joe Hood (banjo), Theresa (vocals and Joe's daughter), and Gene Carter (bass) were all centered.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top