Mic'ing a dulcimer group... HELP!!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Flo' Dolo
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Flo' Dolo

Flo' Dolo

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Yo folks,

I've been asked to record a dulcimer group. I don't really know shit about mic'ing technique, as I'm pretty much an electronic musician, save my randomly useful harp blowing. I own one vocal mic (only one, but it's sweet), and am prepared to buy a few more if necessary (as I imagine it will be). Any suggestions regarding techniques, types of mics, etc. would be HUGELY appreciated.

'Preciate it...

Flo' Dolo


<realized after the fact that maybe I should've posted this in the recording forum. i won't cross-post, but I will apologize:cool: >

P.S. Been checking into a pair of Neumann KM-184s.
Hmmm...
 
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The KM-184s should work if pointed towards the middle of the neck. If the whole group is going at the same time get an omni. The behringer ecm8000 is only 29.00 and will do nicely
 
Is an omni better to use than a stereo pair in the middle of or over the group, or just different?

Thanks...

F.D.
 
I didn't think they allowed dulcimers to be played in groups. I've had mine for 30 years, but a bunch of 'em together, it's gotta sound like a bunch of bees. None the less I'd use a couple of sd condensers arranged like drum overheads.

A 100 years ago there was a version called a 'courting dulcimer', it had two necks in opposite directions so that the players faced each other. And with that design, the old man would hand it to his daughter and she and her beau would take it down to the creek and play it. Long as he heard both parts, things were OK.
 
P. Studge,

I didn't know that either, and you're more than probably right, but the guy who called me said "dulcimer group," I believe. Mind you, my mind was actually on something else when I fielded his call, so maybe I misunderstood. I stand corrected.

a pair of SD condensers, check.

"courting dulcimer," cool story.

Thanks for your input...


Flo' Dolo
 
What kinda dulcimers are we talking about here? If it's hammer dulcimers, you'll be okay with a few ECM8000s or a pair of 603s.

If it's regular mountain 3 and 4 string dulcimers, you may have a problem wih the ECM8000s, since those dulcimers are so friggin' quiet, you'll need a hot, low noise mic.

You'll be better off with the 603s, a pair of MC012s, or a pair of Neumann KM-184s or the KM-183s (the omni version of the 184).
 
Thanks again...

The Neumann 180 series kind of has my ear interested. And, though I've read only glorious shit about the Marshalls, the few people I've spoken with about them keep telling me that there is a serious problem with QC. <sigh>

I thought it might be cool to own a pair of them 603s nonetheless, as I've surely blown $400 on things far less useable (at least in the long term) than Chinese mics...

As for the 183s, doesn't one need a room that's really acoustically "in order" to benefit from an omni mic? At about 1600 beans for a matched pair, I was thinking that I'd better go for whatever's gonna do me right in more situations. I can't afford lots o' mics (at those prices).

Stereo-omni recording, hmmm...

F.D.
 
Flo -

If you go the matched pair omni route, you should consider the Earthworks QTC's. A matched pair is going to be a little less $$ than the Neumanns, and the sound is glorious. The cool velvet lined hardwood case ain't bad either.
 
But I thought...

the QTCs were more than the Neumanns?
As I've seen it advertised, 1 QTC costs $950.00 (MSRP, not street), and 1 KM series costs $750.00.

A matched pair of QTCs = about $2000 msrp, and a pair of KMs is about $1500...

Where you shopping at Littledog? The QTCs were my first choice, but I didn't think I could afford them. I thought I could roughly compare the KM 184s to the E-works TC30K, which I'm not really interested in. And as you can see, i'm still kind of torn betweeb to omni, or not to omni...

<sigh>

Flo' Dolo
 
When Made my dulcimer I hottrodded a telecaster neck pickup in it. and put it through my DGStomp for really cool sounds.
 
Sorry flo -

When you said the Neumanns were $1600 for a matched pair, I thought you were talking street price, so I just assumed that they were more expensive than the QTCs, which I remembered buying for $1500 for a matched pair. Of course, what I didn't remember is that I bought them back in November of 1998, so the price may have gone up since then (although maybe not - worth checking).


If you would like the name and number of my pro audio dealer to check on prices, you can P.M. me and I'll be happy to supply that info.
 
Long ago I used to play my dulcimer live at a little steakhouse on Naples Island in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach, Ca. I was using EV 664's then through a Fender Super to some locally made hi-fi speakers. Actually, it didn't sound too bad......better than a Vocalmaster. Anyway, these two guys Les and John were doing r&d on transducers across the way in a converted apartment above a gas station. They were constantly coming over and sticking pickups on that dulcimer and taking notes, then they'd take it off and I'd go back to the 664. Turns out they were Les Barcus and John Berry, and the rest is history.
 
Thanks c7sus & everybody else...

I'll sniff on ebay to see what's crackin'


Flo' Dolo
 
I think only Harvey mentioned Oktava MC012. If you get them at the Sound Room, it's $424 for the matched pair, and a pair of omni capsules would be another $120 or so, so you can try it both ways. They really do survive the test of time and are versatile workhorse mics. Yes, I love the Neumann's too, but with the $1000 or so I saved, I could buy a whole lot of gear. Another option not mentioned- at the higher price point, consider AKG 414. Multi pattern, great overheads, lovely mics. If I was going for the higher end, I would by far prefer them to the Neumann's, just for their versatility.-Richie
 
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