Collingsguitars.com Collingsforum.com Collings Forum Gear Sound Reinforcement and Recording Facilities Live guitar mic question...
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Someone asked me this question, and frankly, I'm not sure of the answer...
As we all know, it is generally true that the best acoustic guitar sound comes from a mic, not a pickup (which is why we use mics in the recording studio and not pickups...). Now, most of us playing live DON'T use mics on acoustics onstage, because keeping a consistent distance between the guitar and mic is a pain (unless you're seated), but mostly because it's so easy to get feedback at even relatively low stage volumes. But the question is, what if you used a pickup for the monitors only, and a mic for the mains only...would there be less chance of feedback? Since your they're technically not the same signal, so wouldn't it be harder for a feedback loop to get started due to the stage volume? Thanks for opinions in advance... |
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I use a pickup and a mic. The preamp I use allows for sending just the pickup signal to the monitors and the blend to the mains. I haven't had to use that feature often, but when I do, it allows for a higher volume overall.
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Jojo:
The answer is "Yes." Many high end "dual source systems" use a pick-up to route to the monitors and a mic to send to the house. Sometimes the system is a magnetic pick-up to monitors (Sunrise or others) and a transducer (or contact mic or under saddle or ribbon, etc.). You need a good pre-amp/blender for such a system to be useful, but it does work...and has been done for a long time. Clem D1A DS1AH...a SERIOUS guitar MT2V 290 mit Stetsbar various non-Collings things with strings |
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How loud are your stage volumes?
Tony Rice, David Grier, Kenny Smith, Tim Stafford, Bryan Sutton all use mics in pretty large venues. OK, Bryan sometimes uses a pickup/mic combo, but not always. I haven't suffered from feedback issues since switching to my small condensor (KSM 137) for live stuff. Largest setting to date is a church with 200+ people. I wonder more and more how many of us really suffer from feedback, and how many of us are just afraid that we will. I'm the rookiest of rookies, but I still wonder about this. --David 2005 D1A 2003 KM 380 |
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Feedback is often an issue when an acoustic guitar player is trying to play with a band. When drums and electric guitars or basses are part of the ensemble, an acoustic player simply needs more volume, plus those other instruments can be the cause of feedback too.
For solo players, duets and acoustic ensembles, feedback should not be a problem if good sonic hygine is observed. |
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That has been my experience. I used to play with a praise and worship band at church that included electronic drums (Roland) and electric guitar and bass. I probably couldn't have done that as easily without a pickup.
Now 90% of what I do is acoustic based with small amounts of percussion, and I use the mic exclusively. It helps that the percussion is handled by a former jazz pro who fully understands dynamics. I have yet to work with a sound "pro" and wonder how much that helps the pros push the gain/volume envelope. My point in my previous post is that I think most of us are too quick to jump to the pick-up option. Either because we think it is the only solution, or we think it is significantly easier. That has not been my experience. --David 2005 D1A 2003 KM 380 |
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Using microphones is certainly the best way to get tone, but requires a great deal of care, the right eq, and correct placement of monitors, stage amps, and the mic itself. Pre-amps!
The Shure website has great reading. I use a combo of a small piezo dot and a countryman mini mic through a stereo endpin to preamp, with separate eq for the mic and pickup with separate volume out controls to stage amp and main send as well a volume knob on the instrument. Split the signal, as mentioned above to monitors/stage amp and house. The house gets mostly or even all mic. Set the eq with the room empty if possible. Turn up the gain and frequency while tapping the top until you hear a fucused "thud" or feedback for each setting or range of eq. Then back off the frequency and cut/boost knob. Pre amps are the key to stage mics. |
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Collingsguitars.com Collingsforum.com Collings Forum Gear Sound Reinforcement and Recording Facilities Live guitar mic question...
Collingsforum.com Collings Forum Gear Sound Reinforcement and Recording Facilities Live guitar mic question...This is an independent website created by a group of Collings Guitar owners, and not part of Collings Guitars. The statements and opinions expressed in the Collings Guitar Forum are solely those of the individuals posting the same and are not those of Collings Guitars, the forum's administrators, moderators and its supporters, financial or otherwise, or its members, guests or other contributors.