Recording banjo at a live gig?

[bradley]

Hi everyone,

Anyone got any advice on recording banjo live? I've got a small gig recording coming up that will be banjo, acoustic guitar, double bass and vocals. Perhaps some percussion too.

I'm guessing placement around the body meets neck area would be a starting point but I'd like some advice. The banjo might have a pickup but I'll supplement that with a SDC of some kind. Either a Beyer MC930 or Rode NT55.

This is purely for recording as I'm keeping myself seperate from any kind of PA.

Thanks!
Bradley

[tINY]

I'd go for a darker SDC....



-tINY

[Rick Sutton]

swear to God, just pick a decent mic and point it at the banjo. Not trying to be snarky, but I've played and recorded banjo for close to ..........can't bring myself to say how many years, and banjo is generally a loud instrument that projects well and is probably the easiest of the instruments in that group to record. The bigger problem is usually keeping the banjo out of the other instrument mics.
For the record, my favorite banjo mic is a KM56. My least favorite are ribbons. Km84 etc does a nice job.
I took a look at your equi

[GZsound]

Originally Posted by Rick Sutton

swear to God, just pick a decent mic and point it at the banjo. Not trying to be snarky, but I've played and recorded banjo for close to ..........can't bring myself to say how many years, and banjo is generally a loud instrument that projects well and is probably the easiest of the instruments in that group to record. The bigger problem is usually keeping the banjo out of the other instrument mics.
For the record, my favorite banjo mic is a KM56. My least favorite are ribbons. Km84 etc does a nice job.
I took a look at your equi

I agree with you except the part about ribbon mics..

But, in a live situation, just about any decent mic, including an SM57, will capture a good banjo sound. I have multiple hours of live bluegrass recordings using basic live sound mics and a 57 will work fine. A LD condenser will do a good job too, but allows more bleed.

In the studio, I use my Beyer M260 ribbon mic on banjo frequently with good results, it takes a lot of the percussive attack out and mellows the sound.

[Rick Sutton]

Originally Posted by GZsound

it takes a lot of the percussive attack out and mellows the sound.

That's the part I don't like

[GZsound]

Originally Posted by Rick Sutton

That's the part I don't like

Yeah..some folks like a percussive banjo. I prefer a more mellow tone.

To each his own.. A decent SDC will work well on a typical banjo, I have a some older American made CAD SDC's (CM17) that sound great on banjo when the player wants a brighter sound.

But live..I actually will use a GLS ES57 chinese SM57 clone on banjo and get good tone and projection.

Heck...I don't think there is a"bad" mic for banjo.. I've used an RE 20 and AT 4047 on them with pretty good results too.. A banjo is hard to not pick up...

[sysexguy]

I have a somewhat related question as a banjo newbie, does one mute the top skin and if so, what's the best method?

TIA,

Andy

[Teddy Ray]

Originally Posted by sysexguy

I have a somewhat related question as a banjo newbie, does one mute the top skin and if so, what's the best method?

TIA,

Andy

with a banjo mute.
The Ultimate Banjo Mute by Gold Tone

Richelieu Banjos, Oregon, Wisconsin

www.mikekeyes.com - Banjo Mute

Iucci Banjo Mute by Gold Tone



a baby bib or sock works well too, just take off the back and put them under the head.


My favorite microphone for banjos is the at 4050, shure ksm27...also love Beyer m130/160 or coles 4040 depending on context.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by sysexguy

I have a somewhat related question as a banjo newbie, does one mute the top skin and if so, what's the best method?

TIA,

Andy

Hi,

Do you mean you're new to recording banjo or playing banjo?

Either way, I wouldn't mute the banjo unless it's a total POS, or the setup is way out of whack, and this is your only recourse.

If the banjo is ringing too much try loosening the head a tiny bit. If you go too far you'll lose punch.

Good luck.

[gussyg2007]

Guy goes to banjo teacher

student "hey i really want to learn the banjo"

teacher "sure no problem here's your first chord.... G"

student ! "thanks i'll practice that ,see you next week"

next week no sign ,nor the week after,nor the week after that

teacher bumps into the student in town

teacher " hey you never turned up for your next lesson what gives ??"

student " ohh yer sorry i was on tour "

[Enginearing]

straight of the bat i'd go for an i5 but make sure the player knows its a narrow field response. whether or not i used the mute button would depend ... would consider condenser but nothing too bright. (so what Tiny said as well...)

[fifthcircle]

Best way I've found to deal with a banjo is with a shotgun....

Oh, you meant mics.

I usually reach for my MG M930s. Seem to work pretty well for most players. I'll usually put it through either a good colored transformer based pre- API and A Designs are usually the first place for me to look.

One of these days, I'd like to give the Sennheiser MKH 8040 a try. I think it would probably work mighty well as well...

--Ben

[sysexguy]

Thanks for the tips, I'm new to banjo and had heard to "stick a sock in it"....Banjo's a good one but I hesitate to mute everything to death in the studio (even if that makes it easier to then trigger samples )

I am curious as to how the pros do it and will try your suggestions.

Andy

[Teddy Ray]

oh yeah...right in your backyard

The Fielding-Cutler Banjo Mute

most any well designed preamp will work.. just use what works for you on other instruments.

the Banjo in particular is an instrument in which the sound needs space to mature...get some distance between the mics and the instrument! closer-micing sounds awful. 2 feet is a good starting distance.

[RMJAZZ]

For banjo- KM54 into Hardy M1 or Forssell SMP2/SMP500.

2nd choice- Schoeps CMC64 into sme pre's


3rd choice- KM184 into same pre amps

4th choice- KSM137 into same pre amps

The pre amps are worth the money...trust me. They can make an ok mic sound great.

Rob