Bagpipes

[jb872033]

Ok got a good one for you sound gurus out there...I have been doing sound for about 10 years but am coming up with a first...This april I will be doing a graduation and will need to mic. a bagpipe...not too sure the most effective way to do this...would like a SM-57 work...im not too worried about bleed...its more of a solo kind of thing, so just an omni close to the bagpipe or can someone recomend something? Thanks in advance.

JB

 

[derekleffew]

I know there's a joke in here someplace, something about an octopus? My suggestion would be a non-working Nady or Radio Shack wireless.

Seriously though, an AKG 414 would sound great, though if outdoors not so good with wind noise.

 

[Eboy87]

Any good condenser if it's just a solo. the 414 is a good one, Audio Technica 4033 or 4041, etc.

 

[Footer]

SM81 would also work, its going to be a prox mic no matter what.

 

[jwl868]

Maybe you can talk them into playing an electric chanter instead.

Joe


But seriously, take a look at this (The Glengarry Bhoys). It looks like they have a mic attached to the chanter, but I don't see a cable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmALwHsF6Ao&feature=related

(I'm partial to the fiddler though....)

 

[DaveySimps]

I have used Shure KSM 32, SM 81, KSM 137, and AKG 414's all with success. I think it would be better to go with some type of condenser mics, not a dynamic.

~Dave

 

[cutlunch]

Re: Bag pipes

My first question would be why do the Bag pipes need miking? Is this for a recording of the graduation if so I would probably use a hanging mike. Have you had the person play the Bag pipes in your venue to test it out? Unless it is a very big venue I don't think volume will be a problem. In fact I can see miking being more of a problem because the signal will have to be so attenuated so it doesn't overload the chanell.

I found this link from a book called Professional Microphone Techniques and it talks about using a condenser mike anywhere from 2 to 8 feet away. They also mention a two mike technique but that might be over kill. How many pieces is the bagpiper playing? If only one or two and they are not in a static position all the time then will the microphone setup / breakdown be more distracting?

http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=...ig=wNaPFNERx9xzVfFlVm6eL1dKX2E&hl=en#PPA35,M1

I am sorry if I am teaching your Grandma to suck eggs but for the sake of more inexperienced members of the board I always tend to write a full explanation for learning purposes.

Also welcome to controlbooth. Please drop into the new members forum and tell us a bit more about yourself.

 

[lieperjp]

Re: Bag pipes

I would agree with cutlunch when he asked "do they need miking?" we just had a bagpipe in our 900-seat auditorium with 500 people in it... no mics needed and it actually was still a little too loud... but yeah, if you do need to record it don't put the mic too close... actually, I talked to the girl playing it at the show and she thought *if* we would need a mic a "nice little one would work just fine - as long as it's not too close." so we interpreted that as a small condenser placed about three feet to her left (she moved a little) for dress, but it turned out we set it up for nothing...

 

[jb872033]

Thanks for the input all...The reason we would mic it is because it is part of the procession that lasts for quite a while and the comittee in charge of putting the graduation together was asking if theres anyway the audience would be able to hear them before they are in hearing range, and also for the recording...the AV guys for the school have a molt box for the inputs for the recording with no mic on the cameras and to localize the source of the sound as much as possible, and looking at last years recording its a little odd with the camera having a lot of zoom with the drummers and bagpipers playing from far off without any sound...i myself am questioning weather it is worth it or not, and i can always use the trump card...the "B"word (budget)....because im sure we will run into a range problem with a wireless mic...thanks all for your input!! it is an outdoor graduation...and the procession marches all around the grounds before coming into the area where the stage is set up

 

[icewolf08]

My opinion is that it would be a little odd to sit in the audience and hear detached sound while the procession is elsewhere. In terms of recording, who the heck watches graduation videos? If you really want the audio for the recording, have someone process with the musicians carrying a portable recording setup, then just cut it together in post.

 

[BNBSound]

Bagpipes should be clearly audible for several thousand feet. Quite often, when there's a piper at a funeral at our church, I'll have them stand outside and play through an open window. If it's for the video, just get a condenser in the relative viscinity of the piper and wait till they get near it.