Clip on mics for acoustic live gigs?

[bottlenecker]

Audio Technica ATM-350, or a Pro35 if you want a cheaper version. I've used mine on nylon string, dreads and small body flattops, archtops, banjo, and double bass. My violin player uses one too. It's a small diaphragm condenser microphone that is twice the microphone an SM57 is for most acoustic instrument use. It's in a miniature form with a gooseneck mount that can clip on to a tailpiece, archtop pickguard, or to the edge of a flattop soundhole to be positioned inside the body. I use it for live and recording.
Any clip on mic is miles better live than trying to play to a cardioid dynamic on a stand.
My best trick for acoustic guitars is I have my acoustic player plug his martin's pickup into his amp on stage for monitoring purposes, because it won't feed back. Then I have the mic clipped into his guitar and going to the mains only, and make sure there is none of that mic in the monitors. Sounds beautiful in the room and is very feedback resistant.

Edit: I should mention I am a sound engineer. I've done the work on this so when I use it at a venue I can tell any sound guy exactly what I need for it to work. Which is, don't put it in the monitor in front of that instrument.

One more tip. It has a high pass filter, or "low cut". Leave it on, even on bass.

 

[Bastion Highwalk]

Very helpful, thank you, and from a sound engineer as well!

Audio Technica ATM-350, or a Pro35 if you want a cheaper version. I've used mine on nylon string, dreads and small body flattops, archtops, banjo, and double bass. My violin player uses one too. It's a small diaphragm condenser microphone that is twice the microphone an SM57 is for most acoustic instrument use. It's in a miniature form with a gooseneck mount that can clip on to a tailpiece, archtop pickguard, or to the edge of a flattop soundhole to be positioned inside the body. I use it for live and recording.
Any clip on mic is miles better live than trying to play to a cardioid dynamic on a stand.
My best trick for acoustic guitars is I have my acoustic player plug his martin's pickup into his amp on stage for monitoring purposes, because it won't feed back. Then I have the mic clipped into his guitar and going to the mains only, and make sure there is none of that mic in the monitors. Sounds beautiful in the room and is very feedback resistant.

Edit: I should mention I am a sound engineer. I've done the work on this so when I use it at a venue I can tell any sound guy exactly what I need for it to work. Which is, don't put it in the monitor in front of that instrument.

 

[Edgar Allan Presley]

Audio Technica ATM-350, or a Pro35 if you want a cheaper version. I've used mine on nylon string, dreads and small body flattops, archtops, banjo, and double bass. My violin player uses one too. It's a small diaphragm condenser microphone that is twice the microphone an SM57 is for most acoustic instrument use. It's in a miniature form with a gooseneck mount that can clip on to a tailpiece, archtop pickguard, or to the edge of a flattop soundhole to be positioned inside the body. I use it for live and recording.
Any clip on mic is miles better live than trying to play to a cardioid dynamic on a stand.
My best trick for acoustic guitars is I have my acoustic player plug his martin's pickup into his amp on stage for monitoring purposes, because it won't feed back. Then I have the mic clipped into his guitar and going to the mains only, and make sure there is none of that mic in the monitors. Sounds beautiful in the room and is very feedback resistant.

Edit: I should mention I am a sound engineer. I've done the work on this so when I use it at a venue I can tell any sound guy exactly what I need for it to work. Which is, don't put it in the monitor in front of that instrument.

This is the way to do resonator guitars. Clip the Audio Technica ATM350 in a place you won't bash it with your right hand, pointed at the resonator cone. Use a pickup (I have an electric, goldfoil pickup in the neck position) and DI for monitor only, and the mic goes to the mains. You'll be able to hear yourself, but it will sound more like a plain electric guitar. But the audience will hear a pretty reso.

 

[SlideGuy123]

For banjo I've had the best luck pointing it below the bridge, but it seems more of a problem keeping the banjoist from hitting it. Banjo works very well with one of those clip-on condenser mics with a little gooseneck:

I know Bela used to use an SM98, but he was mixing that with a pickup inside the pot. He could get a more natural sound before feedback, but he also had some great equipment and a soundman. Plus he's Bela. I use a Fishman pickup in one banjo, Jones in the other. With a full band (incl drums and electric bass), it sounds enough like a banjo that no one complains.

 

[KC]

I have one of those DPA mics and what? I bought it because I didn't want to put any holes in my 1936 Duolian and it works extremely well in terms of delivering a strong, hi-fi signal to the board. On the other hand, it's always in the way. The clip is flimsy, I think purposefully -- they didn't want something to grip hard enough to leave a mark. But it will fall off. and there's a tiny little cable from the mic to the belt-mounted preamp that's always getting tangled up. Don't get me wrong -- this is a really good solution if you need top-notch sound and you're willing to put up with the inconveniences.

Most of the time though, I just use a K&K pure mini in the Martin. One cord, passive out, through a Red Eye DI / preamp it sounds good enough to get me compliments. I read recently that the inexpensive rechargeable wireless systems have a high enough input impedance to work well with the K&K and this is probably my next step. Wireless! Be still my heart!

 

[KC]

PS if you can get a mini-condenser anywhere near the cone of a resonator guitar, you'll get plenty of signal out.

 

[bottlenecker]

I use a Fishman pickup in one banjo, Jones in the other. With a full band (incl drums and electric bass), it sounds enough like a banjo that no one complains.

I used to play banjo on a couple songs in a rock and roll band with an audio technica clip-on mic. I once forgot the mic going to an away gig, and it turned out the bleed in my vocal mic was plenty. That was a loud banjo and I wore it high. It's got to be the easiest acoustic instrument to mic live. Just try not to mic it.

Wireless! Be still my heart!

Not me, I'm staying right here. David Lee Roth's gonna have to go around.

 

[Jakedog]

Mic’ing an acoustic instrument with a 57 in a live setting is just not a good idea, and is asking for problems. The sound guy is not the issue. The tool is.

A dynamic mic just ain’t designed for that useage. Try a (or better yet a pair of) small diaphragm condensers.

Or even better than that, just get a decent pickup. It will solve all your problems permanently. For a reso, I’d go Schertler. Not cheap, but it’s a once and done solution.

 

[David Barnett]

Mic’ing an acoustic instrument with a 57 in a live setting is just not a good idea, and is asking for problems. The sound guy is not the issue. The tool is.

I used to share that opinion, but working a few shows for Gillian Welch & David Rawlings showed that the 57 can still be a valid choice sometimes.

 

[mexicanyella]

I used to play banjo on a couple songs in a rock and roll band with an audio technica clip-on mic. I once forgot the mic going to an away gig, and it turned out the bleed in my vocal mic was plenty. That was a loud banjo and I wore it high. It's got to be the easiest acoustic instrument to mic live. Just try not to mic it.



Not me, I'm staying right here. David Lee Roth's gonna have to go around.

“Just try not to mic it”—haha

I used to share that opinion, but working a few shows for Gillian Welch & David Rawlings showed that the 57 can still be a valid choice sometimes.

Having seen Welch and Rawlings do their show with a pair of 58s for vocals and a pair of 57s aimed at the guitars, I came away impressed. They sounded great!

 

[Esquire Jones]

I used to share that opinion, but working a few shows for Gillian Welch & David Rawlings showed that the 57 can still be a valid choice sometimes.

I was just going to mention Gillian and Dave.

Yeah, I'm sure they have some nice outboard gear and a competent sound guy.

I totally understand the benefits of a pickup or small attached mic. I get it.

But a 57 can absolutely sound great in a live venue on an acoustic guitar (and vocals)!

 

[David Barnett]

I was just going to mention Gillian and Dave.

Yeah, I'm sure they have some nice outboard gear and a competent sound guy.

When they came here they were stuck with me as a sound guy, and whatever was in our rack (or virtual rack...). What makes their shows go well is (1) the talent of the performers, (2) they're incredibly nice, and (3) they know what they want, and how to get there.

I totally understand the benefits of a pickup or small attached mic. I get it.
But a 57 can absolutely sound great in a live venue on an acoustic guitar (and vocals)!

Depends on what else is going on, on stage. A solo or duo show, mics can be fine. If you're trying to get acoustic instruments up in a mix with drums and electric bass, forget it.

 

[mexicanyella]

I would like to know what these ladies are using for pickups; all I see on the stands is SM58s and that can’t be all there is. I think I caught a glimpse of a cable coming out of the guitarron’s endpin, maybe...

 

[Esquire Jones]

I would like to know what these ladies are using for pickups; all I see on the stands is SM58s and that can’t be all there is. I think I caught a glimpse of a cable coming out of the guitarron’s endpin, maybe...

Beautiful stuff.

Maybe they are just using 57/58’s.

Maybe they have a couple boom mics (condensers?).

Headphone monitoring would prevent a lot of feedback issues, I would imagine.

 

[Esquire Jones]

Just found this pic of them playing at the White House. Sure looks like they have pickups installed in their instruments.

 

[G&Lplayer]

My summer mixing gig is a venue where we do mostly Americana music. I will start by saying I love SM57s, however, I try and never use them on acoustic stringed instruments. There are advantages and disadvantages to using a mic on a stand, however since the OP said cost was a factor the idea of a DPA mic is out. I don't really love most of the other clip on options, especially in wedges. Mic on a stand is what we normally do for both dobro and guitar, as well as banjo, fiddle and mandolin when they don't bring their own systems/mics. The best lower cost mic I have found that works well with wedges and is not highly prone to feedback is the Shure SM 137. Under $200 list, has a decent pick up pattern and range. I love them and use them all the time with very good results.

 

[black_doug]

I’m going to a bluegrass concert tonight. I’m curious to see what they use.

 

[Buckocaster51]

I’m going to a bluegrass concert tonight. I’m curious to see what they use.

What is your report?

 

[black_doug]

The guitar player played a Martin D-28 from the 50’s, strung with 13s. He showed it to us after the show.

He has a clip-on condenser mic from Audio-Technica inside the soundhole, attached to the neck.

When he took a solo he moved up close to a mic on a stand. I’m not sure if it was a 57, it looked like it.

 

[bottlenecker]

My summer mixing gig is a venue where we do mostly Americana music. I will start by saying I love SM57s, however, I try and never use them on acoustic stringed instruments. There are advantages and disadvantages to using a mic on a stand, however since the OP said cost was a factor the idea of a DPA mic is out. I don't really love most of the other clip on options, especially in wedges. Mic on a stand is what we normally do for both dobro and guitar, as well as banjo, fiddle and mandolin when they don't bring their own systems/mics. The best lower cost mic I have found that works well with wedges and is not highly prone to feedback is the Shure SM 137. Under $200 list, has a decent pick up pattern and range. I love them and use them all the time with very good results.

Have you tried the audio-technica clip on mics?
At the last gig I tried something new (to me). I put a figure 8 condenser on a stand above the violin player, to make switching instruments easier. The mic was pointing down, so the side nulls blocked the rest of the stage better than a cardioid pattern would, and the other side of the pattern was pointed at the ceiling. It worked pretty well.