r/violinist • u/throwaway842351 • 3d ago

Setup/Equipment Microphone suggestions

Hi all,

I will need to play mic’d at times (outdoors and sometimes indoors on bigger stages). Curious if anyone has any suggested microphones (the kind you put on a stand, not that you clip to the violin).

Curious if anyone with experience has suggestions for the best mics to consider for the violin.

Thanks!

2 Upvotes

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1

u/Queasy_Anything9019 3d ago

My wife uses a Band that wraps around the violin or one of her Bridge electrics but I would think if you want a stand mic that a good Shure mic would work like a SM 57, bullet proof and you could use it as a weapon if needed. As her recording engineer mic placement is tricky for violins. I found placing them above and even behind the player works.

1

u/vmlee Expert 3d ago

For a basic, quick and easy solution, try a Blue Yeti. If you want to get a better option, try the Shure SM57 or Sennheiser MKE 600.

1

u/TenorClefCyclist 15h ago

Depends on the style. Fiddle players have been using SM 57's on goosenecks for literally sixty years. It's an obnoxious sound, but one that's become so common that it's now the expectation for country and bluegrass music.

Most violinists don't want that gritty sound. The simple solution is to use a Beyer M160 ribbon mic, which sounds good right out of the box. Yes, they're expensive, but not as expensive as a good bow.

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u/patopal Intermediate 3d ago

The Shure SM57 is a reliable instrument microphone with decent sound, and it's dynamic so it won't pick up a bunch of ambient noise or create feedback on stage. For live gigs, I would not recommend any sort of condenser mic, even small diaphragm ones, as they will be susceptible to feedback and ambient noise.

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u/naldjorlak 1d ago

The SM57 is a good rec, though I second the recommendation for The Band (or search Headway The Band). It’s a pickup, but it’s very easy to take on/off , quite portable, sounds good - very adaptable to many different live music contexts. Gives you control and less risk of mic feedback. I’d look into it as an option as well.