Can someone (or a bunch of you, for that matter) give me some ideas about attaching a microphone to a Cajun accordian, other than sending it back to Danny Dysen to let him do it the right way without destroying the box or some components. On some websites and at dances I've seen everything from very professional looking installations to duct tape. All suggestions appreciated.
JB
I saw Lee Benoit does not use anything permanent.. He has sort of alligator clips as a temporary holder that clips onto the strap.. Why not go to his web and ask him.--ken
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Replying to:
Can someone (or a bunch of you, for that matter) give me some ideas about attaching a microphone to a Cajun accordian, other than sending it back to Danny Dysen to let him do it the right way without destroying the box or some components. On some websites and at dances I've seen everything from very professional looking installations to duct tape. All suggestions appreciated.
JB
Big Nick has a project for micing an accordion.
On the second link are some pictures.
On this forum you can find more information about micing, because your not the first one who's asking.
One page further is a project for an internal microphone. I think that most builders also have a solution for it without making damage to your accordion. I once saw a kind of a solution on the metal corners of the accordion.
If you want to mic externally. I would suggest the
Audio-Technica PRO 35AX Cardioid Condenser Clip-on Instrument Microphone. You can clip it on your strap.
For that Cajun/Zydecajun/Steve Riley/Wayne Toups/Jamie Bergeron/Kevin Naquin (and others) sound, go external. Old School is the Sure Mic element mounted on the outside. New School is the Audio Technica mentioned above clipped on to a custom holder or the bellows strap. This gives you a super clean accordion sound but with no bass. If you need bass Steve Riley's solution is a standard mic on a stand which he works on the bellows side when needed. He also does this for the Triple Row.
For that big fat dirty Zydeco sound go internal. Sure mic element mounted on the reed banks. Larry Miller sells both with intructions. I have installed both and it is easy. The hard part is soldering the wires. Now that is an art! I finally had to bring mine in to Alex Accordions on 48th St. in NYC and he resoldered everything to Space shuttle standards!
A comment on old school external - dynamic vs. condensor
Just to expand a bit on what Johhny Ace said...
Yes, old school external is a Shure R-65 or similar dynamic mic. They are relatively cheap, and also stand up to abuse. Downside is that they are somewhat bulky. They were the standard for many years.
Then, in the late 80's early 90's, you began to see players like Steve Riley and others going to the small condensor mics from Shure and other companies. They had a nice clean sound and were more compact. But, they are also more expensive (as in twice as expensive or more) and can also be fragile, both in the mic element itself and also the thin or even flimsy wires connected to the mic element.
I can see both alternatives as being good choices. I never bought a condensor for external use, because I already had a Shure R-65 I got from Mark Savoy and was happy enough with it. Therefore, I don't have a lot of personal experience with the mini-condensors.
But I have spoken with some other players who started off with a dynamic mic, then switched to condensors, only to switch back to dynamic eventually. They would say things like the condensors mic are *too* clean, and didn't have the old time sound which they preferred.
I use one of these - great for playing in a loud group, as the mic is very focused and doesn't feedback the other instruments. Of course, you'd need two if you want to mic the back end...the BBC used one of these on the box that Chris Hall played, when he played on "Later with Jools Holland" with Paul McCartney, doing "Brown Eyed Handsome Man".
I once used Blair's condensor mic. It was a fast change from one accordion to the next. Can't remember if it had an on/off switch or not. Wasn't bad at all, but as someone mentioned the cords are about as thick as those ya find on ear buds (thin).
But unless I'm wrong (help me out here), I believe you have to have a phantom power source (yes/no ?).
What I have, is the ole snap on shure, round ball with that black wind sock doo dad on the inside .. and the toggle on/off mounted on a funky looking chunk of aluminum plate ... oh yeah, it works fine for what little I use it. It's a tone monster through that 4x10 hot rod deville (which is pristine, cause I very rarely ever use it).
Down side? I don't have it in a wireless config. so that ya wind up with a long ole cord and have to avoid tripping over it.
What's the word on the best wireless arrangement?
suggestions?
Strangest ( perhaps a bad choice of words, rather most deversified set up sounds much better) I have seen was a dual set up on an accordion: Squeezer Larry Tonkin, had both external and internal on a single 10 button accordion... If I am not mistaken it may have been set up by Dana Mandell... if so, congrats Dana, it was a very clean looking arrangement with the external done up on plexiglass (as I recall)... it was a dual set up to be sure or is that shure(?).
Man alive, what a great forum! Many thanks to all of you for the wealth of solutions! And that includes Cory who e-mailed me directly. Got to read all this two or three times and print it out, cause alot of the product nomenclature is Greek to me now, but I guess when you start to get into it, the various types of mics will gel in my mind. Got to visit one of the local music stores and talk to the sound guys.
Again, many thanks.
JB