Best Mando Mix?

[Rooster]

I have been playing with a couple of bands for the last year or so just for fun. It always seems that by the time we start playing the guitars and bass tend to drown out the mandolin and sometimes even the vocals. It's just tough to get the sound right. I know everyone is trying to hear themselves but it can be very frustrating if you are the main person taking lead breaks and cannot hear. I know there is a world of experience on this board. Please reply with your thoughts and advice.

Thanks for the help!!!

Rooster

[SeanFan]

Well, one thing you COULD do is bring a microphone VERy close to the leading instrument, in this case, Mandolin...I'm not too experienced in this, but that's what I would at least try...:)

[Philip Halcomb]

Hi Rooster,

I bought a fishman M-200-M pickup, it has a piezo pickup with a condeser MIC attached to it. It's attached right on the mandolin. My mando's in the shop now, but when I get it back I'll send in a picture. Anyhow, that provides me with a good mix. Now, the downfall is you need a preamp for it too, because the condenser MIC requires phantom power. The preamp I use is called the Fishman Pocket Blender. It's a small device that blends the piezo and MIC sound together. This gives me plenty of volume. But with all that volume you have to be conscience of the others when they take a break and play softer to tone it down. Which maybe the problem with your playing buddies too, a lot of folks have problems with toning it down when others are taking a break. For instance, I use this when I play with my band which has a drummer, because it's near impossible with the monitors and stuff in small venues to get enough volume over the drums through a straight mic. But when I play duets or straight bluegrass I just use the MIC, because we try to be curtious of each other while taking solos/breaks. Other vendors make a similiar version of this, I think fishman took the idea from Sam Bush's setup which is different and uses equipment which is more standard for use with other vendors' equipment. There's a thread regarding this entitled Bush/Thiles sound setup or something. Good luck and hope that helps... Take care...

Cheers,
Flip

[mandroid]

Logically enough, someone other than the guitar player needs to judge how loud they, themselves, should be.
A sound guy [or just a listener] in front can judge better, each player usually says 'more me'. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[Emmiemando]

Well, one, you could tell your accompianists (or whatever you call them) to quiet down just a bit. And, two, you could bring a mic. I've found that they do seem to make things louder:D

[Jonathan Reinhardt]

I Agree with The Emily. Re: her 1st suggestion, you need to develop some signals to each other when playing and use them. Re: her 2nd - I suggest working out the dynamics w/o mics first - that is if you are not an electric band. Otherwise, back to #1
Not always an easy solution. As much as a mandolin cuts through, it can only do so much. Guitars are not normally a hinderance unless improperly managed.

rasa

[Rooster]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think the problem has more to do with not having someone mixing out front along with over playing during the breaks. We have a decent sound system and I have my own condenser mic. I may just need to turn up my mic and back off when playing rythem. I also like the idea of the pick-up but I'm a little leary of messing with the bridge and action.

Thanks again!!!

Rooster

[Philip Halcomb]

That's the idea! Enjoy! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[250sc]

Even if you turn up your mic or picup you still have the problem of vocals being drowned out. Dynamics are the most important part of playing music with others (more important than hot licks in MHO) Unfortunatly, issues with human interaction can make convincing others to play lighter kind of touchy. Good luck.

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

To me the guitar shouldn't be overtly heard until he solo's. Many classic albums (other than Tony Rice) really have the guitar back in the mix-you feel it and it fills the whole, but it isn't in your face. You just need to sit back with the guitarist and bassist and listen to some albums ya'll all like and try to mimic the sound you here over the stereo speakers in your live performance. It ussually means that the guitarists plays a couple of inches farther away from the mic until his solo comes up-truthfully everyone (except the bass) should be doing this to add dynamics. Getting a pickup will not solve your problem. if you get louder then the guitarist and/or bassist will do the same thing-then everyone has pickups and you are back to square one. You have to change the bands mindset if change is going to happen.