volume booster

[John Adrihan]

I was at a festival and the mandolin player stepped on a box to boost his volume during a break. The mandolin did not have a pick up he was being mic'd. I was wondering what some of the options out there are for this? brands, best setups ect.
thanks

[sblock]

In the good old days, bluegrass players just stepped up to the mike to take a break. Their relative volume was easily modulated by the distance they maintained between the instrument and the microphone. This still works just fine! But if you can't control things that well, then I suppose you could go out and buy what's called a "boost pedal" from any place that sells effects for electric guitars. Get something called a "clean boost pedal" so you don't distort. But seriously, just learn to step up to the mike, my friend.

[Joey Anchors]

MXR Micro Amp plugged into the mic might work well.

[John Adrihan]

In the good old days, bluegrass players just stepped up to the mike to take a break. Their relative volume was easily modulated by the distance they maintained between the instrument and the microphone. This still works just fine! But if you can't control things that well, then I suppose you could go out and buy what's called a "boost pedal" from any place that sells effects for electric guitars. Get something called a "clean boost pedal" so you don't distort. But seriously, just learn to step up to the mike, my friend.

Yes!! after doing a little more research this is path I plan on taking. I will have the guys turnup the mic a little more and back off when I don't need to be so loud.

[mandroid]

http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/m133-micro-amp in and out are TR 1/4" Electric Guyrar pickup, just put it in the signal chgain


MXR Micro Amp plugged into the mic might work well.

so Microphone.you gotta have some patch cord and EFX Loop connections coming back out of a Mixer channel
post Mic PreAmp to make that work.
unless you use a dynamic or onboard battery Mic and 1/4" to XLR combination cables .

[almeriastrings]

Yes!! after doing a little more research this is path I plan on taking. I will have the guys turnup the mic a little more and back off when I don't need to be so loud.

Unless you are using a fixed, instrument mounted mic, no-one needs to turn anything up or down. Just move in closer. All you need.

Just a few inches further or back from a stand mounted mic results in infinitely variable, relatively huge differences in volume.

If you want the mathematics behind this.... here it is. (http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-SoundAndDistance.htm)

[fredy]

Great me thinks you lost me at the first picture! But thanks was instresting reading? I think I.ll go and play while my head is unwinding

[mandobassman]

Years ago I saw the Bluegrass Cardinals perform a show and when David Parmley took a guitar solo he stepped on a foot pedal. After the show I asked him what that was for and he told me the guitar mic was running into two channels on the board. One for rhythm and one for leads that was set louder and EQd differently to reduce boom from the low notes. It worked well because the sound was great

[Doug Edwards]

Learn to step up, works for vocals too. When practicing with the group, use a mic stand to step up too and tape on the floor to mark your position(s). Video taping and playback of a performance will help to reinforce good or bad technique. Works great for single mics.

[Bill Stokes]

I need one of these before I boost my volume:
131554

[Barry Wilson]

I finally got to try working with just a mic when we did the live radio show. brought the acoustic mando (my fav) and tried it. I never got to hear what came out but was told the volumes were well balanced. maybe the dj's played soundman too I dunno. but it wasn't difficult to move up a bit... I am trying to come up with a setup of my own like that now

[Toni Schula]

I need one of these before I boost my volume:
131554

Where can I buy one of these?

[Beanzy]

The fwd to solo at the mic and back off for chops works well with the mandolin and fiddle, you get a nice full sound out of them, but I've noticed dreadnought guitars can get really boomy due to the proximity effect boosting the bass end unless the player shifts to picking towards the bridge. So remember to alter where you pick on the strings to get the sound you want.

[Barry Wilson]

proximity effect... where wave forms reflect back upon themselves causing acoustic phase cancellation. had to learn that one in the engineering course... the highs are cancelling out themselves. now I feel like cliff from cheers

[almeriastrings]

Yes. It is very microphone dependent, however. Almost no effect with an omni, much more so with tight cardiods and hypercardiods - though even there, various mic models vary a lot. With dreadnought guitar it is a good idea to practice with a specific mic, and learn the best angle and spot to 'aim' at. This is generally not directly into the sound-hole. Often, somewhere in the area between the pickguard and the bridge works well in live applications.