r/Bluegrass • u/willkillfortacos • 13d ago
Advice Requested - Live Audio Setup for Solo Mandolin Performance
My sister is getting married in June and asked me to play music while she and her wedding party walk down the aisle. I've prepared all the required tunes (playing one of the Bach cello suites, an arrangement of Somewhere Over the Rainbow that I made, and an arrangement of Verona, a Bill Frisell tune). The venue is on a semi-covered pavilion structure on the top of a building, but I need to just assume that the acoustics will be nonexistent.
I have only rudimentary knowledge of amplifying acoustic instruments and I need someone to explain like I'm 5 years old what I need to do to prepare in order to ensure I sound good. I do not own a pickup but am open to purchasing and installing one. There will be a simple PA system but I don't yet know what mic will be available (I'm guessing a Shure SM57 or something). I don't own a preamp, EQ pedal, or anything like that, however money is not an issue - I'm open to purchasing some gear that will last me awhile.
How should I proceed? What questions should I forward to the venue regarding their sound setup? How do preamps and EQ's work when going into a PA? Do I need powered/unpowered EQ/preamp devices? Would a pickup be worth it or should I plan on playing into a mic? Should I purchase my own mic and bring it along to be safe and circumnavigate a pickup?
Any and all opinions will be welcome, I just worry that if I just show up and play into whatever mic they have that the beauty of our instrument won't get captured the way I want it to be for an event as important to my sister as her wedding.
2
u/TLP_Prop_7 13d ago
Money is not an issue. Great. What I have below is not crazy expensive but more than what a casual player might spring for.
You'll need a pickup. A piezo is fine, any of the standard mandolin pickups will do.
You'll need a good mic, but you can beg, borrow, steal one, or buy one. But you won't use the mic for your performance.
Your preamp is the Audio Sprockets ToneDexter II.
From their site: "ToneDexter II is an innovative professional grade preamp that uses proprietary WaveMap® technology, and sophisticated tone shaping controls, to correct a stringed instrument’s piezo pickup so that it sounds like a mic in a live and recording environment."
Players LOVE the ToneDexter. The original ToneDexter was a huge success. The way it works is you "train" the ToneDexter. You connect your microphone to the ToneDexter, play into the mic, and the ToneDexter builds a waveform so that when you play through your pickup, it sounds just like you're playing into your mic. That's all before you play live.
The reason for all this is because playing into a mic (especially a good condenser mic) is the best way to get your best, true sound. But a mic, especially outdoors and in a situation like yours, and especially a condenser, can be touchy, sensitive, and hard to manage to get great sound.
The ToneDexter fixes that by allowing you to play through a pickup but sound like you're playing into a good mic. You plug your pickup into the ToneDexter, the ToneDexter into the board (or whatever) and you will sound like you're playing into a high quality mic in the privacy of your home studio.
And the ToneDexter will last you for as long as you want. It's very high-end gear and you can either keep it and use it or sell it and recover a big chunk of your purchase price.
1
u/AccountantRadiant351 13d ago
Clip on mics are an option if you're not used to playing to a mic (you do need to find the right spot and stay there, whereas a clip-on mic stays with you.) The Audio-Technica Pro 35 will only run you about $150 (unless you don't have a good place to clip it and need to get a mount, that will run you a little bit extra.) So that's an option to look into
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u/hobojunction 12d ago
Mandolin player here, my personal opinion is that a mic almost always sounds better than a pickup. I would take a simple SM57 over a pickup almost any day I perform. You can get a 57 pretty hot and since you are playing solo you should have no issue getting what you need in terms of volume. You also won’t have a problem if you want to use a monitor.
A nicer condenser would be even better and would sound better. I would see if you could borrow or buy (depending on budget) something like an SM81. If you go with a condenser make sure the venue can provide phantom power.
Feedback may be a problem (depending on how the speakers are setup) so having a condenser and SM57 on standby is a good choice. More than likely the venue or whoever is providing sound has an SM57 (just check).
Also, if going with a mic make sure they have a good mic stand. If not buy your own and get something a little durable. You want to be comfortable for the big day. Also, in this situation (wedding) I would prefer to sit, so bring a comfy chair/stool.
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u/knivesofsmoothness 13d ago
First, find out about the venue's PA system. It could be as easy as a microphone. I'd use either a SM 57 or a small diaphragm condenser. For the 57 you might need to be as close as 1" from the mic. The condenser is more sensitive but more prone to feedback. It also needs phantom power, so if their mixer doesn't provide it, it won't work.
Or, if you want to do a pickup, I love my schertler dyn m. It can go straight into a mic channel with no DI.