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Best mic and positioning for flute live?


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Recently started adding some flute to the band. Suggestions for type of mic and where to place it for least interference with playing the instrument. I honestly wasn't expecting a problem, but last night has me unsure of my approach.

Why not watch Tull on Youtube? :) Jethro Tull

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Some what off topic but related. Years ago I played in an acoustic trio. One guy played the flute and used a Barcus-Berry pickup and ran it into a Mini-Moog. Since the Flute has no harmonics he could program the Mini-Moog to get all kinds of great sounds. We performed a diverse collection of music from Jethro Tull to McCartney synth sounds with the flute. It was really unique at the time.

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Why not watch Tull on Youtube?
:)
Jethro Tull

 

Ian Anderson really kicks ass, but within a week of looking and using fingering charts, it was obvious that he never studied the instrument. (Heard that his daughter told him that his fingering is wrong when she started playing the instrument.) Some people just get lucky. I've seen him use a SM57 in some concerts. Generally I get better advice here than on youtube.

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Ian Anderson really kicks ass, but within a week of looking and using fingering charts, it was obvious that he never studied the instrument. (Heard that his daughter told him that his fingering is wrong when she started playing the instrument.) Some people just get lucky. I've seen him use a SM57 in some concerts. Generally I get better advice here than on youtube.

 

 

Yep, hence my snarky comment in your other thread when you mentioned starting on flute. Anderson definitely sounds great for the music he does, but he's not a good example to follow unless all you'll ever play flute on is Tull. My daughter was a first-chair flautist through most of high school, and I recall being confused when I compared her hand position and style with video's of Anderson. I then learned he was quite unconventional...

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I don't see any need to rake the guy over the coals just because he's ignorant. If he thinks he found a universal sweet spot that's his conclusion, and if you or anyone else would like to correct him you can do so without chastising his lack of experience. I imagine he might be here to learn just as much as share his opinions. How about encouraging him to learn more? Just ignore him and his comments if you must. "Throwing out opinions you cannot back up" seems to be a problem for you and not anyone else. We can all research comments made to determine credibility. Just chill and respond to the comments that you approve of, or express your difference of opinion and your experiences. YOUR personal attack comments on him don't exactly cast you in the best light, do you want to be seen as arrogant and condescending? And of course that would be personal, and I will not go there. This forum IS about shared information, it is not about scolding, criticizing, attitudes, and otherwise making personal remarks. If someone is being obnoxious and an idiot and an a$$h** that's a different story. Just stick to business

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FWIW... our sax player has a nice little A-T cardioid condensor gooseneck mic (probably 18" or so) and uses that pointed down most of the gig at her sax and then up for a couple of songs (You Can Call Me Al, etc.) for the flute parts and it seems to work pretty well, but I have to remind her to get up on the mic... at least for solos. She's kinda short, so the 18" gooseneck works for her... YMMV.

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 I've got SM57 and C-1000 to try without spending anymore bills. I'm also pretty new to the instrument, so volume control will be better with a mic on a stand. Flute may never be a major instrument for me, but just an additional one. I'll start there with your suggestions.

 

As a gigging woodwind doubler for many years I like to use a "classic" Senn 421 when playing flute through a PA....(the 421 seems to draw the low register out of the flute with minimal effort...)  I've used Senn e835's, Shure sm57's, 58's (all with windscreens) and they have worked well for me.  

If the flutist has chops (can play well...ie: has a resonant tone) a 57 or 58 w/wind screen is sufficient..

 

Mike M 

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I need some advice. I am looking to purchase a better quality mic for our church flute player. She says she doesn't like mounting a mic to her flute due to damping resonance, which I understand. Yet she'd like to have the mobility. Is there a mic that could be attached that would give her the mobility and not dampen the resonance of the flute. She plays a professionally hand-made flute by Tom Green; a maker in the realm of Jack Moore, Haynes, Powell. Any suggestions here?

Thanks

James

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I need some advice. I am looking to purchase a better quality mic for our church flute player. She says she doesn't like mounting a mic to her flute due to damping resonance, which I understand. Yet she'd like to have the mobility. Is there a mic that could be attached that would give her the mobility and not dampen the resonance of the flute. She plays a professionally hand-made flute by Tom Green; a maker in the realm of Jack Moore, Haynes, Powell. Any suggestions here?

Thanks

James

 

 

A DPA 4099 would be the best mic I can think of to attach to a flute.

 

If she absolutely doesn't want to have the mic clipped to her instrument, you could try having her wear a headset mic. Vary the length and position of the boom until you get the best sound.

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The headset works. It has the same disadvantages as the clip-on re. the ability to use mic positioning effectively, but it works.

 

One caveat ........ be prepared to ride her fader. I have reinforced a couple of folks that use headset mics for flute, and if you don't, you get to hear them breathing, sighing, chewing gum, and smacking their lips through the PA when they aren't playing.

 

Wes

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Why not watch Tull on Youtube?
:)
Jethro Tull



Ian Anderson really kicks ass' date=' but within a week of looking and using fingering charts, it was obvious that he never studied the instrument. (Heard that his daughter told him that his fingering is wrong when she started playing the instrument.) Some people just get lucky. I've seen him use a SM57 in some concerts. Generally I get better advice here than on youtube.[/quote']When he found out he wasn't doing it correctly, he had his manager send him correct fingering charts. He then locked himself in a room and proceeded to re-learn the instrument prior to recording Crest of a Knave.

The headset works. It has the same disadvantages as the clip-on re. the ability to use mic positioning effectively' date=' but it works.One caveat ........ be prepared to ride her fader. I have reinforced a couple of folks that use headset mics for flute, and if you don't, you get to hear them breathing, sighing, chewing gum, and smacking their lips through the PA when they aren't playing.Wes[/quote']I use a headset mic when playing the flute, as it's what I use as the vocalist. When I play the flute, I move the mic out a bit and up. That allows the airstream to go underneath the mic, while being close to the sound. Don't have to worry about noise when I'm not playing. When I'm not playing, I'm singing.
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