How to Mic a Violin / Fiddle

Hear the Difference: My tips for getting the best Fiddle Sound with amplification

It took me quite some time to navigate the world of amplification - I grew up playing in school orchestras and in classical music spaces so often that amplification was never talked about. Once I learned the basics of amplification, my world of opportunities expanded- now I could play in bars and modern music venues, and for outdoor parties and special events. I've used everything from electric violins to installed acoustic pickups (and everything in between) over the years, and I figured I'd share with you today what I've learned!

1. My number one tip and hands down preference is to use a large diaphragm condenser microphone (My go to for years has been the amazing and also beautifully made-to-look vintage Ear Trumpet Labs) 

• Why I like it: The sophisticated technology has the most accurate representation of my actual sound. I don't need much else other than to get this bad boy plugged in and connected to the sound system. No EQ or pedals or any additional tech necessary

• Pros: Best sound quality, simple, non-invasive set up 

• Cons: Has a cap on it's max volume- you might have trouble using it with louder instruments. Susceptible to feedback if the room reflects sound a lot. 

Other microphones, like the industry standard SM 57 or 58 has all the same pros and cons, with slightly less accurate of a sound reproduction- it won't capture the warmth and brilliancy of the full fiddle tone as well but will still sound more natural than a pick up. 

Pictured below is one of my favorites- the Ear Trumpet "Louise"

2. Fully Electric, or acoustic electric instruments can sound pretty good in their own way if you know which ones are made with the best tech. Since these instruments were made with the intent to be plugged in, they often sound better than an installed pickup and require less "correction" in EQ. 

• Why I like it: If you're using effects, like a loop pedal, bass pedal, or reverb, these instruments sound great. I love the natural sustain that pizzicato has with electric instruments. It opens up a lot more sonic possibilities. 

• Pros: The best option for maximizing volume output- they are resistant and nearly immune to feedback. Effects also sound great through an electric instrument

• Cons: The tone is a lot more "synthetic" sounding- usually thinner and less natural sounding. You can combat this with effects/pedals but you'll never match the sound of an acoustic fiddle.

3.  Pick-Ups attach to an acoustic instrument and capture the mechanical vibrations and convert these to sound- as opposed to a mic that picks up the sound from the air. 

• Why I Like it: You can get more volume than from a mic, but still benefit from a more natural sound than an acoustic instrument. To be honest, I don't use these much at all anymore- I play mostly bluegrass music in spaces where a microphone works fine but I know many people who make this work- especially in jazz and rock settings. 

• Pros: Better balance of tone/volume

• Cons: It's easy to sound bad (tinny/harsh) without proper EQ. Most people who use these have an EQ pedal that processes their sound before going to the speakers. It's a bit more work to figure out. 

4. New to me! Clip on Mics -  These are essentially smaller microphones that attach to the instrument. This newer tech company called Acemic reached out to me to review one on my YouTube Channel- It just came in the mail. I'm going to give it a go next week!