New advice: How to mic a whistle

sharkydoyle · Post by **sharkydoyle** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:46 am

I'm in an irish rock band that features a tin whistle and we're having a hard time micing it for live performances. Any suggestions?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tim
www.sharkydoyles.com

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:49 am

Your main problem will be the level of sound on the stage, so you probably want a loud whistle. Other than that, close miking on the voice window should do the trick. I'd use a cardioid small condenser microphone like the little AKGs or Shure 98.

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:52 am

Kinda like this?

Dunno who the lady is, but that's how I'd mic it.

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:57 am

How dare you call us mics just because we play irish whistle.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 9:01 am

GaryKelly wrote:Kinda like this?.

Exactly. The only thing i'd do different is i'd use a smaller microphone, to expose less microphone area to the non-whistle noise, and also because the whistle is high-pitched anyway and a small condenser would work fine.

That's Ms Corr, isn't she?

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 9:05 am

Another thing, depending on the noise levels from the rest of the rock ensemble (and where the main stacks are positioned etc)...you might want to make sure the whistler has a good wedge in front of him/her. Or an in-ear monitor.

glauber wrote:That's Ms Corr, isn't she?

I do believe you're correct there glauber

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:09 am

Hi,
I used to stand by a mic too; but that was so hard to do.
If you're out in the wind or you want to move a fraction of an
inch you CAN'T MOVE!
So, I got a head-set mic, like the singers use, and that was wonderful. I could move around the stage more and it made everything much
more of an enjoyable experience.
Lolly

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:46 am

I would also recommend a headset mic (wireless if possible), and probably a preamp and effect pedals. The next time you rehearse, have your whistler plug into your electric guitarist's pedal string and see how some of the effects work for you.

mconners · Post by **mconners** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:57 am

glauber wrote:Your main problem will be the level of sound on the stage, so you probably want a loud whistle. Other than that, close miking on the voice window should do the trick. I'd use a cardioid small condenser microphone like the little AKGs or Shure 98.

I couldn't agree more with glauber on the sound levels on the stage.

For years I played rock/blues and the longer I played the smaller my amplifiers got and the lower my stage volume went. If I were playing today I would go and get an amp modeler like a Behringer V-Amp.

One of our rules of thumb was that when we were playing we should be able to have a conversation with each other from 3 feet away without screaming at each other.

It worked pretty well, and our sound guy loved working with us.

Let the PA system do the work for you.

Cyfiawnder · Post by **Cyfiawnder** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 12:38 pm

GaryKelly wrote:Kinda like this?

Dunno who the lady is, but that's how I'd mic it.

Yikes she's bonney lass isn't she... I'm strangely jealous of the whistle... Does than mean I have whistle envy?

John S · Post by **John S** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 1:26 pm

I use an SM57 on a boom stand looking down on the fipple at about 30' the mic is very directional and allows some movement backwards and forwards without catastrophic changes in volume.
John S