Irish Tenor Banjos...

TelePaul

...are impossible to track!

PaulBrewer

TelePaul wrote: »

...are impossible to track!

What you mean?

Mars Bar

I spent halloween week making a banjo out of timber and a Roses tin and recorded it today. Just used a Neumann small condenser mic a few feet away and facing towards the rim. It didn't turn out too bad...but I'm a novice so it might sound good to my ears and sound terrible to yers!

tweeky

They are meant to sound crap.

madtheory

Try one [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Beyerdynamic MCE530 positioned in the sweet spot. Best banjo sound I ever got, it was an excellent Gibson model though, with a classy player.
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studiorat

I play a bit of banjer! here's the guy I learnt off (on the internets) he's a legend check out his channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhPMLzvZXrk&feature=channel

that's how you make a banjo...

when you way track do you mean record or double track? cause they are easy to record!!!

danjokill

no point in direct micing a banjo far to much attack .... sound needs to develop ..... key is a nice room and room mic's

madtheory

danjokill wrote: »

no point in direct micing a banjo far to much attack .... sound needs to develop ..... key is a nice room and room mic's

By "direct miking" do you mean close miking? Close miking is useful if you don't want much room, so you get a more up front sound. But you still need a nice room and the right mic.I assume the OP has no problems with acoustic guitars, so room and mics are not the issue?

Mars Bar

studiorat wrote: »

I play a bit of banjer! here's the guy I learnt off (on the internets) he's a legend check out his channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhPMLzvZXrk&feature=channel

that's how you make a banjo...

when you way track do you mean record or double track? cause they are easy to record!!!

Aw his is better than mine...

buzzkill.

Bluebirdstudios

On a trad session I done many moons ago I used a ribbon mic on the banjo.
I know, I know, I know //// what about the top end !!!!
With this player who was pick heavy the ribbon done a great job in softening the attacks and brought great balance to the instrument.

-Dec

When a banjo's played well, try not to tap your feet -- Can't be done !

danjokill

madtheory wrote: »

By "direct miking" do you mean close miking? Close miking is useful if you don't want much room, so you get a more up front sound. But you still need a nice room and the right mic.I assume the OP has no problems with acoustic guitars, so room and mics are not the issue?

close micing .... yeah (clip me around the ears for that school boy error!)

I guess it would depend on the style of music and how the banjo was going to sit in the mix but personally for me unless the banjo was soloing I’d go nice room.

other quote about using a ribbon to tone down the highs maybe not such a bad idea at all ..... I’d like to try that! :-)

TelePaul

Ah good to see this has generated a bit of interest!
Basically, I'm having trouble getting a useable sound out it. It's a very nasally, harsh sounding instrument but then again, my playing probably leaves alot to be desired. I don't know whether I should try to tame some of the raspiness by muting at the bridge slightly, but either way, a LDC 12' out from the neck/body join isn't doing anything for me. I'd read elsewhere that a SMD pointing down the neck from the headstock is a good way to go...

danjokill

TelePaul wrote: »

Ah good to see this has generated a bit of interest!
Basically, I'm having trouble getting a useable sound out it. It's a very nasally, harsh sounding instrument but then again, my playing probably leaves alot to be desired. I don't know whether I should try to tame some of the raspiness by muting at the bridge slightly, but either way, a LDC 12' out from the neck/body join isn't doing anything for me. I'd read elsewhere that a SMD pointing down the neck from the headstock is a good way to go...

Are you looking for at a surjan stevens or a luke kelly sound?

trad

Marsbar, any chance of posting a picture of your creation, had a look at the youtube link and it looks like an intresting project. I've made some flutes out of wavin pipe and a wine cork with average results.

TelePaul

danjokill wrote: »

Are you looking for at a surjan stevens or a luke kelly sound?

Wouldn't waste my time with the former and in the case of the Dubliners, all their stuff sounds like they've just gathered around one mic and had at it?! So it's tough to say. More blue-grassy vibe than anything.

madtheory

Seems to me you need to get someone else in to move the mic around for you while wearing good cans, to find a better sweet spot.

Mars Bar

trad wrote: »

Marsbar, any chance of posting a picture of your creation, had a look at the youtube link and it looks like an intresting project. I've made some flutes out of wavin pipe and a wine cork with average results.

Yup! I haven't got a pic of it fully finished, I have pics of how I made it step by step. It's down in college at the moment so I will take one on Monday!

Rockshamrover

Slightly off topic but banjo related.

Did anyone see Steve Martin (the comedian) on Later with Jules Holland last night?

He's one hell of a banjo player.

Mars Bar

Rockshamrover wrote: »

Slightly off topic but banjo related.

Did anyone see Steve Martin (the comedian) on Later with Jules Holland last night?

He's one hell of a banjo player.

I didn't see that last night but I saw him a few months back on The Ellen Show when he was promoting his album and yes, he is some banjo player!

Aridstarling

Yeah I saw that, was pretty excellent alright. He didn't look too happy to be there though.

Rockshamrover

Aridstarling wrote: »

Yeah I saw that, was pretty excellent alright. He didn't look too happy to be there though.

He seemed a bit odd alright.

That's a great show all the same. The bands and artists are top notch, must cost a fortune to set them all up.

PaulBrewer

Rockshamrover wrote: »

Slightly off topic but banjo related.

Did anyone see Steve Martin (the comedian) on Later with Jules Holland last night?

He's one hell of a banjo player.

I thought he was 'nearly' one hell of a banjo player ...