Contact mic setup for mbira?

[JES]

Hi All,

Three questions:

What is a good contact mic or piezo pickup to affix to an mbrira?
Where should I place it on the instrument? and
Is there a way to affix it without damaging the wood?

I'm not sure it's authentic, and it's much less robust than some that I've seen that are used by actual players, but it makes a nice sound.

I'd like to attach a contact mic to it so that I can run it through a bunch of effects; but I don't want to ruin the wood.

Thanks!

A couple pics (sorry for the size):





PS -- I already found this thread but I don't want to mic it, I want to use a pickup -- http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopi ... ight=mbira[/img]

[Gregg Juke]

Dad-Gum boy, those are BIG pictures.

I would try something like a violin or acoustic bass pick-up (Fishman?). I think there is some non-permanent adhesive that you can use for the wood. I would try placing the pick-up in different spots until you get the best sound-- near the soundhole (if there is one), on the back, and underneath the tines if it will fit and not restrict your playing.

Just educated guesses, BTW. I've only seen them miked-up, not used with a pick-up. Plus, I suppose it depends on the design and what your (very large) mbira is made of (as far as best spot for optimum tone)? My brother has one that has an all wood body, but the one that I have is made from a sardine can and only has a wooden top.

GJ

[apropos of nothing]

Good to see you again (still) on here, JES.

Agreed with Mr. Juke^. Piezos sound like hell all around, BUT, you can frequently get a good sound with them. I got one for an acoustic guitar, and spent a bunch of time essentially pressing the housing of the pickup up against the body of the instrument til I found the spot where it picked up the frequencies I liked and only got minimal yucky stuff.

The big issue with this is going to be handling noise. I would try on the top -- is that a skin head?

Cool axe, man!

edit: Oh yeah, forgot to mention, the one I used is this: http://www.kksound.com/hotspot.html
Can't really tell you how it compares to others.[/i]

[apropos of nothing]

Accidental double post. Dumb back key.

[A.David.MacKinnon]

Guitar pick-ups work great if you can squeeze one under the tines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cU19URUe6o
Saw these guys at a summer fest playing through Marshall stacks and an SVT. Blew my mind.

[Gregg Juke]

Hey David, that was pretty awesome.

GJ

[apropos of nothing]

Hey David, that was pretty awesome.

+1

[A.David.MacKinnon]

Yep. Their Congotronix record is great too. It's amazing how once it get's going you forget it's origins and start to hear it as crazy electronic dance music.

[Zeppelin Design Labs]

We make an inexpensive piezo contact pickup with a balanced buffered output signal.
http://zeppelindesignlabs.com/product/c ... ntact-mic/
It comes as a DIY kit so you can configure it just-right for this instrument.
The signal is super-clean with very wide, flat bandwidth. You can just stick the piezo onto the instrument with painter's tape (low-tack masking tape) or you can put a little bit of "sticky-tack" or "blue-tac" under the contact. (This is the stuff you use to stick posters to the wall.) Neither one will affect the finish.
Try the contact in various places on the head, the back, near the sound hole. You will get different results everywhere.

[kslight]

Oh good, I'm glad someone joined the forum and dug up some zombie threads just to pitch their product!

[Zeppelin Design Labs]

No offence meant. Broadly speaking, I find some of the best discussions & problem solutions in threads that pick up and drop maybe several times over several years. These threads serve as an archive or repository of ideas-in-development. So I added my idea.

[floid]

Hey David, that was pretty awesome.

+1

+2

[kslight]

No offence meant. Broadly speaking, I find some of the best discussions & problem solutions in threads that pick up and drop maybe several times over several years. These threads serve as an archive or repository of ideas-in-development. So I added my idea.

If you want people to look at your products, buy an ad. Spamming the forum with your sales pitch is only self serving and adds nothing of value to the threads. If every business came in here to post their "ideas" it would be quite annoying.


See also:

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=28552

[Zeppelin Design Labs]

You're right, I'm wrong. kslight, thanks for that post-link. I missed that before posting. We'll knock it off now.

[I'm Painting Again]

maybe Ubertar who posts here has something or can make something for you?

he makes them by hand himself and they are awesome..

I'd shoot him a message about it..

http://www.ubertar.com