Best way to Mic a Pump Organ?

[Antiques]

First of all, hi everyone, I'm new here. Nice to meet all of you.

Second of all, I'm terrible at engineering so.... yeah, that's that.

Third, the other member of my band also posts on here. His name is Steve. Hey Steve, if you're out there, hi.

Ok, now to my question:

What is the best way to mic a pump organ so as to get minimal key depression and pedal creaking sounds?

It's not that I mind the aesthetic of creaking pedals. I think it sounds great. I was just curious as to what would be the best way to reduce this somewhat.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks.

-Tim

[tonewoods]

I like to use ribbons when recording anything that produces ancillary sounds....

They really seems to deliver the essence of the instrument minus the "noise" that condensors seem to pick up....

Violins, toy pianos, pianos, and yes, pump organs, are all on that list....

If you're playing the pump organ one-handed, I like to use a hand-held beyer M260 and "follow" the sound as it emminates from the reeds right above the keyboard.
This works surprisingly well....

For two-handed playing, a couple M260s pointed right above the keyboard in the general area that you'll be playing does the trick...

Luck!

[brian beattie]

I like ribbons on pump organs as well, but there have been just as many times I've used condensors or dynamics. It depends on the context of the instrument in the song. If it's a solo pump organ, or if the pump organ is a major part of the harmonic heft of the song, a big warm ribbon, OR one or two omni mics over the top above the keys a foot or two, more or less. I can cram dynamics in closer, and I love the sound of a nice midrange detaily omni ev dynamic stuck right above the keys, pointing more towards the back of the keys, kind of away from the clicking of the keys. This seems works better if the organ is competing with a whole rock band or something....
I bet you'll have more luck eliminating clicks by having the player sorta more sensitized to ways of finessing less clicks out of an old wheezing geezer. Micing from the top minimizes foot pump sounds, too.
but it's a pump organ, and even when they're pretty nicely tight and tuned up they huff and they puff some. But, of course. most of them ARENT all tight at all, especially the big cabinet size carved wood old timey beasts. Those things usually have failed bellows and are in dire need of some serious loving.
Say, tim, is this a foot pump organ? I thought the hand pump ones were harmoniums....
brian

[r0ck1r0ck2]

hey....this is my favourite acoustic instrument by about a million miles!

good luck with the recording..

[joninc]

a good buddy of mine stuff a 57 down the hole on the front - maybe it's under the keys on his - can't remember. seems to sound pretty good with more reeds and less other noise.

[Marc Alan Goodman]

And make the musician cut their nails! I know it seems obvious but that one's stumped me for way too long sitting in the control room.

I actually have nail clippers in my toolkit nowadays.

-marc

[Antiques]

And make the musician cut their nails! I know it seems obvious but that one's stumped me for way too long sitting in the control room.

I actually have nail clippers in my toolkit nowadays.

-marc

Haha, I bite my nails, so no worries on that.

Thanks for all the helpful tips everyone.