Micing a Jazz Band
by: Steve Edwards, Sound & Media Specialist

 

Microphone selection and placement for a jazz ensemble can greatly enhance the group’s presentation. Here are a few basic suggestions to guide you in the placement and selection of equipment.

 

Horn Sections

The best microphones are condenser mics. The front pick-up pattern is a 3 to 1 ratio. This means that for every foot the microphone is from the sound source it will pick up three feet side-to-side. Consequently, a microphone set up two feet away from the sound source will pick-up sound sources six feet side-to-side.

 

Condenser microphones are typically in one of three patterns; cardioid, super cardioid and hyper cardioid. The hyper

cardioid has better “rejection” so it picks up less of the surrounding sources. If you are micing saxes with trumpets next to them, a hyper-cardioid mic helps keep the two separate. The super-cardioid and cardioid mics have less rejection and will cause the trumpets and saxes to be picked up together. This will make it difficult to adjust the balance of the group.

 

The following are three options to micing your jazz band:

 

Group

Good

Better

Best

Horns

Audio Technica AT2000

 

Audio Technica AT-3031

or

Shure KSM-109L

Audio Technica  AT 4040 multi pattern or

Shure KSM-44/SL

Acoustic Guitar

Shure SM57

Shure SM-57

Shure SM57

Acoustic Bass

Shure SM57

Beta 56A

or

Audio Technica ATM-250

Shure KSM-137/L  or

Audio Technica AE-250 Dual Element

Electric Guitars & Piano

Rapko Direct Box

Rapko Direct Box

BSS Direct Box

Acoustic Piano

2-Audio Technica AT3031

2-Audio Technica AT3031

1-Audio Technica AT4051

Drums

Audio Technica

AT-KitPak MB-DK6

Shure PGDMK-6-XLR

Shure Beta DMK57-52

 

Contact Joe Cardenas at 517-337-9700 ext. 158 for school bid information.

 

Marshall Music’s sound and media specialist, Steve Edwards, is available to consult with you regarding any of your school’s live sound amplification needs including music ensembles, theater, auditoriums, stadium public address systems or any other applications. Contact Steve at 517-337-9700 ext. 396.