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The sound of the bodhran is a subtle blend of the tones and attack from both the front and back of the instrument. So miking a bodhran for stage performance is quite a challenge if you want to accurately reproduce this complex sound for the audience and don't want to be surrounded by microphones.
After several of years of trial and error with different mikes, mike positions etc., I have settled on an AKG C419 clip-on mike which I have used for about the last 4 years. The frequency response for this mike is aimed at instrments like the saxaphone, but it works very well with the bodhran. The mike is clipped to the drum frame and the goose neck is bent around so the mike is positioned at the front of the head; this gives a much more natural tone than a mike at the back. Place the mike close to the strike point, but not too close as whacking it with the stick sounds bad and can be expensive... Clip-on mikes are a total joy, allowing freedom of movement - a must for those long 3 hour jobs. But, if you don't like to use a clip-on, I strongly suggest that you use an instrument mike (I like the SM57) on a boom stand, with the mike positioned close to the front of the head, not the back. You have to be careful to not hit the mike, but this minor aggravation is well worth it; miking the back of the drum gives an unpleasant harsh boomy sound that doesn't do these wonderful drums justice. |
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