[Dixielandjazz] FW: Sound Check from Hell

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

There is a special mike for clarinets that do both that is pick up at the 
end of the bell and over the keys but they are expensive and look very 
awkward.

What you have to watch is the B natural because it will honk the mike.  The 
solution is to heat up the mike and move at least a foot away then the B 
doesn't have as much effect and you should not point directly at the mike. 
That works pretty well.

I had thought about a device that would sense the movement of the two pad 
cups near the bell and as they moved the mike would be automatically 
attenuated to the proper level as the pads closed.  Micro switches might 
work but a laser sensor might be better and not require anything touching 
the pad cups.  It could even be done with a magnetic sensor.   A single bell 
mounted mike would work just fine with everything mounted on the bell it's 
self.  The player could adjust the level and balance of the mike much like a 
stereo balance control.  With today's super fast transistor switching 
capability it could be instant with no pops or clicks. For those of you who 
are technically minded there isn't anything like it out there and I won't 
ever do anything with the idea. Add a wireless mike and you have a super 
clarinet mike without wires.

Conn came out with a great mike for clarinets and saxes.  The barrel joint 
was drilled and a hollow threaded rod with a special cap was installed and 
the mike fitted to that via a plastic joiner.  They worked and sounded great 
but I found the dangling wire to be annoying.  I'm sort of surprised with 
the new wireless technology that someone hasn't come up with a horn mounted 
mike that installed like the old Conn pick up in the barrel joint.  The mike 
was used with the Varitone unit that produced octaves while playing the 
horn.  The Varitone was kind of cool but in the end just a gimmick.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Kashishian" <jim at kashprod.com>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 2:03 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] FW: Sound Check from Hell


>
> Referring to Steve's post showing his sound check at a park concert:
>
> Why do you have a mike at the end of your bell, Steve?  The sound of a
> clarinet is where your fingers are.  If anything, you can place a mic over
> the holes & one at the end, but at the end is a no-no.
>
> When we worked with Tom Scott, he always got up real close to the mike at
> the finger level, particularly for the low tones, but he always used the 
> mic
> around the fingers....and, you know that fellow had one of the best sounds
> available.
>
> Jim
>
>
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