micing accordion

[airborne]

I'm doing some stuff these days with a band that mixes accordion and electric guitar. Very innovative. :lol: Anyway, how do you guys approach recording accordion, if you ever have?

It's a unique instrument, in that the chords come out of one end and the melody out of the other. A cardiod close-micing approach can yield two signals which can be made to have a LOT of separation, and I've been experimenting with using this to my advantage in the more rocky songs, while trying out more room-based approaches on the more trad stuff... One other weird thing about it is how the chord side of it moves as much as 50cm when playing, while the melody side stays still. Curious effect when close-micing.

[santeri]

Anyway, how do you guys approach recording accordion, if you ever have?

Dunno, but I heard there's this Norwegian dude who knows all about accordions.

[malice]

That's the point with those damn fuckers, they just can stop moving. That would pose a problem if you want to close mike the thing. In a good room, I experienced better result with smal cap condenser in omni, like DPAs for instance. The thing is that you have to be carefull with phase cancelation if you need to mike both ends.

I'm starting to wonder, if you really want to close mike it (in the case the room is not so great ie) if you could use one of those miniature mikes that clips on the intrument.

But the best result I had were DPA 4006 at one foot or so of the source, with an experienced player that did not move too much.

malice

[malice]

Dunno, but I heard there's this Norwegian dude who knows all about accordions.

Thor have mercy on us

malice

[Tim Halligan]

Anyway, how do you guys approach recording accordion, if you ever have?


The definition of a gentleman is someone who can play the accordian...but doesn't.

:D



I work with gentlemen.

I never need to have an approach to recording them...but if I did, it would probably include the words "flamethrower" and "sledgehammer".

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Cheers,
Tim

[dikledoux]

I did sound with another guy for an accordian festival in Louisiana a long time ago. There was no end to the accordian jokes.

Q: what's the difference between a french accordian and a piano accordian?

A: the french accordian burns faster.

The main thing I learned about accordians is that they make all these extraneous noises - clack, click, wheeze, squeak (that's the leather strap). You MUST not focus on these or you'll lose your mind. :lol:

dik

[jstuart]

One of the old favorites: An Accordianist left his prized squeezebox in his car on a busy city street, and forgot to lock his car.


later that day he came back to his car to find.......





























two more accordians......



j

[PRobb]

If you want stereo, try a coincident XY pair at least four feet in front.

And an accordion in the right hands in the right context can rock like crazy. Just ask Clifton Chenier.

[otek]

I've used two clip-on miniature mics (Beyers) with good results - you get crazy separation, like Airborne said.

I have actually used a pair of 421's too, and I must say that I didn't have too much of a problem with phase, for some reason. I guess I got lucky. :D

It's always nice to combine it with a room mic, I've used a 414 or an Earthworks QTC-1.

[airborne]

The main thing I learned about accordians is that they make all these extraneous noises - clack, click, wheeze, squeak (that's the leather strap). You MUST not focus on these or you'll lose your mind.

Yeah, that drives me nuts when I'm trying to close mic.

[Trazan]

Dunno, but I heard there's this Norwegian dude who knows all about accordions.

Huh?

Hey, Santeri! Nice to see you found your way in here at last :)



Airborne, do you really need the "bass" side of the accordion? I've actually recorded quite a bit of accordion in a band setting, and have yet to mike the bass side. Of course it depends, but the bass side is first of all made for the poor suckers that doesn't have a band (that would be approx 99.97% of accordion players). If you really need to close mic the bass side, try a clip-on (bass side only).

[santeri]

Hey, Santeri! Nice to see you found your way in here at last :)

Thanks! I'm slow with anything new.

[airborne]

Huh?
Airborne, do you really need the "bass" side of the accordion? I've actually recorded quite a bit of accordion in a band setting, and have yet to mike the bass side. Of course it depends, but the bass side is first of all made for the poor suckers that doesn't have a band (that would be approx 99.97% of accordion players). If you really need to close mic the bass side, try a clip-on (bass side only).

This is an unusual band, I'm tellin' ya.. The accordion chords play a prominent part in the arrangements... I will try a clip on mic tho, it seems like the way to go for close micing.

[6x2]

I've recorded quite a bit of accordion in the last few weeks (as well as harmonium, electric harmonium, melodica and hammond organ... Oh me, oh my...), though luckily it's been just the treble side. I've had luck with close miking using one of those chinese/german ribbon mics so that the blind spot is facing the keyboard. It gives quite a nice natural filter to kill the sometimes overly resonant top end of the accordion. Any LDC with a figure-eight pattern will do the same but brighter.

Contact mic for the bottom would seem like a very good idea. Gotta try that sometime.

Good luck.

6x2

[airborne]

Didn't cross my mind. Should have..

gotta find one first :Twisted:

[bbkong]

It's interesting that this should come up right about now since I'm recording a bunch of accordian this month.

I did some fooling around with different mics just before Christmas with this guy and the best combination I came up with was a 421 on the bass side, an M71 on the key side, both about a foot away. He didn't move around much until his 5th rum and coke, so I duct taped his left foot to the floor and strapped a tambourine to his right foot.

I can't say it sounded good but it does sound just like him.

[Chris Lambrechts]

I've had the best results with a ribbon on Accordeon. I have a couple of custom built large ribbons which work best by the 121 and 122 both work well as well. I remember from using condensors (schoeps / nuemann usual suspects) that they were a bit agressive on the high notes of the instrument to my taste. The ribbon made those frequencies a more pleasurable experience to listen to ... even loud ... instead of an ear bleeding one where you'd filter the highs with a low pass for example.

Range from the instrument : player was standing and the mic positioned like an overhead on drums.

Chris