Putting a Resonator on an Open Back Banjo

Micing an open-back banjo

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I found an old thread on micing up a banjo, but it didn't differentiate between open-backs and resonators.

I have an open-back. With an open-back, the back of it is kind of the equivalent of a guitar's sound-hole (I would have thought). It's certainly louder round the back. Would you mic an open-back differently to a resonator? Where would you mic it? Like a guitar, pointing down towards the top of the neck?

Gear Head

I would start with my ears and walk around the banjo whilst it is being played to listen for sweet spots.

Just as a thought, maybe a small/mid diaphragm condenser (GT33?) to get the transient plucking detail on the fret board (or maybe 2 mics, one higher up the fret board and one by the strumming position), and a large diaphragm behind to capture the resonance of the sound hole. The back mic should have its polarity inverted otherwise there will be phase cancellation.

Let us know how it sounds.

D

Micing an open-back banjo

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I've experimented a bit with my open back banjo and never felt I got anything useful by putting a mic on the back, or by using more than one mic for that matter. Try it & see what you like.

I've found that if the banjo is quite prominent in a sparse arrangement, an LDC pointed at the 12th fret does well, and if it's in a busy mix, sometimes a 57 will do the trick. Good luck!

Gear Guru

With regard to guitar sound holes, I wouldn't mic that, either. If you do, you usually get a boomy, uneven resonance.

With regard to miking the back of a banjo... how the heck are you guys (or your talent) holding their banjos? The only way I've ever been able to play -- or seen folks play, for that matter, I think, is with the back of the banjo more or less against their torso. When seated, typically the equivalent of 3 point classical guitar position (bottom/rear of instrument cradled between thighs and neck pointed somewhat up at something of an angle). Or suspended by a strap in similar fashion but a little higher.

Am I missing something...?

Quote:

Originally Posted by theblue1 ➡️

With regard to guitar sound holes, I wouldn't mic that, either. If you do, you usually get a boomy, uneven resonance.

With regard to miking the back of a banjo... how the heck are you guys (or your talent) holding their banjos? The only way I've ever been able to play -- or seen folks play, for that matter, I think, is with the back of the banjo more or less against their torso. When seated, typically the equivalent of 3 point classical guitar position (bottom/rear of instrument cradled between thighs and neck pointed somewhat up at something of an angle). Or suspended by a strap in similar fashion but a little higher.

Am I missing something...?

That's all kind of what I suspected.

I've made enough novice recordist mistakes sticking mics in front of guitar soundholes in my time. I figured micing the back probably wouldn't be a good idea.

I asked mainly because when I play live with a band, I use a little cheap unidirectional clip-on mic and clip it inside the banjo - so effectively it's being mic'd from behind. It works well as, although the tone is pretty crappy, it gets a lot of volume. And it's cheap so it doesn't matter if it gets beaten up at a gig.

I play the banjo exactly as you describe, but once or twice at some band rehearsals I haven't had my clip-on mic, and I've had to mic it up with a standard vocal mic, which I've put behind me. I've just played with the banjo a bit further to the right than normal, so a bit sticks out. I've found that that's louder than micing from the front.

That's just for expediency's sake though in a rehearsal room.

For recording (tomorrow) I'll try a few things but stick to the front.

Gear Guru

I feel better. I thought maybe I was playin' it wrong. heh

Yeah, on stage, you gotta do what you gotta do. What works best in the studio probably is not going to be best on stage.

But, of course, what sounds best is usually best, everything else equal.

So, if one gets a good sound from a particular position -- no matter how out of the norm it is -- it may be just the thing to do in that situation.

Each situation is potentially different, which is why rules of thumb are good starting places... but ultimately, you have to use your ears and be willing to experiment if you're not getting what you want. Sometimes you find that what you started with was the best you can do in that situation. But sometimes you find really unexpected results...

Registered User

A banjo is a drum, a stick, and some strings. Dead simple. Generally put the mic out front 12-24". Point the mic at the head. Done.

I've got 5 of them and some have resonators some don't but they all project forward, just louder with resonator.

I've tried dozens of mics on banjos. My favorite is KM56 (if you can find one). KM84 is also a good choice.

Lives for gear

Agree with the above poster. Also, an inexpensive mic that works really well on banjo is an Oktava 012.

Gear Head

+1

It's one of the instruments I haven't recorded before, but when the need comes I now know what to do.

But I'll still have a quick listen with my ears first.

D

+1 as well, Banjos tend to be on the loud side, so while close micing is possible, it's not really necessary. My open backed banjo (played "clawhammer" style) tends to project very well from the front of the head, and sounds best from a couple feet away. Sound projection is never a problem. If I was going to close mic, I would consider using a dynamic, but generally an LDC a few feet out front sounds the best to my ears.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deltasigma ➡️

I would start with my ears and walk around the banjo whilst it is being played to listen for sweet spots.

Always good advice, particularly with an instrument you're unfamiliar with.

Don't expect it to have that bright snap like a resonator banjo. They're a bit more plonky.

I like ribbons on banjos. Particularly the Coles 4038.

I've had great luck with an RE-20, about 12-18" off the bridge.

Sometimes a KM-184 on the neck, in conjunction.

Some samples:

Laurence Irwin Sugarman | Space | CD Baby

These were all cut live, w/a Soundelux E-47 on the vocals.

MG

Lives for gear

441 is my favorite on most banjos. Clear without being harsh.

Lives for gear

What Rick Sutton said. thumbsup

Try hard to keep it about two feet (or more) out. The different sounds emanating from the instrument come together there.

If you have nearby instruments, and are concerned about bleed then use a good dynamic/ribbon mic, but still keep it two feet out.

- Jim

Putting a Resonator on an Open Back Banjo

Source: https://gearspace.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/575048-micing-open-back-banjo.html

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