Harp Microphones - how to use them. original

Harp Microphones is part of a set of web pages written to demystify the miking and amplification of acoustic instruments.

Harp Microphones: Harps can be difficult to mic up correctly as they tend to be large with a wide range of notes. But when done carefully with some thought it can be quite easy.

There are several ways to pick up the sound of a harp, you can use standard vocal mics or specialist harp mics.

Let us initially look at the mechanism of sound production by the harp;

1. initiation - strings and fingers
2. amplification - soundbox

Each part plays its own role.
The initial string sound gives the note which is to be played. With the harp being a relatively large instrument the stings are longer and heavier that many other instruments and as such they emit more sound. This string sound has its own characteristics based on the material of the string and the way in which it was plucked. The sound of the string is coupled into the soundbox by the base bar. Again the construction of the soundbox and the rest of the instrument affects this sound and gives the instrument its characteristic sound.
The soundbox creates the natural amplification of the instrument and again it's construction changes how it sounds.
The harp sound can therefore be picked up either directly from the strings, directly form the soundbox or a combination of the two.

But where do you place Harp Microphones?
There are three main choices,

1. close to the strings to pick up their initial sound and character,

2. close to the soundboard to pick up the vibrations of the instrument,

3. distant from the instrument to pick up the whole instrument plus the ambience of the room.

All three locations have their advantages and disadvantages and some are more suitable for particular applications, i.e. amplification or recording.
Close to the strings using a vocal microphone will give a very pure sound, with an accurate string sound. Due to the size of the instrument it is usually necessary to have two or more microphones to adequately pick up the whole sound. This also requires a floor stand for each microphone which can make the stage very cluttered.
A very popular and convenient method is to use a contact harp microphone on the inside of the soundbaord will give a high volume with minimal risk to feedback when amplified. Again due to the size of the soundbaord it is important to select the correct location for this type of harp mic. The soundboard will vibrate in different ways when different notes/strings are played. It is important to use a relatively large contact harp mic to pick up as many of these nodes as possible to ensure you pick up the whole character of the instrument.
The above techniques, although not exclusively, are particularly suitable for live playing. If recording then it is often useful to either place the microphones further away form the instrument or use some more distant microphone in addition to one of the solutions above. These more distant microphones will add room ambiance to the sound being recorded and add warmth to the recording. This is not usually required for live playing as the room will add this warmth to the amplified sound.

Exact location of the Harp Microphone can vary.
The exact position of any harp mic must be tuned by the player. Although the manufacturer's suggested location will give a good sound it can often be improved by making small adjustments on your own instrument. No two instruments are the same, even from the same maker. Experiment and change the position until you are happy that you have the best sound for you and your instrument.

As a starting point: When using a contact microphone, it should be placed on the inside of the soundbaord about 1/3 of the way up the instrument, to one side but not in the middle of that side. Depending on your instrument, the harp mic may need to be moved further up the instrument if your harp has very loud bass notes or quiet high notes and vice versa. At the extreme it may be necessary to use two microphones but this is rarity.

If you have found this short article useful perhaps you would like to read others;

www.violinmicrophones.co.uk

If you want a practical instrument microphone which will perform as described above then why not visit www.accusound.com
To learn more about Harp Mics go to;
Accusound - Harp Microphones.
Accusound workshops - Harp Microphones.