Mic Archive

Instrument

Electric piano

Two electromechanical pianos. In the Rhodes, hammers strike thin metal tines beside an electromagnetic pickup, and the signal goes by cable to an external keyboard amp and speaker. In the Wurlitzer, a felt hammer strikes a metal reed and an electrostatic pickup (170 V DC) makes the signal. Other names: Fender Rhodes, Rhodes Stage Piano; Wurlitzer 200A, 206 and similar models.1,2

Also called Rhodes, Wurlitzer.

Range
A1–C7
Peaks up close
up to 118 dB SPL
Sources
3 (3 independent)

Recommended mics

Mics sources recommend

12 setups from 3 sources, 3 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.

Studio

Close

  • AKG C 4141 independent source
  • AKG C 451 (earlier version of the AKG C451 B)1 independent source
  • AKG D 1121 independent source
  • Electro-Voice 6661 independent source
  • Shure SM572 independent sources
  • dynamic, kick drum mic (Sennheiser kick drum mic)1 independent source
  • tube condenser (tube mics on the Wurlitzer amp)1 independent source

Built-in pickup

Direct

  • DI (DI box (and mic the amp))1 independent source
The 12 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close 2 × AKG C 451 (earlier version of the AKG C451 B)
    Wurlitzer, on the external speakers at knee height (pair)
    "Just did this, used a pair of AKG 451s... I placed the mics on the external speakers at knee height."3
  • Close AKG C 414
    Wurlitzer, through a Silvertone piggyback amp (or a 57)
    "I just take the output into a Silvertone piggyback and mic it with the 414 or the 57, depending on what the goal is."3
  • Close Shure SM57
    Wurlitzer, via a Vibro Champ amp
    "I send mine through a silverface vibrochamp with a 57 and it sounds AWESOME."3
  • Built-in pickup Shure SM57 or Sennheiser MD 421
    Wurlitzer 200A, built-in speaker
    "On my 200a I have done all sorts of recording: DI - amped - mic'd the little speakers with 57 or 421 - and all have worked well." (forum) ... Same forum post: mic'd the little speakers with 57 or 421.4
  • Built-in pickup Oktava MK-012
    Wurlitzer, internal speaker
    "I've really loved the sound I've gotten from micing the internal speakers with an Oktava MK-012s", for the proximity boost (forum).4
  • Close Shure SM57
    Wurlitzer, speaker; or Rhodes through a Boogie amp
    A 57 has worked nicely on the Wurlitzer speaker; a Rhodes through a Boogie 50 Caliber: "the player ended up liking the EQ curve of the 57 best".5
  • Built-in pickup Electro-Voice 664
    Wurlitzer, built-in speaker, sitting in a mix
    "If I'm fitting it into a mix... I reach for my EV 664. It gives it a nice grind, maybe more like the old brown tube wurlies."5
  • Close Electro-Voice 666
    Wurlitzer, amp
    "I've also really dug the sound of certain older dynamics like the EV 666."5
  • Close AKG D 112
    Rhodes, bass-rig speaker (Music Man HD130, 15 in)
    A D112 on a Rhodes through a bass rig "put on a real thickness I liked".5
  • Close dynamic, kick drum mic (Sennheiser kick drum mic)
    Rhodes, Silverface Twin with a Tube Screamer
    "We tried a Rhodes through a Silverface Twin with a bit of Tube Screamer, miked with a Sennheiser kick drum mic."5
  • Close tube condenser (tube mics on the Wurlitzer amp)
    Wurlitzer, amp
    "Tube mics tend to work well for me on Wurly amps, but it really depends on the tone overall."5
  • Direct DI (DI box (and mic the amp))
    Rhodes or Wurlitzer, DI
    Forum replies: DI usually, sometimes through an amp; "if it's just a background colour then the D.I. is fine."5

Range

A1 to C7255 Hz – 2.09 kHz

most Wurlitzers (64 notes); a Rhodes has 73 or 88 keys

Where the sound goes

The instrument is silent without an amp. The source is the amp or the Wurlitzer's one, two or four built-in speakers, which can also feed an external amp.1,2

Recording it

Problems to watch

A hot DI signal that distorts in the preamp (a forum user's Wurlitzer 206 "shreds" with a SansAmp or preamp); no line output on some Wurlitzer models. Reeds can break or debris can cause bursts of distortion.4,3,2

About the range

The Rhodes has 88 keys or, in some models, 73. Most Wurlitzers have 64 notes, from the A an octave above the lowest piano note to the C an octave below the top, so about A1 to C7.1,2

How loud

Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.

Playing level
60–110 dBat 3 m; keyboards (electric), single musician secondary6
98.7 dB(A)next to percussion and keyboards; distance not given; band rehearsal, measuring point 'Percussion/Keyboards/Return sound', mean (Mendes et al.)7
Peaks
118 dBkeyboards (electric) secondary6

No figure found.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, Fender Rhodesreference · en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, Wurlitzer electric pianoreference · en.wikipedia.org
  3. Tape Op message board: Mic'ing that Wurlitzer... (2004)forum · messageboard.tapeop.com
  4. Tape Op message board: recording a Wurlitzer (2007)forum · messageboard.tapeop.com
  5. Tape Op message board: when recording a wurlitzer electric piano...? (2003)forum · messageboard.tapeop.com
  6. Representative noise levels table with orchestra noise guidance (UK Sound Advice material)eclass-b.uoa.gr
  7. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology: Mendes, Morata, Marques, Acceptance of hearing protection aids in members of an instrumental and voice music bandMaria Helena Mendes, Thais Catalani Morata, Jair Mendes Marques · academic · 2007 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov