Mic Archive

Instrument

Steelpan

A tuned percussion instrument from Trinidad and Tobago, made from the end of an oil drum with the notes hammered into a dished playing surface; the cylindrical "skirt" is longer for lower pans (Wikipedia). Played with rubber-tipped sticks.

Range
A1–G6
Peaks up close
up to 120 dB SPL
Sources
5 (3 independent)

Recommended mics

Mics sources recommend

21 setups from 5 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

Main pair or array

Room

  • AKG C4141 independent source

Bottom

Close

The 8 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Main pair or array 2 × DPA 4011A
    matched stereo pair at a distance
    best captured from a little distance with a good central stereo pair as a matched pair of 4011A cardioids or 4006A omnis1
  • Main pair or array 2 × DPA 4006A
    matched stereo pair at a distance, or close omni on top or underneath
    close miked but preferably with an omni, since they don't have a real sweet spot1
  • Room AKG C414
    above, for top notes and room (studio)
    AKG C414 above to capture both the top radiating notes and room ambiance (Thwaites)2
  • Bottom Neumann U 47
    below the pan, for notes that radiate downward (studio)
    a Neuman U47 below to capture notes that radiate below (Thwaites)2
  • Main pair or array 2 × Neumann U 87
    stereo pair (studio)
    over the years, I've had great results with Neumann U87, AKG 414 as well as Shure SM81 ... I usually record in stereo pairs (Low Chew Tung)2
  • Bottom Shure Beta 91 (earlier version of the Shure Beta 91A)
    below the bass pan, for fullness and punch
    for the bass pans I will add ... a boundary microphone like a Beta 91 below the bass pan or an AKG D112 (Wright)2
  • Bottom AKG D112
    below the bass pan (alternative to the Beta 91)
    a boundary microphone like a Beta 91 below the bass pan or an AKG D112 microphone which will give you a round and full tone with punch (Wright)2
  • Close Shure SM7B
    tenor bore pan; warmer mic for a bright pan
    a large diaphragm dynamic microphone like the Shure SM 7B ... would give a warmer effect (Wright)2

On stage

Bottom

  • Shure SM581 independent source
  • condenser microphone (pair)1 independent source

Close

  • any close-up mic (guide gives no model)1 source, 0 independent

Main pair or array

Named, no placement given

  • DPA 4011 / 4099 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)1 independent source
  • Nady DM 701 independent source
  • Shure SM981 independent source
The 7 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Bottom 2 × condenser microphone (pair)
    pair, two condensers evenly spaced, about 12 in under the instrument (miked like mallet percussion)
    The pan, or steel drum, is in the same family and is miked the same way: placing two condenser mics, evenly spaced between the high and low bars, about 12 inches under the resonator tubes.3
  • Close any close-up mic (guide gives no model)
    one mic 4 in above each pan; or underneath (decent for tenor and second pans, too boomy for lower pans)
    One microphone placed 4 inches above each pan ... Microphone placed underneath pan: decent if used for tenor or second pans. Too boomy with lower voiced pans4
  • Bottom 2 × Shure SM58
    pair underneath, for clubs or wind outdoors
    Sherwin Thwaites places two Shure SM58 microphones underneath for indoor settings such as a club, or when there is a lot of wind outdoors2
  • Main pair or array 2 × Neumann KM 184
    stereo pair, on stage (supplied by the sound crew)
    Occasionally a sound crew will have a pair of Neumann KM 184's (Narell)2
  • Main pair or array 2 × AKG C451 (earlier version of the AKG C451 B) or Rode NT1
    stereo pair, on stage
    More often, they will have something like AKG 451, Shure SM 81, or Rode NT1 (Narell) ... something like AKG 451, Shure SM 81, or Rode NT1 (Narell)2
  • Named, no placement given DPA 4011 / 4099 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A) or Shure SM98
    I've recently come across some DPA mics (4011 and 4099) on gigs and really like the sound (Narell) ... I also like the Shure SM 98, which is tiny and sounds good (Narell)2
  • Named, no placement given Nady DM 70
    budget
    Curtis 'Sleepy' Marcelle recommended the Nady DM 70 because of its affordability2

Studio and stage

Close

Main pair or array

Top

  • dynamic microphone (cardioid, supercardioid or hypercardioid)1 independent source

Bottom

  • boundary (pressure zone) microphone, cardioid1 independent source
  • dynamic microphone (cardioid, supercardioid or hypercardioid)1 independent source
The 6 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close 2 × Shure SM57
    pair above the pans; 'better attack'
    The SM57 is a good mic for the pan. You get better attack. (Copeland)2
  • Main pair or array 2 × Shure SM81
    stereo pair; double seconds
    Small format condenser microphones like the Shure SM 81's ... will give you a very nice tone on a Double Seconds (Wright)2
  • Top dynamic microphone (cardioid, supercardioid or hypercardioid)
    top, 0.5 m over the centre of the instrument, for low frequencies (two-mic technique)
    For low frequencies, a cardioid, supercardioid or hypercardioid dynamic microphone mounted 0.5m over the centre of the instrument.5
  • Bottom boundary (pressure zone) microphone, cardioid
    bottom, on a hard floor vertically below the front skirt, for mid and high frequencies (also the single-mic choice on a hard floor)
    For the middle and higher frequencies, a cardioid boundary (pressure zone) microphone located vertically below the front skirt.5
  • Bottom dynamic microphone (cardioid, supercardioid or hypercardioid)
    bottom, 0.5 m vertically below the front skirt, kept vertical (soft floor; preferred single mic on a soft floor)
    uses a cardioid, supercardioid or hypercardioid dynamic microphone located 0.5m vertically below the front skirt (the lower microphone should be kept vertical to minimise reception of any residual floor reflections).5
  • Top dynamic microphone (cardioid, supercardioid or hypercardioid)
    top, 0.5 m vertically above the front skirt aimed at the centre of the bowl (less preferred; needs mid boost)
    The second, less preferred configuration ... 0.5m vertically above the front skirt ... aimed at the centre of the bowl.5

Advised against

Range

A1 to G6655 Hz – 1.57 kHz

the steelpan family as a whole

Tuning: Chromatic; Rossing et al. give note names with A4 = 440 Hz (equal temperament itself is not stated in so many words). Each note area's fundamental is tuned, plus at least one overtone to the octave and, where possible, a second to the third harmonic (mellower) or fourth (brighter). Notes on a tenor are laid out in a circle of fifths.7,6

Where the sound goes

Each note area radiates; the skirt radiates much less than the playing surface "in spite of its large radiating area", but its vibration changes the timbre, and damping it changes the sound (Joseph, citing Rossing, Hansen and Hampton). Mic placement above and below get different notes: Thwaites uses a C414 above for "the top radiating notes" and a U47 below for "notes that radiate below" (Joseph). Skirt noise is a feedback source on stage; a hanging stand made it about 20 dB louder than a resting stand in the thesis author's measurement.

Recording it

Studio: a stereo pair of small condensers or omnis above the pans, from a little distance (DPA; Narell; Wright), or large condensers (Low Chew Tung); bass pans also get a boundary mic or kick mic below (Wright). Live: Shure suggests one mic 4 in above each pan; Narell and others bring condensers closer than in the studio; dynamics (SM57 above, SM58 below) in wind or loud clubs; below the pan is "decent" for tenor and second pans but "too boomy" for lower pans (Shure). Sonokinetic's manual (a sample library) captured theirs with five mics: stereo at a distance, a stereo pair about 1.5 m above, and a close mic below.

Problems to watch

Feedback and leakage on stage; skirt noise; the notes' overtones are loud against the fundamental, the study author noticed how loud the overtones and skirt noise were (Joseph).

About the range

Family: A1-G6 (Wikipedia infobox). Double second (alto): E3-Eb6 or F#3-C#6 (Joseph, citing a pitch table, not checked). Both are written ranges that a measured round should confirm.

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.

Peaks
96–120 dB secondary2

"Most steelpans have a maximum decibel output level ranging between 96 dB and 120 dB" (Joseph; no distance, no weighting, no source for the figure).

Sources

  1. DPA Mic University: How to mic the steel pansmanufacturer · dpamicrophones.com
  2. Joseph, N. (2020) Microphone Techniques and Sound Reproduction Considerations for the Double Second Steelpan, UWI St Augustine (interviews with Andy Narell, Mark Wright, M. Low Chew Tung and others)educational · uwispace.sta.uwi.edu
  3. Hogan, J. & T. (2016) Accordions & Didgeridoos: Mic Techniques For 'Exotic' Instruments, Pro Sound Webmagazine · prosoundweb.com
  4. Shure: Microphone Techniques for Live Sound Reinforcementmanufacturer · 2007 · music.arts.uci.edu
  5. Muddeen, F. & Copeland, B. (2013) Microphone Placement for Tenor Pan Sound Recording: New Recommendations Based on Recent Research, West Indian Journal of Engineering 35(2)educational · sta.uwi.edu
  6. Wikipedia: Steelpanreference · en.wikipedia.org
  7. Physics Today: Music from oil drums, the acoustics of the steel panThomas D. Rossing, D. Scott Hampton, Uwe J. Hansen · academic · 1996-03 · aip.brightspotcdn.com
  8. Pan Magazine: Basics of steelpan instruments in the steel orchestraSachelle Thomas · magazine · pan-mag.com
  9. Wesleyan Virtual Instrument Museum: Bass Paneducational · wesomeka.wesleyan.edu