Mic Archive

Bowed strings

Violin

Bowed strings: Violin, viola, cello and double bass. Many sources write for strings as a group, and viola advice is often 'as for the violin', so advice for the family shows on each member's page.

Also called fiddle.

Part of the Bowed strings family; that family's advice shows here too.

Range
G3–A7
Overtones to
about 7.8 kHz
Sources
14 (8 independent)

Recommended mics

Mics sources recommend

39 setups from 14 sources, 8 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

Distant

Main pair or array

Named, no placement given

The 22 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close Royer ribbon mics (model not named), Randy Kohrs
    folk fiddle · close
    Randy Kohrs recorded a Royer Labs how-to video on mic placement for dobro, banjo, fiddle and drums (ribbon mics).1
  • Distant Royer R-121
    strings, 3-4 ft above
    "I love the sound of a ribbon on violins, violas, and cellos"; warm and smooth, tames harsh high end.2
  • Close Neumann U 87
    folk fiddle · close, studio (distance not given)
    The U87 is my main duty vocal and fiddle mic.3
  • Close Neumann KM 84
    folk fiddle · close, 8-10 in above, over the neck facing the body
    The first mic I reach for when a fiddle comes along is the now-discontinued Neumann KM 84, with remarkably flat response on- and off-axis.4
  • Main pair or array 2 × Neumann KM 84
    folk fiddle · pair, band recording
    One of my best sounding recordings was done using only an XY pair of Neumann KM 84s on most of the tunes.4
  • Close Schoeps MK 4 or Beyerdynamic M 160
    folk fiddle · close
    Other mics I would use if I owned them are the Schoeps CMC/Mk4 and the Sennheiser MKH 40. ... The M 160 (more expensive but even sweeter) offers good possibilities; use a quiet mic pre.4
  • Close Oktava MC-012 or Rode NT5 or Aston Starlight
    folk fiddle · close, budget
    An alternative, at a much more affordable price, is the Oktava MC-012, but it has to be a good Oktava. ... Small-diaphragm condensers that are affordable but more balanced than bright, such as the RODE NT5 and the Aston Starlight (reported, not tested).4
  • Close Beyerdynamic M 260
    folk fiddle · close, 2-10 in above
    I've made some excellent fiddle recordings with beyerdynamic's M 260 ribbon mic; the M 160 offers even sweeter possibilities.4
  • Close Electro-Voice RE15
    folk fiddle · close or room, very bright fiddles
    At least twice I came across fiddles so bright that only an Electro-Voice RE15 dynamic made them sound good.4
  • Distant Royer R-121
    strings, several feet away
    Strings sound very sweet and clean with R-121s; place several feet away, or 3-4 ft above a section (paraphrase).5
  • Distant Royer SF-2
    soloist, 3 ft or more above
    Pair of SF-2s for Rachel Barton Pine playing Bach; Joshua Bell with an SF-2 blended with a DPA (paraphrase of captions).6
  • Close Royer R-122 MKII
    fiddle, close 15-24 in
    The violin benefits more from ribbon microphones than almost any other instrument. Fiddle players are miked 15 to 24 inches away.6
  • Close Royer R-10
    fiddle, close
    Tim Crouch plays fiddle with one R-10 ribbon (caption).6
  • Named, no placement given AEA R84 or Microtech Gefell M 300
    string section
    Smooth, resonance-free top end suits upper strings; ribbons such as the AEA R84 are often a very suitable choice (paraphrase). ... If using directional capacitor mics, small-diaphragm models such as the Microtech Gefell M300 are advisable for their off-axis response (paraphrase).7
  • Main pair or array 2 × Microtech Gefell M 930
    string section, main pair
    Used as the ORTF pair on a 22-piece string orchestra; the engineer preferred it to M&S and spaced omnis (paraphrase).7
  • Main pair or array 2 × Sennheiser MKH 40 + MKH 30
    string section, main pair (M&S pair)
    Coincident M&S pair of MKH40 and MKH30 above and behind the conductor; judged a little narrow but usable (paraphrase).7
  • Main pair or array 2 × Sennheiser MKH 20
    string section, main pair (spaced pair)
    Spaced MKH20 omnis halfway between centre and back rows; initially too wide, a hole in the middle (paraphrase).7
  • Main pair or array Neumann U 47 or Neumann KM 84 or Neumann KM 100 series or AKG C460 or Schoeps Colette series
    string section, main/spot
    Larger studios typically opt for large-diaphragm mics on string sections: Sony C800G, Neumann U47 and U87, AKG C414ULS (paraphrase). ... Many engineers prefer smaller capsules like the Neumann KM84 and KM100 series, Sennheiser MKH20/MKH40, AKG C460, Schoeps Colette (paraphrase).8
  • Named, no placement given Neumann U 87 or Sony C-800G or AKG C414 ULS
    string section
    Larger studios typically opt for large-diaphragm mics on string sections: Sony C800G, Neumann U47 and U87, AKG C414ULS (paraphrase).8
  • Named, no placement given Rode NT1 or Audio-Technica AT4033a (earlier version of the Audio-Technica AT4033/CL) or AKG C4000B
    string section, budget
    Mid-price large-diaphragm mics equally suitable: AKG C4000B, Rode NT1, Audio Technica AT4033a (paraphrase).8
  • Main pair or array Sennheiser MKH 20 or Sennheiser MKH 40
    string section, main
    "I have had a great deal of success with the MKH20 and MKH40 (omni and cardioid respectively)."8
  • Named, no placement given Warm Audio WA-47 or Warm Audio WA-251
    home studio
    Large-diaphragm tube options: Warm Audio WA-251 for brighter, airy tone, WA-47 for thicker mid-range (paraphrase).9

On stage

Clip-on

  • Audio-Technica AT831b1 independent source
  • Crown GLM-1001 independent source
  • DPA 4099 CORE+ maker's advice2 sources, 1 independent
  • condenser, miniature lavalier (miniature lavalier on the strings between bridge and tailpiece)1 source, 0 independent

Close

  • Shure KSM9 maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
  • cardioid dynamic on a boom, pointed at the bridge from above1 independent source
  • condenser, small-diaphragm (small-diaphragm condenser, a few inches from the side)1 source, 0 independent

Named, no placement given

The 9 setups behind this: placement and quotes

Studio and stage

Close

  • DPA 4006ES (earlier version of the DPA 4006A) maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
  • DPA 4011ES (earlier version of the DPA 4011A) maker's advice1 source, 0 independent
  • Sennheiser MKH 401 independent source

Clip-on

  • DPA 4061 maker's advice1 source, 0 independent

Named, no placement given

The 8 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close DPA 4011ES (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)
    close
    Directional mic like the 4099 CORE+ or 4011ES can focus on the instrument and isolate it (paraphrase).10
  • Close DPA 4006ES (earlier version of the DPA 4006A)
    close, gooseneck
    An omni like the 4006ES or 4061 can sit close without proximity-effect bass (paraphrase).10
  • Clip-on DPA 4061
    close, clip/gooseneck
    An omni like the 4006ES or 4061 can sit close without proximity-effect bass (paraphrase).10
  • Close Sennheiser MKH 40
    folk fiddle · close, live
    The best live fiddle sound I've ever heard came from an MKH 40, sitting close to Aly Bain.4
  • Named, no placement given Bowed strings advice Shure PGA27
    string instruments
    PGA27 is "designed for clear capture of your string instruments" (the only mic Shure recommends on this page).14
  • Named, no placement given Bowed strings advice Shure PGA27
    string instruments
    PGA27 is "designed for clear capture of your string instruments".14
  • Named, no placement given Bowed strings advice Shure PGA27
    string instruments
    PGA27 is "designed for clear capture of your string instruments".14
  • Named, no placement given Bowed strings advice Shure PGA27
    string instruments
    PGA27 is "designed for clear capture of your string instruments".14

Advised against

Range

G3 to about A715196 Hz – 3.52 kHz

A7 is the virtuoso limit given by VSL (harmonics to D8); orchestral parts rarely go above E7.

G stringG3–C#4dark and sonorous, can turn rough; soulful higher up
D stringD4–G#4full and mellow
A stringA4–D#5mellower than the D string
E stringE5–A7lustrous and metallic; very bright up high

Boundaries are the open-string spans (non-overlapping). Each string can be played higher: see "reach" (VSL).

Tuning: Open strings G3, D4, A4, E5.15

Overtones reach about 7.8 kHz (the highest harmonic within 40 dB of the strongest, at a moderate level; louder playing reaches higher)16.

Where the sound comes from

The sound

Bowing drives the string with a sawtooth-like motion, so many harmonics are present; the body resonances then boost some and cut others, which is why the level jumps from one harmonic to the next.

Recording it

Playing techniques

Frequency areas

Problems to watch

Folk fiddle

What differs: the playing situation. Folk and bluegrass bands play together in one room, so the mic goes close and leakage matters; classical-style room miking is the alternative when the band can be isolated or when the music is mellow.

Radiation: Paul Stamler: the sound is mostly the vibrating carved top plus a bit from the strings (including rosin scrape); the top plate is tuned to a complex set of resonances that beam sound in every direction, "the radiation pattern from Hell". These instruments were meant to be heard at a distance; at 6 in all the bright sound that normally bounces off the ceiling is heard.

Tone and taste: dance fiddlers value more scrape because it punches through a noisy floor, while many bluegrass, contra-dance and Celtic players are moving mellower.

Recording, studio (close, ensemble): - Mic choice: Stamler wants a mic that is flat on and off axis, so most large-diaphragm condensers are out ("hardly ever"). First choice a small-diaphragm condenser, avoiding the 8-10 kHz bumps of the Neumann KM 184 and Shure KSM32. His first pick is the discontinued Neumann KM 84; others he would use are Schoeps CMC/MK 4 and Sennheiser MKH 40 (the best live fiddle sound he has heard was an MKH 40 close to Aly Bain), and cheaper Oktava MC-012 (a good one), Rode NT5 and Aston Starlight. John Wheeler (Nashville) uses the U 87 as his main fiddle mic.

Recording, live (folk session or dance): Jeff Kaufman, a contra-dance sound engineer, points a cardioid dynamic at the bridge from a boom stand above the fiddle, and watches how far the player slouches (2-4 in) once the mic is set. Shure's bluegrass engineers use a KSM9 on the fiddle. For a swaying player Stamler mounts a miniature condenser on the fiddle: Crown GLM100, Audio-Technica AT831b and above all the DPA 4099 with its violin mount.

What goes wrong: screech and scrape from bright budget chains; player movement changing the sound; leakage when close miking.4,3,1,11,13

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
45–80 dBat 6 m; full dynamic range8
Player's exposure (dosimeter)
77.5 dB(A)player's shoulder (dosimeter); ballet orchestra pit, violins' average, on a 360 h exposure basis17

Sources

  1. Bluegrass Today: Mic placement tips from Randy Kohrs (Royer Labs video)magazine · bluegrasstoday.com
  2. MusicRadar: Best microphones for recording 2026magazine · 2026 · musicradar.com
  3. Neumann: John Wheeler and the TLM 103 (engineer testimonial, Renaissance Recording Nashville)engineer · neumann.com
  4. Recording Magazine: Fiddle Fiddle Big And Little (Paul Stamler)magazine · recordingmag.com
  5. Royer Labs: Royer R-121 Ribbon Microphone (Russ Long review)Russ Long · manufacturer · royerlabs.com
  6. Royer Labs: Recording Acoustic Guitar, Violin, Ukulele, Cello & Other Stringed Instrumentsmanufacturer · royerlabs.com
  7. Sound On Sound: Recording A String SectionHugh Robjohns · magazine · soundonsound.com
  8. Sound On Sound: Recording StringsHugh Robjohns · magazine · 1999 · soundonsound.com
  9. Violin Lounge: How to Get A Pro Recording of Your Acoustic Violin From Homeeducational · violinlounge.com
  10. DPA Mic University: How to mic a violinmanufacturer · dpamicrophones.com
  11. Jeff Kaufman: Contra Dance Sound, Mic PlacementJeff Kaufman · engineer · 2012 · jefftk.com
  12. Shure: Microphone Techniques for Live Sound Reinforcementmanufacturer · 2007 · music.arts.uci.edu
  13. Shure: How to Mic a Bluegrass Band (Les Banks, Cliff Miller interview)manufacturer · shure.com
  14. Shure: How to Choose the Best Mics for Brass, Wind, and String Instrumentsmanufacturer · shure.com
  15. Vienna Symphonic Library Academy: Violineducational · vsl.co.at
  16. SHARC Timbre Database v2 (Gregory Sandell): harmonic analyses of McGill University Master SamplesGregory Sandell · academic · github.com
  17. Noise & Health 20(93): Noise Exposure and Hearing Loss in Classical Orchestra Musicians, a Five-Year Follow-Upacademic · 2018 · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  18. Buen: On timbre parameters and sound levels of recorded old violins (summarising Duennwald 1990, Acustica 71)Anders Buen · academic · akutek.info