![\"Ribbon](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bluegrasswest.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/green03-Small-226x300.jpg?resize=226%2C300\")
<\/a>These were great for recording, but too fragile to use as PA mics. \u00a0Dynamic mics, a little tougher than the ribbons, had begun to be used. \u00a0I recall playing the Ash Grove in Hollywood, whose stage had been set up by a fine audio engineer, complete with EV-666 dynamic microphones. \u00a0PA mics in those days had a more relaxed, wider pickup pattern than modern mics, tailored to use by rock musicians, who most often sing (or scream) into the mics at 1\/2 inch range. \u00a0These misc necessarily have an extremely tight pickup pattern to avoid feedback from the stacks of instrument amps usually right behind the singers.<\/p>\nFirst generation bluegrass bands generally had one single mic at hand, and placed themselves around it to regulate their sound — as mentioned in a previous post. \u00a0That would be impossible with modern PA mics, which are now stretched out across the stage in a single line, often two to a musician (one for vocals, one for instrumentals.) \u00a0Us older folks miss the ballet-like gymnastics of earlier band members as they traded places around the single mic setup. \u00a0It added a certain dynamic to the performance.<\/p>\n
![\"Single](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bluegrasswest.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/BobbyHicks_GordonTerry-300x220.jpg?resize=300%2C220\")
<\/a>Bobby Hicks and Gorden Terry twin up a fiddle tune for Bill Monroe, around a single PA mic. Those were the days!<\/p><\/div>\n
Friends now convert their acoustic instruments with electronic pickups (piezo transducers) and built-in microphones. \u00a0The most advanced use a blend of the two devices to feed a signal to the sound board. \u00a0They claim that the sound is just as good or better than facing a mic on a stand, but my experience has been that it is instantly possible to hear the difference between a built-in device to a stand alone mic. \u00a0I can hear the crinkling sound of transistors that instantly gives the device away. \u00a0To be played properly, bluegrass requires that a microphone be used.<\/p>\n
Recently, I was lucky enough to be loaned a pair of Sony C-37A mics from the early 1960s. \u00a0They are tube condenser microphones, with special, custom-built power supplies, and their sound is truly magnificent.<\/p>\n
![\"Sony_C-37A\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bluegrasswest.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Sony_C-37A_w-300x218.jpg?resize=300%2C218\")
<\/a>Twin pair of Sony tube condenser mics, as used to record a stereo sound image.<\/p><\/div>\n
I’m having a wonderful time, trying out songs, tunes, and instruments in front of them. \u00a0Because of the configuration, I am recording a true, stereophonic sound image — something one rarely hears in these days of multi-layered “tracks”.<\/p>\n
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Here’s the special power supply, built by my friend, using the original Sony transformers. \u00a0Man, what a great sound they create!<\/p>\n
![\"C-37A](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bluegrasswest.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Sony_C-37A_power_w-300x235.jpg?resize=300%2C235\")
<\/a>Custom built power supply<\/p><\/div>\n
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As one sound experiment, I tried recording an old version of the folk song, “Billy The Kid”, using this mic setup. \u00a0This was just a trial run, single take, but I hope some small part of the microphone’s sound comes through the linked video . . .<\/p>\n
http:\/\/youtu.be\/fpt0HAb3HH0<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Recently, I was lucky enough to be loaned a pair of Sony C-37A mics from the early 1960s. They are tube condenser microphones, with special, custom-built power supplies, and their sound is truly magnificent. I’m having a wonderful time, trying out songs, tunes, and instruments in front of them.” Continue reading