Mandolin
- Range
- G3–E7
- Peaks up close
- up to 93 dB SPL
- Sources
- 53 independent: not from a mic maker
What it is
A small plucked lute with four courses of paired strings, tuned like a violin, played with a plectrum; used in bluegrass, Irish, Italian, classical and country music.6
Range
G3 to E76196 Hz – 2.64 kHz
the top is an estimate for a 24-fret neck
- Sampled range, Bolder Sounds Pure Mandolin: Strings 1-4 sampled chromatically to the 12th fret and the first string to the 15th fret, so G3 to G6 assuming standard GDAE tuning (my calculation).7
The sound
String vibration drives a carved (archtop, bright) or flat-backed (warmer) body; the top radiates, plus an oval hole or f-holes. Decay is fast.6
Where the sound goes
The top plate and sound hole are the sources; the neck-to-body joint is the usual "sweet spot" where strings, fingers and wood blend. Kaufman: the mandolin "can sound very different as you move the mic from position to position".1,9,4
About the range
Open strings G3-D4-A4-E5 (eight strings in four unison pairs). The top note depends on fret count; on a 24-fret neck it reaches about E7 (estimate; no page opened gave a number).6
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 | |
|---|---|
| 85 dB | at 0.61 m; Gibson mandolin (2001, Derrington-signed) played hard, fiddle tunes and chop chords, average level8 |
| 74 dB | at 3.05 m; same Gibson mandolin, playing hard, average level at 10 ft; peaks 85 dB8 |
| Peaks | |
| 93 dB | at 0.61 m; same Gibson mandolin, playing hard, highest reading8 |
One informal phone-app reading: a Gibson mandolin played hard averaged about 85 dB with peaks of 93 dB at 2 ft (0.6 m), and 74 dB with peaks of 85 dB at 10 ft (3 m); weighting not stated. Jeff Kaufman, who runs sound for contra dances, says the mandolin is "much quieter" than a guitar, so a close mic often gives feedback in the monitors unless the mic points away from them.4
Recording it
- Sweet spot: DPA says aim one or two omnis (4041-SP or 4006) at where the neck meets the body, or two omnis 30-40 cm (12-16 in) apart for stereo; two 4011 cardioids in XY for more isolation. Audio-Technica (search snippet only) says to aim where neck and body meet, about 10 in away just above the neck joint; more brightness comes from aiming farther down the neck, fuller sound the closer the mic.
- Small-diaphragm pair: John Wheeler (Nashville) finds a pair of KM 184s gives "outstanding results" on acoustic guitar and mandolin, with focused lows and airy highs.
- Bartlett: a flat condenser 6-8 in from the f-hole or sound hole, or a mini mic near an f-hole.1,9,2,3
Mics
- 10 setups from 5 sources, 3 of them independent of any mic maker.
- On top: the mics more than one source names for this instrument, in any role, the most named first. That is a count of sources, not our verdict.
- In the full list, each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those come from a mic maker.
No mic is named by more than one source yet: each names its own.
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (8)
Studio
Close
- DPA 4006 (earlier version of the DPA 4006A)1 source from its own maker
- DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)1 source from its own maker
- DPA 4041-SP1 source from its own maker
- Neumann KM 1841 source
Stereo pairX-Y
The 5 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close DPA 4041-SPsweet spot (neck joint)
One or two precise, highly detailed omni mics: 4041-SP or 4006, aimed where the neck meets the body.
1 - Close 2 × DPA 4006 (earlier version of the DPA 4006A)sweet spot; pair 30-40 cm apart
Place two omnis at 30-40 cm (12-16 in) distance to create a nice stereo image.
1 - Close 2 × DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)pair, XY at sweet spot
If more isolation is needed, two 4011 cardioid mics can be placed in XY configuration at the sweet spot.
1 - Close 2 × Neumann KM 184pair
For acoustic guitar and mandolin, I find a pair of KM 184s to deliver outstanding results.
2 - Close flat (boundary) condenser, 6-8 in from f-hole or sound holeclose, f-hole
Place a flat condenser mic about 6 to 8 inches away from an f-hole or sound hole (mandolin, bouzouki, resonator, lap dulcimer).
3
On stage
Close
- AKG C5351 source from a mic maker
- DPA 4060 CORE+1 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM1371 source from its own maker
Clip-on
- DPA 40991 source from its own maker
The 5 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close DPA 4060 CORE+close, miniature
The 4060 CORE+ offers a wide variety of placement possibilities; many live situations could benefit from close miking.
1 - Clip-on DPA 4099clip-on
The miniature supercardioid 4099 CORE+ is the perfect choice for all live applications.
1 - Close standard cardioid dynamic, where body meets neck, pointed away from monitorsclose, live
Similar to the guitar, but much quieter; arrange the mic to point at the instrument and away from the monitors.
4 - Clip-on mini mic near an f-holeclip-on, near f-hole
Mount a mini mic near an f-hole.
3 - Close Shure KSM137 or AKG C535close, stage
We often use the KSM137 on mandolin if we are not using the AKG C535. ... An old favourite, an AKG C535, a condenser with a lot of proximity effect; I have used it on the mandolin too.
5
On stage
Shure's bluegrass engineers use a KSM137 or an AKG C535 on a mandolin. DPA's 4099 supercardioid is its pick for live, using the VC4099 violin clip (body depth 35-55 mm) or GC4099 guitar clip (35-122 mm). Kaufman: a standard cardioid dynamic where the body meets the neck, as for a guitar, with the mic pointing at the instrument and away from the monitors.5,1,4
Problems to watch
Feedback with a quiet instrument; a close mic changes the tone a lot with small moves.4
Sources
- DPA Mic University: How to mic the mandolin/mandola
- Neumann: John Wheeler and the TLM 103 (engineer testimonial, Renaissance Recording Nashville)
- ProSoundWeb: A Guide to Microphone Techniques for Studio Recording, page 5
- Jeff Kaufman: Contra Dance Sound, Mic Placement
- Shure: How to Mic a Bluegrass Band (Les Banks, Cliff Miller interview)
- Wikipedia, Mandolin
- KVR Audio: Pure Mandolin by Bolder Sounds (product page)
- Mandolin Cafe forum: Round Mandolins (thread with phone-meter readings of a Gibson mandolin)
- Audio-Technica blog, Capturing the Mighty Mandolin