Mic Archive

Nyckelharpa

Swedish keyed fiddle

Range
C3–G6
Sources
84 independent: not from a mic maker

What it is

A Swedish keyed fiddle, also called key harp: a bowed string instrument whose strings are shortened by keys with tangents, like a hurdy-gurdy; it has sympathetic strings. Played with the bow in the overhanging arm.11

Range

C3 to G69131 Hz – 1.57 kHz

Swedish chromatic nyckelharpa, three rows of keys: the ENCORE 'Tonal Range & Clefs' sheet (European Nyckelharpa Cooperation, 2013) writes the range as C3 (the open, unkeyed drone string) and then chromatically from G3 up to G6. Strings A, C, G, C (1st to 4th). Notes read by me from the printed staff.

  • Octave nyckelharpa (oktavharpa): an octave lower than the normal instrument, tuned like a cello C G D A (Soniccouture); C2 is my conversion10

The sound

The bow excites the melody and drone strings; key tangents stop them like frets. The chromatic nyckelharpa (the common modern type) has three melody strings, a drone string and 12 resonance (sympathetic) strings, which are neither bowed nor stopped and add timbre. Some designs have six to twelve resonance strings.11

Where the sound goes

No measurement; a violin-like body with f-holes (so assume a violin-like beaming; estimate) is the only hint. Bartlett: a mic near the bridge sounds brighter, near the f-hole warmer. Aryeh Frankfurter puts a clip mic above the strings to catch the 12 sympathetic strings; Ischell pairs a contact mic near the bridge (power, bass and mids) with an air mic (air, treble detail).7,1,3,2

About the range

The Swedish chromatic nyckelharpa (three rows of keys) sounds C3 on the open drone string, then chromatically G3 to G6; strings A, C, G, C from the 1st to the 4th. The same sheet charts the continental alto and tenor models (not transcribed here).9

Recording it

A UK player and teacher records with an Extinct Audio BM9 Active ribbon. No engineer or magazine account found.6

Mics

No mic is named by more than one source yet: each names its own.

All the mics sources name, by setting and role (10)

On stage

Clip-on

  • Bartlett Nyckelharpa Mic1 source from its own maker
  • DPA 40601 source
  • DPA 40991 source
  • Myers Feather1 source from its own maker
  • Neumann MCM KK 141 source from its own maker
  • Prodipe VL21-C1 source

Contact

  • AKG C4111 source
  • Ischell aerial mic (A1/A3) with contact mic (2X48 + ACVX)1 source from its own maker
  • Ischell C3 contact mic1 source from its own maker
The 12 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Clip-on Bartlett Nyckelharpa Mic
    clip-on, soft foam mount under the tailpiece holding the mic near the bridge (brighter) or the f-hole (warmer)
    "Mic placement near bridge sounds brighter; near f-hole sounds warmer"; "Used and recommended by Olov Johansson".1
  • Contact Ischell C3 contact mic
    contact, outside near the bridge
    "The microphone is installed near the bridge outside"; "For maximum fidelity to the instrument, we recommend the C3."2
  • Contact Ischell aerial mic (A1/A3) with contact mic (2X48 + ACVX)
    clip-on, aerial mic alongside a contact mic near the bridge (aerial placement not given)
    Contact mic gives power and bass/mid precision on stage; the aerial mic adds room, air and treble detail (paraphrase).2
  • Clip-on Myers Feather
    clip-on, above the strings, to catch the 12 sympathetic strings
    Aryeh Frankfurter: "I placed the mic above the strings because the nyckelharpa has 12 resonant sympathetic strings."3
  • Clip-on Neumann MCM KK 14
    clip-on, stage (FolkBaltica 2022)
    We attached the microphone, pulled up the fader and were amazed; the result sounded very good straight away (Martin Norbaek).4
  • Contact stick-on pickup
    contact, pickup stuck to the top of the instrument, into a small battery amp
    "I use a pick-up that sticks to the top of the instrument" with "a small battery powered amp" for busking.5
  • Clip-on DPA 4099 or DPA 4060 or Prodipe VL21-C
    clip-on, on stage
    The player's own stage mics: DPA 4099 and DPA 4060 (paraphrase). ... "cheaper, but not as good as a DPA"6
  • Contact AKG C411
    contact, for loud ceilidhs, with the AKG MPA VL power adaptor
    A contact mic for loud ceilidh gigs (paraphrase).6
  • Clip-on mini condenser clip-on near the f-holes, tailpiece, or under the strings behind the bowing area
    clip-on
    Attaching a mini condenser mic near the f-holes or on the tailpiece can capture the warm, violin-like tone while the player moves.7
  • Close hypercardioid small condenser, 20-30 cm from the soundboard
    close stand, still player
    A hypercardioid small condenser on a stand pointing toward the soundboard, about 20-30 cm away, if the performer is mostly stationary.7
  • Multi-mic plan contact pickup via DI, blended with a mic
    pickup + mic
    The contact pickup gives presence and attack, while a mic provides the airy, full-bodied quality.7
  • Contact player's own instrument mic (not named)
    direct, each of three nyckelharpas arrives with its own XLR output (mic or pickup not named); no stand mic asked for
    Input list: "Nyckelharpa 1 XLR (one extra XLR lead aprox 3m long for internal use)"; vocals on SM/Beta 58; in very good acoustics they play without PA.8

Studio

Close

  • Extinct Audio BM9 Active1 source

Stereo pair

The 2 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Close 2 × shotgun microphone
    pair, distant: two external shotgun mics on the video cameras, filming players in private homes
    "two external shotgun microphones to capture sound"; ambient noise accepted for spontaneity (paraphrase).5
  • Close Extinct Audio BM9 Active
    listed, for recording work
    The ribbon she uses for recording (paraphrase).6

Advised against

  • Clip-on Remic V520
    clip-on, for ceilidhs
    Used for ceilidhs but she "didn't really like" it.6

On stage

  • Clip-on mics: DPA 4099 and DPA 4060 (the same player's stage mics), a Prodipe VL21-C "cheaper, but not as good as a DPA"; Bartlett's nyckelharpa mic on a foam mount under the tailpiece; Myers Feather; Neumann's MCM KK 14 at the 2022 FolkBaltica festival, a manufacturer's test report.
  • Contact mics: an AKG C411 for loud ceilidhs; Ischell's C3 near the bridge; a busker's stick-on pickup. The Väsen rider gives each nyckelharpa its own XLR line without naming the mic.
  • A Ticket Fairy festival blog (low authority) suggests a mini clip-on near the f-holes, on the tailpiece or just behind the bowing area, or a hypercardioid small condenser 20-30 cm from the soundboard for a still player, and a contact pickup on a DI blended with a mic.6,1,3,4,2,5,8,7

Problems to watch

Wooden key clacks on a close mic (move the mic away from the keys; felt under keys); sympathetic strings ringing with monitors, and string breakage with temperature. A Remic V520 did not please one ceilidh player.7,6

Sources

  1. Bartlett Audio: Nyckelharpa Mic (product page)manufacturer · bartlettaudio.com
  2. Ischell: Microphones for Nyckelharpamanufacturer · ischell.com
  3. Myers Pickups: nyckelharpa microphone testimonials (Aryeh Frankfurter)manufacturer · myerspickups.com
  4. Neumann / Production Partner 6/2022: Neumann clip microphones at the FolkBalticamanufacturer · neumann.com
  5. American Nyckelharpa Association, Nyckel Notes 54: Busking with Nyckelharpa (Ellen Adamson)magazine · nyckelharpa.org
  6. The Nyckelharpa Effect (Vicki, UK nyckelharpa player and teacher): Equipmentnyckelharpa.me.uk
  7. Ticket Fairy blog: Mic'ing the Unusual at Folk Festivals (kora section; unsourced blog)retailer · ticketfairy.com
  8. Väsen: Väsen-Duo sound rider (2021)engineer · vasen.se
  9. European Nyckelharpa Cooperation (ENCORE), Nyckelharpa - Tonal Range & Clefs (2013)nyckelharpa.eu
  10. Soniccouture: Nyckelharpas, in detailmanufacturer · soniccouture.com
  11. Wikipedia, Nyckelharpareference · en.wikipedia.org