User manual

Microphone mounting considerations

With lighter microphones, there is little restriction on how or where they

are mounted. As long as the H-clamp jaws and boom grip are tightened

securely, the microphone should remain in position regardless of how the

instrument moves while being played, with the obvious exception of the

kind of upright bass spinning practised by some ‘rockabilly’ exponents. It

should even be possible to lay the instrument down (gently) on its side or

back without risking the microphone position being disturbed. Care must

however be taken to ensure that the end of the H-clamp boom protrud-

ing over the side or end of the instrument is not knocked or levered in

the process. Knocking or levering the end of the boom could have seri-

ous consequences as it could either swing the opposite end of the boom

(with microphone attached) down on the instrument or dislodge the clamp

entirely, causing the microphone and clamp together to fall onto or against

the instrument.

For heavier microphones, the precautions de

scribed in Section 3 should be taken under all

circumstances. With H-clamps attached close to

the end of the instrument and with the boom ex-

tended essentially vertically, heavy microphones

may appear to be stable when the instrument

is in the playing position (upright). However, if

the instrument is leaned over or back, gravity

may cause the boom to fall or the clamp to twist

round. Both must be avoided at all costs to pre-

vent damage to instrument and/or microphone.

With heavier microphones, the further from ver

tical the H-clamp boom is positioned, the greater

the risk of problems being experienced with the

weight causing the boom to fall or the clamp

to twist. These problems may not be apparent

until the act of playing the instrument causes

the microphone to sway back and forth. A heavy

weight on the end of a well extended boom can exert considerably greater

turning force on the boom and clamp. The inertia of a heavy microphone

can also cause it to wobble when a player uses vibrato. Any wobble will be

more pronounced when the microphone is mounted in an elastic suspen-

sion (shockmount) and is likely to be more pronounced with a cello. Also,

the heavier the microphone, the closer to the spike the H-clamp may need

to be attached for the weight to remain indiscernible. The further from the

spike a heavy microphone is positioned, the more it is likely to affect the

balance of the instrument.