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Author Topic: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon  (Read 37641 times)

Mark Kapner

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Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #20 on: September 02, 2011, 02:01:35 PM »

I've been pleased with just a Beta52 in the hole. Placed as if it were in a kick drum port, diaphragm just inside. It's yielded adequate results.
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Samuel Rees

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Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #21 on: December 01, 2011, 11:15:12 PM »

I've been pleased with just a Beta52 in the hole. Placed as if it were in a kick drum port, diaphragm just inside. It's yielded adequate results.

I usually do a 57 on the front/top/offcenter, and a D6 just inside back. But, another engineer I know showed me a great way he does it when he needs to be more conspicuous. Throw the D6 in the back hole, and tap a pencil style condenser to it. Put a big old HPF on the condenser and a big low bass on the D6, then you've got "kick" and "snare".
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Jim Hodges

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Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2011, 02:15:21 AM »

I have a band that I work with on a regular basis that has a Cajon player.  He has me put a 58 on a small pillow directly in front of him (pointed at the Cajon).  Great sound (he is a good player so I'm sure that helps).  Would love to try a better mic on him sometime but he insists on using the 58 (so that's the way we go).  Band is not real loud but just need to get the Cajon balanced in the overall mix.

I was skeptical at first but it works fine.
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Mark McDowell

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Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #23 on: December 10, 2011, 07:17:46 PM »

A couple years ago we did a Vince Gill acoustic show at the Midland Theater in KC. His percussionist played a trejon, which is a 3 toned cajon. Same concept. Beta 91 inside the drum, and an SM109 condenser outside the hole in back for the crack and slap. Translated very well, but it was a very low volume stage setup, so he didn't have to fight much with gain structure. If you have 2 channels available this is a great solution. The percussionist used brushes for texture on the drum, and it sounded amazing. As has been noted already, the source sound is always the biggest factor, live or in studio. Good player, good sound. Good luck!
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reidwwall

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Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #24 on: April 26, 2012, 10:11:40 AM »

We use one quite often.
I put a kick Mic (Beta 52, PG52, something large diaphragm, not a plate mic) and put it in the hole in the back.
I also put a 57 on the front and work with the player to find a spot that works.
Sound great.  Basically I mix the Back as kick, and the front as snare.....
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David Shriver

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Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #25 on: April 26, 2012, 12:06:22 PM »

Hi Michael,

I work with Cajon fairly often.  My preferred PA setup is a MD421 in the hole and a SM81 aimed at the front (more towards the top).  I like to put that front mic on a short boom stand and point that mic right between the player's knees.  I LPF the 421 and HPF the 81 and invert its phase. 

For recording I really like a KM184 on the front with the same MD421 in the back (though pulled farther out).  Then a set of R-121 6-8' out.

You can do it with just a 57 if you must.  Try the 57 on the front, try it in the hole, try it outside the hole pointing in, try it way deep in the hole.  Listen to them all and decide what sound you like best.

There are many ways to play the Cajon and just as many ways to mic it.  The type of playing greatly influences how its mic'ed and how its mixed.  If you are going for a kick/snare sound (or replacement) then the two mic setup works very well.  For a more traditional or flamenco style then the front mic is a much more authentic sound.

The hard part with Cajon is not mic'ing but learning to play it!

-d

I'm thinking about purchasing a Cajon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cajon)for my own use during more acoustic-style worship environments, and I'm wondering if anyone here has had any experience throwing a mic on one of these things.  I have seen on other forums folk using a Senn 421 and the like, but as firm believer in the "If you can't do it with an SM57, you shouldn't be doing it at all" method, I want to stick to something simple -- that and I have 57s, I don't have a 421.

My brain initially either wants to mic in the sound hole like a kick, or from the front bottom pointing where the hands go.

Thanks in advance.
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Bob L. Wilson

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Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #26 on: April 28, 2012, 01:28:11 PM »

I'm thinking about purchasing a Cajon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cajon)for my own use during more acoustic-style worship environments, and I'm wondering if anyone here has had any experience throwing a mic on one of these things.  I have seen on other forums folk using a Senn 421 and the like, but as firm believer in the "If you can't do it with an SM57, you shouldn't be doing it at all" method, I want to stick to something simple -- that and I have 57s, I don't have a 421.

My brain initially either wants to mic in the sound hole like a kick, or from the front bottom pointing where the hands go.

Thanks in advance.

We have one of these come in with an acoustic group fairly often. I originally used my go to drum mic an EV RE20 in the hole but on our hard wood floor even with anti skid matting the cajon moved around too much to maintain consistent sound. I helped the owner select and add a pair of May mounted EV N/D868 one facing forward one just inside the hole works well, highly durable, tons of GBF, but was expensive. I use a pretty high compression ratio and lots of effect to give the thing enough body to fill a room without getting wacky loud. I will admit I am not wild about the dry sound of these things they sound too much like the packing crate they are descended from to suit me. I know they are a historic instrument but so is the washboard. Give me timps or congas any day.
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Earl F Young

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Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #27 on: May 04, 2012, 08:50:19 PM »

as per my posting in The Lounge:
     
     http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,137751.0.html

this thing seems well designed; haven't heard it though- has anyone here?
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: "Real-world" ways to mic a Cajon
« Reply #27 on: May 04, 2012, 08:50:19 PM »


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