Topic: Adding live cello with mic

[jcm2016]

My daughters play cello.  I'm wondering if there's a way to get a mic and connect it to my SX900, which would then let us play with distortion etc.  I'm thinking use the SX900 like an amp.   That said, I've never used an amp!   This is just for fun, not trying to do anything particularly musical.  Is it as easy as get a mic pickup for the cello and connect it the mic input on the keyboard?   I looked very briefly at electric cellos and it appeared that's all they were doing (of course with the body missing, so no natural resonance).  What am I missing?  Any suggestions on mics?   Many thanks in advance!!

[Jeff Hollande]

IMHO the most usual and simplest way to record an acoustic instrument happens ( by mic ) in a DAW like Cubase or Cakewalk by BandLab ( a free download ).

Record it on a separate audio track ( like a human voice e.g. ).

After the track recording one can edit and/or add effects and/or vst's to that particular track.

If you want to know all the details how to operate, plse read the DAW information on the internet.

Good luck and have fun ! JH

[andyg]

Or are you thinking of a live situation, rather than recording?

You could mike up the cello and feed it in for processing. An electric pick up will have a different output level and impedance to a mike so that might not be successful. Is there such a thing as an internal mike for a cello, like the ones you can get for an acoustic guitar? Never looked for one, so I don't know!

The only trouble with miking, processing and amplifying through the keyboard's speakers is that you might get feedback from the speakers into the cello's mike. Needs to be close, and directional.

[Jeff Hollande]

Hi :

I have no idea if there exists a built in mic for cello. Hard to believe but one never knows.

In my simple perception cello recording happens only by mic.

For audio recording you need an external audio interface.

You do not need your Yamaha keyboard to make a cello recording.

However, it would be very useful and wise if you would gather some audio recording and DAW information first on the internet to know how music recording works though.

Then you will find out you have to record all your keyboard tracks first and last but not least your daughter's cello on a separate audio track.

Sorry, there is no more I can tell you now.

You need first of all to know how music is recorded.

Good Luck ... I cross my fingers, 🤓JH

[PhotoDoc05]

jcm,
A quick Google search will show you a lot of ways to use a mic with a cello, here's one example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30Z4dKvFij0

On the SX-900, the connector is a 1/4" plug, and should be a dynamic mic. A condenser mic would require an extra power supply for it.

ANd the Audio Quick recording mode will directly create an MP3 file for you, of the keyboard and mic combo (p. 84 and 85 of the Operator's manual)
You'll probably have to experiment a bit to get everything right, let us know if it works for you, and Good Luck!
Jerry

[mikf]

I'm wondering if there's a way to get a mic and connect it to my SX900, ……..

The obvious answer is,..... of course you can connect a mic to your arranger, we all do it all the time… and yes it is that easy.
So obvious I am wondering if this is what you meant in your question, or did you really mean to ask what is the best way to capture or amplify live cello playing?
Mics come in a wide range of price/performance from just a few dollars to about $5000. But the sweet spot for most is in the $100 to $200 range where there is a wide choice of robust good performing mics like the workhorse Shure mics.  What mic would work best for a cello, …. I doubt if any of us know as it’s quite a niche question, so you might just have to experiment. But I suspect a decent Shure would do the job for most except the most demanding recording artists. Whether there are specialist pick ups for cellos and how well they work is probably well outside the experience of most of us, but, yes, essentially they would be just like a mic or a guitar pick up, and the arranger will work exactly like an external amplifier for these. Here is a link to one you might want to look at. https://gb.gewamusic.com/product/23783/gewa-acoustic-pickup-funds-cello-vc-1.html
Mike

[jcm2016]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

In my little available time for music, my preference is to play live.  So I have not done anything with a DAW.

My hope here is to attach a mic to the cello and make it sound like an electric guitar with lots of feedback etc - meaning totally change the characteristics of the sound.  I'm not  looking to record it to layer into anything (that sounds fun, but again, limited time). 

Thanks again.