Recording a Kalimba

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 10:41 pm

Okay, I promise I will soon post questions about recording my 4003 bass and my 660/12 guitar, but there is a burning question I'm hoping for help on first.

We are going into the studio Jan 20-22 to record our second CD. It will be a whirlwind session, 8-10 hours per day, etc. One of our songs actually features a neat countermelody I came up with on a kalimba (small wooden box instrument with metal tines that you play with your thumbs - originally from Africa and prominently played by Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire, for example - mine is about 6"x4"x2", made of cedar and tuned to key of C). In our home demos, I have been recording the kalimba with a Shure Beta-57, really close mic'd. Because the kalimba is not a very loud instrument, I have to play it almost right up against the 57. It does get a nice woody, percussive tone, though.

When we hit the studio, should I take along the Beta-57 and do the same thing, or would a recording setup similar to acoustic guitar (with a different mic) or even a vocals set-up work better? We'll be using the studio's mic's and equipment for vocals, acoustics, etc.

I apologize for this being off-Rick and a highly unusual instrument, but any tips would be highly appreciated. When I initially tried the kalimba, the bandmates were skeptical, but it has actually earned an irreplaceable part in one song, so now we are wondering how exactly we are gonna pull it off. Thanks!!

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:25 pm

Dean, no need to apologise for being off Ric...it doesn't matter at all.

A Kalimba eh? I admit to never having recorded one before, but I would approach it via a condensor mic, as used for overheads. The reason for this is because the frequency range will be better than a beta 57, enabling it to capture the bottom end, as well as sweetening the top end. A Beta 57 is a great mic, but can be quite 'boxy' (depending on the frequency range of the instrument being mic'd) when compared to some condensors...great for live (I use one in the studio for all sorts of things too), but in this case, I think that a good condensor would do the trick very nicely.
It's small size means that it wouldn't get in the way either!

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:53 pm

Cool, thanks, Tony. I will suggest that to our studio engineer. Once we have a finished product, I will post a sound clip here.

Great discussion forum area, too - thanks again.

jojo99 · Post by **jojo99** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 9:00 pm

I'd think a small-diaphram condensor like a Shure SM-81 would work great-- a pretty common studio tool for piano and acoustic guitar, and cymbals.
As for Rick-content, I happen to own the only made Rickenbacker Kalimba...fireglo with checkerboard binding. The horseshoe pickup on it is da bomb! LOL

scott_s · Post by **scott_s** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:36 pm

I think Taj Mahal used one of these on an album -- let me dig through my Guitar Player magazines and see if he talked about recording it (it seems like he mentioned using two differently placed mics to capture the sound).

scott_s · Post by **scott_s** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 11:01 pm

Well, I found the article -- however, it discusses koras and bolons, not kalimbas. Koras are a larger harp-like instrument that looks like a big gourd with a neck and strings played with the thumbs. I typed up a big bunch of the article, then realized it probably wouldn't apply to your instrument. (They used a Neumann U89 and some compression to bring up the bass, FWIW.)

I'd definitely like to hear it once you've made a recording!

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 4:26 pm

Scott, Jo - thanks for the help and the info! I'll definitely post a link to the finished product once we get it recorded.

If Rickenbacker is looking to expand their product line, perhaps kalimbas are a possibility... haha. Fireglo with ckeckerboard binding?? I'll take two. And one in jetglo.

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:29 pm

I watched the EW&F Ice Capades yesterday and Philip Bailey just held a SM57 under the kalimba he was playing and it sounded just fine.

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:51 pm

Thanks, Jeffrey! That is awesome. I knew that Philip had taken over the remainder of the lead vocals since Maurice White retired, but I didn't know that he played kalimba too - should'a guessed that. What a great band. Don't even get me started talking about Verdine White on bass....

Our engineer for the upcoming session was thinking along similar lines as Tony as far as recording the kalimba, but I will also take the beta 57 I have along, too. It sounds great on the demo's we've done, for what it's worth. We should be covered one way or the other. Thanks again - this is a great forum - I was afraid the topic might be too 'out there', but you guys have been super helpful.

scott_s · Post by **scott_s** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:41 pm

We're musicians -- define "too out there."

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:55 am

Personally, I love this kind of stuff! People generally think too narrowly about what to include in their original pieces.

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:43 pm

We will be recording the kalimba in the studio tomorrow afternoon. I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully I will nail the parts on the first take. My kalimba can chew up my thumbs pretty quickly! I'll post a link to a sound clip here when I get one available. Thanks for the help here, everybody!

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:27 pm

The kalimba recording went great. We have all of our tracks recorded. We will be returning in the next few weeks to mix. I'll post something after that point. I have a rough mix of the song with the kalimba on it, but it is mixed too low at present. We used a Manley microphone to record it, same one as our vocals were done on. Sounds pretty good!

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 3:34 pm

Great to hear that! Did you use the EW & F technique?

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 3:46 pm

No, I just played it in close proximity to the Manley mic.

I'm curious to hear how it sits a little higher in the mix. Re-recording it with a 57 to give it a different color is still an option if we want to when we go back to mix.

EW&F are way beyond my level of kalimba ability! The part I played is unique and meaningful to the song, but not hard to play. I love hearing the kalimba on EW&F records - my favorite is on "Happy Feelin" from "That's the Way of the World."