I’ve been using MusicTech accordion microphone systems since 1999 when my first Beltrami was built – both my Beltrami accordions have them and I think they are great, so I was happy to be asked to install the same system for a customer. Once fitted, the MusicTech accordion microphone system is easy to plug in to a desk or amp – you just need a guitar lead. They sound good and reject feedback well. (No I don’t work for the company!) You can see pictures of my Beltrami mics and the MusicTech MIDI wiring which is even more complex here.
Here is a quick video of the accordion microphone system once I had finished installing it, with effects too!
Over the years I’ve installed a lot of accordion bugs or accordion mics in my own accordions, but this is my first time installing an expensive MusicTech system in a customers accordion so I really wanted to get it right. Positioning the mics, potentiometers, jack socket and wiring was tricky because the Guerrini has a very close fitting front cover – I definitely did not want to drill any holes in the wrong place!
All the components for driving and mixing the mics are surface mounted making the circuit board very slim. The front cover, and bass end and bellows wire are all joined together with plugs and sockets so that you can separate them without having to do any soldering.
Soldering is required for installation since wires need to be threaded into the bellows space, and the socket soldered on. Any gaps where air can pass then need to be plugged – I used accordion wax.
The system comprises 4 Sennheiser condenser mic capsules, three across the front for the right hand and one on the bass side. Condensers need a power source and the battery lives in the bass side too. It needs changing every 6 months according to MusicTech, but I only change mine once a year and have never had a problem. I always use a good make of battery though. Also the system is switched on by plugging in a lead so I always unplug if I’m not using it for a while (I don’t mean during a gig. When I say “a while” I mean more than 3 hours!)
The above photo shows how to install wires through accordion bellows. I’ve used bellows tape stuck with Evo Stick. Bellows tape is the cloth tape used to finish the outside edges of accordion bellows folds.
With the bellows closed you can see how little room there is for the wires in this compactly built Guerrini.
But happily I have managed to arrange things so that the wire never catches on the reed blocks when you fan open the bottom of the bellows.
From the outside all you see is 2 knobs and a jack socket – actually in this picture you can only just see the knobs but I think that’s just how the light was.
Here are some links:
CGM where I get a lot of my spare parts
Since the mics are outside the bellows cavity why not have 1 socket each end. I have a midi cable at the bass end so the mic lead could be attatched to it.
Great articles…thanks. Looking for some advice. I have mics on treble and blueline midi on bass. I only use midi to give me piano on bass and my V3 desktop module is totally underused. I’m thinking of simply reverting to mics on bass. All the faff setting up at at ceilidh is getting me down too in my old age! Also blueline midi apparently is old technology now and I have occasional intermittent sound problems with leads. I have also recently purchased a wee Roland FX 1 which will be fab for small gig. I have a gorgeous fistitalia as my main box for my ceilidh band. Can I ask..do I need the midi motherboard removed before fitting mics? Do you think this is a good idea? Many thanks for advice
Hi Janice,
Ha ha – I blow hot and cold on MIDI all the time – sometimes less is more (and sometimes more is more!) Dragging a load of gear around is hard too.
There is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to keep the MIDI and fit mike, unless I suppose it’s somehow in the way. My accordions have both and at the moment I’m in a “mikes only” mood. But only 2 years ago I was doing full MIDI mixed with mikes (going through effects) and drum pads under my feet! Who knows what I’ll do next year!
Cheers
George.
Hello sir. What kind of pedals are you activating by hand?
Hi Rob,
The pedals are all by Boss. From let to right a Boss Pitch shifter / Delay PS-something but only used as a digital delay, a Boss Phaser PH-3, and a Bos Metal Zone MT-2
greeting,
I have the same microphones in my harmonica, but the problem is that I have a lot of return, hum, feedback. i use it through tbone ews ds16 transmitter. they can’t step up enough compared to the others in the gang. Do you have any ideas on how to solve the problem? I own a Yamaha promix01 mixer
thank you
Hi
Feedback can be a problem! Here are some things to try:
1) avoid the speakers pointing at the accordion – stand behind them.
2) Sometimes the feedback is always at the same frequency and can be reduced with careful EQ
3) Protect the mics from sound – my accordions have solid fronts. you could put tape on the inside of the grill for instance.
4) there are commercial “feedback stoppers” but I’ve never tried one….
5) Get everyone else to play quieter. (I know, I know…)
Good luck
George.
Hi
Feedback can be a problem! Here are some things to try:
1) avoid the speakers pointing at the accordion – stand behind them.
2) Sometimes the feedback is always at the same frequency and can be reduced with careful EQ
3) Protect the mics from sound – my accordions have solid fronts. you could put tape on the inside of the grill for instance.
4) there are commercial “feedback stoppers” but I’ve never tried one….
5) Get everyone else to play quieter. (I know, I know…)
Good luck
George.