Contact microphone attached to the back

[Villamarzia]

On my classical guitar, the best position for my Schertler dyn-g is on the back, in the lower bout area, mid way between the center and the lower side (the side where high strings are..). Do you ever experienced a better tone by having either a transducer or a contact mic on the back? The top makes too much interference, too many frequencies. On the back sounds clean and balance even though has less gain..

[kramster]

I used to have a couple of those and a Schertler pre amp, and a Unico... interesting, I never tried it on the back or sides... all around the top though .

[fazool]

Originally Posted by Villamarzia

...transducer or a contact mic..

Just to clarify any confusion.

It sounded like you were equating a transducer to an alternate name "contact mic".

Those are two different things. A transducer pickup is a piezoelectric accelerometer that picks up vibrations of the wood. A mic is an electrostatic pressure sensor that picks up sound waves from the air.

[Villamarzia]

Originally Posted by fazool

Just to clarify any confusion.

It sounded like you were equating a transducer to an alternate name "contact mic".

Those are two different things. A transducer pickup is a piezoelectric accelerometer that picks up vibrations of the wood. A mic is an electrostatic pressure sensor that picks up sound waves from the air.

Sorry for the confusion. I meant a piezo, like K&K, JJB etc or a dynamic mic like Schertler Dyn-G (even though both are contact mics). Curious is that the Schertler picks up material vibrations, not from the air. If you talk into it, it does not pick your voice...

[shufflebeat]

Originally Posted by fazool

Just to clarify any confusion.

It sounded like you were equating a transducer to an alternate name "contact mic".

Those are two different things. A transducer pickup is a piezoelectric accelerometer that picks up vibrations of the wood. A mic is an electrostatic pressure sensor that picks up sound waves from the air.

Just to clarify the clarification

It's been a long time since I studied Latin so I may be corrected on this but:

Trans = across
Ducere = to carry

So a transducer is any device that "carry's across" energy from one form to another. In audio terms this only makes sense as an umbrella term which includes piezo pickups, microphones, speakers, etc. (Not roadies).

This is also the sense in which I understand and observe this term to be used.

[shufflebeat]

On topic:

My Dyn-G sits in a lovely box mostly unused except for sketch recordings at home. I will be experimenting with this on various instruments and will report back.

I also have some other contact mics which I will compare if time allows.