A couple years ago after forming “The Small Change Diaries” I suddenly thought “How on earth are we going to amplify these ukuleles when it comes to live performances?” I then embarked on a long journey of exploration figuring out the most stable and reliable solution.
As a longtime lover of live gigs I am fully aware of how terrible some bands can sound in a live situation. There can be many reasons for this. Sometimes the band is 100% in the hands of a less than capable sound engineer and sometimes the band themselves have not brought or learned how best to use the right equipment. It’s really easy to get a terrible sound if you don’t work out the best combinations for great amplification. As an audience member there’s nothing worse than a terrible sound coming from the stage, unless of course you are the performer struggling to deal with such a car crash situation while attempting to entertain the audience!
This article is my totally biased on the subject
As a longtime lover of live gigs I am fully aware of how terrible some bands can sound in a live situation. There can be many reasons for this. Sometimes the band is 100% in the hands of a less than capable sound engineer and sometimes the band themselves have not brought or learned how best to use the right equipment. It’s really easy to get a terrible sound if you don’t work out the best combinations for great amplification. As an audience member there’s nothing worse than a terrible sound coming from the stage, unless of course you are the performer struggling to deal with such a car crash situation while attempting to entertain the audience!
This article is my totally biased on the subject
Amplification Options
DI box/preamp solution
Perhaps one of the simplest solutions when playing the ukulele is to DI the instrument straight into the PA. This can work, BUT of course it depends massively on the quality of the DI box, the leads to the PA (yes leads can vary massively) and ultimately “the human factor” The last element can make the biggest difference of course, but this article assumes a basic level of competence for such scenarios! Over the years I have tried all manner of DI boxes and preamps and have discovered that there is a massive difference between different units. The very best ones are Fire Eye Red units and these are made in Austin Texas and built to the highest standards. Not only are they built like tanks, but they simply sound better than everything else I have come across. Our producer and longstanding tour manager for many established artists such as Ali Campbell agrees fully with this view. I blogged on Fire Eye units previously here – http://www.nickcody.co.uk/diary/2015/10/the-fascinating-world-of-fire-eye/
Perhaps one of the simplest solutions when playing the ukulele is to DI the instrument straight into the PA. This can work, BUT of course it depends massively on the quality of the DI box, the leads to the PA (yes leads can vary massively) and ultimately “the human factor” The last element can make the biggest difference of course, but this article assumes a basic level of competence for such scenarios! Over the years I have tried all manner of DI boxes and preamps and have discovered that there is a massive difference between different units. The very best ones are Fire Eye Red units and these are made in Austin Texas and built to the highest standards. Not only are they built like tanks, but they simply sound better than everything else I have come across. Our producer and longstanding tour manager for many established artists such as Ali Campbell agrees fully with this view. I blogged on Fire Eye units previously here – http://www.nickcody.co.uk/diary/2015/10/the-fascinating-world-of-fire-eye/Microphone Solutions
Another simple solution is to simply mic the ukulele. This removes the need for pickups, DI boxes, preamps, amps etc. It’s an attractive simple solution and many musicians swear by it. The old standard industry SM58 and SM57 mics have worked for decades. As with all solutions there will always be a trade off in many respects. In this instance the performer is limited in terms of movement on stage, but it’s simple and simple is no bad thing! Move close to increase volume, move away to reduce volume. Personally I prefer Heil mics, which to my ears sound better than SM58S.Lead options
Surely all instrument leads are the same? Well actually no, they are not! There can be a massive difference between the durability (an essential factor for gigging) and sonic performance. I have tried all types and found Lava Cable’s Ultramafic cables to be the very best in terms of sonic reproduction. This may sound somewhat obsessive, but all these elements can make a big difference in the overall end result.
Amp Options and pickups
I have spent 18 months researching acoustic amp options. Clearly I am not the only person looking into this. Jake Shimabukuro was also asking about this on social media. Up until recently I would only use Schertler Unico units. These are now no longer in production and I suspect one reason is that they are pretty expensive for many working musicians and they are heavy! I have a classic Unico and a Unico Deluxe. Crucially these don’t colour the sound and simply reproduce the sonic quality of the instrument. I have owned AER, Marshall and other respectable units that are perfectly functional but don’t sound as great. In recent weeks I tried out and bought a Henriksen Bud amp with an extension cab. To say that I am pleased with this unit is an understatement. The Bud unit is a dream to work with. It sounds fantastic and is half the weight of the Schertler. The best combination is using the Bud and the Schertler in combination. This gives a big sound with lots of headroom and again crucially just amplifies the instrument, so you hear the natural acoustic sound only louder.In terms of pickups I have tried Baggs and K and K. To my ears (as recommended by Bill Collings) I use McIntrye ukulele feather pickups) These have consistently proved to produce the best natural sound from the instrument. I use these on my two main two live instruments, the Shimo Lax 5 string and Rob Collins Blackwood tenor. This year I am collecting another Shimo from Japan and this will also become a regular instrument for live gigs.
