Pickup Systems
The K&K Vibraphone Pickup System
K&K has more than 20 years experience in vibraphone amplification, more than any other company on the globe. As a matter of fact, vibraphone amplification is the true origin of K&K.
The Transducers
The system consists of a number of small piezo ceramic transducer disks (pickups) which are glued to the nodal points of each bar. The nodal point is located on a fictive line to be drawn by connecting the string holes in the bar. With a fast drying cyan-acrylate glue (supplied), the pickups are attached to the bar's flip side on the outside end (opposite end of the damper). The single pickup disk has a half-inch diameter and is only 0.027 inches (0.7 mm) thin.
The Collecting Rails
The transducers are plugged into whole tone and half tone collecting rails. For the rails there are two different versions.
The Mini Mixer
The three octave sections of the vibraphone's tone range (F-F, F#-E, F-F on the vibe and A-B, C-B, C-C/2 octaves on a 4 1/3 oct. marimba) can be separately adjusted with the supplied three-channel mini mixer. It provides a mono-line-out as well as three separate octave outputs. Especially when working in the studio, these octave outputs allow an impressive stereo surround-sound effect by setting the low octave to the left, mid octave in the center, and high octave to the right speaker.
For each of the three octave channels, volume, bass, and treble can be adjusted separately. This procedure provides a perfect balance over the complete tone range plus a truly voluminous bass octave and a crystal clear high octave sound. A basic adjustment is already preset.
Installation of the Pickup System
You can easily mount the system by yourself. It takes approximately two hours. All installation materials, such as glue, sand paper, etc., plus detailed mounting instructions are supplied. K&K also offers installation in their factory in Coos Bay, Oregon if you like to send your bars in.
The pickups will not alter the acoustic sound of the vibraphone or marimba when properly mounted.
Amplification Devices
Before buying an appropriate amplifier or effect unit, you should test it with your instrument in sufficient volume. Standard combo-amplifiers i.e. for guitar usually cannot tolerate the enormous peak level and amplitude of the vibraphone and thus produce distortion. Recommended are power combo-amps above 100 watts. For example, the Roland Jazz Chorus Combo Amplifier is a good choice.
Great results can also be achieved with bass-combo amps or bass amplifiers combined with a full range cabinet. Compared to guitar amps with identical watts, they tolerate far more impulse peaks and work free of distortion at higher volumes.
If a mixing console or PA system is available, it is imperative not to overdrive the input channel. So, make sure the red peak light never ever lights up! Sufficient P.A. power amplification (200-300 watts minimum) is required to achieve high distortion free volumes.
Effect Units
With the amplified vibraphone, most of the effect pedals being used for electric guitars are inappropriate due to their insufficient peak tolerance. But don't worry, many of the so called multi-effect units have a minus 20 dB switch which allows a successful use with the vibraphone pickup system. One of the best effect units to be combined with the vibraphone is the TC Chorus Flanger. Due to its pitch modulation sound, it produces a very spacy, soft vibrato effect. Other important effects to be combined with the E-Vibe or E-Marimba are the digital reverb and the digital delay, especially when being adjusted to the timing of the song.
Selection of Mallets
Generally, musicians can use their favorite mallets when playing the electric vibe or marimba. Their influence on the sound is similar to the acoustic playing. David Friedman i.e. plays very heavy mallets; Mike Mainieri plays much lighter ones. According to our personal experiences, medium to light mallets will render the most lucid and voluminous results. They allow driving a larger dynamic range on the amp side and thus avoid overdriving the amp's input section. A major consequence of an amplified mallet instrument is the improved dynamic especially when performing with a band. When using microphones, these dynamics are often sacrificed to playing as loud as possible at all times, just to heard at all.
Prospects
At K&K, we think that the opportunities with the audio pickup for the vibraphone and marimba have definitely revived the interest in these instruments. With great feeling for the electronics, many musicians have created an entirely new sound. Many professional artists claim that they cannot perform without K&K's amplification system anymore because it became such a part of their sound and their music.
The K&K Vibraphone Pickup System
K&K has more than 20 years experience in vibraphone amplification, more than any other company on the globe. As a matter of fact, vibraphone amplification is the true origin of K&K.
The Transducers
The system consists of a number of small piezo ceramic transducer disks (pickups) which are glued to the nodal points of each bar. The nodal point is located on a fictive line to be drawn by connecting the string holes in the bar. With a fast drying cyan-acrylate glue (supplied), the pickups are attached to the bar's flip side on the outside end (opposite end of the damper). The single pickup disk has a half-inch diameter and is only 0.027 inches (0.7 mm) thin.
The Collecting Rails
The transducers are plugged into whole tone and half tone collecting rails. For the rails there are two different versions.
- Standard rails to be permanently attached to the frame rail of the instrument.
- Split rails for traveler type vibraphones, which are equipped with hangers. A hinge allows to fold the rail to half-size for easy transport.
- Marimba rails are equipped with hangers as well. For a full size marimba you will receive 4 collecting rails.
The Mini Mixer
The three octave sections of the vibraphone's tone range (F-F, F#-E, F-F on the vibe and A-B, C-B, C-C/2 octaves on a 4 1/3 oct. marimba) can be separately adjusted with the supplied three-channel mini mixer. It provides a mono-line-out as well as three separate octave outputs. Especially when working in the studio, these octave outputs allow an impressive stereo surround-sound effect by setting the low octave to the left, mid octave in the center, and high octave to the right speaker.
For each of the three octave channels, volume, bass, and treble can be adjusted separately. This procedure provides a perfect balance over the complete tone range plus a truly voluminous bass octave and a crystal clear high octave sound. A basic adjustment is already preset.
Installation of the Pickup System
You can easily mount the system by yourself. It takes approximately two hours. All installation materials, such as glue, sand paper, etc., plus detailed mounting instructions are supplied. K&K also offers installation in their factory in Coos Bay, Oregon if you like to send your bars in.
The pickups will not alter the acoustic sound of the vibraphone or marimba when properly mounted.
Amplification Devices
Before buying an appropriate amplifier or effect unit, you should test it with your instrument in sufficient volume. Standard combo-amplifiers i.e. for guitar usually cannot tolerate the enormous peak level and amplitude of the vibraphone and thus produce distortion. Recommended are power combo-amps above 100 watts. For example, the Roland Jazz Chorus Combo Amplifier is a good choice.
Great results can also be achieved with bass-combo amps or bass amplifiers combined with a full range cabinet. Compared to guitar amps with identical watts, they tolerate far more impulse peaks and work free of distortion at higher volumes.
If a mixing console or PA system is available, it is imperative not to overdrive the input channel. So, make sure the red peak light never ever lights up! Sufficient P.A. power amplification (200-300 watts minimum) is required to achieve high distortion free volumes.
Effect Units
With the amplified vibraphone, most of the effect pedals being used for electric guitars are inappropriate due to their insufficient peak tolerance. But don't worry, many of the so called multi-effect units have a minus 20 dB switch which allows a successful use with the vibraphone pickup system. One of the best effect units to be combined with the vibraphone is the TC Chorus Flanger. Due to its pitch modulation sound, it produces a very spacy, soft vibrato effect. Other important effects to be combined with the E-Vibe or E-Marimba are the digital reverb and the digital delay, especially when being adjusted to the timing of the song.
Selection of Mallets
Generally, musicians can use their favorite mallets when playing the electric vibe or marimba. Their influence on the sound is similar to the acoustic playing. David Friedman i.e. plays very heavy mallets; Mike Mainieri plays much lighter ones. According to our personal experiences, medium to light mallets will render the most lucid and voluminous results. They allow driving a larger dynamic range on the amp side and thus avoid overdriving the amp's input section. A major consequence of an amplified mallet instrument is the improved dynamic especially when performing with a band. When using microphones, these dynamics are often sacrificed to playing as loud as possible at all times, just to heard at all.
Prospects
At K&K, we think that the opportunities with the audio pickup for the vibraphone and marimba have definitely revived the interest in these instruments. With great feeling for the electronics, many musicians have created an entirely new sound. Many professional artists claim that they cannot perform without K&K's amplification system anymore because it became such a part of their sound and their music.