Ive had this idea floating around in my head for a few years...turns out someone already had the idea.

http://www.kksound.com/marimbasystem.html

Basically a bunch of piezo pickups for each bar of a marimba or vibe. I imagine it would sound a bit sterile as you're losing the 'air' in between the bars and the mics.

At any rate, any one ever used or heard this?

Expensive...

Like you, I assume this might sound unnatural. Airborne mics pick up the sound of the air resonating in the resonators. You'll miss that with direct pickups on each bar.

I once played a marimba with no resonators. It was a very odd experience.

I wish it wasnt $1500...good grief. Also, Id hate to use this system, then have to use reverb to create life and air to the sound.

Regardless, there's got to be a better way to mic these instruments. Dont get me wrong, two mics under or over top of a marimba yields some great results at times, others not so much. Time to put on my audio-guy hat and think.

It would have been more fortuitous to throw a trigger on every bar to key a sampler.

File under: ";There, I fixed it for ya.";