accelerometers as sensors for FFT ect.

[wadkin]

Hi there I'm new my names Alf and I'm a BSc Musical Instruments student in London Metropolitan uni, England.
Just wondering is anyone has tried using accelerometers as pickups for spectrograms/Q testing. From what little I'v read they tend to have a limited bandwidth but that's okay for my purpose are they any good?
http://www.analog.com/library/analogdia ... hones.html article

http://www.guitarandampshop.co.uk/acata ... ystem.html
ready made unit based on piezo film accelerometer

I don't have a clue about electronics, what one should I buy? how would I mount/solder it ect. would a pre-amp be required?

I stupidly bought this one and it's tiny 3mm x 3mm would need to stick it to a circuit board with solder past and heat gun or something,
I think all this is a bit over my head.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171118848043? ... 1439.l2649

[auscab]

Hi Alf ,
I cant answer electronic questions . I'm not mentally equipped in that way

But I will say Welcome here , and I like you user name too . I have some machines with that name which I'm very fond of.
So I'm bound to read all your posts.

[Trevor Gore]

Try contacting Mark French:

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~rmfrench/Contact.html

He's done a lot of that type of work. Tell him I sent you .

Depending on exactly what you're after, you can get a long way using a microphone and a spectrum analyser like Visual Analyser (google it). It's a free down load. Instruction for use are here (link at the bottom of that page).

[wadkin]

Try contacting Mark French:

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~rmfrench/Contact.html

He's done a lot of that type of work. Tell him I sent you .

Depending on exactly what you're after, you can get a long way using a microphone and a spectrum analyser like Visual Analyser (google it). It's a free down load. Instruction for use are here (link at the bottom of that page).

Indeed he mentions them in his book he's certainly the man to ask

I'v got VA and A condenser mic which is probably more than enough to play with, although I'm having trouble with getting averages for frequency spectograms.
I was just thinking that an accelerometer might be more consistent and could save the hassle of mic placement.