Help on choosing microphones

Posted by: beppemaniglia

Help on choosing microphones - 08/19/01 04:58 AM

Hi,
in the end of september I'll have to record a church organ concert (with no public, only for recording).
I usually do rock/pop, so I don't have experience.
I have very few gear, a Yamaha MD8 multitrack and 2 valve preamps.
I was wondering about what kind of microphone should I use (pattern, model...), as i'm going to rent them.
I was thinking to go for two microphones very far apart (for ambience and stereo image) plus a close-to-the-organ central microphone for strong and direct signal.
Is that correct? Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Leo
Posted by: Uncle Dave

Re: Help on choosing microphones - 08/19/01 10:10 AM

Leo,
That's a good start, but you need to experiment with placement because of "bounce" and "reflection".
Where is the sound coming from? The walls? Ceiling? Actual pipes? All these things will play a part in where to place the mics. I like the idea of stereo imaging, but is the SIGNAL being played in stereo?????
Sometimes a mic close to source, and another in an ambiant position makes a great "natural reverb" effect. Try a few locations and see what you like.
Posted by: beppemaniglia

Re: Help on choosing microphones - 08/19/01 02:38 PM

Hi,
thanks for replying.
It will be a real organ (from ~1700), really loud and with plenty of pipes.
It's on a stage, about 5-6 meters above ground.
Once I tried to record something similar, and all i had were dynamic microphones.
Although the sound was really loud inside the church, i had low signal on tape, so i had to raise the gain a lot, and it turned out spoiled because of it (you know when you exaggerate with gain and you can hear the player turning the score's pages?).
So i think i have to find the right microphones to get high signal from very far (something with a long and narrow action field, i guess).
Can you suggest any model?
And do you think it will be better to place the couple of microphones where the listener ears would be (quite close, that is, facing out one to the other) or on the opposite sides of the church corridor (very far one from the other)?

Thanks,
Leo
Posted by: eltontom

Re: Help on choosing microphones - 11/23/01 04:03 AM

hi!
first of all.. you get a much better recording with capacitor-mics. they react much better to your source and produce cleaner transients. for recording this organ you should use mics from neumann, schoeps, or so... i suggest lending a pair or two of cardeoids. try the A/B - stereoarrangement and place the mics at the same height as the organ's positive... good luck!
(well, sorry 'bout my bad english.. i'm austrian)

greets tom
Posted by: Graham UK

Re: Help on choosing microphones - 11/23/01 06:06 AM

Regarding recording Organ works...I used to Rep for a UK company who manufactured Capacitor Microphones. At that time I had a Hi-Speed Revox 15 ips. A little later for a hobby a built a low cost Dummy Head Microphone consisting of 2 Electrets Radio Spares Lapel Mics. Mapperlins also do them at about £10 each battery powered, but last ages. These were omni directional, but idea in a Dummy Head set up.
Just throwing a few thoughts in here, as the result I obtained for such a low cost were exceptional. If I can give you any more input let me know.

I have just added this second part to my reply because I remember recording a large Dance Band one Saturday night. We setup 7 Capacitor mics on Drums, Piano, Clarinets, Saxes, Trumpets, Trombones, these were panned to there appropriate position as they were placed in the Band on the stage. The signal from the mixer was fed to a Hi-Speed Revox Tape. A second identical Revox was receiving a signal from the Dummy Head stereo microphone placed front centre stage. No solo singer involved. We ourselves were situated in a side room to one side of the stage. Both recording came out very well. The stereo balance from the 7 mic mixer was excellent, but what was very noticeable when comparing the Dummy Head recording with the mulitmic recording was the high degree of not only stereo but the 3 dimensional aspect of the whole Band.

Graham UK

[This message has been edited by Graham UK (edited 11-24-2001).]