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Recording Techniques : Videos Added

kurtvanzo

kurtvanzo

Capt. Zorro
Someone posting in another section asked for details on recording solo instruments. I gave his some advice as a long time recording engineer and thought a thread on recording different types of live instruments might be helpful to some composers interested in adding live recordings to their mockups.

Often much can be done in a home studio to make a decent spur of the moment recording. Placing the mic away from humming gear or ac vents, using a spare room and running cables, to adding momentary padding (blankets, curtains, gobos or even old mattresses) can help in a pinch to quiet the reflections of the room. Besides these prep steps, mic placement is the most important step to getting a better recording, regardless of your mic choice or preamp.

When recording allow the player to set-up and warm up. Have them play a bit of the piece you intend to record while you stand next to them. Walk around them and really listen to the tone, with any wind instruments there will be some points where there is more "wind" or blowing noise, or key clacking, or musical tone. Try to think of your ear as the microphone and when you find a sweet spot (a good musical tone without too much blowing noise or key clacks) then place the microphone there.

If you can't find a great spot the general rule is the farther away you are the less noises will be in the recording, but of course the more the room will play a factor. For many orchestral instruments (spot mics) somewhere between 18 inches and 3 feet away is usually good, but you'll still need to find that sweet spot (just a few inches change can make a big difference- again use your ears). If the room is adding too much, you may need to move in closer. Brass usually needs a little more distance (and a bigger room) to get a good tone, but with a dynamic mic you can get in a little closer without blowing the mic out if your room isn't working (realize, because of how loud brass is, it will saturate most rooms smaller than 15'x20' - so it may sound similar anywhere in the room).

Even in a pro studio I still do this with every new recording, because every player and instrument is slightly different, and each should be given the time to get the best sound. Once you get use to this, it will only take a minute or two. Piano is a different beast, but your ears can still tell you a lot. I did the same process when first recording piano placing stereo mics about a foot above the strings, one over the bass side, one over the high strings, for a great close stereo sound. The studio owner said it was the best recording of his Steinway he had ever heard, and it turned into a regular gig for me (and I was only 20). Bottom line is use your ears (or better yet, your best ear) to decide where to place the mic.

Any additional tips or questions from others would be great to hear. All the best on your recordings. :)
Click to read more...
 
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Microphones choice is the next big decision. Condenser mics are usually a first choice for orchestral instruments, cardiod pattern for a clear front sound without too much room, omni if you want more room (if it's a great sounding room) or you want a more "open" sound. Realize this will also affect how much possible unwanted outside noise may get into the recording if your not in a proper studio. On that note, condenser mics capture more detail than dynamic mics, but also pick up unwanted noise- a car driving by outside, the kid yelling next door, the plane passing overhead. For these kinds of noise issues a dynamic mic may be the only way to go, but they make some clear and relatively flat dynamic mics nowadays that can work great. Most dynamics need to be placed closer to the instrument than using a condenser (perhaps 6" to 18") but the same rules of using your ears to find the sweet spot still apply.

For Brass and Percussion dynamic mics are many times preferred, as the instrument has a lot of energy and a condenser can become overwhelmed, especially in a smaller room. Ribbon mics can be even more sensitive to pressure levels, so a good dynamic can go a long way. Best idea if your unsure is to set up one dynamic and one condenser, match the levels on the preamp and flip between them as the player rehearses, so you can compare. On occasion we have setup a number of mics to compare, then place the chosen mic in the sweet spot.

Decent cables are also important, not only because they can handle the abuse of pulling, wrapping, and being stepped on, but also a lower gauge cable (thicker) can have a clearer sound and carry bass better. Well made cables are worth the price in how long they will last, and monoprice cables have impressed me with a thicker gauge and higher quality build than most, and cost only $11 for a 25 footer.
https://www.monoprice.com/category?c_id=115&cp_id=11509&cs_id=1150902
At this price a few difference lengths is an easy call if your cables are subpar. They even make adapter cables (1/4" to XLR for example) of the same quality for less. While your there get a pack of velcro strips for wrapping your cables, you'll never regret it.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=6457
Happy recording. :)
 
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If your using a DAW and have a decent interface (many good discussions here on those) a seperate preamp is not always necessary, especially if the instrument is not quiet or delicate. But a great preamp can give air or warm color to the sound. Avalon Preamps are one of my favorites, but I own a Great River preamp that is modeled after the Neve preamps that sounds really good and is less than half the price. I believe I picked mine up used off craigslist for $400, but I'm also in Los Angeles where these things pop up from time to time in good condition. Keep in mind the preamp is where most of the level is added (especially with dynamic mics) so any noise from that preamp will also be added. Good preamps add little noise at even the loudest levels and don't distort or crack as easy. In fact the saturation effect on a good preamp can be desired, but in most cases getting a clear, warm tone without any artifacts is preferred.

Record as clean as possible then add your fx after the fact (including compression or gating) so that you can always undo it in the mix and are not married to anything. It gives you the most versitillity and sometimes you'll wish you could dial it back a bit in the mix if it's in the track. Often getting a solo to stand out and be clear enough is a more common problem than getting it to lay back or mix in (compression, reverb, and early reflections added during the mix can be your friend in this regard). Exceptions can be bass or electric guitar, where you want more character (compression, amps, fx) made by the performer. Micing an amp, plus a mic down the hall, plus a straight input through a direct box, may give you the best combination of sounds to choose from or combine in the mix. Give yourself options when you can. This is why having an interface with more than two inputs or extra preamps can be an advantage.

But try to get the best quality you can and do your research before purchasing. Only third parties who use the gear regularly can tell you if it's worth the price and will last. One $500 mic or preamp that you love and will last is a much better buy than a number of cheap mics you will never want to use. It doesn't need to be a Neumann but it shouldn't say Realistic on it either (a Radio Shack standard). Do the research, ask questions, go to a music shop or studio where you can hear one (you'd be surprised how much a studio will do for you during a "tour" when it's not being used), then save your money. Otherwise you'll eventually put the subpar mic away for good and save more to get the good mic you should have gone for in the first place (just saying this from personal experience ;))

Hope some of this helps. Other than this enjoy the recording process. Not everyone can do this (because of space or not having access to players) and any decent player will add more emotion and expression to the piece than you could ever imagine. One good soloist can cover up a multitude of bad vi sins. :)

All the best on your recordings.
 
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You're welcome. :)

Video can often show things that are difficult to describe, so I'll try to find some videos showing techniques and hints that will be useful. Audio-technica has a few videos out that show some basic mic placement and pattern decisions that are commonly used. Keep in mind these techniques can be used with any mics, but it's good to note the mic pattern used. The most common are:
1) Cardiod- a front facing pattern with rear rejection (picks up very little from the back)
2) Hypercardiod - front facing with a longer reach but narrower area of pickup (more side rejection)
3) Omni - equal pickup from all sides (no rejection)
4) bi-polar - front and back pickup (equal) with side rejection

For those still confused this diagram may make it a little clearer:

IMG_0569.GIF
 
Strings:
This first AT video is on string recording. Again, other mics with similar polar patterns and diaphram sizes can be set-up the same, although some will have different characteristics (warmth, frequency response, saturation levels) so pick your mic carefully. Also realize the closer the mic is, the more bow sound and finger movements may become a factor. As stated in the video, the closer micing may also help it to stick out in a mix better, which may or may not be desired.

 
Piano:
Probably the instrument I get asked about the most, because there are a few ways to record it. This AT video goes through the basic mic placements pretty well. Large diaphram mics will usually give you broader, more open sound; but I've heard some great recordings with smaller diaphrams as well. Use your ears to make the mic choice, even setting up multiple mics and switching between during warm-up to compare and make a choice before recording. Different pianos can respond differently to different mics, finding one that cleary picks up the disirable characteristics of the particular piano is key.

 
Brass:
The second most asked about section, brass can be tricky because the sound is so affected by the room. It a great sounding big room or concert hall, a more distant mic may be desired (especially with Trumpets) but in most other cases a spot mic will sound the best. When possible set up distance room mics with the spots and record them separately, as they may prove useful in the mix for pushing the loudest brass back a bit in the mix. Because of the extreme dynamics in brass (especially Trumpets and Trombones) you may want to use dynamic mics instead of cardiods for the spot mics, but again, use your ears. Clarity in the recording is key to getting brass to punch thrpugh in a mix.

 
Sax:
Saxes are thier own beasts, as player position and finding the sweet spot for the mic can vary depending on the instrument and player. If you're getting too much blowing noise you may want to mic slightly off the bell or further away. As with woodwinds, key clacks can also become a factor, so it's especially important to spend the time upfront to hear the player in the room and choose the mic postion carefully as I've outlined in my first couple of posts. A great mic placement can make all the difference, and moving it an inch or two can really improve the sound.

 
Woodwinds:
The most delicate of the orchestal sections, careful selection of microphone and mic placement are needed. In general cardiod mics will work best because of thier pickup of detail (unless there is too much unwanted room noise or bleed through from other instruments), but even with a dynamic mic a good recording can be had with thought put into mic placement (read my first few posts for finding a sweet spot). Avoiding too much blowing noise and key clacks is key, but finding a place where the tone is clear is also important. Each instrument is different.

 
Percussion, Solo Drums:
Probably the most varied instrument section, percussion can also be tricky because of it's volume and how much the sound of the room can become a factor. Close micing with a dynamic mic will probably prove best (smaller diaphram for smaller drums, larger diaphram for bigger drums to accurately pick up the bass tones). If recorded by themselves an additional room mic (recorded separately) can be helpful to add early reflection "bounce" to the mix, allwoing the drum to sound bigger and stand out in the mix without being louder. Experimentation is key. Although this video from AT is for snare, much of it applies to other drums as well:

 
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Vocals:
The most common recording, vocals unfortunately can be the most overlooked. Female voices can have more air and need more sibilance control, while male vocals may need a larger diaphram mic to pick up the bass frequencies. A great condenser vocal mic can go a long way, but don't forget details like a pop filter (as seen in the video) and a music stand with padding (to keep the vocalist at the proper distance from the mic without getting a rattle or bounce off the stand). A goose neck pop filter placed 1 to 3 inches from the mic front can to wonders to avoid wind/breath noise and control sibilance/ consenant pops (closer for a more intimate sound, farther if popping or mouth noises are still a problem). Having the vocalist move in tighter to the mic if room noise becomes an issue, or back off if there are still performance issues (noise, too much movement). With vocals an inch movement can make a big difference, so let the vocalist know if head movement is causing phasing or off-axis issues.

Jewlery is a big issue, so check to make sure necklaces, bracelets, or earrings of any decent size are removed before recording starts. Hats and glasses should also be removed unless they are necessary for reading or you're sure they won't cause a problem (one hat brim bump to the pop filter can ruin a take)- remember, a baseball cap can be quickly reversed to avoid this without exposing embarrassing hat hair. Politely ask about all these things before beginning, and it will save you a lot of headaches and questions about the strange tinkling noise you're hearing from the mic (usually a jewlery giveaway). Even a large coat can be a problem (rustles when they move) so ask them to remove it or replace it with a soft sweater or hoodie if they are cold. While you're at it remind them to silence thier cell phones too (no vibrate either) as it always kills a take and they usually forget until you ask. These points apply to recording anything (all of the above) but is especially true of vocals, since the the mics are turned up to pick up every detail. Let the vocalist warm up/rehearse as you make adjustments to the mic, pop filter, and stand height; and listen to how adjustments affect the sound. The difference can be eye opening.
Here are some of the basics from AT:

 
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Acoustic Guitar:
Try to find a mic that give clear detail to the guitar, without too much string noise. This AT video gives good tips on mic position...

 
Very useful informative thread!
I went to the audio technica site and watched more of the mic placement vids.
Especially timely considering I'm working on a project where I'm recording a lot of different stringed instruments and percussion.
Mandolin, resonator guitar, charango, nylon and steel string acoustics- all sorts of percussion.
Besides drums, I've been doing various shaker tracks- caxixi, maracas, hooves, axatse.
Mic placement is everything when recording these things.
You can literally dial the amount of detail or intimacy you want.
This should be a sticky in prod & mix forum
Thanks Kurt.

k
 
KEnK said:
Very useful informative thread!
I went to the audio technica site and watched more of the mic placement vids.
Especially timely considering I'm working on a project where I'm recording a lot of different stringed instruments and percussion.
Mandolin, resonator guitar, charango, nylon and steel string acoustics- all sorts of percussion.
Besides drums, I've been doing various shaker tracks- caxixi, maracas, hooves, axatse.
Mic placement is everything when recording these things.
You can literally dial the amount of detail or intimacy you want.(unless
This should be a sticky in prod & mix forum
Thanks Kurt.

k
Click to expand...
After working with sample libraries for a while, you can forget how exciting recording can be and how much mic placement can change the sound (If ONLY we had that kind of control in Kontakt! ;)). Just an inch or two can really make a difference, and taking a little bit of time before hitting the record button to find that right placement is crucial. The fastest proper setup seems to be:

1. Get the musician comfortable and playing well.
2. Mic them using your ears first to find the sweet spot (mentioned above).
3. Get into the control room to listen through the system as an assistant (or buddy) adjusts the mic for you further.
4. Start recording (unless a run through is needed)

A little closer for a more intimate sound (this is were an inch can matter) or farther for a more tonal sound (less key noise, wind noise, or string/ body noise). Even using a few mics (stereo pair on a gutair with a stereo pair high up in the room for distant mics) can be useful when you go to mix.

-All the best on your recordings,

-Kurt
 
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