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Originally Posted by joelpatterson  This is one of those cases we'll agree to disagree. In my world-view, it's important to be able to hear the singers, to relate to the emotions they're trying to get across, to vicariously identify with them, I guess. To be able to understand the words.
When it's all too distant and whooshy, I lose interest, it starts to sound like a 'chorus' patch on a synth, and not real live people with something to say. |
I would agree with David in regard to the individual voices sticking out. With close miking, you run the danger of this if the singers haven't got their 'ensemble' sound completely under control.
Backing off somewhat (not much) will let the room help their voices blend better if they aren't doing it themselves as well as might be desired ... and no one is suggesting you back off into the next county! You certainly don't need or want to lose understandability ... it's a big balanacing act between maintaining clarity and creating an 'ensemble'.
I might point out your earlier fine work on the Brahms Requiem ... that was a very nice cohesive choral sound, and everything completely understadable (if you speak German). I know it was a large chorus and this is a smaller group, but all the same, it can be done...
I have a recurring choral gig that presents me with big challenges due to the venue. It's a 70-voice collegiate women's chorus, very well trained and coached. The problem is that they regularly perform in a chapel that has a semi-circular front, and their stalls are right up against this semi-spherical shell. The result is that almost no matter where you set up, you get a particular individual voice or two reflecting off the wall/ceiling into the mics like a laser beam. Move 6 inches, some other voice laser beams into the mics. It's a bear to handle!