Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Recording a (large) contemporary Gospel Choir

ysmgj · 27th November 2009

I've also got a Gospel choir recording to do on the 5th of December, so I thought I might hitchhike on Drum9uy's thread instead of starting a new one.

-50 singers, including about 25 kids.

- the choir director.

-keyboards x 2.

-drums.

The space is in a modernish medium sized church with the room being about 40m x 10m with a pitched roof with exposed roof rafters. I think it sounds quite ok, and with an expected audience of 250 people, i think it will sound good on the night.

The choir will be on the altar and the altar steps.

Being a noob at this, what I have to work with right now are 4 Little Blondie omni mics from Sahiaman, my Motu Ultralite, and a bunch sm58's and sm57's that the church owns. I did think about going on a shopping spree, but I think I can produce a good recording with what I have right now.

I'm thinking,....

XY or ORTF the blondies on the choir depending on whether the choir is bunched up together or more spread out.

keyboards I'm thinking will be DI-ed.

drums,.... sm57's or I might just throw up my zoom H4 and take the line out. The dude is loud, but after having a word with him, I hope he will play softer on the night. I did a recording of a rehearsal, and the blondies picked up more than enough drums, so I might not need to mic the kit if i get the balance right.

that rehearsal however was nothing like the night is going to be, choir was only background singers, spread out through the church seats, and I did an AB with the blondies. The only thing it told me was that the drums are f.ing loud

that and that shock mounts are a good idea as DannyL suggested.

I think the church is small enough to not need room mics, and although I am tempted to mic the choir as close as possible to minimize the drums, but maybe backing away from them a bit will let me pick up more audience participation,.... this may be a baptist church, but theyre still japanese baptists so not sure how rowdy they're gonna get.

this is gonna be my first recording of a proper event,... I can hardly wait, and yet, I'm pissing my pants

.

Any advice from you guys would be greatly appreciated as it must be blatantly obvious by now that I havent got a clue what I'm doing, not the first time either

.

cheers.

27th November 2009	#4
ysmgj Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Japan Posts: 194	I've also got a Gospel choir recording to do on the 5th of December, so I thought I might hitchhike on Drum9uy's thread instead of starting a new one. -50 singers, including about 25 kids. - the choir director. -keyboards x 2. -drums. The space is in a modernish medium sized church with the room being about 40m x 10m with a pitched roof with exposed roof rafters. I think it sounds quite ok, and with an expected audience of 250 people, i think it will sound good on the night. The choir will be on the altar and the altar steps. Being a noob at this, what I have to work with right now are 4 Little Blondie omni mics from Sahiaman, my Motu Ultralite, and a bunch sm58's and sm57's that the church owns. I did think about going on a shopping spree, but I think I can produce a good recording with what I have right now. I'm thinking,.... XY or ORTF the blondies on the choir depending on whether the choir is bunched up together or more spread out. keyboards I'm thinking will be DI-ed. drums,.... sm57's or I might just throw up my zoom H4 and take the line out. The dude is loud, but after having a word with him, I hope he will play softer on the night. I did a recording of a rehearsal, and the blondies picked up more than enough drums, so I might not need to mic the kit if i get the balance right. that rehearsal however was nothing like the night is going to be, choir was only background singers, spread out through the church seats, and I did an AB with the blondies. The only thing it told me was that the drums are f.ing loud that and that shock mounts are a good idea as DannyL suggested. I think the church is small enough to not need room mics, and although I am tempted to mic the choir as close as possible to minimize the drums, but maybe backing away from them a bit will let me pick up more audience participation,.... this may be a baptist church, but theyre still japanese baptists so not sure how rowdy they're gonna get. this is gonna be my first recording of a proper event,... I can hardly wait, and yet, I'm pissing my pants . Any advice from you guys would be greatly appreciated as it must be blatantly obvious by now that I havent got a clue what I'm doing, not the first time either . cheers.