Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Portable Recording In A Large Concert Hall

DCtoDaylight · 20th November 2006

As noted, there are a number of ways to skin the cat...but in general, you'll make your life easier by keeping the number of mics low (like, two).

One option to consider (especially for the non-amped stuff) is baffled omnis, *if* you can get your mics set up quite close to the performers.

The idea is that you put a pair of omni mics on a stereo bar, with a foam pad or other separating baffle between them. As with any stereo pair recording you have to do a good bit of experimentation to get the placement right.

The cool thing about baffled omnis is that they give you a very spacious, natural, present sound, with good separation, so in a good-sounding hall they can be very nice. Kind of like binaural, but more compatible with speakers. They are prone to picking up too much ambience, though, which is why you need to get the mics right up close to the performers.

Not everyone's cup of tea, but I've had good luck in several live situations with them.

You'll definitely want to get yourself into some rehearsal sessions and experiment...but it sounds like a fun gig - enjoy!

20th November 2006	#4
DCtoDaylight Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 603	Baffled omnis! As noted, there are a number of ways to skin the cat...but in general, you'll make your life easier by keeping the number of mics low (like, two). One option to consider (especially for the non-amped stuff) is baffled omnis, if you can get your mics set up quite close to the performers. The idea is that you put a pair of omni mics on a stereo bar, with a foam pad or other separating baffle between them. As with any stereo pair recording you have to do a good bit of experimentation to get the placement right. The cool thing about baffled omnis is that they give you a very spacious, natural, present sound, with good separation, so in a good-sounding hall they can be very nice. Kind of like binaural, but more compatible with speakers. They are prone to picking up too much ambience, though, which is why you need to get the mics right up close to the performers. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I've had good luck in several live situations with them. You'll definitely want to get yourself into some rehearsal sessions and experiment...but it sounds like a fun gig - enjoy!