Elegant solutions for baffling of figure eights

[fifthcircle]

Don't know if this will work for you, but I'm usually just careful about positioning of the mics and don't use baffles. I usually will place a fig-8 mic in such a way that the rear lobe is just capturing ambient information (ie pointing up towards the ceiling). When this is done, the natural null around the microphone is great for isolation from instruments that are close to the microphone.

In situations (such as a harp) where it is difficult to do this, I may place a standard studio gobo near the instrument to isolate the entire thing a bit- not just the mic. Either that or I use a directional ribbon such as a Beyer 160 where it isn't an issue.

--Ben

[klaukholm]

Thanks Ben,
That is good advice and what we usually do.
occationally we get engineers through that like to baffle (particularly the trumpet rca 44/coles 4038) and I figure it would be a good thing to have a few tools ready for the one time I have to baffle.
I would also like to experiment with a drier sound from the spots.

I quite liked the pics of Steve remotes "virtual baffle". Simple easy and probably quite effective.

I might make sure I always have a few of those ready just in case.

[Remoteness]

I have modified Popper Stopper pop filters with cardboard, foam and/or duvee.

In your case, I would flex the gooseneck to be right behind the figure 8 ribbon mic.

The photo below shows the Popper Stopper "Micro Gobo" used in between the drummer and bassist to help isolate the drums from the bass mic.

[sonare]

I use something similar when micing upright on location jazz stuff. Otherwise one gets a ride cymbal spot mic.

For the ribbon-- the guys at Royer cautioned against a rear lobe baffle because of the proximity side effects. I have not tried anything on the SF12, but using only one channel and being conscious of the side null is quite useful.

Rich

[Balz]

http://www.seelectronics.com/rf.html

[sonare]

The baffle looks interesting, but what would the side effects of intruding into the rear lobe proximity zone be? That is exactly what the Royer folks warned against.

Remember, the figure 8 does NOT behave the same as a cardioid in that regard.

Rich

[klaukholm]

I am a little concerned about the oval shape as I imagine it would focus reflections back at the mic.
I would rather have something that is of a hemispheric shape even though it would isolate less.
The baffle does look interesting for certain uses though and it might well be worth checking out.

[Remoteness]

With regard to the figure 8 setup, I bet the further back you place the baffle the better.

[Yannick]

Not elegant and impossible to fit in an orchestra, but it worked in this case (pianoforte in church: either too close for the instrument, or too wet but a good overall sound).

I angled the baffle in such a way that there could not be a direct reflection into the back of the SF12. Should work on small/closer baffles as well.

[fifthcircle]

I've done something similar to what Yannick did with my SF-24 in rooms that were too live. For a session, I'll set the group facing a curtain with the mic's rear lobes facing into the curtain to minimize reflections.

--Ben

[theonlymagicalp]

Why would you use a figure 8 pattern mic if you're going to mask one side? Did I missed something?

Moreover, from my experience with ribbon mics, baffling the rear side of a mic tends to change its response quite dramatically - depending on distance- and rarely for any better...

[Remoteness]

Sometime you may want to use a figure 8 ribbon mic and attenuate the rear lobe a bit.

Completely baffling the rear side of the mic does change its response and I would not try that.
I have found that it can work well for you when you distance the micro gobo a fair amount.

Sometimes you got to do what you got to do...

YMMV

[klaukholm]

Mostly I like my 44bx, and sometimes need to attenuate the rear lobe.