Jazz Trio Recording

[trumpetadam]

I have been asked if I could record a friends piano trio in a relatively good but not enourmous space. I'm not sure whether it would be a waste of time and money for both of because I don't have the largest amount of gear and what I have is not ideal for the situation or the space. I have got great results with solo drums and solo piano but am not sure if I can make it stretch to do the trio.

The mics avaiable to me are:
1 Royer r122
1 Aea r92
Matched pair of earthworks tc30's
2x sm57
1x d112.

I have 4 channels with the ssl alpha channel vhd, 1 focusrite voicemaster and the 2 pre's on my ff400.

Can it be done with the above gear?
What mic would you use, with what pre and where would you put it?

Thanks

Adam

[The Listener]

It can be done... depends on a room - do you have some transportable acoustic panels - to dampen reflections a little if it won't be nice sounding?

Your equipment is cool.

1. I would tempt you to record everything with JUST the two earthworx mics - position musicians so the natural balance will occur and record that... Through the best pres you have...

Otherwise - you will be probably short of some mics for the whole lot...

2. Maybe add a kick mic (you know which :) ) and a snare mic (57) for some definition and put one of the 57s on double bass to catch some more pick definition (the natural sound of double bass should be recorded with the ambient earthworks') - or if he has a good pick-up - try to record also that signal - might come in handy... And use the ribbons for the piano... MS stereo maybe?
I wouldn't sacrifice the ambient pair - but you might miss the overheads for the drums - so maybe put the ambient pair nearer to the drums - but so they still catch some double bass and piano which will be miced additionally... Sensible?
Can FF400 preamps handle the ribbons? I would use SSL for drum mics and ambient pair, focusrite for the SM57 on double bass, FF400 preamps for Ribbons on a piano if they are clean enough and have enough gain... If Earthworx are as good as they advertise them, then you should make some nice recordings...

best

[trumpetadam]

Originally Posted by The Listener

It can be done... depends on a room - do you have some transportable acoustic panels - to dampen reflections a little if it won't be nice sounding?

I have 10 transportable but thin acoustic panels that can be mounted on mic stands. they are 120cm x 62cm, and are xxl acoustic panels mounted on 3mm ply.

Originally Posted by The Listener

Your equipment is cool.

Thanks

Originally Posted by The Listener

1. I would tempt you to record everything with JUST the two earthworx mics - position musicians so the natural balance will occur and record that... Through the best pres you have...

The earthworks are stunning. Really clean and beautiful. However i'd like to use them on everything. I have yet to put the r122 through it's paces. I have heard that the earthworks are great on bass. Maybe I'd put one on the bass, one as a drum overhead and use the r122 on piano. Obviously i'd lose the stereo. Would that be a problem?

Originally Posted by The Listener

Can FF400 preamps handle the ribbons?

They would handle the r122 I recon but not the r92. It needs a shed-load of gain. Even the SSL struggles (a little) with quiet sources.

Thanks for the info

[springer]

Less is more... I did a fairly decent recording with 2 mics...

2 track jazz - 3dB

For your mics, I would use r122 spot mic on bass, and AB spaced pair with the Earthworks if the crowd is tame.
Good luck.

[Jim vanBergen]

if the room sounds good, I'd start with the spaced pair and see what needs more emphasis...maybe add the R84 on the double bass if he's bowing or shockmount a '57 under the bridge if he's plucking (see Remoteness' excellent pictures on this method!)

I'd hold the Royer off for whatever else needs "more".

A totally different approach: Royer on the piano, R84 on the bass, one TC30 mic centered OH and D112 kick for a 4-mic session close-miked. Not much room tone, though.

Just a different set of options. Hope these thoughts help!

[leddy]

I've been trying so many different ways to mic my piano trio. I'm still a green horn, but I'd like to lay out something that works well for me (using only three mics):

Lately, I'm using an Earthworks TC20 and Beyer M130 set up in mid-side (omni mid, obviously) with a spot mic on the bass. Position the musicians for the balance. I use this for live recordings. In a more controlled situation with better acoustics, I think you could put the musicians close to each other and get a little more of a close-mic'd studio-sound. The room in this sample is pretty cavernous.

You could use an Eartworks and the Royer in M/S, and whatever else you like on the bass.

Otherwise, I would try the pair of Earthworks with a spot mic on the bass.

[Sinewave]

Originally Posted by springer

Less is more... I did a fairly decent recording with 2 mics...

2 track jazz - 3dB

For your mics, I would use r122 spot mic on bass, and AB spaced pair with the Earthworks if the crowd is tame.
Good luck.

Does the earthworks work well in an XY setup .

[leddy]

Originally Posted by Sinewave

Does the earthworks work well in an XY setup .

Not if they're omnis.