recording strings - the harp

[hollywood_steve]

I did a really fun session last night, a chamber music concert held in the lobby of a grand old apartment building in LA, accompanied by a wine tasting.

In general, it was a pretty easy gig, except for the addition of a harp on 2 of the 4 pieces performed last night. I readily admit to absolutely zero prior experience recording harps, and although I usually do my homework, I didn't get around to reading anything about how others have handled recording a harp.

To complicate matters, the harp was only on the 2nd and 3rd pieces, so I did not get to work with it before show time. After the completion of the 1st piece, the harp was rolled out, I shove a spot mic 18" in front of the soundboard and the recording started.

I got lucky, a little boost from the Royer ribbon added just enough to help the harp sit right with the rest of the instruments in the overall stereo mix. (the rest of the orchestra was picked up by a stereo pair of KM184s about 8ft dead ahead of the center of the ensemble. A Coles 4038 was used as an additional spot back by the double bass & cello. (about 6ft away from both).

I'm curious how anyone who has more experience recording the harp (which is all of you...) would handle a harp in this or any other siutation?

thanks.

[Remoteness]

Some folks place a small diaphram mic in the sound hole under the soundboard. You would think it would be the worst place to put it but they swear by it.

The few times I recorded a concert harp, I went with the instrument's contact mic and added a condenser mic (usually a KM140, C460, C451, even a SM81) pointing at the middle of the sound board. Angle the mic away from loud instruments that may surround the harp.

Besides the mic, try a compressor with just under a 3:1 ratio. It keeps the notes balanced by clamping down on the dynamic range a bit. It will keep the higher notes from over powering the lower notes, which tend to get lost live. You will get more control of the instrument in the mix this way.

[fifthcircle]

Harp can be a very strange instrument to record sometimes... I approach it different ways depending upon what the style of music is. In orchestral and many chamber settings, I will use a single microphone placed about 2/3 of the way up "looking" towards the higher strings 18-24" out. The low strings are never the problem, but definition on the top strings (where the melody usually is) is what is usually needed. With players that are really "plucky" sounding, I'll use a ribbon- usually a Beyer 160, but a Coles 4038 can sound devine as well. With players that use a softer touch, I'll use a condenser of some sort- Schoeps, Neumann, etc... usually small diaphragm, but not always.

In a solo situation, I'll use a combination of a stereo pair out front and 2 mics (usually ribbons) on the instrument- one at the top end and the other at the bottom end.

I avoid micing underneath because it gets in the player's way usually and I'm not terribly found of the sound. There is a jazz harpist here in town, though, that mics herself with a Sony ECM-55P stuck inside the instrument. It sounds pretty decent and provides enough isolation from the drums... It does require some EQ, though, which is something that I avoid unless I absolutely need it.

BTW, if Maria Casale was the harpist on that concert, you had the pleasure of working with one of the best players in town. She's a monster player and a wonderful person to work with as well.

--Ben