How to mic up a Harpsichord?

[bitman]

Well just when I thought I've recorded most of what someone would dare bring over, Thursday I am recording a solo Harpsichordist.

My mics are:

Modded APEX 205
2 Flatpicker modded MXL603s - bright!
1 Rode NT4
1 Rode NT2A
Sm57s with no trannies
BeyerDynamic M201
2 AT3035
some CAD dynamics

Do I process a harsichord post recording?
They sound very compressed to my ear anyway.
Maybe a little jet-flange?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

:Ron

[tINY]

You don't list a condenser mic with at hyper-cardioid pattern....

You might try different things, but it seems to me that one of those should be mic'd a few feet back. Post processing depends on what you are doing with it.

Use expanders with a light touch if it isn't dynamic enough for you....




-tINY

[RCM - Ronan]

I have used an SM57 to record a harpsichord and it actually sounded pretty darn good. Fit nicely into a modern chamber piece.

I am not that familiar with a lot of your mic collection, but you will not need a bright mic. The instrument does enough of that on its own. The sound probably seems compressed because the Harpsichord does not really have much in the way of dynamics.

You should be fine if you grab the flattest sounding mic you have and move it around unti it sounds good. Maybe use two if it is the feature instrument.

[pkautzsch]

Depends a lot on the music to be recorded (baroque chamber music, ... , in a pop band context?), but in general I'd reach for neutral non-bright mics. Guess the AT 3035s are what I'd use from your mic locker. For pop, well, anything goes as long as it sounds like you want, but if it's gotta sound natural, set them up at least 3 ft away either at the tail end or at the stick side. Spaced or near-coincident as you like - depends a lot on the room.

[gsqd]

With a harpsichord you want as much tolerance for EQ as you can get from your mic and pre. You'll almost never monitor the live sound (on the way in) of an instrument like that the first time and be:

a) Really happy.
b) Sure of timbre accuracy.

Harpsichord can sound very one dimensional and flat when close/ish mic'd and you can screw around for hours trying to get it to sound like you "think" it should. Ronan's advice of a flat mic is good as you can generally EQ a flat mic much more invisibly than a "peaky" mic, and for solo harpsichord you want as invisible as possible. Ribbons can work wonders on these types of instruments but I see you don't have any so try your nearest "flat line" mic/s.

If you have a great sounding room I'd definitely string up some room/distant mics because acoustic reinforcement in the right freqs will really bring this type of instrument to life when you bring up the faders, and EQing with the room mics may be a better option for your soloist's ears!

HTH.

[river]

Guess the AT 3035s are what I'd use from your mic locker.

Ditto. The high end is flatter than on many other low to mid priced condensers, and the self noise is very low. I use 3035's for grand piano, drum overheads, upright bass, always get a nice balance of lows and highs. My very first gig was as assistant engineer on a classical harpsichord project on Angel Records (classical division of Capitol). We tracked remotely in a church, ambient is the status quo for harpsichord, especially solo. A room mic or two as someone else suggested is a great idea, maybe the Rodes. Don't be afraid to ask the player about any previous recording experience they have, and what general mic placement memories they might have, I find that players of unique instruments like to have their brains picked and be solicited for info. As well, pretend your ears are the mics......have them play as you walk around in search of the sweet spots. Good luck with it!

[river]

BTW, harpsichords are deceptively heavy for their size. Wear a back brace if you have to help with load in!

[mohthom]

Strongly advise against using expanders on the harpsichord - they're essentially mono-dynamic instruments (unless you've got an instrument with multiple ranks, in which case you may have 2 or 3 dynamic levels). This may account for your perception that they all sound compressed!

For me, depending on the application (if it's a solo instrument, not to be mixed with anything else), I'd go for:

Apex 205 at the tail, pointing toward the bass end quills, 2/3ft away (as previously recommended). I'd keep it just above the lid, trying to get as much resonance from the soundboard as possible.

The NT2a about 1ft away from and 1ft up from the stick, pointed at the treble end of the quills. Keep in wide card or omni, play by ear.

Pair of MXL 603s as wides - I've not used them myself but they're supposed to have a pretty wide pattern and you don't have any omnis that I can see.

YMMV, but going into that session I'd be thinking about getting 80% of the mix from the 603s, 20% (detail from the NT2, body from the Apex) from the other mics. I may even suggest a 3035 or the beyer under the quills (on the underside of the soundboard) to accentuate the percussion of the instrument.

Let us know how it turns out!

MohThoM

[lemix]

Ron,

I would use the 201 in a spot where the playing sounds fairly balanced.
And the 2X AT 3035's in ORTF..placement depends on room.

best of luck,

[tINY]

Originally Posted by mohthom

Strongly advise against using expanders on the harpsichord - they're essentially mono-dynamic instruments (unless you've got an instrument with multiple ranks, in which case you may have 2 or 3 dynamic levels). This may account for your perception that they all sound compressed!

Yes, any "dynamics" comes from the spacing of notes in time, traditionally.

What you do with pop music is another matter.



-tINY

[mbrebes]

I would start off with the NT-4 in a position where you get a good balance of the complete instrument. Add any other mics you feel necessary, to make up for any deficiencies you hear from the NT-4. As stated, they are not highly dynamic so it should be an easily controllable level without the need for compression.

[centurymantra]

I could swear I read an article somewhere about the recording of the Joanna Newsom 'Ys' record. It does, indeed, sound very nice so they must have done something right. Actually, I think Albini did the harp recording, though I could be wrong.

[ericwall]

I used two C451 B's once. Let me put it this way:

no need to boost the highs

It worked fine though.

-3 dB shelf from 8 kHz and up or something like that.

/EW

[Jim vanBergen]

I gotta say:

It's all about the room.

If your room is great, the condensers will sound pretty darn good, and you could try the tailpiece or any of the solid methods discussed above.

My preferred (for the ONE time I recorded a solo harpsichord, instead of with an orchestra) method is A/B Schoeps from 6-12 feet depending on direct to reverberant ratio in the room.

if your room is not phenomenal, I'd try the Beyer or any good dynamic. I'd put on the cans, crank the preamp and move around while the player rehearses to try and find the sweet spot. Do spend the time discussing with the musician where to put the instrument in your room to capture reflections and direct well.

Hope this helps!

JvB

[MickeySmid]

Originally Posted by centurymantra

I could swear I read an article somewhere about the recording of the Joanna Newsom 'Ys' record. It does, indeed, sound very nice so they must have done something right. Actually, I think Albini did the harp recording, though I could be wrong.

Joanna Newsom - Joanna Newsom & The Ys Street Band (EP)

That is one of the most beautiful live sounding harp, and folk recordings I ever heard. I think it was recorded in the CA Record Plant Studio.

The ep sounds better than the Ys record in my ears, more natural. So good.

Well, and check out there room, it makes me drool:

http://www.plantstudios.com/studios/studio_a.jpg

[bigos]

we recorded our harpsicord with a pair of u64's and the sound was amazing.
bigos

[digitalolive]

I use a single 414 and haven't had any complaints yet.

[matyas]

I haven't heard this record, but I've heard it's beautiful. However, there's a pretty enormous difference between a harp and a harpsichord.

Originally Posted by MickeySmid

Joanna Newsom - Joanna Newsom & The Ys Street Band (EP)

That is one of the most beautiful live sounding harp, and folk recordings I ever heard. I think it was recorded in the CA Record Plant Studio.

The ep sounds better than the Ys record in my ears, more natural. So good.

Well, and check out there room, it makes me drool:

http://www.plantstudios.com/studios/studio_a.jpg