Miking 2 classical guitar players

[m_gant]

I have to mike 2 classical guitar players this weekend doing a duet. They will be in an old church, most likely kind of facing each other. I will be recording this as well as pumping signal into PA. Any recommendations for mike palcement? I was thinking a small condensor on each or just a large condensor between them....any thoughts would be great!!!

[Plush]

Experiment and see what works for you.

[m_gant]

Experiment and see what works for you.

Experiment in a live situation? That would be a luxury. I get one shot.

[joelpatterson]

Live miked guitars going into a PA in a church? Supercardioid's staring down angled into the soundhole? And then a pair of LDCs a little farther out that don't feed the PA but go onto their own separate tracks of the multi-track? Are you able to multi-track the thing, or is this just a two-track stereo affair? Why do some people always answer a question with a question?

[m_gant]

Live miked guitars going into a PA in a church?

yes.

Supercardioid's staring down angled into the soundhole? And then a pair of LDCs a little farther out that don't feed the PA but go onto their own separate tracks of the multi-track?

I like this idea, it's a bit more messy than I would like. I was leaning towards less is more lazy man approach.

Are you able to multi-track the thing, or is this just a two-track stereo affair?

2 tracks going into laptop.

Why do some people always answer a question with a question?

Why do some people reply to a question, that answers a questions question?

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by m_gant

Why do some people reply to a question, that answers a questions question?

Good question!

Seems like most of the churches I've been in would just beg for feedback given any kind of distance or "normal" mic's pickup pattern, in your scenario, although the sound would be more natural. Maybe you could get away with it if the PA was just mildly boosting everything?

[sonare]

Originally Posted by m_gant

Experiment in a live situation? That would be a luxury. I get one shot.

Surely you get a sound check? 10 minutes? If it were me it sounds like the perfect thing for one or two ribbons-- which are great at getting the TONE rather than the TWANG.

Rich

[ESL]

I recommend trying soundboard-mounted omnis (DPA 4060s? split with the house) with mics for the room far back enough to get what the P.A. sputters out.

Mix (experiment) to taste later.

Without a P.A., my first choice would be a Blumlein rig (+1 for ribbons) - assuming a good-sound space.

That said, even the most harried concerts have some rehearsal/experimenting time blocked out... Even 10 minutes is a lot of time.

[Corran]

I think the feedback potential has a lot to do with where the PA speakers are actually located. I've seen some wacky PA setups in churches before, for better or worse.

Speaking of soundchecking, funny story: This piano accompanist at my school refuses to play soundchecks before my recordings. So the balance between her and the soloist is a crap-shoot sometimes...so don't always count on them!

[Roland]

If you are using a PA it is likely that you will need to mic fairly close. A couple of cardioids, one on each player is most likely a necessity. If you have another pair available you could set these slightly further back as an ortf pair on a short stand further back, record all four signals and play about later for the balance. If by any chance the players have "bugs" on their guitars you could use this for the PA and just a simple stereo set-up for the recording. I would be a little careful as to level of the PA and positioning of the speakers as this may compromise the recording, it's a suck it and see situation, take a good pair of headphones and experiment a little to get the optimum sound.

Regards


Roland

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by Corran

... refuses to play soundchecks before my recordings...

Keep him away from any weapons-- surely he'd insist on shooting himself in the foot, too.

I had a Twilight Zoney experience once: piano recital with twenty players, at the mid point of the program an accompanist would play with a chorus. I asked her if she could give me some "loud, Rachmaninoff-ian type chords." I needed to know the upper limit that anyone was going to hit.

She stared at me, dumbfounded. She rifled through her sheet music, and couldn't find any Rachmaninoff, and then meekly mumbled, "I might not be the person to do this."

What the ?

[Corran]

Haha, nice.

Actually, the accompanist just doesn't want to use up any of her chops before the concert. And of course she doesn't care about the recording, the soloist she's playing for does.