Best way to record B3 and leslie

[Generalmix]

Any ideas. I've heard dynamic mic on the bottom and stereo pair condenser on top.

Thanks

[steins]

Originally Posted by Generalmix

Any ideas. I've heard dynamic mic on the bottom and stereo pair condenser on top.

Thanks

There are too many......

I'm no expert at this, but a few things to start with:

- 2 X SM57 top, D112 bottom
- 1 LDC about 30-40 cm from the leslie, aimed midwaybetween the top and bottom rotor, in a good sounding room!
- 2 X AEA R84 top, D112/U87U47 bottom (My current favourite)

There are countless varations on where to put the top mic. Spaced 90-120 degrees apart, one front, one back, one at each sides. A very good-sounding recording of a guy called Tony Z used two leslies, four mikes on each leslie top, one at each bottom, and a DI from the organ. Monster sound! Not apropriate for everything, but it would be fun to try once...

Sometimes, I end up not using the bottom mic in the mix.

Stein Tore

[paultools]

Most people put two mics on the top on opposite sides of the Leslie. I think it is a better stereo image with one mic in front and one on the side of the top, then one mic on the bottom in front.

I use 421's on top and an RE 20 on the bottom

[SteveFortner]

I mic mine with a pair of C-451EB's on top, flipping the phase on one, about 4" from the louvres, with pop screens. Any LD on the bottom, about a foot away to minimize rotor noise... I usually reach for a U87 or C-414EB in cardioid. Been getting good results this way. YMMV with type of Leslie and room, of course.

I also got really good results once with a single mic, a tube-modded U87, about three feet from the Leslie in a nice hardwood room. Did this because we were recording to a Studer and only had one track left, and were blown away.

[PRobb]

Heres something a bit different. If the organ is meant to be a pad, or sit back in the mix, a Blumlein pair about a foot over the center of the Leslie is rich and mellow with a natural stereo spread. I've tried it with 121s and 4038s.

[Generalmix]

Here is the Microphones and outboard I have available:
Microphones
• AKG C-12
• Vintage Neuman - Telefunken M269
• 4 -Vintage AKG 414 EB's
• EV RE-20
• Matched Royer R121 pair
• Sony C 800 G-pac
• 2-Vintage Neuman KM 86's
• 2-Vintage Neuman U 87's
• Vintage Neuman U 47
• 2-Vintage Neuman KM 84's
• Coles matched ribbon pair
• Shrue KMS 44's & 32's
• Sennheisers 421's
• 2- Shure Beta 57A's
• 2- Vintage Telefunken Elam 251's
• 2- Shure SM 81's

Compressors & EQ's
• 1-GML 8200
• 2-Pultec EQP 1A
• 1-Manley Massive Passive
• 1-Manley Slam
• 2-Urei Blue Stripe 1176
• 4-Vintage Urei Black Face 1176
• 1-White 440 - Stero 1/3 octave
• 2*Teletronix LA 2 A¹s
• 2-Neve 2254
• 1-Manley Vari-Mu
• 3-Drawmer Stereo gates

Any ideas on a match

[RKrizman]

For a conventional Leslie sound I use a pair of 184's up top into a UA 2-610 (one of the few things I like it for), and any LDC on the bottom. The other day, however, I tried an M/S setup using an R-84 as the side and a Lawson 47 as the mid. A few feet out, midway between the top and bottom. I moved the Leslie closer or futher away until it was just right. Very nice.

-R

[Punchmo]

Originally Posted by PRobb

Heres something a bit different. If the organ is meant to be a pad, or sit back in the mix, a Blumlein pair about a foot over the center of the Leslie is rich and mellow with a natural stereo spread. I've tried it with 121s and 4038s.

I think this is the key point. What sound are you after? If it's in your face rok, then the mic(s) from your list just might be one 421 (or a 57) close on top center or to the left from the back to capture a great pulsating tone (or two at the corners and have fun with the wind noise) and that might be it...or an RE20 or the other 421 on the bottom to bring in some depth or even add a bit of unique stereo spread. If it's jazz or r&b, maybe a couple of ribbons or smooth LCD's spaced out front 18 to 24 inches or maybe another 1 or 2 LCD's in farther out in a good room.

I've gotten a great sound with an R121 2 feet out in front about 6 inches below the top with a very slight angle toward the bottom.

I record a lot of rok and raunch music and the Hammond/Leslie combo is used quite often to (1) smooth out the arrangement and (2) to generate excitement and energy between the verses and choruses. I like 2 x 421's on top and a RE20 on the bottom for this sound. Usually, the top mic(s) will run through a very old Manley daul mono pre or Flamingo and the bottom mic through a Requisite Y7 Pre bussed to a Manley Vari-Mu. Just received a C2 and will definitely be trying that piece out.

As already said, there a too many ways but, with your mic collection, you will be able to get any sound you want with or without a good room.

[toddro]

The Coles will rock on the top, and the 47 for the bottom - sweet!

[Igotsoul4u]

Originally Posted by Generalmix

Any ideas. I've heard dynamic mic on the bottom and stereo pair condenser on top.

Thanks

You got it.

[wwittman]

Originally Posted by Generalmix

Any ideas. I've heard dynamic mic on the bottom and stereo pair condenser on top.

Thanks

That's exactly how I usually do it.

Pair of 87's or Gefell UM-70/M-71's on top and usually an Re20 or SM7 on the bottom.

I tend to place the two top mics so tat they are at about a 90 degree angle looking at the centre of the rotor... but positioned so that each edge is directly on axis with the horn at one point in its roation.,..

if that's at ALL clear!

sort of one ike this / and one like this \ ... but not wider than the travel of the horns.
(not wider than the horns)

that way the sound tends to move between the two speakers as if the monitors are a giant leslie.
If it sounds too close, for the context, i just shove the whoe thing away from the mics like that.

That's IF I want stereo (which is usual) but sometimes you don't want the rotor moving at all, and in those cases one mic on top is fine.

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by Generalmix

Here is the Microphones and outboard I have available:
Microphones
• AKG C-12
• Vintage Neuman - Telefunken M269
• 4 -Vintage AKG 414 EB's
• EV RE-20
• Matched Royer R121 pair
• Sony C 800 G-pac
• 2-Vintage Neuman KM 86's
• 2-Vintage Neuman U 87's
• Vintage Neuman U 47
• 2-Vintage Neuman KM 84's
• Coles matched ribbon pair
• Shrue KMS 44's & 32's
• Sennheisers 421's
• 2- Shure Beta 57A's
• 2- Vintage Telefunken Elam 251's
• 2- Shure SM 81's

None of those are any good for micing Leslies.



Alright, I'm kidding. Hey, I think you should be telling us!

Try the 84's up top and an RE-20 on the bottom.

Or almost anything else!

-R

[jdunn]

Originally Posted by PRobb

Heres something a bit different. If the organ is meant to be a pad, or sit back in the mix, a Blumlein pair about a foot over the center of the Leslie is rich and mellow with a natural stereo spread. I've tried it with 121s and 4038s.

How about an SF-12 w/ a windscreen like this? Bob Clearmountain said he loves the SF-12 on top Leslie. Since I've got one, and I'm recording a B3/Leslie combo next month, that's what I'm thinking of using.

Tuba will be the featured instument, so I don't know if I'll even need a bottom mic on the Leslie. That way the B3 won't step on the tuba.