Ribbons on a “Decca Tree”?

bove · 2nd May 2009

After looking at a photo on the Royer website, I'm considering testing out a “Decca Tree” with ribbons on it. Does anyone else have any experience with a similar setup? I haven't seen any other examples of ribbons being used quite like this.

Alan Meyerson used a “tree” of Royer R122Vs while recording Pirates of the Caribbean... you can see the setup here:
Royer Labs

hollywood_steve · 2nd May 2009

no comment re: the use of ribbons on a 'tree', but....

GREAT photos! that is such an incredible room. I've never worked there, but I assume it sounds as good as it looks (? - anybody ?)

And its good to see how they adapt grip stands to handle large loads (like that tree)

SoundSun · 3rd May 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollywood_steve

no comment re: the use of ribbons on a 'tree', but....

GREAT photos! that is such an incredible room. I've never worked there, but I assume it sounds as good as it looks (? - anybody ?)

And its good to see how they adapt grip stands to handle large loads (like that tree)

That *was* an incredible room - but it was torn down last year.

Todd-AO Radford - a set on Flickr

--Phil

Gav G · 3rd May 2009

Don't know if this relevant to you, 'cause I have not tried the Royer tree on orchestra but have had great results using RCA 44bx's as an additional wide pair. The main pickup's in that case were M50's which on there own sounded like.... "hollywood", while the 44's sounded like.. history. Various combinations of the 2 were ridden in and out for the mix.

So.. definate thumbs up for ribbons on orchestra..

surely the pic of the Pirates session should allay any doubts?...

hollywood_steve · 3rd May 2009

"That *was* an incredible room - but it was torn down last year"

Jeeez...... I go away for a year or three and everything changes

but seriously, I know that the 'industry' is hurting, but I thought that the few remaining big stages were still booked, if only because only a few are left???

did CBS let an accountant make decisions (again)?

rumleymusic · 3rd May 2009

Quote:

That *was* an incredible room - but it was torn down last year.

That's a real shame. They could have at least sold it instead of stripping it down. :(

Quote:

After looking at a photo on the Royer website, I'm considering testing out a “Decca Tree” with ribbons on it. Does anyone else have any experience with a similar setup? I haven't seen any other examples of ribbons being used quite like this.

You relly need to back this up with spaced omnis to make it work. Using ribbons in this setup will be a little dull sounding and leave gaps in the soundstage.

mpdonahue · 3rd May 2009

Just a quick note:
If you look in the first picture you will notice a sea of M150s in the background.
There is no way in the world I would attempt to record an orchestral scoring session with 3 ribbons in a tree as my primary pickup. Well, not if I wanted any of that nasty low frequency stuff that basses make... or a sense of even distribution of the image...
I know many people (Richard King and Sean Murphy among them) that have been known to use a pair of ribbons in Blumlein just in front of the conductor, but that has always been to add to a main rig of omnis, not as a primary pickup.

All the best,
-mark

Yannick · 4th May 2009

I've succesfully recorded orchestras with an SF12 and two SF1 mics as main array - sort of a decca arrangement.

What I do is this : the SF12 goes in the middle and I aim all SF mics somewhere between first and second row of the strings. Use of spot mics for the rest of the orchestra is really needed: I only use this technique if the hall is not great and I want to eliminate it (more or less) / or when the string section is not great (this way you can zoom in on the front row players ...)

Of course I augment with flankers or AB further in the hall.
A good convolving reverb also helps to make a convincing sound.

Another big advantage is the really nice string tone. And you can use the SF12 in the middle to avoid the gap.

Nobilmente · 20th May 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by bove

After looking at a photo on the Royer website, I'm considering testing out a “Decca Tree” with ribbons on it. Does anyone else have any experience with a similar setup? I haven't seen any other examples of ribbons being used quite like this.

Alan Meyerson used a “tree” of Royer R122Vs while recording Pirates of the Caribbean... you can see the setup here:
Royer Labs

The microphones in the background, behind the Tree are part of the set up.

locutus · 21st May 2009

I know roonsbane likes to use an SF-24 as the center mic in a Decca tree, but in combination with 4006 TL's. It sounds interesting. Maybe Cameron will speak up about it.

He mentions it in this thread about MS.
So you've got a stereo ribbon mic - how do you choose between Blumlein and Mid-Side?

2nd May 2009	#1
bove Gear maniac Joined: Dec 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 290 Thread Starter	Ribbons on a “Decca Tree”? After looking at a photo on the Royer website, I'm considering testing out a “Decca Tree” with ribbons on it. Does anyone else have any experience with a similar setup? I haven't seen any other examples of ribbons being used quite like this. Alan Meyerson used a “tree” of Royer R122Vs while recording Pirates of the Caribbean... you can see the setup here: Royer Labs

4th May 2009	#8
Yannick Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2003 Location: Brussels Posts: 595	I've succesfully recorded orchestras with an SF12 and two SF1 mics as main array - sort of a decca arrangement. What I do is this : the SF12 goes in the middle and I aim all SF mics somewhere between first and second row of the strings. Use of spot mics for the rest of the orchestra is really needed: I only use this technique if the hall is not great and I want to eliminate it (more or less) / or when the string section is not great (this way you can zoom in on the front row players ...) Of course I augment with flankers or AB further in the hall. A good convolving reverb also helps to make a convincing sound. Another big advantage is the really nice string tone. And you can use the SF12 in the middle to avoid the gap. __________________ Yannick Willox www.acousticrecordingservice.be (mobile recording)

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2nd May 2009	#2
hollywood_steve Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2002 Location: uh..... Hollywood Posts: 1,242	no comment re: the use of ribbons on a 'tree', but.... GREAT photos! that is such an incredible room. I've never worked there, but I assume it sounds as good as it looks (? - anybody ?) And its good to see how they adapt grip stands to handle large loads (like that tree)

3rd May 2009	#4
Gav G Gear nut Joined: Apr 2009 Location: London Posts: 125	Don't know if this relevant to you, 'cause I have not tried the Royer tree on orchestra but have had great results using RCA 44bx's as an additional wide pair. The main pickup's in that case were M50's which on there own sounded like.... "hollywood", while the 44's sounded like.. history. Various combinations of the 2 were ridden in and out for the mix. So.. definate thumbs up for ribbons on orchestra.. surely the pic of the Pirates session should allay any doubts?...

3rd May 2009	#7
mpdonahue Gear addict Joined: Dec 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 495	Just a quick note: If you look in the first picture you will notice a sea of M150s in the background. There is no way in the world I would attempt to record an orchestral scoring session with 3 ribbons in a tree as my primary pickup. Well, not if I wanted any of that nasty low frequency stuff that basses make... or a sense of even distribution of the image... I know many people (Richard King and Sean Murphy among them) that have been known to use a pair of ribbons in Blumlein just in front of the conductor, but that has always been to add to a main rig of omnis, not as a primary pickup. All the best, -mark

21st May 2009	#10
locutus Gear maniac Joined: Feb 2008 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 189	I know roonsbane likes to use an SF-24 as the center mic in a Decca tree, but in combination with 4006 TL's. It sounds interesting. Maybe Cameron will speak up about it. He mentions it in this thread about MS. So you've got a stereo ribbon mic - how do you choose between Blumlein and Mid-Side?