Advice? Recording 16 piece ensemble on Sunday...

Gus Elg · 29th May 2009

Hi,

I've got an unusual (for me) gig this Sunday. I'm recording a 16 piece ensemble on two songs, but they're going to be recording over an electronic/hip-hop/pop style track with vocals. I've never done something like this and it's going to be at a local community college's auditorium. I have very little time to do A/B mic comparisons, etc. since the players are on the clock and we have to crank this out as quickly as possible. I still want the best possible results, or course.

Since it's an overdub-style session I'm planning on running headphones to each player. I'm also planning on splitting the groups in half, one group of strings and one for horns.

The groups will be as follows:

Group one strings-
4 violins
2 violas
2 cellos

Group 2 horns-
2 flutes
2 clarinets
tenor sax
2 trumpets
trombone

I have a limited mic locker and I want to get the best possible sound. I was thinking I would set up a stereo pair and "pre-mix" the groups by arranging them in the room. I will also be using spot mics in case the stereo room recordings don't sound that great.

The question: What mics would you use on what out of my modest collection?
Here is what I have:

Peluso CEK-89 capsule based Royer-mod DIY tube mic
Neumann KMS 105 condenser mic
2x Mojave Audio MA-1 small-diaphragm DIY tube mics
Audio-Technica at4050
2x Shure KSM-141
Shure SM7b
Sennheiser e602
2x Sennheiser e604
2x Cascade Fat Head
Shure SM57
Shure Equalidyne
Audix D4

And the pre's-
Hamptone HVTP2 2-channel tube mic preamp
Apogee Trak 2 2-channel pre & A/D converter
Hamptone DIY discrete JFET preamp
Electro-Harmonix 12AY7 tube mic preamp
8 M-Audio Profire 2626 preamps

I was thinking maybe Fat Heads/Trak2 stereo pair in front (Blumelin? spaced pair?). Also, another pair in front, maybe the tube Mojave/MXL 603s or KSM 141 into the HVTP2 (ORTF? spaced?). Possibly the 4050 into 12AY7 as room mic and also Peluso/Royer into Hamptone JFET as a room mic, but where? Spot mics on individual players will be the leftover mics/pres.

What do you guys think of the plan? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Gus

**Remoteness** · 31st May 2009

Well, it's Sunday.
Let us know how you did with this project.

I'm sorry no one chimed in on this thread in time.

Gus Elg · 1st June 2009

Thanks Remoteness.

The session went very well, and it was great to record in a room with such amazing natural acoustics. I ended up not using spot mic's as there was enough time to re-arrange the players on stage a bit for the mix, plus they were responsive to the idea that they were blending themselves and it had to be balanced at the source to sound good.

I ended up using 8 mic's. An ORTF pair (diy Royer-mod tube MXLs) and a LDC front and center a couple of feet back from the stage, the Fat Head pair in M/S about 10 feet back, the ksm141's as an omni spaced pair about 15-20 feet back, and my 4050 in omni maybe 30 feet back. Lots of mixing choices!

I'm probably going to use the ORTF pair and the 141's in the final mix. The ORTF's provide a nice clarity and definition due to them being so close to the players and the 141's capture the ambiance of the hall. The 4050 sounds a bit washed out and muddy that far back and the Fat Head pair sounded nice and warm, but not appropriate for the style of music. I think they would have sounded better closer to the stage.

29th May 2009	#1
Gus Elg Gear Head Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 71 Thread Starter	Advice? Recording 16 piece ensemble on Sunday... Hi, I've got an unusual (for me) gig this Sunday. I'm recording a 16 piece ensemble on two songs, but they're going to be recording over an electronic/hip-hop/pop style track with vocals. I've never done something like this and it's going to be at a local community college's auditorium. I have very little time to do A/B mic comparisons, etc. since the players are on the clock and we have to crank this out as quickly as possible. I still want the best possible results, or course. Since it's an overdub-style session I'm planning on running headphones to each player. I'm also planning on splitting the groups in half, one group of strings and one for horns. The groups will be as follows: Group one strings- 4 violins 2 violas 2 cellos Group 2 horns- 2 flutes 2 clarinets tenor sax 2 trumpets trombone I have a limited mic locker and I want to get the best possible sound. I was thinking I would set up a stereo pair and "pre-mix" the groups by arranging them in the room. I will also be using spot mics in case the stereo room recordings don't sound that great. The question: What mics would you use on what out of my modest collection? Here is what I have: Peluso CEK-89 capsule based Royer-mod DIY tube mic Neumann KMS 105 condenser mic 2x Mojave Audio MA-1 small-diaphragm DIY tube mics Audio-Technica at4050 2x Shure KSM-141 Shure SM7b Sennheiser e602 2x Sennheiser e604 2x Cascade Fat Head Shure SM57 Shure Equalidyne Audix D4 And the pre's- Hamptone HVTP2 2-channel tube mic preamp Apogee Trak 2 2-channel pre & A/D converter Hamptone DIY discrete JFET preamp Electro-Harmonix 12AY7 tube mic preamp 8 M-Audio Profire 2626 preamps I was thinking maybe Fat Heads/Trak2 stereo pair in front (Blumelin? spaced pair?). Also, another pair in front, maybe the tube Mojave/MXL 603s or KSM 141 into the HVTP2 (ORTF? spaced?). Possibly the 4050 into 12AY7 as room mic and also Peluso/Royer into Hamptone JFET as a room mic, but where? Spot mics on individual players will be the leftover mics/pres. What do you guys think of the plan? Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks, Gus

31st May 2009	#2
Remoteness Super Moderator Joined: Aug 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 7,405	Well, it's Sunday. Let us know how you did with this project. I'm sorry no one chimed in on this thread in time. __________________ Steve Remote AuraSonicLtd.com the home of ASL Mobile & Location Production Remoteness on the Linkedin Network What about my Facebook Profile? Remoteness on Myspace

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1st June 2009	#3
Gus Elg Gear Head Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 71 Thread Starter	Thanks Remoteness. The session went very well, and it was great to record in a room with such amazing natural acoustics. I ended up not using spot mic's as there was enough time to re-arrange the players on stage a bit for the mix, plus they were responsive to the idea that they were blending themselves and it had to be balanced at the source to sound good. I ended up using 8 mic's. An ORTF pair (diy Royer-mod tube MXLs) and a LDC front and center a couple of feet back from the stage, the Fat Head pair in M/S about 10 feet back, the ksm141's as an omni spaced pair about 15-20 feet back, and my 4050 in omni maybe 30 feet back. Lots of mixing choices! I'm probably going to use the ORTF pair and the 141's in the final mix. The ORTF's provide a nice clarity and definition due to them being so close to the players and the 141's capture the ambiance of the hall. The 4050 sounds a bit washed out and muddy that far back and the Fat Head pair sounded nice and warm, but not appropriate for the style of music. I think they would have sounded better closer to the stage.