Microphone placement for recording bagpipes...

T

Tydarius

New member
What I'm looking for is info on microphone placement - I just don' have a clue where to place them for good stereo recording.

I considered just placing a bunch of microphones around me, also considered setting up 1 mic for each tenor drone, 1 mic for the bass drone and 1 mic for the blowpipe (in simple terms for those who do not know - the drones are the 3 wooden pipes coming out of the bag that the piper would have going up over the shoulder, and the blowpipe is the part that you play like a chanter / recorder). Not sure if that would be overkill, but if that's the correct way to do it, I still don't know placement distances.

Here's what microphones I have available to use:

Shure SM57 x (2)
AKG C1000s x (2)
AKG C3000b x (1)

Also not sure if there IS a good placement for recording bagpipes :p , b/c most recordings of bagpipes that I have listened to over the years tend to sound like a single microphone somewhere close by. Any suggestions or links would help greatly. Thanks :D

- Edward
 
If you want the sound of the room, try two mics in an X/Y config. If not, use one mic. Either way, you want some distance.
 
Tydarius said:
Also not sure if there IS a good placement for recording bagpipes :p

- Edward
Click to expand...
:D

If you hadn't said it some joker would have.

I have only recorded them live a few times, at festivals and such.

AGC's advice seems to mirror my own experience. I found close micing made it hard to make the chanter and drone sound like one instrument.(That may have been due to my limited mixing skills at the time.) On the other hand, far micing made it a challenge to get a balance between them.

I put a mic a couple of feet away, had the guy move farther and closer to a wall, until the drone reflected enough sound to have the right volume.

I bet a pair set up like AGC said would take care of some of the problems I encountered.
 
Best solution I've ever had is to have the bagpipe player stand in the middle of the room, and with either a single mic or a X/Y (or anything for that matter), place the mics about 3 city blocks away.

Sorry... :D
 
Hee-hee, knew it would get a few laughs outta it too :p

Ok, I'll consider the 3 city blocks idea, and will try out the X/ Y config as well by next weekend, and I'm sure I'll do more damage with the mix than anything else first.

I'm guessing that the end result will just be "stick a mic somewhere within view of the bagpiper and hit record" :rolleyes:

Thanks guys...
 
I gotta throw in my 2 cents.

What's the difference between a snake squashed in the middle of the road, and a bagpiper squashed in the middle of the road?











The snake was on his way to a gig!
 
Tydarius said:
What I'm looking for is info on microphone placement - I just don' have a clue where to place them for good stereo recording.
Click to expand...

If I wanted tips on recording bagpipes, I'd go to antipypr.com and send an email to Neil Anderson. He's a great guy, and an awesome piper. I think his recordings sound good, too. You could also ask Collier at rathkeltair.com (the band Neil is in), although thier server seems to be down at the moment.

Bob
 
Give the guy a break! You're talking about highland pipes, then, not Ullean? The real problem is- I could tell you how to mic up some pipes using a good pair of small diaphragm condensers. But you have to work with 57's, C1000S, and C3000B. I agree with the guys who think you need some distance. If I'm tracking the pipes individually, not in ensemble, 6-8' would not be unusual. What the hell? Youve only got so many combinations. C1000S X-Y at about 5 feet, overhead, if possible. Treat the pipes like a drum kit. Both 57's X-Y in front at 4 feet, who knows, it might work. 3000B omni at 8 feet, if you have a good room. If not, cardioid pointed up at the bag from below. That's 5 tracks. Then mix and match them in every combination.
With the mics you have, I think you'll have your best luck with the 1000S's overhead, or a combination of them and one SM57, closer. That's the same as I would do a drum kit. You need a pair of small diaphragm mics, and C1000S is way down on the all-pro list. I'm sure there are many here who contemplate the sound of a C1000S on a bagpipe, and they make nervous jokes to hide their real terror.-Richie
 
Hey, take my joke with a grain or two of salt. I have a deep love for the bagpipes!! They can be very haunting in the right circumstances and proud in others.

Nothing but respect!!
 
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