Recording Choirs

[OggleMonster]

So does anyone have any opinions on recording small Choir of singers? Maybe two spaced omnidirectional mics and 2 room mics?How can i get good detailed sound with multiple singers?

[lumbago]

Using mics above the singers' heads, about 8 feet above the ground, Try a pair of mics in a Y configuration angled at 45 degrees (vertically downward and horizontally towards the sides) at the front of the group.

If you have an audience, another mic can capture their coughs / applause etc.

[Blue Bear Sound]

I would use a pair of small dia's in ORTF configuration at the front high up, and a small dia on each side for the back rows.... you can also put up an audience mic.

That will cover things off nicely......

[analogordigital]

A simple XY pattern is both very easy and almost certain to sound good. Shure makes a stereo bar called the A27m that allows you to mount both mics on a single stand with their capsules right above/below each other. THe distance from the front of the choir is dependent on the size of the choir, you want the outside singers to still fall within the pickup pattern of the XY array.

If you are serious about getting into stereo recording, you might want to check out a book called "The New Stereo Soundbook". Most "How To" books focus on multi-track recording and barely mention stereo mic placement. This book tells you everything you could possibly want to know about stereo recording of acoustic music (like choirs).

If you have a decent pair of omnis, you might want to hold off on the room mics at first, you might get plenty of room sound from the main stereo pair. (a LOT of great choir recordings were made with only a single stereo pair of mics)

Good luck.

[Han]

Im on the same line as Bruce, ORTF will give you a more realistic stereo image than XY.

XY works only with hyper cardioids IMHO.

If the room sounds great, you might consider an MS pair and /or an AB pair of omnis.

Find all about stereo placement on www.dpamicrophones.com

[OneRoomStudios]

I've always used ORTF, as I like the way is sounds. I've done a few choir recordings in the past and just the ORTF pair has almost always been enough. The only time I needed addtional spot mics was when there was a particularly large group singing.

[Innovations]

I also use an ORTF pair of LD condensers. Arrange the choir in a semicircle in a good sounding room and you are ready to go, particularly if you are recording acapella. If you are recording with accompainment then you either have to consider the position of the accompainment in the mix as well. sure you can mic the accompainment separately, but unless it is pre-recorded and the choir is listening to it on headphones (which would interfere with their ability to sing as a choir) then the accompaniment will appear on the ORTF tracks If the choir is in more than one row point the mics toward the back row to make up for the extra distance.

If recording a choir during a service other considerations apply. Shure has a good brochure on their web site about microphones for worship facilities.