Recording female quartet

[savageblues]

Hi folks, I told my mother I would record her barbershop quartet. I plan on doing this at my Mom's house main floor which has a large L-shaped room filled with furniture, hardwood floors etc.

I am seeking some suggestion on what technique to use. I dont have any really nice mics, but I want to try using what I have.

What I was thinking was a Jecklin disk arrangement with my pair of ECM8000's. Also I thought I would try to position my V67 at the same location/distance from the quartet as a centre channel to mix in afterwards.

Any suggestions on distance, or another way of recording a quartet?

Thanks in advance.

[The Green Hornet]

yO bLUE:

Don't let Simba catch you in the tall grass.

Recording females in multiple numbers I have done in the past and I'm glad it is PAST. [Words of Yoda]

If the girls are amateurs, you should not have much of a problem no matter how you set up as they will only hear their voices and probably be happy.

However, dealing with professional multiples of girls, better have your Lion taming whip nearby. [Oh girls I'm just kidding, a "bit."]

If they are singing "without" music, it will be easier. If you are using recorded background stuff, put the music into your DAW and then each time there is a flub, just rewind and do it again.

Don't try and do more than three songs at one session--ear fatigue and need for a drink.

Mixing will be a job depending on your gear, use of mic pres, etc.

Happy New Year

Green Hornet

[savageblues]

Thanks Hornet -

These old girls have been singing and competing in barbershop quartet and Sweet Adelines for years. They are used to singing without music during performance. I just hope to capture a good performance from them - one song at a time.

Any comments on mic's/technique/placement for this type of arrangement?

[bennychico11]

I'd say place them in a '+' formation....with the microphones in the middle. A nice, ideal way would be to use two figure eight microphones. That way you'll have sound coming from each direction being picked up by the two mics. This would make life much simpler.

Otherwise, you could also just set them up in a line facing their individual microphones. I personally would go with individual microphones, depending on how they sound, because the sound of the quartet is based around the few, individual sounds and nuances. But at the same time a couple room mics wouldn't hurt either...because it IS a quartet and you want people to hear what they sound like as a whole (and usually groups that sing that type of music balance themselves pretty well). Then blend to taste.

[savageblues]

OK - But for some reason I figured it was better to let them create their whole barbershop sound (they practice at individual dynamics as part of their performance) rather than using individual mic's (and subsequent mixing - arrgghh!!)

I thought that maybe a strong L/R separation between singers wouldnt sound natural for barbershop. I thought that standing them in a line (or large radius semi-circle) pointing toward a stereo pair would capture a nice stereo image without an unnatural stereo effect. This is how they normally perform.

[bennychico11]

Originally Posted by savageblues

OK - But for some reason I figured it was better to let them create their whole barbershop sound (they practice at individual dynamics as part of their performance) rather than using individual mic's (and subsequent mixing - arrgghh!!)

I thought that maybe a strong L/R separation between singers wouldnt sound natural for barbershop. I thought that standing them in a line (or large radius semi-circle) pointing toward a stereo pair would capture a nice stereo image without an unnatural stereo effect. This is how they normally perform.

you could do either way. really, if you (and they) feel like the emphasis is the sound of the entire group...then mic the entire group. But you'll also have less control over it afterwards which can hurt depending on your room, mics, etc. And if you record them individually, you don't necessarily have to pan them to get a strong L/R separation. It all depends on if you want to make it sound like a natural, live performance...or a nice, fancy, studio recorded CD. Listen to any famous quartet/quintets (ie. Boys II Men, etc.). Not exactly the same style, but a vocal group nonetheless.

A stereo pair would work fine too...again, all depends on what you're going for and how much control you want later.

[Harvey Gerst]

Watch them when they rehearse without any mics. Walk around and listen. Find the spot where all the vocals sound balanced; put an X/Y pair there.

[savageblues]

Thanks Harvey. I will search for the spot. Is the ECM8000 suitable for an XY pair?

[Harvey Gerst]

Not really, they're omni so there's not a lot of directionality. They could be used as a Jecklin disk pair.