Fixed Theatre Microphones

G

gorbyrun

Mad Scientist
I am installing a sound system in a medium sized theatre (75' from the front of the stage to back wall, stage 30' wide-20' deep... theatre 62'wide, 22' high.)
I would like to leave an installed, simple to operate, recording system in place, something just about anyone could operate. I should also mention that the budget is "cheap as possible, with good results".
I'm planning on putting a CD-Recorder connected to a small mixer near the main board.
I thought a pair of MK-012s over the stage would be a good idea.
However, this is going to be a multi-use venue, with plays, classical music, rock bands... you name it. So I would like to have some other options avaliable for them. Perhaps a second pair of mics in the back of the house, maybe a pair of PZMs somewhere...
The microphones I leave need to be unobtrusive and require little/no adjustment.

(BTW I would also like to discuss some of my equipment decisions and some acoustic considerations... but am not sure what forum that belongs in.)
Thanks to all.
 
The idea of condensers suspended from overhead sounds like the right direction to me. I've been trying to figure this stuff out myself, as I'm involved peripherally in the construction of a new theater and we'll be swimming in acoustic engineers if I have my say. So I plan to watch and learn.

Anyway, if you're picking up ambient signal from a stage, why not think about large diaphragm condensers - and maybe four of them suspended from above. You could run them into a little snake and power them with a small board, like a Mackie VLZ mixer, or separate preamps (like a pair of DMP3s or something. The DMP3s are hot and have a "real hot" mode). There are a lot of inexpensive mic reviews in this forum, but the perennial "bang for the buck / quality for the money / plays well with others" favorites seem to be MXL and Studio Projects. For something like this, maybe look at the SP B1 at about $80 apiece; I have a couple and they are versatile and quiet.

Another trick that is used to record concerts is having a couple small diaphragm condensers set up in an X - Y arrangement near the mixing board, only pretty high, to pick up audience participation on a separate set of tracks. Your boundary mic idea might be handy for this.
 
I think you might be able to get more than adequate coverage with 4x T.H.E. KP-6M microphones hanging over the stage... they're not too expensive [in the a bit over $300 range], have a reasonable 'noise floor' and an Omni-directional pickup pattern... then again, they could suck... ain't tried them in that application but from other useage it would probably be what I'd try first.

Best of luck with your search.
 
I'm sure the KP-6M that Fletcher recomends would do a great job. The guy knows his stuff. But if you want to go budget the two choices I would give you are a pair of MXL 603's, or a pair of decent PZM's like the better Audio Technica's. To keep in a budget you have to buy the PZM's used. I have 6 of them for doing musicials in a local theatre. I have had success using them to mic actors on stage and hanging them for recording or assisted listening devices. As I've learned each theatre has it's "sweet" spot for micing. You just need to play around till you find it. Usually a good TD will know the best sound areas in his theatre.
 
Thanks for the advise guys. I'm still a pondering.... But I believe a pair of omni's over the stage and a pair of cardoids in the back is probably the way I'll go. Those mics look bad-ass Fletcher, of course if I got them I'd have to keep them for myself. :cool:

Seriously though, the rest of signal chain probably doesn't merit mics that good. We're talking cheap, I've got 10 grand... for EVERYTHING. You name it, they need it. Speakers, amps, board, monitors, stands, cables, mics (at least two wireless)... Yes, I am going to be cutting corners.

In case anyone's curious or wants to offer suggestions, I'm planning on getting:
2 Carvin TCS215 (cheap, loud, flyable)
4 Carvin 15" floor monitors
Mackie 32 channel board (sounds okay, not too exspensive, most sound guys know there way around it.)
Bi-amp and tame the speakers with DBX driverack PA
Small pile of Shure Mics
Drum Mic Kit (3 57s, Beta 52)
4 SM 57s
2 Wireless 58s, 2 wireless lavaliers on same freq.
2 SM 58s
Rolls 4 channel direct box
Lexicon MPX 550
Sony 5 Disk CD changer/CD recorder
Furman Power conditioner
2 16 channel snakes from MarkerTech


Hell, if I make it under 14 I'll be thrilled--But how many corners can you really cut? Anyway, that's my plan so far. Thanks for your help.
 
I would disagree, a pair of cardoids in the back and omnis over the stage. would pick up way too much crowd noise during the performance. The stage would be the farthest thing away from the cardoid and the guy with a bad cough in the back row would be the nearest thing. Guess which will be picked up best.

I would do exactly the opposite. I would suspend a pair of small diameter cardoids in front of the stage pointing toward the stage and then in the center of the space I would suspend an omni like an ECM 8000. The omni would allow me to dial in the exact quantity of room ambience that I want. In addition you could ramp up the omni record tha applause at the end of the performance and then ramp it nearly off during the event itself.

The omni would also be usefull if, for example, you were recording a lecture presentation in which questions were raised by members of the audience. Ramp the omni up during the question, down during the response.
 
I'd put up a pair of cardoid condensors at the FOH station because that's usually where it sounds best.. That's assuming the mixer is actually in a good spot.
 
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