Decca Tree

[Richard Monroe]

I'm considerinf a Decca Tree to record a full orchestra. My omni options are limited. I have a pair of C-4's, B.L.U.E. Kiwi, AKG C414B-ULS, and a SP C-3. Do all three mics need to be the same, or would the C-4's work with the 414? Also, the Decca Tree seems like a violation of the 3:1 rule. I know an orchestra is spread out a lot, so the sound of various instruments just will reach the mic cluster at various times, so it may not be that big a deal. Is anybody experienced with this technique?-Richie

 

[sloop]

You might want to use ORTF instead

I have done both and I prefer an ORTF pair around 9' up and 3' behind the conductor. You get a really excellent sound, just make sure you use the flattest response mics you have--and you should use a pair of the same mics.

 

[Light]

You really need matched mics for a Decca Tree, and to be honest what you really need to make a Decca Tree sound right is either a M 50 style mic, or a high quality SD (like a DPA or a Schopes, which are both high quality mics, but very different styles), preferably with spheres (like the DPA Acoustic Pressure Equalisers). I would avoid LD condensers as they are not accurate enough for orchestra. Mostly, though, you need three matched mics.

And yes, it does violate the three to one "rule". It is the phase incoherencies which make it work so well, plus it is going to be panned out hard (the outside mics) so they are not going to be summing together.

And if you have M 50s (or TLM 50s, or M 150s), nothing beats a Decca Tree, in my opinion.


Light

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