I didn't know this was it's proper name, but I have learned a few things over the years about these techniques. The science and the technologically competent but slightly different approaches are all different, but there is a problem. They require very precise placement in acoustically near perfect environments. I very rarely have the chance to record in such spaces, and with a budget and scale where I as a recordist have power. The practical side of recording in acoustic spaces with a natural acoustic is always a compromise - a compromise the specialists and the broadcasters who can control and develop their techniques do not have to work in.
When I get to record choirs and orchestras, or smaller ensemblesI am presented so often with prescription. I cannot change how the ensemble is set out, yet I cannot change where is available for my microphones. Non-damaging slings and catenaries are still out for some venues, because I am low on a priority list. All my emails and phone calls seem to never get to the person who says 'no'. So - I am faced with modifying X/Y, my chosen format, or Blumlein if I am allowed to fly the mics in a specific place to ensure capture of all of the performing people. Experience tells you that too close means a hole in the middle, or a loss of the outer performers - getting both won't work, and even M/S can be struggling with certain placement. I look at the people and I look at the building and try to find the compromise between my ideal placement and the only practical one. My X/Y coincident pair might have to be less or more than 90 degrees, so do I rename it Gerzon or ORTF to be accurate, or is it simply a modified X/Y?
I also know that in an imperfect environment, the difference between these techniques is often irrelevant - and none are going to be right in my imperfect world. Many years back, when I'd got my first pair of figure-8 mics I was at a British famous studio, assisting a friend (doing, being honest, very little apart from watching everything going on) They had a flown pair of ribbons. The session was an orchestral one - music for a movie I think. Quite a big orchestra and the sound in the control room was very impressive. I could hear things that I didn't think were possible. The engineer went down to the studio and they dropped the frame in and added two outriggers. I think two SDC's - probably omnis. I'd love to say I could hear the difference - especially as frowns were now smiles at the desk.
This stuck in my head. They were unhappy and the outriggers solved their concerns. All I could hear was amazing clarity. Through the glass I could see things and hear them. I watched a percussionist swap what I now know were hard beaters for soft ones and you could hear it. I watched as a spot mic was put on a piccolo - and they blended it in in position and sound before the things was even played - then it was a tiny tweak. The studio was actually more dry than I expected - my first large recording space NOT a reflective reverberant space. It gave me loads of ideas, but in the places I record, the spaces I am positive, do not help these intricate techniques. I bet I could not hear Gerzon from X/Y unless something in the middle vanished!
