My first "session" tomorrow

[Tim Walker]

Although I bought my studio equipment with only recording my band in mind (3 piece rock). I voluntered to help a friend who's daughter has to have a solo clarinet piece on cd/tape for an audition for school band districts or some shit. I figure that it should be a fairly easy session and the results will be better than what she has done in the past (tape recorder).

Any tips on recording a clarinet?

tim

 

[Dogman]

Never doner anything like a clarinet, but my guess is it's like a lot of acoustic instruments...The room and acoustics there will probably play a big part on the sound. If you don't want room ambiance, you will need to close mic it. If you want the room, try different placings. Do you have several good mics to use at once? You might try a few in various spots in the room, and maybe capture some really good sounds, while having the take count go down.
Just some random thoughts.
Ed

 

[giraffe]

i only have limited experience on clari, but the sound comes from both the body and the bell (it depends on the note they're playing). so a lot of times people use 2 mics on them.
i'd rather have a good room so i have the ability to back off and get it with one mic, but that's not always an option.

 

[mshilarious]

i only have limited experience on clari, but the sound comes from both the body and the bell (it depends on the note they're playing). so a lot of times people use 2 mics on them.
i'd rather have a good room so i have the ability to back off and get it with one mic, but that's not always an option.

Comes out of the first open key. It would be very tricky to close mic. Use whatever you got for drum overheads a few feet away, aimed roughly at the midpoint of the instrument.

 

[giraffe]

not really "close mic" as such, just one over the body and one twards the bell.

this is actually the technique sugested bu the 80 something clari player.

but i ended up just using one ribbon, a couple feet away.

 

[Tim Walker]

Thanks for all the replies, It seems I'll use 2 mics one for the bell and one just above. My room is fairly dead, but I think I will get a decent sound.

tim