Orchestral Recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frankay
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Frankay

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Hello there people!

Im in the middle of doing an assignment for university, I've got to plan an orchestral recording for a 30 piece orchestra.
Ive got to talk about microphone placement techniques etc. And I've also got to look at an overall budget obviously for cost of the musicians etc.
Obviously certain things i can research but i was wondering if anybody has had first hand experience of recording a small orchestra?

Or has anyone worked with people who are members of the Musicians Union? Ive tried looking for rates online but cannot find anything.

Any help would be very grateful :guitar:

Thanks

Frankie
 
1) Small and large.

2) You'd have to contact the local A.F. of M. Rates differ between sessions, rehearsals, performances. *IF* I recall, the last AFM session I was involved in was $50/hr (per musician) rehearsal, $100/hr tracking. That said, I'm never the guy paying the bills -- It's all second-hand info.
 
Thanks for the help mate :). If anyone has any more information on micing up an orchestra that would be very useful thanks.
 
Frankay said:
Hello there people!

Im in the middle of doing an assignment for university, I've got to plan an orchestral recording for a 30 piece orchestra.
Ive got to talk about microphone placement techniques etc. And I've also got to look at an overall budget obviously for cost of the musicians etc.
Obviously certain things i can research but i was wondering if anybody has had first hand experience of recording a small orchestra?

Or has anyone worked with people who are members of the Musicians Union? Ive tried looking for rates online but cannot find anything.

Any help would be very grateful :guitar:

Thanks

Frankie
Click to expand...

You are in Cardiff - the very best place to be for this.

Contact the Cardiff Recording Club - they are well used to all this and regularly record concerts in Llandaff Cathedral.

The Chariman is exBBC and is very knowledgeable - they have won the British Amateur Recording Contest many times and also the International Contest.

Try contacting them at: cardiff(at)soundhunters.com

If this doesn't work, send me a PM and I'll give you the direct e-mails and contact numbers.

You will find them very helpful (and may also find it useful t join) - they are the most active club in the UK and have a lot of knowledge.


Regarding recording, I would use a single stereo pair - ORTF, MS or Jecklin disk (or maybe a single Soundfield mic.) and that's all.

I hope this helps.
 
I'm more interested in the micing technique tbh, what way would you guys tackle it? a few spot mics in the desk and a couple of ambient? what would you mic what would you leave? what way would you position the players? in real life and in the final mix?
 
GazEcc said:
I'm more interested in the micing technique tbh, what way would you guys tackle it? a few spot mics in the desk and a couple of ambient? what would you mic what would you leave? what way would you position the players? in real life and in the final mix?
Click to expand...

If it's an orchestral recording in a good acoustic I would, ideally, only use a single stereo pair, or maybe an ORTF or MS pair with omni outriggers.

I would avoid spot mics as they will add multi-path distortion - spots are a last resort (and I have never needed them yet).
 
I've only had one opportunity to record a full orchestra - and fortunately if was in a very nice sounding hall.

I used the ORTF method shown by OBrien - using a pair of Shure KSM32's. I placed them about 7-10' over the orchestra and about 30 ' out in front of the the orchesta.

I didn't have a lot of time to try different placement - and the placement was limited by the area I could have access to - so I put the mics where it seemed logical, quickly checked levels and hit record.

All in all, the recorded sound was good. Because the dynamics of an orchestra can be rather extreme - I manually ran the faders more than I would have liked (given that I really did not know the performance material well) - but I would suggest you be prepared for some loud crescendos that can bury the needle in the red if you are not alert.
 
Thanks for all this help guys its very much appreciated :)
 
I recorded a massed youth orchestra once. 400 musicians.

Used a Crown SASS-P MkII.
 
Mu

If this is for a university assignment, and you're looking to record a performance that is being given, there shouldn't be an MU problem. There would be recording fees if it was for a commecial use etc. The players will have to agree to being recorded, but if you ask them politely and explain, I don't imagine any problems. Maybe have a chat with a local union rep beforehand.
And i agree with the others - just try and capture the sound in the hall. Some of the most natural sounding recordings are still from the late 50s/early 60s when a stereo pair was all that was available. Once you start close-miking one section, you have to do all. The musicians will balance the sound in the hall.
 
Agree re. John's post - ORTF with omni worked well for me the last time I recorded a chamber orchestra plus choir in the middle at St Paul's Church in Covent Garden... Used a matched pair of AKG C214 ORTF and a matched pair of SE4400a in omni mode + Focusrite Octopre MKII preamp and Zoom R24.
 
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