Recording a Live Classical Vocalist

[Chip Hitchens]

This weekend I’ve got a record a recital for a solo classical-style vocalist. I have some experience recording larger orchestral and choral pieces, but I’ve never tried to record one person live with just piano accompaniment.

Any ideas on mic technique and placement? When recording larger stuff, I usually just use a single ORTF pair of cardioid SDCs, but I’m not sure if it’s going to be more trouble than it’s worth to record a single person in stereo.

I can record up to 4 tracks at a time (5 if I break out the TubeMP, but let’s not go there) and have the following mics at my disposal. I realize they’re not necessarily ideal for classical, but you know how it goes:

2 x Oktava MC-012 (cardioid only)
2 x SP C4 (cardioid or omni)
1 x CAD M177
1 x EV 635A
assorted other dynamics

This is one of those deals where I have to go in, set up, and hit record, so I'm not going to have much opportunity to play with placement and swap out mics, so any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[AGCurry]

You definitely don't want to record the vocalist in stereo. He/she will be moving back and forth in the stereo field as he turns his head.

Just try to isolate the singer from the piano (mic placement) as much as possible. Try one of your SD pairs on the piano and the M177 on the singer. Not rocket science.

 

[mshilarious]

Keep in mind you don't want the mic anywhere near him/her. Try two to three feet away.

 

[Chip Hitchens]

There will be both a "he" and a "she" at different times during the concert, just to clear up the pronouns.

 

[XLR]

I'd set up an ORTF pair out in the room. In a recital the musicians generally balance themselves to sound good in the hall, so if you record the room you'll likely get a good result.

However, to be safe I'd also run separate tracks for a spot mic (card) on the singer from a few feet away, and one on the piano just in case the balance is off and you want to reinforce one or the other later in the stereo mix. With those mic's remember the 3 to 1 rule of placement when recording different sources to avoid phase problems.

Good luck,
Tim

 

[giraffe]

of thoes mics i only have the 012's and i wouldn't use them to record a good sounding violin, they lack the "woody" quality in a good string sound
and can make a violin sound more like a "fiddle"

be quiet, i know it's the same thing

 

[timboZ]

I would use a MK-319 on a violin.

can make a violin sound more like a "fiddle"

It's only a fiddle if you have a cowboy hat on

 

[con_ritmo]

I'd set up an ORTF pair out in the room. In a recital the musicians generally balance themselves to sound good in the hall, so if you record the room you'll likely get a good result.

However, to be safe I'd also run separate tracks for a spot mic (card) on the singer from a few feet away, and one on the piano just in case the balance is off and you want to reinforce one or the other later in the stereo mix. With those mic's remember the 3 to 1 rule of placement when recording different sources to avoid phase problems.

Good luck,
Tim

what Tim said. use the mc012's for the ortf.

i don't know where this whole "record a violin" part came in, maybe i missed something. in any case, i wouldn't close-mic a violin anyways, so you'd probably be able to get away using mc012's if they are backed off (directed to giraffe).

 

[Chip Hitchens]

Yeah, I don't know where the violin/fiddle thing came from. This is vocals and grand piano only.

But thanks for the advice so far. Is a LDC appropriate for a vocal spot mic, or, since this is classical, should I still stick with a SDC? I know for rock-style close miced vocals that an LDC or dynamic is usually preferred, but in this case I'm not sure.

 

[XLR]

Yeah, I don't know where the violin/fiddle thing came from. This is vocals and grand piano only.

Yeah, there's another thread currently about recording violin. Probably what he was thinking of.

I've had to stop myself a couple of times in the past just before posting a comment to the wrong thread.

Tim

 

[giraffe]

it happened because i'm a retard

somehow i read
recording a live classical violinist
and not vocalist

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Either the MC012's or the C4's in stereo on the piano (X/Y or ORTF, whichever sounds best).

Cad 177 on vocals, a couple of feet out from the singer.

Plus, whichever small mic that didn't make the cut on piano, positioned right behind the 177, and about 1 foot higher, pointed down towards the singer.

This is a backup mic, just in case.

A piece of tape on the floor (about 2 feet in front of the vocal mics), to tell the singers where to stand.

If you have a chance for a rehearsal, make sure the peaks don't exceed -6dB on the meters. (If you're recording digital, "rehearsal peaks" at -12dB max would be even better.)

 

[timboZ]

it happened because i'm a retard

somehow i read
recording a live classical violinist
and not vocalist

And I replyed to the retards post.