recording bagpipes in stereo

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mattdzero

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What would be the best mic placement/technique for recording bagpipes????? Would you mic the drones and chanter separately, or just set up one mic in a room and multirecord the same part and pan them separately and add reverb?? Any suggestions would be great..Thanks
 
having never recorded bagpipes, I'm only offering speculation here, so take this with a grain of salt.

If you're looking for a stereo recording, I'd look into one of a few 2-mic stereo techniques. If you've got a good room, you could use a Blumlein pair or spaced omnis, to capture some of the room sound as well as the instrument direct. If the room doesn't sound very good, I'd look at a coincident pair, or near-coincident pair of small diaphragm condensers, relatively close to the player (at least the length of the longest pipe away).

I'd probably shy away from trying to mic individual parts of the instrument unless a 2-mic technique has a noticeable lack of a particular part of the instrument (a la spot micing during classical recording).

I'm curious to hear from anyone who actually has done this...

-mg
 
My choice

For Live sound at festivals I use 2 wireless lavaliers one at the drones and the other at the chanter but on albums I find it sounds better(if you have even an ok room) to put up 2 (sometimes 3) mics in the room. 2 works if the person is stationary (about 3 ft from person 4-5 ft off ground about 8-9 feet apart pan 10:00 and 2:00. If the person is used to moving a little put a third dead center,and move the others further apart (if you can) and pan the two far mics left and right 9:00 and 3:00.
Using 3 mics you have to be concerned with phase cancellation so listen carefully with them all panned center first to make surre you don't have any problems.
As I'm sure you know the pipes are incredibly loud so the bigger the room you can use and the further away you can mic the better.

tmix
 
humor alert!
Aren't bagpipes the ill wind that no one blows good?
Sound of a cat being strangled?

At my last club gig,for a reunion of Viet Nam Vets,one of the guys had bagpipes and played Amazing Grace for their fallen comrades.That sucker was so loud that,unmiced,the sound filled the entire club quite loudly!Given that volume,I would place the mic some distance away to protect it from high SPLs (if using a big condensor) or get closer with a dynamic mic.
 
Oh the AGONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

who peed in your cheerios to want to unleash such a devastating force?

what next? Accordian ?

The sound we all associate with bagpipes are usually outdoors, marching either to war, or remembering a fallen officer. I think doing it in a way that sounds INside, would make it weird
 
pipelineaudio said:
Oh the AGONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

who peed in your cheerios to want to unleash such a devastating force?

what next? Accordian ?

The sound we all associate with bagpipes are usually outdoors, marching either to war, or remembering a fallen officer. I think doing it in a way that sounds INside, would make it weird
Click to expand...

ok.....Make it sound outdoors but record it indoors..There's an idea...

Thanks everyone..This will definitely help!!!
 
pipelineaudio said:
Oh the AGONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

who peed in your cheerios to want to unleash such a devastating force?

what next? Accordian ?
Click to expand...

That is the funniest reply Ive seen in awhile! LOL:D

That reminds me of when I was first taking guitar lessons, It was in a accordian studio, Im trying to tune up an electric and 3 other kids weezing the sqeezebox! Bagpipes, who would have thought a bloated mountain goat hit by a wagon would make such a noise.
I hope my cousin doesn't see this post or Im in big trouble.

Peace,
SoMm
 
The thing about Bagpipes is this. They are LOUD. VERY LOUD. If you are recording them in isolation, then put up one or two (if you must go stereo) mics a few feet away.

Do you know why bagpipers always walk when they play?




To get away from the noise.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
It was in a accordian studio
Click to expand...
???
Alright, what's the punch line?:D

That's almost as good as Pipe's line.

I think I would go along with the ambient room placement rather than get too close. That sound might make even my Sennheisers turn up their nose. I think the question might be, how far away can you get from them?
 
I definitely agree that recording bagpipes should be done in the same way as listening to bagpipes - from a distance.

In my case the preferred distance would be measured in miles.

Reminds me of a gig I did once with a wedding band when a guest walked up and said he wanted to sit in on bagpipes - and insisted on playing "Hava Nagila". It had to be heard to be believed. True story!
 
Yo Pequeno Perrito:

Does one record Bagpipes with or without the kilt?

Green Hornet :D :p :p
 
I once heard the definition of a "good shot" was when you tossed a set of bagpipes into a dumpster and they landed on a banjo.
 
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