Recording live Violin with Synth Piano?

[barefoot]

I'm helping a friend record a few pieces of experimental classical music. He has sequenced the piano accompaniments into software which he tells me has outstanding sample based piano sounds. I haven't heard it yet.

Now he wants to record himself playing the violin parts along with the sequenced piano. He's and outstanding violinist and used to play for the San Francisco Symphony. He says it's no problem for him play his parts in whatever method makes best recording sense. The main thing is, he wants the final mix to sound as natural as possible, like he and a pianist were playing in a small recital hall.

So how do you think I should go about this?

First of all I need advice on microphones and placement for recording the violin.

Then I have the problem of how to mix the live violin with the synth piano and make it all sound live. Would I be better off having him play along with the synth coming out of a nice set of speakers, or should I record them separately and try to create the space electronically?

Thanks,
barefoot

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Shoeless one:

Violin, I would think, would be easy to mic since the violin, especially played by a professional, is very vibrant.

You might fidel around trying some small hall reverb patches to get what his ears want to hear.

If the piano parts are all recorded, why not put him on a headset and let him wail as you record his take on another track or two tracks.

You have an interesting project and I think you need to experiment and test the mix to achieve what your ears want to hear.



Green Hornet

 

[barefoot]

Ok, here's my "theoretical strategy" on how to do it:

1. Find a nice sounding space to record in.

2. While he monitors the piano with headphones, record the violinist alone using stereo mics.

3. In same space, play the piano part alone through a nice mono setup and record using stereo mics placed equidistant from the speaker.

4. Create a piano ambience track by taking L-R from the recording in #3.

5. Mix the stereo violin track, stereo electronic piano track, and the mono piano ambience track.

Does this seem like a reasonable approach?

barefoot

 

[darrin_h2000]

Using a close miced mxl 603 and a C1 from 2 ft away in a good room with a set of headphones for monitors on this guy will be nice too, A tube mic pre will give a nice compression to it if you are going digital.

I have a violin with a pickup on it, Im not good either so I go the loop route.