Stereo Recording Options

[joeruffatto]

Hi: I'm trying to decide the best way to try stereo recording of my band. I already have both a Rode NT1A and Rode NT3. I am thinking of buying one more of either mic to make a pair (I know they won't be matched). I'm guessing that the NT3 would be more versatile (drum overheads, instrument mic'ing, etc.) Any thoughts would be appreciated. Joe

 

[mattr]

I like the NT3. They're very good mics: I've used them for everything from close mic'ing all the way up to a main stereo room pair. And yes, they make great drum overheads

The only thing to bear in mind is that they're hypercardioids, so their polar pattern is slightly tighter than cardioid; this could either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what your are trying to do with them, the room you're working in, etc. Some people might not like the tight sound of them as room mics, preferring the more open sound of omni's. As always its pretty much down to preference.

As for your options, that's really down to what you like best and what works with your band, the room you're recording in, etc.

There are many different stereo positions to try, and really the best thing to do is to experiment and find the one you like.

You're main two choices are a coincident-pair (XY, ORTF, etc) or a spaced pair (AB). Pull the mics back to bring more room into the recording, and bring the mics in closer for a, well, closer sound!

With live recording a main stereo pair is always a good place to start. In a lot of situations it can be all that is needed. But using that as a starting point you can add spot mics to reinforce specific instruments if needed.

 

[Shadow_7]

It really depends on how you intend to use them. If it's not something you're going to be doing regularly, you might consider renting first.

I like OMNI, but I like the flexibility they provide. And I'm going for the event ambiance so they suit me. I like cardioid mics for detail and isolation too. But they can be too rigid and ill suited to a lot of situations. For hyper cardioid, you'd almost need four mics to get the coverage needed to get a decent stereo image. That or back away half a mile from the source which introduces it's own set of issues.

Basically OMNI's for me. Get them as close too and equal distant from all sound sources. And since they're OMNI, it's really hard to aim them badly. (fewer takes / less failures)

 

[Richard Monroe]

I would probably get another NT1a or a dedicated matched pair, such as NT-5's. For a lot of stereo recording, cardioid mics work out better for me than hypercardioids, which I would use for spot mics. The NT3's make good overheads precisely because they make it easier to isolate different parts of the drum kit. Real stereo micing is more like the two sides of a pair of binoculars. After all, your ears are not hypercardioid. Omnis can be OK for wide spaced stereo recording, but they don't work well for coincedent or ORTF mic'ing. Especially when you get into larger sources, such as a choir or orchestra, as Shadow says, hypercardioids won't have enough pickup field overlap to get the job done.

 

[joeruffatto]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like the NT3 won't really do what I want. Essentially, I am wanting to record a stereo room sound of my 6 piece band at practice in our studio (which is a small, funky untreated room). I have multitracked our practices with mics and line-outs and have gotten mixed results. It's hard to isolate everyone since the room is small, so I thought-rather then fight the bleed, I would try to capture the mix as it sounds in the room. I don't at present have any omni mic's. Do you have any recommendations. Thanks so much. Joe

 

[Shadow_7]

I like my Avenson STO-2's. $550 new(for two mics). But if the source isn't loud. And if you don't EQ a little extra low end, they could be less than ideal.

 

[Richard Monroe]

One option I like is Studio Projects C-4- For $400, you get the matched pair, with cardioid and omni capsules. They also make very good overheads.-Richie

 

[mshilarious]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like the NT3 won't really do what I want. Essentially, I am wanting to record a stereo room sound of my 6 piece band at practice in our studio (which is a small, funky untreated room). I have multitracked our practices with mics and line-outs and have gotten mixed results.

I would guess no matter what you do you'll get mixed results. That's because your room is:

- small, which is bad
- untreated, which is bad
- funky, which could be good or bad, I can't say.

You can use an omni mic and get how it really does sound--at the point where you put the mic. That sound probably varies dramatically at different points in the room. You can use two or more omni mics and try to create a mix that is a desirable average of the various points in the room. That might work, it might not. You can use a stereo cardioid pair at a single point, but you will confront the inevitable problem of deciding where to point the mics when there isn't a defined center of the band. You could use two fig-8s in Blumlein in the center of the room to avoid that issue, provided that the center of the room isn't a giant null.

I think you will probably be choosing from various flavors of mixed results. You might find a flavor you like better, but it's hard to guess that without trying all of the above.

One thing to keep in mind is that a recording will never possess your brain's very sophisticated internal filtering mechanism which makes the live sound in the room much better than it actually is. The only way to obtain that is to use your own head to mount a pair of omnis as a binaural mic. And then you have to wear headphones for playback.

 

[joeruffatto]

Thanks again: Given the responses, I'll probably just save my money and stick to multitracking, although it would be fun just to try stereo recording for the helluvit. Joe

 

[mshilarious]

Thanks again: Given the responses, I'll probably just save my money and stick to multitracking, although it would be fun just to try stereo recording for the helluvit. Joe

Well a stereo pair is going to be generally useful, so buy another NT3 or whatever. But if you want a stereo recording of your band, you're going to have to set yourselves up as if you're on stage, in a room large enough to manage that, and aim the mics in a standard stereo configuration at the band.

 

[Shadow_7]

Well I have my stereo pair, because I'm a cheapskate. Instead of one mic per instrument and gear to handle all of those mics. I've gone the one stereo pair for all. In short, two mics, one stereo field recorder. Short, sweet, and simple. But I record mainly acoustic groups so it works for me. And since said groups range from 5 to 50+ sources of sound, flexibility is key.