trombone quartet

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wayne Bliss
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Wayne Bliss

Wayne Bliss

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I'm going to record a trombone quartet tomorrow morning (6/8/02). Mic selection is limited to cardioid and condenser. Thinking about having them play in a circle with 4- SM58's pointed 8-12" from the bells. Players will be in headphones. Anybody got any ideas for me? Area mics? What about stero imaging? I'll be recording to a hard disk recorder.

Help!
 
I would definitely NOT put them in a circle (unless it was a really BIG circle), as you will get a ton of off-axis sound in all the neighboring mics, which is likely to give you a coloration that is not desireable. (Unless you were talking about a circle where they were playing with their backs to eachother, but it's hard to play that way if they need eye contact for visual cues, conducting, etc.)
Plus, they will be "blasting" into each other's faces (remember: trombone is the loudest of all the orchestral intruments.)

Hard to give advice on mics, because you didn't specify what your mic options were - the 58 was the only one you mentioned.

Anyway, I'd put them more or less in a line, maybe slightly curved in for better eye contact.
 
Well,

I have the 58's, I have some older EV's (can't remember model) with rolloff switches, I have AKG 770,880. That's about it. You think a semi-circle is better to avoid off axis discoloration? The room is pretty big (large carpeted rehearsal room), what about room mics (if any)?
This is just a demo for these guys, no biggie, but i'd like to get as good a sound as possible. Sometimes these things can evelve into larger projects.
 
Kinda depends on the type of music they're playing. Most likely it's brass chamber music. Generally for classical stuff I wouldn't close mic. I'd try them in a crescent shape and carefully place two mics to pick up in stereo and then maybe two mics out futher for room ambience. If the first two mics are placed far enough away (and depending on the room) there might be enough room sound as it is.
 
Thanks Saxman and Little Dog

Thanks to Saxman and Little Dog. You both said to record the trombones in a semi circle w/ a stereo pair. I used a pair of AT ribbon mics in an x-y configuration at about 9' from the source. In adddition, I threw up a cardioid on each trombone about 3' from each player (slightly above the bell to avoid hissing of the air). No phase problems because I used the 3:1 rule. I only used the individual mics to slightly boost the melodic line if needed. Otherwise, they were barely on. The stereo pair sounded great. I slapped on a VERY small amount of stage 'verb and viola! Total recording time (including set up/tear down): 4 hours. They did 13 short excerpts for a x-mas demo so they could go hustle some gigs. Clients were happy, and are already talking about doing a full length recording w/ me.

Thanks for your help!

~Wayne
 
Excellent!

Good to hear it all went real well. X-mas music in the middle of june huh? Hopefully the mental images cooled you down! It's hot down here in CA!
 
Yeah, they are recording x-mas songs now to put a promo pack together so they can get a head start on booking gigs in December.
Not so hot up in Washington State. Down right mild....

Thanks again,

~Wayne
 
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