SOUND ON SOUND

[CS70]

... at which point the gloriously rich, colourful, dramatic sunset we thought we were about to record suddenly looked very ordinary, flat and boring! :headbang:

You had just discovered Instagram! :D

[blinddrew]

A picture of Hugh's room if he had invented Instagram:



(Actually in BOP studios: https://www.soundonsound.com/music-busi ... dios-story)

[Arpangel]

I used to think that if it sounds good where you’re standing, then that’s where the microphones should go, as the mic’s should pick up what I’m hearing.

It's a good starting point, but it works if "sounds good" is "sounds good thru monitoring or you are listening to a recording taken in that position"!

If you evaluate positions moving the mic with your headphones on, while well insulated from the room sound, it gives you a starting point quite quickly.

I meant standing in the hall listening to the performers, before we put any mic’s up.
When I used to record with my friend, I’d think it sounded OK where we’d put the mic’s, he’d suddenly jump up and say "I’ve f****d it!" I’d say why? he’d say......the brass isn’t loud enough, I hadn’t noticed, but after he mentioned it it was plainly obvious.

:crazy:

[Hugh Robjohns]

:lol: Yes -- it's learning to interpret what you actually hear and translate that, based on experience, to what you imagine the mics will capture.... and usually then fudging the mics about a bit more after discovering what they are really delivering through the speakers (or headphones)... :D

[Arpangel]

:lol: Yes -- it's learning to interpret what you actually hear and translate that, based on experience, to what you imagine the mics will capture.... and usually then fudging the mics about a bit more after discovering what they are really delivering through the speakers (or headphones)... :D

That’s exactly it, I can’t imagine getting a good balance without an isolated control room area to put a pair of monitors, I’m always in awe of those who can get good results "in the room" using just their experience and judgement. Saying that, all of our piano and Marimba stuff is done in the same room, but I’m pragmatic, if it turns out OK fine, and if it does, it’s certainly not down to my skill, it’s pure luck!

[Sam Spoons]

An afternoon doing test recordings to find the best mic positions for the marimba without the pressure of trying to record a piece might be time well spent (when we are allowed to that is). Then keep records so you can repeat the setup when you meet up to do some 'proper' recording.

[Arpangel]

An afternoon doing test recordings to find the best mic positions for the marimba without the pressure of trying to record a piece might be time well spent (when we are allowed to that is). Then keep records so you can repeat the setup when you meet up to do some 'proper' recording.

This what we used to try and do, and it’s interesting listening back to various sessions, the differences, we’ve got it down to the right mic's, but positions have to vary, as our instrumentation changes sometimes, and it’s synths, integrating a DI'd sound into things, and monitoring that, I find most difficult out of all of it.

[Sam Spoons]

That complicates matters, obviously you'll need to repeat for different miked instruments. Apologies for teaching Granny to suck eggs :)

[Arpangel]

That complicates matters, obviously you'll need to repeat for different miked instruments. Apologies for teaching Granny to suck eggs :)

I find the biggest issue isn’t acoustic instruments, it’s when you start to ad electronics, speakers etc, trying to balance the speakers and put them in an ideal place, I prefer to mic-up the whole lot acoustically, including amps, rather than DI.