Equipment List for recording an Orchestra

by **bragimike** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:23 am

Over the last few months I've asked a number of questions regarding recording my Wind Orchestra. I have now received the go ahead to purchase a recording set up, as hiring the equipment was expensive when you take into account that we would like the option to record more requently. We would like the option to record XY or ORTF.

With my limited knowledge of the options and the budget that has been agreed, I came up with the folowing equiment list:

ZoomF4
Matched Pair Mics Audio Line CM4s
Konig & Meyer Mic Stand + Stereo Bar
XLR Cables
SD Cards x 2

Does this seem like a sensible equipment list? Have I missed anything? I was considering Rode NT5s as an alternative to the CM4s.

I'm based in Nottingham and I'm looking for the best company to purchase the equipment off too if anyone has any views.

The replies to my previous posts and been extremely helpful, so thanks in advance for any assistance.

by **Bob Bickerton** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:40 am

You just about have it covered, but you’ll also need a good set of headphones for monitoring. The microphone stand needs to be of the tall variety.

Then you also need to consider what you do with the audio once it is tracked, so you’ll need probably need a DAW for editing, so that’s a computer and interface as well as monitoring too.

I’d go with the CM4s over NT5s and would consider a future upgrade to be to add an Omni pair.

Bob

by **Aural Reject** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:44 am

I've used Pink Noise Systems for my Line Audio purchases....I've not had anything outside of the mics off them though....but always been very good.

by **John Willett** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 2:16 pm

Aural Reject wrote:I've used Pink Noise Systems for my Line Audio purchases....I've not had anything outside of the mics off them though....but always been very good.

:thumbup: Pink Noise are good.

by **bragimike** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 3:03 pm

Sorry, I should have mentioned: I already have a suitable DAW and headphones, so they're taken care of.

by **Aural Reject** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 3:09 pm

While I remember, I use Rycote Invision shockmounts with my CM3s rather than the clips they come with...also from Pink Noise.

by **Aural Reject** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 3:09 pm

Ooh. My first ever double post! How exciting.

by **MOF** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 4:05 pm

What are you going to use the recordings for, will you be re-recording any sections for editing in later?
If so then probably a separate recorder for playback to the conductor on headphones to get the timing right.
If that’s the case then it might be worth using a watch to record the time of each section on the score during rehearsals and then a notepad to note the start time of each recording so you can go to the relevant section for listening/playback.

by **MOF** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 4:18 pm

A separate thought to convey to the performers, they must remain absolutely still after the final note to allow you to get the whole reverb tail and some room atmos’. Nothing worse than an abrupt fade out. :D

by **Hugh Robjohns** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:24 pm

If this is for recording public performances, I'd recommend the K&M 26009 round base, along with the 26007 pole which is listed at the bottom of this page:

https://www.k-m.de/en/products/mic-stan ... 0-56?c=179

It minimises any obstruction of sight lines and can be disassembled easily to pack away in a small space.

H

by **MOF** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:59 pm

If so then probably a separate recorder for playback to the conductor on headphones to get the timing right.

It doesn’t have to be a good quality recorder, an iphone will do, good enough to provide a timing reference.

by **forumuser840717** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:18 pm

MOF wrote:
If so then probably a separate recorder for playback to the conductor on headphones to get the timing right.
It doesn’t have to be a good quality recorder, an iphone will do, good enough to provide a timing reference.

Or one could suggest that the conductor get a metronome! Or you could get one and play it down the talkback to him.

Though any conductor worthy of the name should be able to maintain a consistent enough tempo from take to take. Those who know they can be a bit wayward often carry a metronome of their own anyway. A separate playback device really shouldn't be necessary.

by **MOF** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:33 pm

Or one could suggest that the conductor get a metronome! Or you could get one and play it down the talkback to him.

I think the budget is fairly tight, I don’t think there will be any talkback system.
I suggested an iphone (other brands are available) as they are readily available and yes you could download a metronome app’.

by **Arpangel** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:46 am

Sounds like a decent list, but things don't always go as planned, spot mic's may be needed, and with the best intentions a stereo,pair doesn't always do the job, no matter how hard we try. So I would budget for a couple of extra mic's, in the future.
A talk-back needn't be expensive, a roll of cheap cable, and the cheapest of mic's, plugged into a spare mixer channel, the smallest Behringer will do, all you need then is a crappy active speaker. You can cobble this lot together for very little money.

by **MOF** » Thu Dec 05, 2019 6:56 pm

Hi bragimike, I was just wondering how things went with equipment purchases and recording?

SOUND ON SOUND

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Equipment List for recording an Orchestra