Miking A Flute for Live Performance

[brasspig]

Here's the deal. Live flute solo. What mics do you recommend and what placement. I want something that's gonna give the performer some freedom and won't look too "busy" on stage?

What do you think?
Thanks for your help!

[giles117]

Go wireless and use a Beta 98 (if freedom to move all around the stage is your goal) otherwise i like the SM81 for flute off axis a little bit. Keeps it clear, but mellow

[brasspig]

Thanks!

Where should the mic be placed on the flute. Over the mouthpiece or around the keys somewhere?

[sdemott]

is this a solo flute performance? Flute & piano? What style? Classical?

If this is a classical recording, the best choice is a stereo pair of high quality condensers (I prefer ORTF, but XY, AB & MS work well also). Place them just behind the conductor (or where he would stand if there is no conductor).

[brasspig]

This is a performance with accompaniment track I created for the talent portion of a beauty pageant. I'm not the one doing the live sound. I just wanted to know your opinion so that I can pass it along to the performer to request.

So. . . probably nothing really 'fancy.' Just something fairly simple that the sound reinforcement company should have on hand. Remember this is not for recording, but just amplification of the flute. And . . . . placement on the flute??? Mouthpiece. . . . keys???

Thanks!

[giles117]

Sorry, when I siad off axis I should have been clearer.

Instead of facing the flutist mouth dead one, angle it about 45 degrees off axis of his/her mouth with the body of the micgoing in the opposite direction of the of the keys. (That way the cpsule is getting a near direct sound and picking up some warmth off the key holes.) You could go for more key hole sound but then you;d get a little less breath. it's all personal taste Experimnet a little, but an SM81 will sound gerat for yah.

Of course the previous poster ws talking about miking a flute section in an orchestra or the like, not a roving flutist.

[Hiro]

I am a professional flutist, and I know what I like

Personally, I don't like dynamic mic sound on my flute. I like mini Omni such as DPA above mouthpiece. I carry my own which is SD System. If drums is on the stage, the mic needs to be very close to the mouthpiece, and EQ to kill some strong breath noise might be needed.

Flute sounds at mouthpiece, not from the tone holes, and the sound travels 45 degree up depending on the type of flute. If the flute is gold, this is more true than silver one. It doesn't look that good since mic is going to cover the performer's eye line.

[Ricky Ricardo]

Saw this old post and found it useful. Another question. Sounds like 3 to 4 " above the mouthpiece, straight on? What is optimal distance and angle if any ? I am seeking advice for mikng in sound isolation in studio. There is a fair amount of dynamic range so I tend to add a little compression on the way in. This of course raises the noise floor. Seeking advice

[frenchfries]

Originally posted by Ricky Ricardo:
Saw this old post and found it useful. Another question. Sounds like 3 to 4 " above the mouthpiece, straight on? What is optimal distance and angle if any ? I am seeking advice for mikng in sound isolation in studio. There is a fair amount of dynamic range so I tend to add a little compression on the way in. This of course raises the noise floor. Seeking advice

[frenchfries]

Sorry 'bout that blank post preceding this -- newbie; Derr!

I record a fair amount of my own flute playing in my studio and use lots of different mics (AKG 4050, Beyer M500, Shure SM58 -- pretty much anything I'd also use on a voice). My best results lately have been with a Shure KSM109 cardiod condenser mic behind a pop filter, angled 45 degrees and pointing down at the tone hole, 3 to five inches away. I'm compressing between 2:1 and 4:1. Try using the pad if selectable on your mic to adjust for tone before doing any EQ.

Here's the way a flute makes sound: The player blows across the tone hole, directing air toward the back wall of the hole. This causes a pressure change inside the flute and both air and tone escape from the mouthpiece and the first open hole on the body (or end of the flute if all keys are down) simultaneously. Your best close-miking location is to grab that air bouncing out of the tone hole, because it's strongest and most consistent there and you're also able to capture articulations and breath changes from the player's mouth, which add humanity and warmth, and we could all use more of that.

If you want more breath in the sound or more articulation (a la Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, who grunts, sings along, over-articulates for percussive effect, etc.), point the mic more directly at the player's mouth, as opposed to off-axis as described above.

Key-clicks will sound with an omni mic (the preference of an earlier poster) that close so I prefer a more closed pickup pattern just to get the tone bouncing out of the tone hole and mouth alone. Just my preference, though. Key clicks and the sound of the room obviously come from an omni setup as well and that's sometimes what you want! Obviously, both the acoustic environment and microphone placement strongly affect the sound obtained from miking a source. You may need to experiment with microphone placement and room treatments to achieve the best overall sound for each application. Experiment! It's only music.