Field Record setup Suggestions Please

[dickhauser]

Fun project for me to deal with. I'm to record a group (8 - 10) chanting. They sit around a 9x12 rug in a remodeled garage (not a bad room, actually). One person takes lead chanting (singing) and plays a very simple open tuning rhythm guitar. One person (sitting at the other end of the room) plays a tar (hand drum) very softly. The others chant. I'm using a Fostex VM200 mixer into a VR800 recorder - I have eight possible inputs. I'm thinking of putting two mics on the lead (one at voice and the other on the guitar) placed to minimize bleeding and one mic at the drummer. I also guess I'll try two room mics, but expect that I'll get a lot of comb filter effect. How would you folks suggest I try the micing? Oh, and then I'll fly it into DP for mixing and production.

[shankyboy]

My suggestion would be a stereo or a pair of condenser mics rather than attempting to mic everything. For the type of performance you are talking about, recording the event as it is heard through your ears is better than creating a mix from multiple tracks. That's my opinion anyway.

[zemlin]

This seems like the sort of thing that sounds best as a unit without much image.

One things I've done is record with an "MS" setup using an omni and a figure 8. I then MS-mix in just a wee bit of the figure 8 to give it some width - but not enough that it breaks the group into individuals.

[studiodog]

For these type of things I use a Crown S.A.S.S. mic.
It "hears" the same way humans do. It's freakin' amazing !

I've been on location before quite a way from the mic monitoring thru headphones when someone walked by it. I thought someone had snuck up on me. I snapped my head around and looked then realized it was the mic 100 feet away from me.
Amazing realism.

[sdemott]

I agree - use a stereo pair and only add a spot if you absolutely need it.

With a setup like the one you describe I might even go for a Decca Tree type setup - 3 omni mics in a triangle up above the group and angled down about 15 degrees. It is an amazing setup wich works somethinglike this:

The L & R omnis are about 2 meters apart (6.6 feet). Centered between them and 1 meter (3.3 feet) forward is the center omni mic. On play back they should be panned as labeled (L, R & center) with the center channel down 6dB from the others.

HTH

[Timeline]

Thats a cool idea sdemott. Chanting is a sound that really needs room & air so that will work.

If you can find one a Calrec Soundfield would also be cool and give you some control after the fact. The older ones have incredible ambient air.

Sounds like a fun project. Ya gettin paid? Need a second in the LA area? I'll throw in my Calrec for the gig...

Cheers,
Gary
TL

<small>[ January 02, 2005, 01:44 PM: Message edited by: Timeline ]</small>