Micing a Leslie?

[YOUR KONG]

Anyone have any experience with recording a Leslie rotating speaker?

I have a Leslie 21H that I used to gig with that really should be dusted off and utilized. I need one of them special pre-amps that takes a 1/4" in and converts it to the Leslie's 9-pin connector, and I also need a new stop/start switch since my (@$*& ex-bandmates stole mine.

Initially I'll be recording it "braked," ie not spinning, so I don't need to get the full sound - so I could make do with one or two mics for now.

Once I get the motor going, I've heard I'll need 4 mics to get the full sound ("full sound" as opposed to the "just point a mic at it so it sounds like a 100-lb tremelo pedal").

Has anyone done this? What mics did you use and where did you place them?

Thanks!

[Rodgre]

My typical leslie micing techniques are either to use two dynamics like SM57 on the top rotor, spaced as close to the far edges of the front as possible.

Then I will put a LDC in the middle of the bottom rotor, usually with windscreens on everything.

Sometimes, I record it in mono, and in that case, I will use omni mics, like EV635As on top, or else omni condensers (again...Stapes)

Even in stereo, a tight dynamic like 57 is a little too specific sounding, and it doesn't really sound like a "leslie in a room" so I will again use omni mics.

If I have the room for it, I will close mic everything, but put room mics up to try to get it to sound as close to what it sounds like in the room as I can.

Roger

[bigtoe]

hey- i've recorded a couple - bottom used a D12 / top used a 414 in cardioid...both close mic'd - cuz the cord from the organ to the leslie was too short so we were getting drawbar noise...another one i miced the room with a 4051, i think. for sure mono with a small diaphragm...just saw one miced with a CAD VSM tube mic...

i wonder what the 4 mic thing is all about? the 2 mic/ panned stereo is pretty full/wide depending on where you pan em...love to hear about 4 mics tho...

later...
Mike

edit- R: "I will close mic everything, but put room mics up to try to get it to sound as close to what it sounds like in the room as I can."
and that's probably the 4 right there...

[Electricide]

my experience..mic'd the top much like Roger said, two mics pointing through the vents on the top sides, opposite each other. I preferred something like a km 184 to give it some bite. You should be able to use a LDC on the bass speaker, as the stereo image from the bottom isn't very good. I found that micing the open back gets you more motor and fricition noise, so it's a bit dirtier if you like. Micing the bottom through the wood is a little beefier.
You can buss these to two tracks, with the bass mic going to both, for a good stereo track.

[penrithmatt]

couple of different ideas......
1.pair of dynamics on the horns,421's,58'2,something like that.i find condensors get "too windy".you wanna kinda angle them in towards the horn,so one at each side of the opening,pointing inwards.you can put some other dynamic,like a d12 or re20 on the drum,although i rarely do this,as most often the organ is more of a pad instrument and doesn't need to be so big.you just have the horn giving a bit of movement and not taking up too much space.
2.dummy head,looking into the horn.really three dimensional.
3.one mic on the horn one on the drum.pan left and right.kinda wierd sounding,not really one for the purists,but can sound pretty cool nonthe less.

remember to watch you phase....also,micing from a distance usually ends up being more mono,or dual mono,than big stereo...

[joel hamilton]

Depends on what it is supposed to do in the track, I guess.

I usually put up either one mic, or three mics.

I like the Center to be consistent, not the sea sick left to right leslie sound.

I like a U87 back about a foot and a half(ish) and then some cardioid things on the top, on either side, right at the slots, with windscreens.

I like the sound of the hammond/leslie on Meters records. So tough.

Oh, and on mountain records as well. deep purple....

[cgarges]

I usually like 414s or AT4050s on either side of the top speaker vents, usually through a good tube mic pre if one's around. Sometimes that's enough, but if I need more bottom, I'll put somthing on the vent of the bottom speaker. I love a FET47 for this, but the Shure Beta 52 and Sennheiser 421 work great, too. Sometimes a pair of U47s (tube) up tops sound really nice for a more "vintage" type of tone.

I used to work at a studio that has a 50'x65' room with 30' ceilings and the most gorgeous-sounding C3 I've ever heard. It's the same one that James Brown used to cut a few things. ("Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" was recorded in that room, but it didn't have any organ on it if I remember correctly.) They have not one but TWO Leslie cabinets for it. If you can ever afford the luxury of recording two Leslie speakers in a big room, you've got to try it. I used two U47s (one on each cabinet) with a gobo in between the Leslies.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[The Gibbon]

Out of curiosity, has anyone seen the shareware called "AIPL Spin Cycle"?....It's a chumpy Leslie modeler that simulates micing a Leslie....I know it's kind of lame but I don't have a Leslie and it's an interesting way to play around. You can experiment with the speed of the bass and treble horns, vents, crossover, mic placement, etc....

[justinf]

I usually use a Stapes pair on top and either a KSM32, 4033, or D112 on the bottom.

[B3122]

To try and get the REAL Leslie sound I use a 2-mic tree set anywhere from a foot to three feet from the front of the Leslie. The height of the mic stand is set according to the ammount of top/bottom balance you desire.

Mics I've used (all with good results!) range from ATM 825, Shure BG 4.0's, MXL 2001P's to CAD 300's.

This seems to give the best authentic how-a-Leslie-sounds-in-the-room sound. Obviously set the Leslie in whatever spot works accoustically for you. My 122 sits in the left back corner of my studio about 4 inches from the walls.

The ammount of modulation created by the Leslie varies according to the mic's distance from the Leslie. Too close equals too much equals too irritating.

Hope this helps.

[joel hamilton]

We have a Hammond/leslie setup in the studio, and I have been using a pair of stapes with a FET47 lately and it kicks ass.

UA 2-610 for the stapes/ Vintech 1272 for the FET47.

Ass kicking Hammond.

As far as getting leslie type sounds without a leslie:

Put a cheap wireless mic on a record player in front of a small guitar amp. awesome.

Some of my favorite "leslie" sounds I have put to tape...

[sticko]

It depends on what kind of sounds you're going for, but I always mic a Leslie with 1(one) SM57 on the top rotor, and nothing else. That's basically the classic Stax sound.

[scarygroover]

sticko,

I agree sometimes. I used to get the left right thing down with the 3 mic method but sometimes for some songs, 1 single mic works best for an in your face mono track.