Omni Recommendations For String Band

[BenjaminWells]

I'll be recording a six piece string band and I would like to use an omni to do so. The band vibes well playing in a circle facing each other, standing up. Two guitars, double bass, fiddle, banjo, harmonica (honorary string instrument). Please mention mics you feel would work well for this.

As an alternative to purchasing an omni, I have a TLM 103, two 57s and a 58. Could you recommend placements or a technique using these mics that would suffice?

Many thanks friends... Ben.

[firesine]

AT 4050. Great mic all around, you really can't go wrong.

Even with an omni, I would still spot mic the stand up bass. So, instead of buying an new mic, you could use the TLM to capture 2/3 of the band and then spot mic whatever isn't coming through.

[BenjaminWells]

Thank you! Funny. I played a gig here in Breckenridge at the River Walk Center and a guy by the name of Mark Jeffrey did the sound. The mic in front of me was the AT 4050. If anyone out there has a used AT 4050 they'd like to move, let me know in the next two weeks or so.

[Sean Sullivan]

Have you considered renting? I'm not sure where you are located, but here in Nashville there are a lot of places you can rent a wide variety of microphones on the cheap.

[BenjaminWells]

Renting = good suggestion. Breckenridge is no audio hub but I might be able to rent from a place in Denver. Mark Jeffery gave me a price on a new 4050: $638. It's about equal to buying online + shipping, so if I buy one new I think I'll support the local guy. I might even be able to rent his to audition it or do the session. However, I've been putting together this little one room tracking, mixing space above my garage... so I'll need some gear. The 4050 is pretty versatile with switchable omni, 8, cart. And, it fit my own voice very well in that live hall. Reviews are good too.

Oh, I can spot or DI the bass in addition to the omni... thanks for the great ideas.

[Nick Sevilla]

I'll be recording a six piece string band and I would like to use an omni to do so. The band vibes well playing in a circle facing each other, standing up. Two guitars, double bass, fiddle, banjo, harmonica (honorary string instrument). Please mention mics you feel would work well for this.

As an alternative to purchasing an omni, I have a TLM 103, two 57s and a 58. Could you recommend placements or a technique using these mics that would suffice?

Many thanks friends... Ben.

Hi,

Put the mic in the center of the room at approximate head height (average all people's heights when they're playing for this), and make the musician rehearse a lot in that very room, recording everything. As you're listening to each take, "mix" by moving players closer / further from the microphone.

It's important you find the placement for when they are all playing together a rhythm. Once you find this good balance, as each player does a solo, all they have to do is literally step up to the mic. If they are sitting, they can just stand up, that will be enough to get them closer to the mic, plus their higher intensity of playing their solo will get the levels right.

My choice would be a Neumann U47. If you can rent one, do so. Otherwise, try to either rent or buy a TUBE LDC (Large Diaphragm Condenser) and using it's omni pattern.

Also, consider using a Limiter after the mic, that only kicks in at extreme levels, in order that you do not distort your recorder's inputs. 1-3 dB of peak limiting will help gel the mix.

Cheers

[BenjaminWells]

This is great info. I was only recently introduced to the concept of optimum musician placement in a room, before mic placement. It makes perfect sense to me. This band is good at mixing themselves. Should be fun relying less on faders than players movements.

[jgimbel]

As you're listening to each take, "mix" by moving players closer / further from the microphone.

It's important you find the placement for when they are all playing together a rhythm. Once you find this good balance, as each player does a solo, all they have to do is literally step up to the mic. If they are sitting, they can just stand up, that will be enough to get them closer to the mic, plus their higher intensity of playing their solo will get the levels right.

I read about this not all that long ago (maybe a year? maybe less?) either on here or in an article online (which I believe I found from a link on here). There was a band who recorded an album this way, anyone remember what it was? I want to say it was an irish band but I'm not sure. I know this technique's used for certain genres often but this article was the first time it caught my attention. I wish I could do it with the one-man band thing!

[ott0bot]

Great advice so far. Having the band practice in this way is pretty crucial. Since you can't adjust their volume during the mix, they have to be pretty spot on during performances. I helped record a 3 piece folk/bluegrass band with a stand up bass, a banjo, and a guitar or mandolin recently. They played in a round an we had an omni mic, but we also put individual mics in proximity of each instrument to adjust levels if needed. We relied on the omni for the bulk of the sound, but added in the other mics if needed in the mix. You may wan't to have a few other mics on hand, just in case.

We used an AKG c414 xl-II for the omni, and oktava mc012's for the guitar and mandolin, and a pair of studio project c4's for the bass all set in cardioid.

The AT4050 would work quite well, but sometimes i find that it doesn't accentuate the highs in a flattering way on stringed instruments. For your set up I'm thinking this would only effect the fiddle or some of the higher guitar parts. For the most part though, it's a great choice and very versitle on other sources as well.

If obtaining a U47 is out of your budget might I suggest a M-Audio Sputnik. Great tube LDC for the price. You might check out the Avantone CV-12 as well. I've heard great things about them, and they are fairly affordable.

Sounds like fun, so good luck.

[Corey Y]

SE Bova Ball. I haven't used it for that particular application, but I've been very happy with mine in a lot of different room mic applications.

[Jitters]

An electro voice 635a might be a good choice, especialy if you want to impart some extra old timey characteristics to this string band. And at under $100 used on Ebay it won't break the bank.

[BenjaminWells]

Great info and suggestions. Thanks everyone!

[drumsound]

Get the 4050 it is one useful microphone. I'd say I use them somewhere on about 85% of the records I make. Chris Garges and I were just talking monday about how more up and coming types should really have a multi pattern mic or 6...

[firesine]

Experimenting with omni and figure of eight patters is so much more fun than using cardioid mics on everything.

[logey]

As you're listening to each take, "mix" by moving players closer / further from the microphone.

It's important you find the placement for when they are all playing together a rhythm. Once you find this good balance, as each player does a solo, all they have to do is literally step up to the mic. If they are sitting, they can just stand up, that will be enough to get them closer to the mic, plus their higher intensity of playing their solo will get the levels right.

I read about this not all that long ago (maybe a year? maybe less?) either on here or in an article online (which I believe I found from a link on here). There was a band who recorded an album this way, anyone remember what it was? I want to say it was an irish band but I'm not sure. I know this technique's used for certain genres often but this article was the first time it caught my attention. I wish I could do it with the one-man band thing!

I realize this thread is a little old, but I see no one answered your question: I'm pretty sure the album you're referring to is the Cowboy Junkies "Trinity Session". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trinity_Session
The recording technique for this record is documented in more detail elsewhere I believe. It was an ambisonic mic that was used, but I would imagine you could do something similar with any stereo mic/array.