Recording accordian with Apogee Duet

[starlightwalker]

Any tips? My main question is this.. I have an AT 4050 that I want to use on it but it is not a pair only one mic. Should I use that and just record in mono? Or would I be better off recording in stereo but using my other mic with it (an SM57). I also have a RHode NT1 I could pair with it for a stereo rcording.

It is a solo accordian track so that's why I thought to maybe record in stereo.

[firesine]

I've had luck recording a toy accordion with an MS pair composed of KSM 44s. I would think your rode NT1 and 4050 in MS would work well a few feet from the player. Watch out for weird crinkle noises if you get into close micing. Or maybe that's just because that accordion cost 5 dollars....

[suppositron]

I used a single LDC to record an accordian and it sounded awesome. I had it backed away about two feet to pick up some room ambience. And that way you make sure you pick up all the reeds at a pretty even level.

[Ryan Silva]

I have always preferred a single LDC from a distance.

If using a stereo technique (MS,xy) just make sure the player stays put. Like banjos the accordion resonates from multiple places, so a performer rocking back and forth will smear the stereo image quite a bit.

[sir hills]

The last accordion I recorded I used a LD tube condenser in figure 8 about 3-4' out front, slightly off to the right of the player (the keys side) & 18-24" above the actual top of the accordion. Got a nice "present" sound...the nice cedar paneled room helped too...mellowed any harsh or piercing tones. I also had a SDC...don't remember what it was...that was set up in the room for an earlier overdub that I went ahead & printed but didn't do anything for me so I stuck with the lone tube mic. Another time & in a different, less than nice sounding room I've had success with a 4033 2-3' out, a little above center...with the capsule kind of pointing at the player's chin. In both situations I really had to move the mics around a good bit to find sweet spots with the odd noises not being too distracting. Since you have 2 channels go ahead & throw a room mic out somewhere...odd corner, on the floor or in a trashcan or something as you might get something interesting

It's a tricky instrument to record...with the bellows expanding & crumpling...keys & buttons clicking, given the right song those things can be really cool. Makes you look over your shoulder like someone is creeping up on you.

[mscottweber]

Assuming the room is decent sounding, having the mic a few feet away from the player is probably a good starting point. Any parts played by the left hand will actually come out of the bellows (which is constantly moving), and any parts played by the right hand come out of the keyboard (at least, when I play my accordion and listen, this is how it sounds to me), so close miking can be a bit tricky. If the player is only playing parts on the keyboard, than you could mic the keyboard side, but things get a little more complicated if the left hand is involved.