MICROPHONE TECHNIQUES FOR ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS

by

Frederick L. Johnson, Jr.

B.S., University of Colorado at Denver, 1984

A thesis submitted to the

University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center

in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Science

Recording Arts

2007
© 2007 by Frederick L. Johnson, Jr.

All rights reserved

This thesis for the Master of Science

degree by

Frederick L. Johnson, Jr.

has been approved

by

Date
Johnson, Jr., Frederick L. (M.S., Recording Arts)

Microphone Techniques for Acoustic Instruments

Thesis directed by Assistant Professor Leslie Gaston

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this project is to provide a resource to the beginning recording

student, the seasoned professional, the performer or the educator who has been

confronted with the need to create an audition tape for an instrumentalist. While

there are many detailed sources for information on acoustics, recording equipment

and instrument design, there are very few places to go that discuss the actual

"sound" of the instrument This text and DVD combination is presented to give a

single place to find the basic knowledge of the sciences behind sound recording

and to hear examples of different types of microphones placed in different

locations around the performer. With these tools, the recordist can make

assessments as to what type of equipment and placement they should use in order

to achieve the results they need in their recording. It is not meant to be an absolute

listing and no judgment is made as to a selection being "good" or "bad", rather the

audio samples and their descriptions given in the text are made to be a beginning
those who have never had the luxury of time to explore these possibilities for

themselves. The examples here are given as a starting point to help find that

"magic spot" that captures the quality, musical expression that we all strive for.

This abstract accurately represents the content of the candidate's thesis. I

recommend its publication.

Signed _

Leslie Gaston
 DEDICATION

I dedicate this thesis to my wife, Debbie, who not only inspired me to go back to
school, but also encouraged and supported me, even when it meant taking time
away from her. I also dedicate this to all of the sound engineers out there who
must fmd a way to work in a new room, with an instrument they have never
heard, and yet must make it sound right the first time.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to thank the members of my committee for their time, effort and support of
this project. I also thank all of my colleagues, who encouraged me and confirmed
that there was a need for this type of compilation. Thanks to all of the people who
prayed me through the last two years and were able to see something in me worth
supporting.

Appreciation is also due to those people who helped logistically with this project,
especially those at the University of Colorado at Boulder, College of Music.
Thanks to Myra Jackson, Ronald Mueller and William Gustafson for arranging
my use of the space. Thank: you to the CU faculty that performed: Andras F ejer,
Tom Myer, William Stanley and Michael Thornton. Thanks also to those faculty
that recommended students to play: James Brody, Michael Dunn, Erika Eckert,
Paul Erhard, Yoshiyuki Ishikawa, Christina Jennings, Oswald Lehnert, Terry
Sawchuk and Daniel Silver. And thank you to the performers: Jacob Beeman,
George Downing, Grant Larson, George Meskimen, Aaron Miller, Rebecca
Mindock, Michael Musick, Ismael Reyes, Kim Teachout and Jenny Wu.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Figures ................................................................................ x

Tables ............................................................................... xii

CHAPTER

1. RECORDING ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS ......... .............. . 1

Challenges for The Beginner ............................................. l

The Purpose of This Project ....... ..................................... .4

The Methodology Involved ........ .. .................................... 6

2. BASIC ACOUSTICS ........................................................ 10

How Sound Is Created ................................................... 10

How Sound Travels .... .. ................................................. 11

How Sound Is Perceived ................................................ 13

3. HOW INSTRUMENTS CREATE THEIR SOUND ..................... 14

The String Family ................................ ........................ 14

The Woodwind Family .................................................. 16

The Brass Family ......................................................... 17

4. TIIE AUDIO SAMPLES .............................. .. .................... 18

Observations On The String Samples ................................. 20

Vlll
 Observations On The Woodwind Samples ........................... 28

Observations On The Brass Samples ................................. .38

5. CONCLUSION ....................................... ....... ........... .... .. 46

APPENDIX .................................................................................. 47

GLOSSARy ................................................................................ 50

BIDLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................... 51

ix
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

1.1 ELECTRO-VOICE ND308 MICROPHONE .. ... ...... . ....... ... ........ ..... 7

1.2 AKG C460B MICROPHONE .................................................... 8

1.3 AKG C414B-ULS MICROPHONE ........ .............. ........................ 8

2.1 ENERGY TRANSFER... ... .......... ..... .. ....... ....................... ...... 12

3.1 PARTS OF A VIOLIN ........................................................... 15

4.1 VIOLIN CLOSE MICS ..... ... .. ...... ...... ..................................... 20

4.2 VIOLIN DISTANT MICS .... .......... .... .... .... .. .... ..... .. .................20

4.3 VIOLA CLOSE MICS ............................................................ 22

4.4 VIOLA DISTANT MICS ......................................................... 22

4.5 CELLO CLOSE MICS ... .. .................... ........ .................... .... .. 24

4.6 CELLO DISTANT MICS ................................................. ........ 24

4.7 BASS CLOSE MICS .................... . .............. ... .. .. .................... 26

4.8 BASS DISTANT MICS ... ... ... ... ..... ....... ........... ... ..... .... ..... .......26

4.9 FLUTE CLOSE MICS ............................................................ 28

x
4.10 FLUTE DISTANT MICS ......................................................... 28

4.11 OBOE CLOSE MICS ............................................................. .30

4.12 OBOE DISTANT MICS ................................................... ...... .30

4.13 CLARINET CLOSE MICS ...................................................... 32

4.14 CLARINET DISTANT MICS .............. .................................... .32

4.15 SAXOPHONE CLOSE MICS .................................................. .34

4.16 SAXOPHONE DISTANT MICS ............................................... .34

4.17 BASSOON CLOSE MICS ................. ..................................... .36

4.18 BASSOON DISTANT MICS ............................................... ..... 36

4.19 TRUMPET CLOSE MICS ................. ..................................... .38

4.20 TRUMPET DISTANT MICS ............................. ...................... .38

4.21 HORN CLOSE MICS ........................ .................................... .40

4.22 HORN DISTANT MICS .... ..................................................... .40

4.23 TROMBONE CLOSE MICS ............................................... . .... .42

4.24 TROMBONE DISTANT MICS ...... : ......................................... .42

4.25 TUBA CLOSE MICS ......................................... .................... 44

4.26 TUBA DISTANT MICS .......................................................... 44

Xl
 LIST OF TABLES

Table

A.I Microphone observations for strings .......................... .. ............... .47

A.2 Microphone observations for woodwinds ..................................... .48

A.3 Microphone observations for brass ............................................. .49

xii
 CHAPTER ONE

RECORDING ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS

Challenges for The Beginner

In the field of audio recording there are many areas of study that allow for

specialized material. A person could spend a lifetime researching the response

characteristics of different types of tubes versus a solid-state device. You could go

into great depth comparing the effects of different compression codecs on a digital

data stream. You might spend numerous hours intent on discovering ways to

reproduce the auditory events we encounter every day for an artificial

environment. The ways that sound is generated, captured and perceived are

indeed part of our collective experience, and those special sounds we identify as

musical generally will demand our particular attention, care and interest. It is in

the area of music that the person that has chosen to become a recording engineer

will fmd perhaps the greatest challenge. In this arena, especially in Western

music, we have centuries of performances that have been cataloged, inspected,

analyzed and put before mankind. When the recordist approaches this body of

material, they immediately open themselves up to the approval or criticism of the

rest of the populace, because we know what we like, we have a perception of how

we expect it to sound and we will compare the recorded work to our own standard

in order to judge the success or failure of the attempted recording.

Pity, then, the poor beginning recording student, who must make their fIrst

journeys into this realm where their every project will be inspected not only for its

commercial appeal and viability (if they are fortunate) but also for its artistic

value and its representation of the accepted models that we have developed. They

may be able to argue that their interpretation is a new, vital and experimental step

into a new consciousness, but in reality they will be held to perceptions of

technical achievement, professional standards and common acceptability. In the

course of their education, they may have great exposure to music performed by

their fellow students, with many opportunities to work with electronic instruments

that require only a cable to output a certain sound, level and timbre that is

repeatable and measurable. Often there are fewer opportunities to work with

acoustic orchestral instruments, and even less chances to record with

professionals. In these instances, the student is prompted to go on a listening

campaign to train their ears as to what is that good and perfect sound for the

instruments they will be working with.

In this regard, the literature and resources available are often confusing.

There are many sources for training in acoustics, but the real learning happens

2
when they stand in a room that has multiple reflections and long reverberation

times. You can find deep, intellectual journal articles on the wind turbulences .

created in a trumpet mouthpiece, but the student needs to stand before a player

and use their ear to judge the resulting sounds. When told to look for recordings to

compare a particular instrument's interpretations by different performers, they

may get caught up in looking for that one definitive standard, when in reality this

entire operation is highly subjective! To be a recordist requires the experiencing

of many different types of sound, so it is understandable that when they are

pointed toward a resource that is "the standard" they would be excited to

document how that recording was made. They will look for all available notes on

the type and placement of the mics, the size of the room, the media it was

recorded to and the processing involved. They will then attempt to copy this as

their own "unique" style. But in reality, that perfect clarinet recording may be the

result of a professional engineer using exotic microphones, of which they own

two of the six in existence. The consoles and studios used are generally far

beyond what the student can afford to work with, and the recording itself may be

the product of many, many takes and more the result of a skilled editor than that

of a particularly masterful recording engineer. So then the student is left, once

again, with a manufactured standard that may be beyond their reach, and the

encouragement to go and develop their craft through experimentation and

3
apprenticeship, while still being judged by the same standards as the established

professional. It is this process which, in some small part, allows for the

controlling of the population of recording engineers, by sending those who are

more faint of heart and feeble of fortitude off to find other careers!

The Purpose of This Project

In an effort to expand the available literature for those hardy souls who

would continue on in the Music Recording field, I offer this project. Let me start

by stating what the project is NOT. It is not the be-all, end-all, absolute only way

to record any instrument listed here; to claim to be such would immediately invite

ridicule, alternatives and would jeopardize my own career. Neither is it meant to

be exhaustive in providing every possible instrument used in an orchestra, though

it does offer some extra examples, such as samples ofB-flat and E-flat clarinet, or

C and F tuba What this project does give is a starting point, a way for the person

who does not have a great deal of experience or exposure to these instruments to

decide for themselves how to go about choosing a microphone and where to place

it for their own particular recording. It is a gathering of samples of trained

musicians in a single, controlled environment, where they offer some standard

examples of their repertoire. These have been captured by several easily

4
obtainable microphones, in a variety of placements, and recorded on equipment

that is well within the budgetary reach of a student, a high school teacher or a

cash-strapped studio operator drafted by the local chamber orchestra. This

material will also be helpful to the performer, as it will give them some ideas on

the type of sounds that come from their instrument. They will then be able to

make judgments on their sound, improve recordings they may make of themselves

and assist in providing information to someone who is recording them. Many

performers spend a large portion of their lives learning how to present their craft,

practicing and studying how to play their very best. It would surely be an asset to

them to be able to listen and analyze their instrument from a microphone' s point

of view, since any performance they offer to the public will probably go through

the recording chain.

It is my hope that being able to compare and study the same phrase

through different signal streams will allow a person to make some choices that

will fit with the recording they are about to do, and to then give them the basis to

experiment with finding the exact combination of space, equipment and technique

that will work best with their project, while shortening the amount of time

necessary for "trial-and-error".

5
 The Methodology Involved

For the purposes ofthis project, I have tried to isolate the sound of each

instrument and to make it independent from the room or environment that may

color its sound. Most string instruments, for example, not only count on the

resonances of the body amplifying the vibrations of the strings, but they also use

the reflections and other acoustical characteristics of the room to complement

their sound. Woodwind and brass players are generally more comfortable having

the microphones placed at some distance from them, in order to not emphasize the

mechanical sounds that are inherent to the instrument. But in order for the

recording engineer to be accurate in their assessment of how their equipment will

respond to the sound being produced, it is important for them to have as a starting

point the actual noises and nuances of the instrument being recorded. I recorded

these performers in the Music Theatre of the Imig Music Building on the campus

of the University of Colorado at Boulder. I found that the treated floor and the

heavy curtains and legs on the stage, along with the higher ceiling, tended to

reduce the effect of the room and leave the sound of the performer a bit exposed.

I felt that it was important to use equipment that is readily available for a

limited budget, yet of a quality that will not cause the recorded result to suffer.

The equipment chosen was not the least expensive on the market, but is

6
comparable to what can be found in many outlets and will provide an acceptable

level of performance. For microphones, I chose some common examples of both

dynamic and condenser types. The dynamic mics are a pair of Electro-Voice

ND308s, early offerings in this product line but still considered workhorses. l

They have a polar pattern that is cardioid and a fairly wide pickup area, with a

capsule that swivels. They use a "super magnet" core that produces a crisp sound

at higher frequencies while being able to handle sound pressure levels that may

border on extreme.

FIGURE 1.1. ELECTRO-VOICE ND308 MICROPHONE

1 Dermont, Dave. "Gone But Not Forgotten". Live Sound International, March,
2004.

7
I used two different pairs of condenser mics, both made by AKG and with
different sized diaphragms. The smaller pair was AKG C460-Bs, with CK 61-
ULS cardioid capsules.

FIGURE 1.2. AKG C460B MICROPHONE

The larger ones were a factory-matched pair ofC414-B ULS mics, set for

cardioid pickup.

FIGURE 1.3. AKG C414B-ULS MICROPHONE

8
By using all of the mics on a cardioid setting, it helped with the quest to keep the

sound of the instrument isolated from the room as much as possible. .

The pair ofC414s was run through a Summit Audio TPA-200B Dual Tube

Preamp. The C460s and the 308s were run to a Mackie Micro-Series VLZ-1202

mixer and all of the outputs were recorded on a Tascam DA-38 DTRS recorder.

By recording each mic onto its own channel of the DA-38, the performer could

play an example once through and have it captured by all six microphones

independently. This eliminated the problem of having the performer play

something through six times exactly the same and made the identification of the

audio samples on the DVD possible.

Each performer was asked to playa two-octave chromatic scale, an

excerpt of repertoire for their instrument in their higher register and another

excerpt showing the lower register. For some instruments additional examples

were included, such as excerpts in jazz style they might perform or sounds and

techniques called for in contemporary chamber or orchestral compositions. There

are enough examples of each instrument given to allow the listener to compare

and gain an understanding of how a particular microphone or placement are

reacting to the sound of the instrument With this information, the recordist can

make judgments on how to adjust for the project they are working on.

9
 CHAPTER TWO

BASIC ACOUSTICS

How Sound Is Created

In order to properly study the response of our microphones and their

placement with respect to.each instrument it is important to grasp some

ftmdamental basics of acoustics. Understanding how sound is created, how it

travels and how it is perceived gives us the foundation to be able to analyze and

make predictions on where to place microphones in.order to be able to capture the

desired sound. Since there are many textbooks and resources that are able to

explain these parameters in detail and the reader may already have a thorough

grasp of these topics, only a summary is presented here.

In its simplest form, a sound is caused by something vibrating. An object,

like a string, a reed or a pair of lips with air passing over them, oscillates and this

motion sets up areas of compression and rarefaction in the air molecules around it.

If the vibration pattern is periodic, that is it repeats, then it sets up variations in

10
 2
pressure above and below the nonnal pressure of the atmosphere. These

variations set up wave patterns of energy that radiate out from the source of the

vibration. If the repetitions occur between 20 and 20,000 times a second, a

measurement called Hertz (Hz), then we have a sound that is audible to humans

when the waves transmit the energy to the ear.

How Sound Travels

Most vibrating objects do not vibrate at one rate, or frequency, but are a

series of complex vibrations. If you could look closely at a plucked string in a

slow time scale, you would see a series of transverse waves traveling along its

length. As the peaks or valleys of these waves pass through the air around them

they create areas of energy that are more or less dense. The same thing happens in

a column of air captured in a tube. The vibrations cause a compressing and

reduction in the amount of molecules in an area, and the energy is passed along

the tube as the molecules "bump" into their adjacent neighbors. Picture a series of

balls connected by springs. As the first ball moves toward its neighbor, the spring

compresses and applies pressure to move the second ball. This in turn applies

pressure to the third ball and the energy is passed down the line. As the first

2Eargle, John. Sound Recording, rEd. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold
Company, 1980.

11
spring decompresses and pushes the fIrst ball out, the second ball is pulled in that

direction also, which also pulls the third ball, causing a decrease in the energy

potential of each successive spring. In this manner, the wave moves along the

plane.

c
(0) ~. '\J\I\le-'V\I\/~\/\I\/~VV\t~

C
(b) ~V\/V~W~\lV\/,,*\I\I\/~

c
(C) ~V\!\!~\I\I\t~~/\/\/~
FIGURE 2.1. ENERGY TRANSFER.
(a), (b), (c). Successive positions of a longitudinal disturbance traveling
in a one-dimensional medium. 3

While actual wave travel is much more complex than a straight-line radiation, it

helps us to understand the propagation of sound radiating from a musical

instrument. Moving a string or blowing air down a column past either a reed or

the lips of the performer starts a type of vibration. The energy wave, occurring

repeatedly every second, is passed from the instrument to the surrounding air.

3Backus, John. The Acoustical Foundations of Music. New York: W. W. Norton

and Company, Inc., 1977.

12
 How Sound Is Perceived

The energy wave that is generated is collected by the outer ear, or pinna,

and concentrated down the auditory canal towards the eardrum. This membrane

vibrates in response to the changes in pressure caused by the wave and passes

these vibrations through a series of small bones called ossicles. The chain of

bones bridges the middle ear section and connects to the inner ear structure called

the cochlea. The cochlea is made up of two long fluid-filled chambers, separated

lengthwise by the basilar membrane. Some thirty-thousand nerve endings

embedded in the basilar membrane sense the disturbances in the fluid and pass the

information to the brain,4 where the impulses are compared and interpreted by our

experiences and memories.

4 Backus, John. The Acoustical Foundations ofMusic. New York: W. W. Norton

and Company, Inc., 1977.

13
 CHAPTER THREE

HOW INSTRUMENTS CREATE THEIR SOUND

This project covers three of the families of instruments in the orchestra;

the string family, the woodwinds and the brass. Each group has its own way of

creating, shaping and transmitting their sound, but all are following the basic

principles of vibrations passed into air. It is how they accomplish this feat that

gives each one their characteristic timbre and tone.

The String Family

The string section consists of the violin, the viola, the cello and the string

bass. While varying in size and thus the frequencies that they produce, with the

larger instruments creating lower pitches, all of them are constructed in the same

manner. There is a top plate, ribs and a back plate, with two openings, called f-

holes, cut into the top plate and a bass bar glued to the top plate directly under one

foot of the bridge. Near the other foot of the bridge is a short stick called the

sound post, which connects to the top and back plates. The strings are attached to

14
the tailpiece, pass over the bridge, along the fmgerboard and over the nut, and are

attached to the sound pegs.

FIGURE 3.1. PARTS OF A VIOUN 5

The vibrations of the strings, whether plucked or bowed, are passed by the

bridge to the top plate, and from there to the rest of the body. The instrument' s

construction allows for resonances or dampening to occur, which detennines how

much of the vibration will be transmitted. In fact, the entire body of the

5 Rossing, Thomas D., F. Richard Moore and Paul A. Wheeler. The Science Of
Sound. San Francisco: Addison Wesley, 2002.

15
instrument vibrates and moves to varying degrees. This creates changes in the air

pressure in the body and these changes are transmitted out of the f-holes, setting

up a longitudinal wave.

The Woodwind Family

This group of instruments includes the flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone and

bassoon and while they are considered one family, they generate their sound in

different ways. The flute is played by blowing a stream of air across a hole at one

end of a closed tube. The clarinet and saxophone create vibrations by moving air

past a wooden reed attached to a mouthpiece. The oboe and bassoon use a double-

reed configuration. All of them set up pressure differences in a column of air that

is lengthened or shortened with a series of keys. The size of the bore and the

length of the air column determine the pitch that is being played, and using a

series of side holes or keys modifies this length. The sound is generally dispersed

in an omni-directional pattern, with the exception of the lowest note of the

instrument. This note, played with all keys closed to make the air column its

maximum length, is projected out the end of the instrument, a fact that can create

havoc for the inexperienced recording engineer who happened to place their

microphone at that spot!

16
 The Brass Family

The brass section is made up of the trumpet, French hom, trombone,

euphonium and tuba. The performer creates vibrations by passing air through his

lips, which are held at tension to make a "buzzing" sound. These instruments

make use of a cupped mouthpiece to direct the air pressure changes into a conical

tube, which ends with a flared bell. Its length sets up a series of modes, that is

notes in a harmonic series that can be sounded by changing the vibrational rate of

the lips. The flared end helps to make use of the higher modes without extending

the length of the tube to an unmanageable distance. Further pitch changes to other

modes are achieved by changing the overall length of the tube, either with a slide

in the case of the trombone, or by a series of valves which route the air stream

through additional sections of pipe. Because the air column is directed down the

tube with no use of side holes, like the woodwinds use, the sound propagation is

quite directional.

17
 CHAPTER FOUR

THE AUDIO SAMPLES

The text of this project has been primarily for the purpose of establishing

the groundwork for the audio samples prepared on the accompanying DVDs.

While a summary of principles and directions to more complete research in the

areas of acoustics or instrument design is beneficial to a beginning student, it is

the samples that will be most useful to the established recordist or to a performer.

These are the tools that allow for comparison and analysis.

The DVDs are grouped into the three major families that have been

discussed; that is the string, woodwind and brass instruments. In each group, the

user can select the instrument they wish to listen to and will then be presented

with a menu of microphone and location choices. Each pair of microphones was

split, with one being placed in a close location to the instrument and the other

moved away to a distance of twelve feet and a height of six feet. While the close

positions varied from instrument to instrument, the distant mics were kept in the

same location.

18
 When a microphone and location are selected, you will be shown an image

of the mic you are listening to and its placement. You may then choose a sample

to listen to, either the chromatic scale or one of the excerpts. Navigating within

the menus allows you to compare the same selection on different types of

microphones or at different locations or both, though not all of the combinations

are on the DVDs. To help in your analysis, the following sections list some

observations about the samples for each instrument, and tables are provided in the

Appendix to use as quick references while listening. In addition, I have included

descriptions of microphone placements that are more common and do not appear

on the DVDs. The descriptions are not exhaustive, but do give a general comment

on the type of sound captured by the microphone at that location. These can be a

starting point to your own conclusions.

19
 Observations On The String Samples

Here are some comments on the samples for these instruments.

Violin - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6' high.

The close C414 and ND308 were placed 18" above the bridge. The C460, with its

smaller diaphragm accenting higher frequencies, would not be pleasing in that

position, so I tried placing it out beyond the neck, aimed along the length of the

instrument.

FIGURE 4.1 . VIOLIN CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.2. VIOLIN DISTANT MICS

C414 close - you hear mostly the string itselfwith less of the resonance of the

instrument. Sounds a bit thin. There is a lot of articulation on the fast sections but

20
you also hear the breathing of the perfonner and the mechanical sounds of the

bow and the fingers on the fmgerboard.

C460 close - with the smaller diaphragm and being aimed up the neck of the

instrument, the sound is very shrill on the upper frequencies.

ND308 close - this obtains a nice, bright sound without the edginess. Also has

very clear attacks in the fast sections.

C414 far - this location gives a warmer tone, with more fullness to the sound and

less of the strings. The attacks in the fast excerpt are less pronounced and the

room noises are more noticeable.

C460 far - clear sound and clear attacks in the fast section.

ND308 far - a full torte quality without the edge.

21
Viola - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6' high.

The close C414 and ND30S were placed IS" above the bridge. The C460, with its

smaller diaphragm accenting higher frequencies, would not be pleasing in that

position, so I tried placing it out beyond the neck, aimed along the length of the

instrument.

FIGURE 4.3. VIOLA CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.4. VIOLA DISTANT MICS

C414 close - a bit of string sound, but a full tone.

C460 close - you hear more of the strings, though the overall sound is clear.

ND308 close - a bright sound with distinct string tone. Not as much fullness as

the other mic choices.

22
C414 far - smoother sound overall. The strumming excerpt has a more blended

sound.

C460 far - a bit of a nasal quality to the sound. Also edgy or scratchy at times.

ND308 far - a bright sound with less edge.

23
Cello - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6' high.

The C414 mic was placed low, at the end of the body on the performer' s left, with

the ND308 mirroring it on the right. The C460 was placed above the performer, 2'

to his left, aimed down toward the body of the instrument.

FIGURE 4.5. CELLO CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.6. CELLO DISTANT MICS

C414 close - full tone with some string edginess. Mechanical and breath noise.

C460 close - edgy string sound. Thinner tone.

ND308 close - bright with some string edge. Less low frequencies.

C414 far - smooth tone with less string edge.

24
C460 far - very even, wann tone. Lots of breathing noise.

ND308 far - bright sound with string edge, though less.

25
Bass - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6' high.

The C414 was placed in front of the stage left F-hole and the C460 was placed in

front of the stage right F-hole. The ND308 was place low, aiming up at the bridge

of the instrument.

FIGURE 4.7. BASS CWSE MICS FIGURE 4.8. BASS DISTANT MICS

C414 close - reveals a lot of friction sound on the strings. The timbre and

loudness changes as the pitch goes higher. The jazz section has clear definition to

the tone.

C460 close - not much low end with this smaller diaphragm. You hear the

mechanical noises of other strings being hit.

ND308 close - there is some string edginess to the sound. Somewhat bright, but

mellower in the low register.

26
C414 far -less string sound and a rounder tone. Not as much change in timbre

going to the upper register but you hear some extra resonances. Jazz excerpt

shows less attack and more tone.

C460 far - lots of string sound and very thin tone. Jazz excerpt has more noise

and less defmition.

ND308 far - has a full tone plus some string edge. Jazz excerpt shows lots of

room nOIse.

27
 Observations On The Woodwind Samples

Here are some comments on the samples for these instruments.

Flute - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6' high.

The C414 was place 8" above the end of the flute, while the C460 and ND308

were both placed 18" in front of the mouth position.

FIGURE 4.9. FLUTE CLOSE MJCS FIGURE 4.10. FLUTE DISTANT MICS

C414 close - bright tone with lots of air noise.

C460 close - bright sound, but somewhat edgy in upper register. Air noise.

28
ND308 close - even sound through whole range. Less air noise.

C414 far - smooth tone with less air noise.

C460 far - even sound across range of instrument. Less air noise

ND308 far - even sound through whole range.

29
Oboe - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6' high.

The C414 was placed low, aimed at the end of the instrument The C460 and

ND308 were placed 2' feet away, slightly above the mouth position, aimed at the

middle of the body of the instrument.

FIGURE 4.11. OBOE CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.12. OBOE DISTANT MICS

C414 close - a thinner, brighter sound. Some key and breath sounds, especially in

the lower register.

C460 close - like the C414 sound, but thinner.

ND308 close - bright sound with some key noise on the attacks. Full sound in the

lower register.

C414 far - less of the mechanical noises and a fuller sound.

30
C460 far - bright, thinner in the upper register. Lower register adds some body to

the sound.

ND308 far - overall smooth, but less defmition.

31
Clarinet - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12 ' away and 6'

high. The C414 was placed 3' in front of the performer, above and to stage right

and the C460 was placed above and in front of the performer. The ND308 was

placed low in front of the performer.

For the bass clarinet, the C414 and the ND308 was placed above and to

stage left of the performer. The C460 remained above and in front.

FIGURE 4.13. CLARINET CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.14. CLARINET DISTANT MICS

C414 clbse - a bit thin and shrill on the top notes, though less with the E-tlat

clarinet. Lots of breath sounds.

C460 close - B-flat clarinet is bright, with some key and breath sounds. E-flat

clarinet is smooth. Bass clarinet is edgy, with less of the fullness and more of the

key sounds.

32
ND308 close - B-flat clarinet is bright and full without much mechanical noise.

E-flat clarinet can get edgy at times. Bass clarinet is clear sounding.

C414 far - more body to the sound with less of the mechanical sound, especially

with the bass clarinet.

C460 far - sound is thin with some edge to it and a bit of key clack. Upper

register is bright. E-flat clarinet can get shrill on the top notes. Bass clarinet

sounds nasal.

ND308 far - B-flat clarinet is bright and full with no key sounds. E-flat clarinet

stays bright, but no shrill.

33
Saxophone - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6'

high. For all three instruments, the ND308 was placed at the bell. The C460 was

placed above the performer and to stage right for the alto and tenor sax, but above

front and aimed at the middle of the instrument for the soprano sax. The C414

was placed at the bell of the tenor sax, but for the alto was moved to a position of

45 degrees to the performer's left, at a distance of 6' .

FIGURE 4.15. SAXOPHONE CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.16. SAXOPHONE DISTANT MICS

C414 close - tenor has even tone, but some edge on attacks. Alto smooth with

definition. Soprano is bright in upper register.

C460 close - alto sax has very even tone.

ND 308 close - tenor is edgy and shrill on top notes. Alto even throughout range.

Soprano gets edgy in midrange area.

34
C414 far - less edge and mellower sound from tenor. Alto has less definition.

Soprano smooth over whole range.

C460 far - tenor is full throughout range. Alto sounds round and warm. Soprano

is shrill on top notes.

ND308 far - tenor is bright and edgy. Alto is smooth. Soprano is bright, but even.

35
Bassoon - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6'

high. The C414 was placed to the performer's right, at a distance of 2', aimed at

the upper body of the instrument The C460 and the ND308 were placed 2 ' above

and to the left of the performer at a distance of 4' .

FIGURE 4.17. BASSOON CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.18. BASSOON DISTANT MICS

C414 close - even sound throughout the range of the instrument Some key and

mechanical noise.

C460 close - thinner sound with a lot of the key noise.

ND308 close - full sound with an openness. Less of the key noise.

C414 far -less key noise and even sound. Less defined on the multiphonics.

36
C460 far - clear tone. Some key noise and air edge.

ND308 far - mellow tone with some key noise.

37
 Observations On The Brass Samples

Here are some comments on the samples for these instruments.

Trumpet - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6'

high. The C414 was placed 2' above and l' beyond the bell, to the performer's

left at 30 degrees. The C460 mirrored that placement to the performer' s right. The

ND308 was placed 2' in front of the bell of the instrument.

FIGURE 4.19. TRUMPET CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.20. TRUMPET DISTANT MICS

C414 close - a bit shrill on the high notes. Lots of breath sounds.

C460 close - bright sound with some airy, breath sounds.

38
ND308 close - full tone with bright high notes. Air noise.

C414 far -less edge to the sound through whole range.

C460 far - bright sound with some air noise and edge.

ND308 far - full tone. Some edge, but less air noise.

39
French hom - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6'

high. The C414 was placed 4' behind the performer and aimed at the brick wall,

so capture the reflected sound. The C460 and ND308 were placed behind the

performer, aimed at the bell.

FIGURE 421. HORN CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.22. HORN DISTANT MICS

C414 close - full and mellow tone throughout the range of the instrument.

C460 close - a thinner sound with less low resonance.

ND308 close - bright and even tone.

C414 far - even tone, but with less attack on notes.

40
C460 far - a bit heavy and muddy in the midrange. Tone consistent.

ND308 far - bright tone, even throughout range.

41
Trombone - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6'

high. Both the C460 and the ND308 were placed 3' in front of the bell of the

instrument The C4l4 was placed 30 degrees to the performer's right.

FIGURE 4.23. TROMBONE CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.24. TROMBONE DISTANT MICS

C414 close - smooth tone over whole range. Some edge on hard attacks,

especially at higher volume.

C460 close - thinner tone. No low resonance.

ND308 close - thin sound. Edginess on top notes.

C414 far -less edge to tone. More body to sound.

42
C460 far - tone not as full. Gets edgy on top notes.

ND308 far - bright and thin sound.

43
Tuba - The distant mics were in their standard placement, 12' away and 6' high.

For the F tuba, the C414 was placed 3' in front and 4' to the right of the

performer, aimed upward to capture reflections. For the C tuba, the C414 was

placed 2' behind the head of the performer, aimed at the instrument For both

horns, the C460 was placed low and 3' in front of the instrument and the ND308

was placed above the bell.

FIGURE 4.25. TUBA CLOSE MICS FIGURE 4.26. TUBA DISTANT MICS

C414 close - Lots of breath sOUIid, but less when placed behind the performer.

C460 close - focused sound with less low end.

ND308 close - lots of air and attack noise. Tone has less resonance and sound is

prone to distort on loud passages.

44
C414 far -less breath sounds with a more even tone.

C460 far - clear attacks and air sounds. Less full tone.

ND308 far - some breath sounds, but a full round tone.

45
 CONCLUSION

Let me repeat that this project is not meant to be the absolute and final

authority on placement and mic selection! There are many experienced recording

engineers who have spent the greater portion of their careers looking for new and

different ways to approach capturing the sound of each instrument. The practice

involves not only science, but also art, and the use of the ears and subjective

reasoning are every bit as important as a piece of hardware. Those who have

succeeded in creating "definitive" recordings did so through hours of trials and

tests, and, as I'm sure many would testify to, a bit of luck and timing. But that is

the appeal of our trade, to be able to spend the time to explore the nuances and

subtleties of expression both by the performer and the instrument, and to capture

that faithfully. My hope is that this resource helps to make you more aware of the

possibilities and pitfalls that can be encountered and to help you in your pre-

production planning. By spending time with these examples, you will be able to

spend less time trying to find what sound is presented and more time adjusting

and fme-tuning your product to the best representation you can get!

46
 APPENDIX

TABLES OF MICROPHONE OBSERVATIONS

Table A.I - Microphone observations for strings

Violin C414 close Thin. Strings and mechanical sounds. Good articulation.
C460 close Shrill in the upper frequencies.
ND308 close Bright, but not edgy. Clear articulation.
C4I4 far Warm and full. Less attacks, hear the space.
C460 far Clear sound with good attacks.
ND308 far Full with no edge to sound.

Viola C414 close Some string edginess. Full sound.

C460 close More of string sound, less full.
ND308 close Bright with string sound. Not as full.
C414 far Smoother sound. Well blended.
C460far Nasal sounding. Edgy.
ND308 far Bri~t and smooth.

Cello C414 close Full sound. Mechanical noises of bow and performer.
C460 close Edgy and thin sound.
ND308 close Bright sound. Less low frequencies.
C4I4far Smooth sound. Less edge.
C460 far Even tone, warm sound. Some performer noise.
ND308 far Bright tone. Some edginess.

Bass C414 close Strin~ edge. Timbre change over scale. Defined attack.
C460 close Not much of low frequencies. Mechanical noise.
ND308 close Bright with mellower lows. Some edge.
C414 far Round, full, even tone.
C460 far Thinner tone. Less defined.
ND308 far Full tone, some edginess. Room sounds.

47
Table A.2 - Microphone observations for woodwinds

Flute C414 close Bright tone. MechanicaUair sounds.

C460 close Bright tone. Some edginess.
ND308 close Even tone. Less air sounds.
C414far Smooth tone overall.
C460 far Even sound. Less air sounds.
ND308 far Bright, even sound.

Oboe C414 close Thin tone. Bright.

C460 close Lots of mechanical noise. Thinner sound.
ND308 close Bright high frequencies. Full low fr~uencies.
C414 far Fuller sound. Less mechanical noise.
C460 far Thin upper fre~uencies, more body to low range.
ND308 far Smooth tone. Less definition.

Clarinet C414 close Thin, shrill high frequencies. Breath sounds.

C460 close Bright. Bass clarinet edgy. Key sounds.
ND308 close Bright tone, clear. Less mechanical noise.
C414 far More body to tone. Less mechanical noise.
C460 far Thin ton~, edgy. Key noise. Bass clarinet nasal sound.
ND308 far Bri~t tone, but not shrill.

Sax C414 close Soprano bright. Alto smooth. Tenor even.

C460 close Alto sax very even across range.
ND308 close Soprano edgy in midrange. Tenor shrill in high range.
C414 far Soprano smooth. Tenor mellow, less definition.
C460 far Soprano shrill. Alto round, warm. Tenor full.
ND308 far Soprano even. Alto smooth. Tenor bright.

Bassoon C414 close Even sound across ran~_e. Some key noise.
C460 close Thinner sound. Lots of key noise.
ND308 close Full, open sound. Less key noise.
C414 far Even tone. Less defined.
C460 far Clear sound. Some mechanical noise.
ND308 far Mellow sound. Some mechanical noise.

48
Table A.3 - Microphone observations for brass

Trumpet C414 close Shrill high frequencies. Breath sounds.

C460 close Bright sound. Breath sounds.
ND308 close Full sound, bright highs. Lots of air noise.
C414 far Less edge to tone.
C460 far Bright sound. Some edge to tone.
ND308 far Full sound. Less air sounds.

French Hom C414 close Full, mellow sound.

C460 close Thin sound. Less low frequencies.
ND308 close Bright, even tone across range.
C414 far Even tone. Less attacks.
C460 far Heavy, muddy tone in midrange.
ND308 far Bright, even tone.

Trombone C414 close Smooth tone. Some edge on attacks.

C460 close Thinner sound. No low resonance.
ND308 close Thin tone. Edginess on higher frequencies.
C414 far Less edge to tone, more body.
C460 far Not as full sounding. Edgy on high notes.
ND308 far Bright and thin tone.

Tuba C414 close Breath sounds. Better from behind.

C460 close Focused sound. Less low frequencies.
ND308 close Lots of air sound. Less resonance. Distorts.
C414 far Even tone. Less breath noise.
C460 far Clear tone. Less full overall.
ND308 far Some breath sound. Full, round tone.

49
 GLOSSARY

Blended - tone even in going from note to note, with no sharp attack.

Body - a fullness to the tone; full range clear with extra in the low-midrange.

Bright - more high and high-midrange content, with good definition.

Edgy - some upper distortion, grating or gravelly sound.

Focused - good midrange content with less highs and lows.

Full - even across the entire range of the instrument.

Heavy - lacking in higher frequencies, lots of low-midrange.

Mechanics - the sound of keys, valves, breath noises or other extra sounds.

Mellow - more low-midrange frequencies and less high frequencies.

Muddy - less of the high-midrange, making the sound less defined.

Nasal - emphasis on upper-midrange, with less low frequency content.

Open - clear throughout the range, with more high-midrange definition.

Round - even tone with a slight emphasis on the low-midrange.

Shrill - extreme emphasis on the upper frequencies.

Smooth - no emphasis on anyone frequency in the instrument range.

Thin -less low and low-midrange content, making for a weak overall tone.

Warm - more midrange content.

50
 BIDLIOGRAPHY

Backus, John. The Acoustical Foundations of Music. New York: W. W. Norton

and Company, Inc., 1977.

Beament, James. The Violin Explained: Components, Mechanism, and Sound.

New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Benade, Arthur H. and D. J. Gans. Sound Production In Wind Instruments. Edited

by Earle L. Kent. Stroudsburg, P A: Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, 1977.

Benade, Arthur H. The Physics ofBrasses. Edited by Earle L. Kent. Stroudsburg,

PA: Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, 1977.

Campbell, Murray and Clive Greated. The Musician 's Guide to Acoustics. New
York: Schirmer Books, 1987.

Dermont, Dave. "Gone But Not Forgotten". Live Sound International, March,
2004.
http://www.1ivesoundint.com/archives/2004/april/retro.pdf (accessed March 21,
2007)

Eargle, John. Handbook ofRecording Engineering, lh edition. Boston: Kluwer

Academic Publishers, 2003.

Eargle, John. Sound Recording, r d edition. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold
Company, 1980.

Fletcher, Neville H. and Thomas D. Rossing. The Physics of Musical Instruments.

New York: Springer-Verlag, 1991.

Gibson, o. Lee. Clarinet Acoustics. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press,

1994.

51
Meyer, Jurgen. Acoustics and The Performance Of Music. Frankfurt: Verlag Das
Musikinstrument, 1978.

Rossing, Thomas D., F. Richard Moore and Paul A. Wheeler. The Science Of
Sound. San Francisco: Addison Wesley, 2002.

52