AES Journal Forum

A wonderful introduction to recording a large ensemble! Unfortunately, no specifics or details have been mentioned. So this contribution to the discussion of how to record classical orchestras is really just a starting point. 

At this time, I'd like to offer a comment on the last paragraph, "Using close microphones as the principle audio capture": perhaps this "method" is best reserved for sound-for-movies. Even though it offers the producer/engineer excellent over balance and input control, this approach takes away the natural balance which the conductor wants and rehearsed and enables the engineer to "play God" as (s)he can slide faders and turn knobs setting up their personal preferences. This is a dangerous style and might just work very well only, if the conductor and production team have the same musical understanding. I personally adher to the approach "Record as if you would listen to it".

The article offers a great introduction to the art of classical music recording and a very well layed out parallelism with cooking. I would like to add some further general ideas. An orchestra is a sum of sound sources and uses the concert hall as an acoustic / resonance box. Orchestra players adjust musical dynamics with respect to direct sound pressure level received by their instrument and reflexions received in the concert hall. A main stereo recording approach is more difficult and risky but will be the "main shot" of the orchestra. If the reverb radius of the hall is known before hand a good starting point position can be predicted.

 When engineering an orchestra recording two main routes can be taken :

  mixing  - "main system to spot mics"    or 

             - "spot mics to mains"

The first option uses the spot mics only as accent channels or to add detail and presence of some instrumental sections and soloists, the main sound of the orchestra will be given by the main system. It is important to consider the use of delays to have a similar time arrival between main system and spot mics and not a direct signal (spot mic) followed by a further signal (main system).
The second route proposes a mix made of mono spot mics panned to position and a faint addition of a stereo main system used to blend the recording. Usually these recordings tend to sound rather "spotty" (if I may say) unless, digital or convolution reverb is used.  This will not be necessary if the room mics have an optimum position which offers the ideal difussion and reverb decay time in the hall...

Having said this once more, I appreciate the very well put together introduction to this branch of sound recording which Richard King has published.

With best regards

Dr. Msc. MA. Iker Olabe