Recording an acoustic performance

S

stringz

Active member
I want to record an acoustic performance of a female vocalist/guitarist, something I have no experience of and just wanted to gather some opinions of how it can best be acheived.
It will be filmed as well, so I have to bear this in mind, i suppose, with mic positions. I own an Sennheiser MKH 50 and DPA 4061s, so I hope to make use of these. I was thinking one mic for the vocals and one for the guitar, but I'm not sure which mic for which, or perhaps one mic would be better.
Any advice would be massively appreciated!
 
stringz said:
I want to record an acoustic performance of a female vocalist/guitarist, something I have no experience of and just wanted to gather some opinions of how it can best be acheived.
It will be filmed as well, so I have to bear this in mind, i suppose, with mic positions. I own an Sennheiser MKH 50 and DPA 4061s, so I hope to make use of these. I was thinking one mic for the vocals and one for the guitar, but I'm not sure which mic for which, or perhaps one mic would be better.
Any advice would be massively appreciated!
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Dpa mounted in the hair and the 50 over the strings from 1 m
 
Thanks olgak.

Would there be any phase issues with mixing 2 mics at different distance to the source. Or should i record two separte tracks?
 
There is phasing issues, but in working in recording studios, we have sometimes put as many as three mics on an acoustic guitar which ultimately get mixed into a single track so phasing issues just become part of tone being mixed.

It would be best to record two separate tracks to allow for flexibility in post.

stringz said:
Thanks olgak.

Would there be any phase issues with mixing 2 mics at different distance to the source. Or should i record two separte tracks?
Click to expand...
 
There are WAY too many ways to skin a cat with this one. There is no right/wrong way to do it.
It's funny because personally I would do it the opposite.

Tape the omni lav onto the guitar body. (finding the fullest sounding location)
and use the mkh50 supercardiod on the vox (most likely aiming upwards just a bit to try to get the guitar slightly into a null area)

Once again, no right/wrong way as long as you're happy with the results.
 
If this is a performance in a good acoustic I would hire an MKH 30 and use that with your MKH 50 as an MS set-up and fly it (ideally I would have used an MKH 40 instead of the 50, but it should still work OK). I recorded a piano and violin in the Wigmore Hall this way.

You will then capture the natural acoustic of the performance and flying the mics keeps them out of sight.

If you want it more intimate, I would still use the MS set-up, but have them on a floor stand a few feet in front of the performer.

This way you will get a stereo recording - the other suggestions give you mono.
 
Rippie said:
There are WAY too many ways to skin a cat with this one. There is no right/wrong way to do it.
It's funny because personally I would do it the opposite.

Tape the omni lav onto the guitar body. (finding the fullest sounding location)
and use the mkh50 supercardiod on the vox (most likely aiming upwards just a bit to try to get the guitar slightly into a null area)

Once again, no right/wrong way as long as you're happy with the results.
Click to expand...
and what about the frame ?;-)
 
olgak said:
and what about the frame ?;-)
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I didn't get from the OP's post that the mic's had to be hidden, just that he had to take the "looks" of the mic's into consideration.
If the mic's do indeed have to be hidden then obviously a vocal mic in front of her face doesnt work ;)
 
There are a million ways to record a guitar and voice; I always like to have one tube or one ribbon in the audio chain. The 4061s will sound nice in several placements, the 50 is a bit more touchy.

I would be looking to maybe borrow one more mic--a tube or a ribbon :)
 
Rippie said:
The guy also said he wanted to make use of his current mic's he has available.
We could all suggest 150 other microphones to buy/rent.
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No he did *not* say this - he said he hoped he could make use of these, not that he *had* to use these.

Those two mics will not give stereo, just multi-mic'ed mono.

My suggestion used one of his mics, plus a hire-in that would give a small unobtrusive MS set-up that would be excellent for recording music. In this instance, especially, the audio is vastly more important than the picture.
 
John Willett said:
No he did *not* say this - he said he hoped he could make use of these, not that he *had* to use these.

Those two mics will not give stereo, just multi-mic'ed mono.

My suggestion used one of his mics, plus a hire-in that would give a small unobtrusive MS set-up that would be excellent for recording music. In this instance, especially, the audio is vastly more important than the picture.
Click to expand...

And I still personally think that would be a mistake. Obviously my opinion but any shift in the performer is going to shift the recording. (I'm sure they will LOVE you restricting the performer to standing perfectly still
in a video type setting)
There is no need to record a voice in stereo, guitars have been recorded with a mono mic in a million situations, and regarding your comment about the "audio being vastly more important than the picture"
the reality is the moment a camera comes into play many many MANY times that just isn't the case.

My OPINION.
 
Rippie said:
And I still personally think that would be a mistake. Obviously my opinion but any shift in the performer is going to shift the recording. (I'm sure they will LOVE you restricting the performer to standing perfectly still
in a video type setting)
There is no need to record a voice in stereo, guitars have been recorded with a mono mic in a million situations, and regarding your comment about the "audio being vastly more important than the picture"
the reality is the moment a camera comes into play many many MANY times that just isn't the case.

My OPINION.
Click to expand...

Mr Willet probably has Jimmy Page image in front of his eyes for stereo guitar sound ;-)
 
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