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AW: y2k7 mp3s
[miked recording at y2k7 vs directly from board at y2k5/6]
> Yes, it was a lot easier to record live with two microphones
> in the back of the room, rather than running two very long
> stereo cables from each stage board, into an smaller board,
> and then sub-mixing each one, and with each performance.
I understand, so this had in part to do with the extraordinary situation
that the main festival uses two PAs?
> With the mic setup, I was able to use a more consistent level
> for all the performances, and walk away from the recorder for
> long period of time. I couldn't do this with the direct
> recording system. Levels were too erratic.
So using a) a FOH engineer who would give you more or less consistent
levels
on a subgroup and/or b) using a limiter/compressor/normalizer/whatever in
you signal chain would help?
> Based on my own experience, and especially for this type of
> music where there a lot of folks doing some intricate stereo
> imaging. The stereo mics just don't capture that well.
Have you tried a) placing the microphones more to the front (e.g. stage
lid)
(for a X/Y setup) and b) working with M/S signals in postprocessing to
increase the S part?
> The dynamic range of the soundboard recordings is much better
> too. I can hear freqencies on direct recordings that just
> don't come across clear in live mic recording....despite the
> fact that the mics claim an appopriate frequency response.
This may also have to do with PA and room properties.
> The whole proximity effects with mics, just as air acting as
> a natural compressor, also reduces frequency response.
In the frequency range that matters most, microphones used for such
applications (recording a room instead of close-miking) are optimized in
their frequency response to somehow battle the proximity effect. However,
below, say, 50Hz, you're at a loss. Solution: use A/B miking with omnis.
Summarizing:
I believe that the negative effects of the musician out->FOH
board->PA->room->recording microphones->recorder signal chain as opposed to
your directly from laptop to harddisk mostly happen in the PA->room and to
some extent also in the microphone placement part. My experience shows that
for recording small acoustic ensembles, a setup with a small-diaphragm
condenser pair as X/Y or ORTF direct to recorder works outstandingly in
capturing what the audience hears.
This is different when recording amplified sources - for that, you'd
normally want a combination of direct, FOH sum and room mikes.
Finally, experimenting with microphone placement can also change a lot (for
the better or for the worse).
Rainer