User's Manual

User Manual
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Placement of the amp is another important factor. If the amplifier sits on a carpeted
floor, you are more likely to reduce the amount of brightness in the sound. Similarly,
elevating the amplifier off the floor may result in a loss of low end. If you’re looking for a
big reverberant tone, placing the amp and microphone in the bathroom is another popular
technique. The hard tiles and other reflective surfaces can do wonders for a dull sound. In this
case, move the microphone back a few feet from the loudspeaker and crank it up!
Recording the Piano
The piano is one of the most challenging
instruments to record, and many problems
stem from the quality and maintenance of the
instrument itself. You’ll obtain the best results
by using an instrument that has just been
tuned and is in good mechanical condition.
The piano is generally recorded using the
close miking technique. Ideally, you’ll want
a minimum of two microphones. Usually,
the microphone capturing the higher strings is assigned to the left channel and the
microphone capturing the lower strings is assigned to the right channel in the final
stereo mix, though the stereo spread generally is not hard left and right. While a single
microphone can be used, the lower and upper extremities of the instrument will likely
be compromised.
Grand Piano: For the upper strings, position the microphone approximately 8
inches from the piano hammers (to reduce mechanical noise) and 8 - 11 inches above
the strings, with the Pan position set to left of center. For the lower strings, position the
microphone toward the far end (away from the keyboard) roughly 6 - 12 inches from the
end and 8 - 11 inches above the strings, with the Pan position set to right of center. Position
the piano’s lid at full stick (see Fig. 4A). If you are using a single microphone, position the
microphone approximately 8 inches from the piano hammers (to reduce mechanical noise)
and 8 - 11 inches above the strings - centered over the piano’s mid point. Pan position
should be centered and the piano’s lid should be at full stick.
Upright Piano: With an upright piano, the two microphones are generally
placed either just over the top of the piano with the top open, or you can remove the
piano’s front panel beneath the keyboard and place the microphones below.
Front Panel Placement: For the upper
strings, position the microphone approximately
8 - 11 inches away from the strings, with the
Pan position set to left of center. For the lower
strings, position the microphone 8 - 11 inches
away from the strings, with the Pan position set
to right of center (see Fig. 4B).
Single Microphone / Open Top: If you are using a single microphone, it is
generally recommended that you record from above, as placement of the
microphone in the lower
center may interfere with the
performer’s ability to access
the pedals and the microphone
will likely pick up excessive
pedal and other mechanical
noise. Position the microphone
just over the open top, centered
over the instrument.
Recording a Drum Set
Like the piano, capturing the drums can be quite a challenge, if for no
other reason than the fact that you must be very careful to avoid positioning the
microphone(s) where they could be hit. Ideally you’ll want a minimum of two
microphones for this job, though a single microphone can be employed.
Stereo Overhead Pair:
Position the two microphones
approximately 16 – 20 inches above
the performer’s head, separated
laterally by roughly 2 - 3 feet
and placed 5 – 6 feet out in front
of the drum kit. Adjust the two
microphones’ Pan position so that
you achieve a good stereo spread,
though generally not hard left and
right (see Fig. 5A).
Single Overhead Microphone:
Position the microphone
approximately 16 – 20 inches
above the performer’s head -
centered in front of the drum set,
and placed 5 - 6 feet out in front.
The microphone’s Pan position
should be centered for mono
drums (see Fig. 5B).
For best results, record the drums in as acoustically “dead” a room as
you can. If the room is live, the sharp attack transients of the drum kit will only
become that much more difficult to capture if the room has hard, reflective
surfaces, resulting in a muddy sound without any real definition. Further, you
should always record the drums dry and add signal processing after the fact.
Fig. 4A
Top View
or a single
mic here
*
2
Front View
or a single
mic here
*
2
1
1
Fig. 4B
2 1
Front Panel Removed
Front View
Mics positioned
8-11” away from strings
Side View
Fig. 5A
Front
View
2
1
2-3 Ft. apart
16-20” above performer’s head
16-20” above
performer’s head
Front
View
1
Fig. 5B