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Hello,

I'm tracking brass next week (trombone and trumpet). in a small
recording booth (about 9 by 12 foot) with decent acoustics.
Music is pop/rock with open minded musiciens willing to experiment if necessary.
I've never done this, It would save me some time if I had some help. Could someone give me advice regarding mike choice, placement and distance?

I have Neumann TLM 170, TLM 193, KM 184
I have a AKG D112 and a Shure SM57
I have an omni B&K.

I don't mind buying new equipment to enlarge my collection if necessary.
I have heard about Electro-Voice dynamic microphones.

Thank you!

Comments

RecorderMan Sat, 04/10/2004 - 10:06

tomtom wrote: small
recording booth (about 9 by 12 foot) with decent acoustics.

first..a booth that small for brass is not acousticlly nice. Use the TLM 170 with a pad if you want to do them together. If you need seperation add the 193 to the one your not using the 170 on.
Don't forget to use the pad on the mics.

anonymous Sat, 04/10/2004 - 15:45

I just got through recording a 14 piece horn band myself. It was very eye opening.

I put dynamic mics on each person inside a 12 by 20 room.(Some RE 20s / SM57s and some Beyer ribbons)
It ended up sounding good but mostly brassy and spitty. You miss a lot not getting the warmth and bloom of the mid to low end from the room itself.
If there is any way to work a room mic into the equation, it would help... Believe me!

Tom

RecorderMan Sun, 04/11/2004 - 11:52

tmix wrote: I just got through recording a 14 piece horn band myself. It was very eye opening.

I put dynamic mics on each person inside a 12 by 20 room.(Some RE 20s / SM57s and some Beyer ribbons)
It ended up sounding good but mostly brassy and spitty. You miss a lot not getting the warmth and bloom of the mid to low end from the room itself.
If there is any way to work a room mic into the equation, it would help... Believe me!

Tom

you can't hane em right up on the mic. A little off axis and a little distance. If all mic's right...then they all become room mics for each other.

FifthCircle Mon, 04/12/2004 - 10:52

I'd try tracking them individually in a room that small. Two players will probably acoustically overload the room...

With the mics you own, I'd use the TLM 170 with the pad on, off axis of the bell, and probably in the wide cardiod setting.

If you want to get something new, you can't go wrong with ribbons or old tube mics on brass. My favorites are Coles, RCA 44's and 77s (I haven't used them, but I'd imagine that the new AEA ribbons would be pretty amazing too), and for tubes the old Neumann UM 57...

--Ben