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I run a project studio in an old, large church.
While I don't typically do acoustic work, the space does lend itself to such a thing, and the owner approached me today w/ a few ideas.

He's interested in having a choral group perform/record. Also a more tribal vocal (chant) + hand drums + harmonium + flute group.

I decided a stereo pair placed out in front of the stage (altar) vs. close Micing would be most appropriate.
I'm thinking 6-12 ft out, and 10-15 ft high (the stage is ~3ft high).

My choices are: AKG C414 B-XLS, Cascade M39, Cascade Fathead, MXL 603s, and Nady RSM-5.
I've listed a wide variety of quality of condensers and ribbons, & have a pretty good idea what I would use, but I'd like to get your opinions first.
I'd probably also use one of the SDC pairs further back to see what I can get.

The space is 30ftx40ftx15-30ft, vaulted ceilings. Primarily wood (floor, stage, walls) and sheetrock (walls, ceiling) - not drywall, the heavy rock stuff).
Actually, I'm not sure what it is, but it certainly doesn't take to nails the way drywall does - it chips. More like cement than anything I've encountered.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Comments

jg49 Thu, 04/23/2009 - 02:21

Soapfloats "Primarily wood (floor, stage, walls) and sheetrock (walls, ceiling) - not drywall, the heavy rock stuff).
Actually, I'm not sure what it is, but it certainly doesn't take to nails the way drywall does - it chips. More like cement than anything I've encountered. "

Sounds like old fashioned plaster walls, which is not drywall at all, it is actually troweled on wet and hardens. It usually cracks when pounding in nails.

IIRs Thu, 04/23/2009 - 09:37

I like to use my Beyer ribbons for choirs: M160 + M130 in MS.

Sounds like [[url=http://[/URL]="http://platinumears…"]this[/]="http://platinumears…"]this[/], which I recorded in january in a very reverberant community hall; I actually had another pair of omni SDCs at the back of the room (almost touching the wall) which were mixed in very subtly, but the Beyers sounded great all on their own, and we went with just those for other songs.

Boswell Fri, 04/24/2009 - 02:21

IIRs wrote: I like to use my Beyer ribbons for choirs: M160 + M130 in MS.

Sounds like [[url=http://[/URL]="http://platinumears…"]this[/]="http://platinumears…"]this[/], which I recorded in january in a very reverberant community hall; I actually had another pair of omni SDCs at the back of the room (almost touching the wall) which were mixed in very subtly, but the Beyers sounded great all on their own, and we went with just those for other songs.

Nice warm sound. It's a pity that the Opor crew can't hold their pitch.

Didier Sun, 04/26/2009 - 07:43

I recommend the Nevaton MC48, a XY stereo microphone, as an alternative to a pair of AKG C414BXLS. I have got both and like the Nevaton better for recording my piano:
[="http://www.esnips.com/nsdoc/24227958-eaf8-4693-a50d-b15018c79e25/?id=1240756397832"]C414B-XLS[/]="http://www.esnips.c…"]C414B-XLS[/]

[[url=http://="http://www.esnips.c…"]MC48[/]="http://www.esnips.c…"]MC48[/]

Another shootout including also other microphones : http://www.esnips.com/web/Microphonesshootout.