Im going to be recording a Symphony Orchestra on Friday in a 1400 seat room. They will be playing with a band. The band will be smushed right in the middle of the stage with the Orchestra around them. Good thing is the drums are roland v-drums so that eliminates the drummer destroying the orchestras sound in the recording. Im going to track the drums from the board, and the choir from the two pairs of AKG 5600s. My big question is how to best capture the Orchestra. I have come up with this so far. Put my pair of 414s in figure 8 above the band {front mid stage 10 or 12 feet high} as there is very little stage volume from the band due to the producers hatred of it hence the v-drums, bass through a DI and enclosed gtr cabinets. The only thing that might be a problem is the auxiliary percussion right below the array. {I would love to put them behind the conductor but its logistically impossible for two reasons 1. they will pick up the band in the main systems sound too much and 2. we dont have a way to run mic cables to them from above}. Is this goin to put me way to close to the horns and percussion and make me miss the first row of strings? Can I spread them a little wider to get those strings? Also I have 3 spot mics 1 AKG 5600 cardiod and a TLM 103 that I have placed currently pointing back at the rear strings the horns and percussion. Should I point them at the front strings? I feel that it is possible for me to get a good recording here but Im afraid that I won't capture it correctly. Thinking through this is driving me nuts. Any experinced advise would help.
Comments
well I had one shot no reheasal so we went with 414s blumline j
well I had one shot no reheasal so we went with 414s blumline just in front of the conductor about 12 feet in the air. then pointed the spot mics at the front strings to pic them up better. I now see the point that horns and percussion need to play in the parking lot. I need to listen to what I captured. it sounded amazing though. I have never recorded a full Symphony Orchestra before this so im sure some of the excitement is presumptuous but we'll see.
You need to do some experimenting during the rehearsals. Not kno
You need to do some experimenting during the rehearsals. Not knowing the hall or the stage setup it is impossible for anyone to give you really insightful advice.
I would treat the whole orchestra/band as one unit and do the recording as you would normally do the recording of the symphony orchestra. The band and the orchestra have to be working in sync and should be able to balance themselves together or it is not only NOT going to work for you but for the audience.
Best of luck and try to record as many rehearsals as you can.