Recording Marimba a New Experience!

One thing I really love about this job is that there is always something new to learn! Having worked as a Sound Engineer for more than 30 years, until last week I had never recorded a Marimba.

What an amazing instrument! With a very wide frequency response and huge dynamic range the marimba produces a stunning variety of colour quite unlike any other percussion instrument I can think of. Such tonal subtlety coupled with a battery of rapid transients requires a careful choice of microphone/s.

I did consider using a pair of Sennheiser MD441 dynamics as they have the required frequency response and have an excellent track record on other varieties of percussion, producing a big ‘punchy’ sound with plenty of attack.  I also considered going down the condenser route with a pair of AKG C414s. Great frequency response and bags of detail.  But………… In the end I realised that what was really needed to capture those rapid transients and subtle detail was a high quality stereo ribbon!  In many respects a ribbon microphone has the best of both worlds. Being a variety of dynamic it can pack a great deal of attack and ‘punch’ and on the other hand has an incredibly light diaphragm (ribbon) which can react to transients and fine detail with incredible precision. There is also an intangible ‘smoothness’ to ribbons that even the best condensers just don’t seem to have.

Extinct Audio’s ‘Valkyr’ BM9x2 Stereo Ribbon Microphone was placed on a tall stand, stage centre, about 2m away from the instrument.  The mic set in M-S configuration.

CLICK HERE to hear an excerpt from virtuoso percussionist 18 year old Darcy Beck (winner of Gloucestershire Young Musician of The Year 2020) performing ‘Prism’ by Japanese composer Keiko Abe.

In Conclusion

Apart from capturing the fine detail of even the most rapid passages the ‘Valkyr’ also delivers a very pleasing impression of the reverberant acoustics of the hall.

Season’s Greeting to All My Readers! (Just in case you need some more Christmas Music!)

Usually at this time of the year I post a slightly crazy photo, but this year I thought you might like an audio Christmas card! This video is a piece of Christmassy joy captured by the Extinct Audio BM9x2 ‘Valkyr’ Stereo Ribbon Microphone. Apart from the fabulous audio quality and detailed stereo image this microphone is also extremely unobtrusive (see pics), making it perfect for this type of live performance.

No EQ or processing has been used.

Many thanks to Pam Smith at http://www.petalpics.co.uk/ for the great photos.

Extinct Audio ‘Valkyr’ BMx2 Blumlien Stereo Ribbon Microphone (2019)

Following the success and critical acclaim of the ‘Viking’ BM9, Extinct Audio have continued the Nordic theme with their latest creation the ‘Valkyr’ BMx2 Blumlien Stereo Ribbon Microphone. If you are looking for a stereo ribbon mic which sounds fantastic and looks stunning this is it! The immediate reaction of performers and audio colleagues is ‘Wow, what is that’?  Even the ‘Fenrir’ anti-vibration mount is a beautiful and effective piece of engineering, gripping the mic firmly and making it easy to position.

These microphones are hand built by Extinct Audio at their workshop just outside York here in the UK. The ribbons are painstakingly tuned and perfectly matched.

So what does it sound like? 

1. Acoustic Guitar Recorded in M-S Stereo.
2. Swing From Paris. Recorded in X-Y configuration.
3. Church Organ. Recorded in M-S Stereo
4. Baroque Chamber Orchestra. M-S Configuration
5. Eight A Cappella Singers followed by 70 Strong Choir . X-Y Configuration
6. Cello and Orchestra. Y-Y Configuration

Minimal Mic’ing.

I have always been a fan of minimal mic’ing. The more open microphones on any recording the more distortion and low-level noise. On multi-mic’d orchestral and choral recordings almost inevitably there are also an abundance of out-of-phase signals to deal with, (caused by sound arriving at different mics at different times). In reverberant acoustics this problem is compounded by large amounts of reflected sound.

The last 3 recordings above demonstrate all the advantages of using a single, high-quality pair of coincidentally mounted microphones. In these examples the two microphones are encased in one body, the Extinct Audio ‘Valkyr’ BM9x2 . For all three concerts the mic was set on a tall stand positioned dead centre, (angled slightly down towards the back of the performers), a couple of metres behind the conductor.

1. The acceptance angle of the microphones either in M-S or X-Y configuration easily takes in the whole orchestra/choir.
2. The audio arriving at the front of the mics is phase coherent.
3. The stereo image produced has excellent depth and positional accuracy, such that the listener can easily identify where individual players/singers were sitting/standing!
4. The balance obtained completely reflects the conductor’s direction.
5. The rich acoustics are also accurately reproduced, capturing a clear impression of the building.

What’s not to like?

Update March 2020     Recording Marimba

 

For more information: https://www.extinctaudio.co.uk/

The Viking(s). Extinct Audio’s BM9 Matched Stereo Pair…… Following on from my post in January.

The danger in buying an Extinct Audio BM9 ribbon microphone is that very soon you will want a stereo pair! When Stewart Tavener at Extinct offered to lend me a second one to ‘try’ he knew exactly what would happen! ( Yorkshire cunning!)  It didn’t take long before I hit the PayPal button. So I now have a beautiful matched pair!

The mics are coincidentally mounted, vertically one above the other and set at 90 degrees. (Classic Blumlein) I have used Rycote InVision 044901 Universal Shock Mounts as these make it really fast and easy to position the mics. They also provide the best possible isolation, and there is no chance of the mics falling out! The magnets in these microphones are seriously heavy and would make a considerable impression landing on the performer’s head!

The recording clip below of saxophone virtuoso Lydia Kenny would present a considerable challenge for any pair of microphones. The dynamic range is huge. It is packed with fine detail of tone and texture, from the delicate phrasing of the piano accompaniment to the rapid articulation of the blistering runs on the saxophone at full volume. The way that the acoustics of the hall support the music is also very subtle.

Having worked a great deal with jazz and rock ‘n’ roll over the years I had never previously been a fan of classical saxophone, but this excerpt from Lydia’s performance of ‘Fantasie’ by Jules Demersseman is quite simply an irresistible tour de force of 19^th century technique and musicality. Demersseman was a friend of the inventor Adolphe Sax and the piece was published by Sax.

Pittville Pump Room in Cheltenham (UK) had its heyday in the mid-19^th century and its spacious acoustic and glorious Regency architecture is the perfect setting for this recording. The Extinct Audio BM9 crossed stereo pair flown below the chandelier also look very cool!!

CLICK ON PICS  to listen

 Lydia Kenny Alto Saxophone accompanied by Damian Kenny Piano.

Lydia Kenny is the winner of Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year 2018

UPDATE.  Nov 18th  2018.

Clip from winner’s concert.

 

AKG C747 More Than Just A Podium Conference Mic.

First introduced in 1987 the AKG C747 was originally designed for ‘unobtrusive speech applications when mounted on a podium or lectern, or for teleconferencing activities’.  From this somewhat uninspiring start, these days the C747 is widely acknowledged as one of the most versatile microphones AKG ever produced!

Just a glance at the tech spec tells you that this was not a microphone simply doomed to deliver the Chairman’s annual report!

• Smooth frequency response from 30Hz -18kHz.
• Rapid transient response produced by tiny, low-mass, capsule.
• Tight hypercardioid polar pattern, giving excellent separation.
• SPL rating of 133db.
• 

It didn’t take engineers long to realise that this neat, pencil sized miniature shotgun microphone has many uses away from the conference hall!

I recently acquired a well-matched pair of old C747s and it occurred to me that although advertised as having some ‘shotgun’ characteristics, these neat little condensers do in fact behave pretty much the same as any other hypercardioid microphone.  I therefore wondered how they would get on as a crossed stereo pair.  I have seen them occasionally used like that in a conference speech setup, but never recording a large symphony orchestra! (Frequently used as spot mics but certainly not as the main pair!)  So here goes …………

CLICK HERE for Symphony Orchestra sound clip.

The mics were crossed at 65 degrees (at the capsules) and positioned on a tall stand about a metre behind the conductor. N.B. To get the full effect of this recording you need to download it in full resolution and play it on speakers at the sort of volume that will really annoy your neighbours!

Here below are the Tech specs for both the AKG C747 and the current model the C747 11.  It is interesting to note that in the C747 11 literature various instrumental applications are also illustrated. (guitar, saxophone, snare, drum) The newer model also has a slightly different frequency response, more tailored towards speech. Either way these are fabulous, unobtrusive, little mics that will blend seamlessly into almost any situation!

C747-manual

AKG_C747_Service_Documentation

AKG_C747V11_Manual

AKG_C747V11_Polar_Patterns

AKG_C747V11_Cutsheet

N.B.  The Hi-Pass filter on these mics is hidden away in the XLR plug (also containing the mic preamp) I included this last photo because, in conversation with the previous owner, he told me that he never realised that the 747 had a hi-pass switch!! When working close up he ‘Always found them a bit too bassy ‘ !

 

Oktava MK-012 Matched Pair. My favourite Stereo Microphone Techniques.

If you are looking for a small diaphragm condenser microphone that will add extra sparkle to your high end, more presence to your mids, and greater weight to your bass………… then the Oktava MK-012 is definitely not for you!! However, if you are looking for an accurate microphone which simply reproduces what it hears, then the Oktava MK-012 is definitely worth considering.

I bought a matched stereo pair about 10 years ago (direct from Oktava) and they have earned me more money than any other mics I own! I have used them on hundreds of live shows for many different purposes, including drum overheads, hi-hat, Latin percussion, grand piano, acoustic instruments, and as ambient mics. However, it is on classical music recording that they really excel. I have used them in a variety of stereo configurations and in each case they provide a clean accurate account of the performance, capturing the finest nuances of timbre and texture.

Here below are my favourite stereo microphone techniques illustrated with the Oktava Mk-012s  

These microphones have not been ‘modified’ in any way and the recordings linked below have not been EQ’d or processed. Although the streaming quality is reasonably good, for more detailed listening most of the tracks can be downloaded off Soundcloud in their original full resolution wav format.

Near-coincident X-Y crossed pair at 90 degrees gives a phase-coherent stereo image with excellent positionality. The angle between the mics can be altered to suit the width of the subject and the relative distance of the mic placement. Particularly useful for chamber music and small ensembles. Cardioid or hyper-cardioid capsules can be used.

Oktava do now make a dedicated figure of eight capsule. In which case a pair of those would be another option.

CLICK HERE for sound clip of wind quintet.

N.B. The shock mounts are Rycote InVision  INV-7   and (below with piggyback clips)

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M-S pair using the Oktava figure of eight adapter which utilises 2 cardioid capsules back to back, in opposite phase. The Mid mic can be cardioid, hyper-cardioid or omni. As with the X-Y array, the M-S pair produce an accurate phase-coherent image. Works exceedingly well on wide subjects such as orchestras and choirs, particularly when the mic position needs to be close to the performers. Has the additional advantage that the relative levels of the mics can be manipulated in post-production. (Reducing the level of the Mid mic and raising the Side channels widens the image. Increasing the Mid and lowering the Sides ends in Mono!)

CLICK HERE for sound clip of male voice choir with brass.

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ORTF pair. Cardioid capsules set at 55 degrees and spaced 17 cm apart. Emulating the inter-aural time differences between our ears this configuration produces a detailed but somewhat more diffuse stereo image than the previous examples. This array produces a good sense of depth and perspective. Many engineers argue that ORTF pairs give a more ‘musical’ sound. (?) Excellent for choirs and orchestras.

CLICK HERE for orchestral sound clip

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The Jecklin Disc takes the principles of the ORTF pair one step further and introduces a foam and fur covered 12”disc between the microphone ‘ears’, emulating the reflective, and shading characteristics of the human head. This array utilises a spaced pair of omni capsules angled slightly outwards. The Jecklin disc with a pair of MK-012s produces a remarkable sense of ‘being there’. Excellent in situations where, along with the performance, you want to capture the acoustics of a great sounding hall or church. Good with subjects of any size and can be positioned at a distance without losing ‘presence’.

CLICK HERE for sound clip of violin concerto

CLICK HERE for sound clip of choral concert

CLICK HERE for sound clip of A Cappella singers in small church

 Anecdote

Some years ago whilst recording a live performance of Monteverdi Vespers, I was somewhat taken aback at the start of the concert by the following occurrence. As the choir processed in from the back of the church, they suddenly started singing!! Arrgh! With almost any other array this would have been a recording disaster. As it was, the pick-up of the Jecklin disc with its MK-012 omnis is pretty much the same from behind! The choir processed down the length of the church and filed past on either side of the mic stand and took their positions in front still singing! Sounded great!

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Response graphs

One thing I particularly liked about my MK-012s when they arrived, was the inclusion of individual printouts of the response characteristics of each of the 6 capsules. Below is the printout comparing the matched frequency response of the 2 cardioid capsules, complete with handwritten details!

Tech Spec for Oktava MK012

P.S.

Having provided a neat wooden box it is commendable that Oktava didn’t waste money on fancy, glossy, printing on the packaging! No hype, no bullshit, no celebrity endorsements, just a great sounding pair of mics !