Recording 90 piece orchestra

[Phil]

Hey everyone.
I might have gotten myself into a possible job to record a 90 piece orchestra. I have been told it doesnt have to be perfect quality as it is just going to publishers with the sheet music from the composer.

I am guessing I will just have to do a good old live mix with headphones and record a stereo mix. I was planning on micing the different groups. possibly a matched set of condensers.

Has anyone ever done this? Either live or studio. Im just after any mics I should consider to hire in? 58's do the job.

As I said it could basically be done with a MD and a mic but I dont really want to have a reputation for cheap and simple jobs lol.

Cheers

Phil

...I take it everyone has been busy the last few months then, not as many posts as usual. Hows everyone doing?

[jimthedrum]

a great place i have found is a stereo pair of decent condensers just above the conductors head, eg: dpa.
you could try a binaural dummy head if your having to hire in mics

[Simon Ryder]

I would second that. Hire in a VERY high quality stereo pair of condensor mics. DPA, Neumann, Gefell, Schoeps. Make sure they are cardiod and array as a near coincident pair 1.5 feet above the conductor's head. Apply a little bass boost to compensate for the proximity effect on the microphones.

(My personal choice would be Scoeps CMC6 with cardiod capsules - Richmond film services are the most reasonable place I know to hire from)

Add spot mics of needed on sections and any solo instruments- my usual choice for this are Beyer M160 ribbons (again Richmond)

This job will cost you on the hires if you do it right, but not too much


my other suggestions would be to use the Blumlein technique (2 figure of 8 microphones - royer make some beautiful ribbions in this pattern. Or to use a Decca Tree which you can make with 3 omni mics (DPA).

You should be able to research details of these different techniques on the internet. PM me if you can't find them.

S

[Rick Sarson]

The previous posts are dead right. There is a lot to be said for a simplified approach to such a potentially complex job. Part of the conductors job is to create the optimum mix where he stands, and he has spent his whole career doing it. Have a look here www.dpamicrophones.com/ at the "Microphone University" you might pick up some handy hints on mic technique. If you are going to buy then the Rode NT5 matched pair are good for the price. But Mr Ryder is right, hire the best mics you can possibly afford and you will not regret it. If the end user is going to listen on headphones then dummy head is a fantastic tool, the stereo field with that technique is a thing of beauty. Let us know how you get on.