mikig a clavecin

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Lecitinadesoja

New member
Joined
Sep 4, 2019
Messages
4
Hi you all, thanks for admitting me in the forum
My name is Luca, i'm a sound technician and i make myself some simple instruments, like d.i. boxes and instrument-dedicated preamplifier.

Now i need to record a clavecin, i have some microphones available, including Akg414. do you have any advice on how to position them?

Thanks
 
Basically the same setting as a piano. Two mics in ORTF if you're a purist, or in XY closer to the strings for a more modern (think Lucy in the sky) sound. The harpsichord is a very bright instrument; you'll probably need to reduce the highs.
 
abbey road d enfer said:
Basically the same setting as a piano. Two mics in ORTF if you're a purist, or in XY closer to the strings for a more modern (think Lucy in the sky) sound. The harpsichord is a very bright instrument; you'll probably need to reduce the highs.

Like Abbey said...

I also like a spaced pair outside the instrument.

If you have a pair of Ribbon mics use them also, they work really well on this instrument.
even some inexpensive options will work really well, like a pair of these:
https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_rb500.htm?sid=2bbab03bdb9eccc4f2e682c42199f8df
 
Lecitinadesoja said:
Can a 15-inch distance fit?
You mean distance from the string plane? I think it will probably sound shrill and you may have issues with balance between strings. It also depends if you use the 414's in cardio or omni mode (I think there's no point using them in fig-8 mode).
 
Yes, i mean 15 inch from the string plane, in cardiod mode
I think I will use the NOS technique, if it sounds shrill, I will slightly bring the two microphones closer to the bass strings.

My harpsichord is large about 40 inches, the microphones distance of 12 inch is just 1/3 of string plane
 
Lecitinadesoja said:
Yes, i mean 15 inch from the string plane, in cardiod mode
I think I will use the NOS technique, if it sounds shrill, I will slightly bring the two microphones closer to the bass strings.

My harpsichord is large about 40 inches, the microphones distance of 12 inch is just 1/3 of string plane
Remember that the NOS mode (as well as the ORTF mode) has been designed for distant micing. You may end up with a somewhat unnatural stereo image when used in such close proximity.
Anyway, when close micing, one needs to experiment, because the source is no more a pseudo point-source; close micing is a somewhat artificial situation where one has to accept some unnaturalness and work with it instead of fighting against.
 
Distance will help the sound.  It also depends on acoustics of the space and noise floor of the space as to how faraway you can be.  Close mic is for pop multi-tracking and competition with other instruments.    Ribbons could work well.  Nothing wrong with 414s.  I love them on piano.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top