Klarinet Archive - Posting 000143.txt from 1995/02

From: "David B. Niethamer" <NIETHAMER@-----.BITNET>
Subj: Re: vibrato and equipment flutter
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 1995 22:19:01 -0500

On Sun, 5 Feb 1995, William A. Helmers wrote:

> I have had limited experience with recording on DAT tape, but from what I
> have done, it seems as though it is quite difficult to record solo
> clarinet even on a DAT.

I'll share my limited recording experience with either DAT or analogue. A
few years ago, our Richmond Symphony recording engineer helped me to
select a microphone for use in audition recordings, etc. He brought some
of his favorite orchestra and studio mics, and we discovered (as he
already knew) that the larger the diaphragm in the mic, the more
accurately it reproduced the clarinet sound, especially in regard to the
depth of tonal character we hear live. Among the brands I tested on that
day were Neumann, Schoeps, and AKG(?), and due to financial limitations,
I settled for less than the $2500 Neumann that I liked best. The Neumann
that I bought works well, either in my Pro Walkman (no flutter, not much
vibrato, at least not often!) or in my full size Sony deck.

Then there's the issue of where we place that (those?) mics. I've seen a
few interesting suggestions posted here over the last few months, but
I'll just share a few of my own successful experiences. One, in a chamber
setting, involved one AKG mic for three (fl, Cl, soprano) centered on the
three of us. Another, for Opus One, involved a Neumann 2-3 feet above the
music stand. Most recently, I recorded a concerto with a pair of Schoeps
mics 12" apart, 6' high. I asked the engineer should I stand or sit, and
he said stand, which made me nervous about the issue of noise at that
close range(it was a DAT recording). But the engineer knew his job, and the
sound was at least as good as I played it, and maybe better. I think a good
engineer makes or breaks a recording, and they get too little credit for
good ears and musical sensitivity when they do the job well.

Now, does anyone who really *knows* something about this have $.02 to add?

David Niethamer

   
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