Klarinet Archive - Posting 000474.txt from 1997/11

From: Jacqueline Eastwood <eastwooj@-----.EDU>
Subj: re: Recording the clarinet
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 15:25:32 -0500

On Mon, 10 Nov 1997 jeff.chan@-----.com wrote:

> It is my experience that it is not the medium that is the problem
> (cassette tape, open reel tape, DAT tape, etc), but the type of
> microphone.
>
> Obviously, a low quality cassette recorder will not give good fidelity
> results. But even a high quality recorder fed by an improperly
> matched microphone will also result in poor fidelity.
>
> I have found that the key to good sounding clarinet recordings is the
> use of a microphone with a large diaphragm. These types of
> microphones tend to be condenser microphones, and the large diaphragm
> versions are always more expensive than their small diaphragm
> brethren.
>
> It has to do with the way the wave front interacts with the diaphragm,
> and the fact that the clarinet produces (mainly) odd order harmonics
> which produce a signal with fast rise times that tend to make
> microphones ring or oscillate.
>
> Jeff Chan
> jeff.chan@-----.com
>
>
>
And for this reason I often found myself recording things while facing
AWAY from the microphone -- not playing directly into it. I guess it
really records the reverb from the room that way ... any one have any
comments or suggestions? It's the only way I've found to record something
on the cheap but with somewhat realistic quality; for instance, if you're
recording a practice session (just for home use).

Jacqueline Eastwood
University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
eastwooj@-----.edu