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RE: Extraneous Clicking

Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-09-13 21:15

A couple of things:

First, I call the tape recorder a "truth machine" - it does not lie. Use your recording to discover what your audience hears then try to make adjustments to improve that sound.

Having said that, I'll say a few things about recording the clarinet. The clarinet is probably one of the more difficult instruments to record. This is due in part to the clarinet's eextremely complex harmonic structure and in part to where the sound comes out of the horn. I'll offer a few suggestions:
1) use a good microphones. The cheap $20 mic you get at Radio Shack will not accurately pick up the entire spectrum of the sound of a clarinet (and adds a lot of background noise to boot). I have had good results with Audio Technica 4051's and Electovoice RE20's (both are in the $600 range). You will get decent results using a couple of Shure SM57's (at about $100 per mic) - see below for using two mics.
2) if you are using a single mic - place the mic on a boom stand about 2-3 feet away from your clarinet. Aim the mic at the lower section from above, at about a 45 degree angle. Remember that only a very few notes actually speak from the bell of the clarinet - all the rest speak from the tone holes.
3) if you are using two mics (the best scenario) place one mic aimed up the bell from about six inches away and the other mic aimed at the connection between the upper and lower joint (right above your right first finger) from about 3 to 6 inches away, perpendicular to the clarinet (straight _down_ at the finger holes). Now you will need to do a little work to adjust the mix of the two mics (balance the levels) but the result will be better recording response across the entire range of the clarinet.

Obviously, these are recommendations for serious recording. If your goal is to simply record to listen back to yourself, you may just have to put up with less quality. But realize that, although you can learn a lot by recording yourself, better recording quality takes better equipment (takes more $$$).

Kevin Bowman

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