Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: intpseeker on July 06, 2012, 02:35:33 PM
-
At the Furthur gig last night, I noticed a setup in the tapers section as I was leaving. Looked like three mics, the outer ones basically A-B-ed, and the middle one slightly higher. They were big, or at least the windscreens were major. I couldn't get back against the crowd headed for the exit to inquire.
Any thoughts?
-
Three spaced mics goes all the way back to the very begining of non-mono electric recording with Harvey Fletcher's experiments for Bell Labs in the 1930's. It's a currently under used technique for our style of recording IMO, and one of my prefered omni techniques. Could be directionals instead of omnis too, more likely to be used in the center if the outside mics are A-B spaced. Also possible that the center mic was actually a stereo mic, then the outside mics can help provide more width, open ambience and low bass than the center coincident stereo mic would get alone.
Such a three channel recording is typically mixed to 2 channel stereo with the center mic panned to the middle, Left mic all the way left and right mic all the way right, and the evel of the center adjusted to taste. If all three channels are recorded and not mixed in the field to a stereo recorder, that gives the taper more control over the sound balance, timbre and stereo image after the fact than simple two-channel stereo. But these days you can also play back a three channel recording without mixing the channels over a Left/Center/Right speaker setup common with home theater setups. That was the prefered way of doing it in the Bell Labs experiments (they didn't consider 2 channels enough, which was all that later stereo LPs could hold, and also pretty much the practical limit of what people could be convinced to buy) which influenced multichannel movie theater sound and eventually home theater. With mutichannel recording and multichannel playback systems becoming comon in the past decade, it's become much easier to play back three channel recordings over three front speakers.. and it can be a really great improvement!
Mixing 3 mics down to 2-channel stereo before recoring was a relatively common technique a few dacades ago for Grateful Dead taping. But that was slightly different in adding a center omni to a pair of closer spaced directional left/right mics (often shotguns) to help extend the bass response of the shotguns and to provide more a more natrual ambient crowd sound. So the reasons for using 3 mics in that situation were somewhat different than a wide spaced 3 mic A-B setup.
-
At the Furthur gig last night, I noticed a setup in the tapers section as I was leaving. Looked like three mics, the outer ones basically A-B-ed, and the middle one slightly higher. They were big, or at least the windscreens were major. I couldn't get back against the crowd headed for the exit to inquire.
Any thoughts?
Sounds like the classic NAK 3 mic mix - the nak MX-100 mixer has 3 channels - L-R-and Center (or "Blend" as Nak called it)
Usually 2 shotguns, and an omni - I recall seeing some guys pointing the center mic up a bit...
-
sounds like it could be a non-traditional decca tree.
-
sounds like it could be a non-traditional decca tree.
Maybe - but it was at a Furthur show where there are still probably some old school guys...and he made mention of the windscreens (the nak shotgun is like a 15 inch foam windscreen)
-
sounds like it could be a non-traditional decca tree.
Maybe - but it was at a Furthur show where there are still probably some old school guys...and he made mention of the windscreens (the nak shotgun is like a 15 inch foam windscreen)
you're probably correct. i've only seen a Decca Tree configuration used once (and it wasn't at a Furthur show).
-
Decca tree is simply a special case of three spaced mics, which moves the center one forward of the other two. In use it's basically the same as three in a row- mix to 2 channel L/R or play back 3 channel L/C/R.
-
At the Furthur gig last night, I noticed a setup in the tapers section as I was leaving. Looked like three mics, the outer ones basically A-B-ed, and the middle one slightly higher. They were big, or at least the windscreens were major. I couldn't get back against the crowd headed for the exit to inquire.
Any thoughts?
Were the outer ones shotguns? That should've been pretty evident.
-
At the Furthur gig last night, I noticed a setup in the tapers section as I was leaving. Looked like three mics, the outer ones basically A-B-ed, and the middle one slightly higher. They were big, or at least the windscreens were major. I couldn't get back against the crowd headed for the exit to inquire.
Any thoughts?
Were the outer ones shotguns? That should've been pretty evident.
-
At the Furthur gig last night, I noticed a setup in the tapers section as I was leaving. Looked like three mics, the outer ones basically A-B-ed, and the middle one slightly higher. They were big, or at least the windscreens were major. I couldn't get back against the crowd headed for the exit to inquire.
Any thoughts?
Were the outer ones shotguns? That should've been pretty evident.
Yeah, and? That doesn't mean anything. LD's are big also eh?
He didn't say they were guns so I figured I would ask.
He also doesn't state whether the center mic was smaller or not or was equal in size. Thanks for your useless post though sweets.
-
At the Furthur gig last night, I noticed a setup in the tapers section as I was leaving. Looked like three mics, the outer ones basically A-B-ed, and the middle one slightly higher. They were big, or at least the windscreens were major. I couldn't get back against the crowd headed for the exit to inquire.
Any thoughts?
Were the outer ones shotguns? That should've been pretty evident.
Yeah, and? That doesn't mean anything. LD's are big also eh?
He didn't say they were guns so I figured I would ask.
He also doesn't state whether the center mic was smaller or not or was equal in size. Thanks for your useless post though sweets.
(http://canigivemydog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/can-i-give-my-dog-midol.jpg)
-
At the Furthur gig last night, I noticed a setup in the tapers section as I was leaving. Looked like three mics, the outer ones basically A-B-ed, and the middle one slightly higher. They were big, or at least the windscreens were major. I couldn't get back against the crowd headed for the exit to inquire.
Any thoughts?
Were the outer ones shotguns? That should've been pretty evident.
Yeah, and? That doesn't mean anything. LD's are big also eh?
He didn't say they were guns so I figured I would ask.
He also doesn't state whether the center mic was smaller or not or was equal in size. Thanks for your useless post though sweets.
(http://canigivemydog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/can-i-give-my-dog-midol.jpg)
You set the tone with posting a half-assed sarcastic bolded post though sugar.
But indeed, give you props on well played. ;D I will now post it in the ragtime thread throwing both of us under said bus sir!!..
-
sounds like it could be a non-traditional decca tree.
this.
it doesn't say the middle mic was out front, but "up"
I think it's an f'ed up decca tree arrangement.
-
At the Furthur gig last night, I noticed a setup in the tapers section as I was leaving. Looked like three mics, the outer ones basically A-B-ed, and the middle one slightly higher. They were big, or at least the windscreens were major. (http://images5.fanpop.com/image/user_images/3950000/minniemeg-3950786_50_50.jpg) I couldn't get back against the crowd headed for the exit to inquire.
Any thoughts?
Were the outer ones shotguns? That should've been pretty evident.
Yeah, and? That doesn't mean anything. LD's are big also eh?
He didn't say they were guns so I figured I would ask.
He also doesn't state whether the center mic was smaller or not or was equal in size. Thanks for your useless post though sweets.
(http://canigivemydog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/can-i-give-my-dog-midol.jpg)
You set the tone with posting a half-assed sarcastic bolded post though sugar.
But indeed, give you props on well played. ;D I will now post it in the ragtime thread throwing both of us under said bus sir!!..
Sorry I forgot my bunny smiley...! It's all pretty now!
-
Attaboy!! Allergic to Midol tho. Motrin is the cats meow for the bloating, cramping and random witty interweb battles.
-
It looked like all three mics were the same size. Not set up like 414's or other ld mics, but clearly set up like my 451's or 460's, BUT MAJOR SIZED WINDSCREENS, MAYBE 3-3 1/2". (I just wanted to cap that part, given the exchange above 8) ) These didn't look like shotguns, unless the had really wide windscreens.
When I first looked at it 'Decca tree' went through my mind, but given that I really don't know squat about it, it was just an intuition.
-
Isn't a Decca tree a conspicuously large setup?
I seem to recall recording GD with a fellow in Buffalo 90 who ran some AKGs with Nak CP3 in the middle, slightly tipped upward...
-
Isn't a Decca tree a conspicuously large setup?
it typically is, but I don't recall there being any specific measurements, just that your middle channel sits closer to the sound source.
I seem to recall recording GD with a fellow in Buffalo 90 who ran some AKGs with Nak CP3 in the middle, slightly tipped upward...
hmm, sounds like the Stoner Array then.
-
It looked like all three mics were the same size. Not set up like 414's or other ld mics, but clearly set up like my 451's or 460's, BUT MAJOR SIZED WINDSCREENS, MAYBE 3-3 1/2". (I just wanted to cap that part, given the exchange above 8) ) These didn't look like shotguns, unless the had really wide windscreens.
When I first looked at it 'Decca tree' went through my mind, but given that I really don't know squat about it, it was just an intuition.
Thanks for the added details sir. That's what I was looking for. The exchange above is just a couple of old biddies trying to liven up the joint!
All in good fun. I forget who on the board does a lot of 3-mic stuff but there was indeed someone.
Teddy used to rock some three mic mixes that were good.
-
I miss Teddy. Is that thief still lurking here under another name?
-
I miss Teddy. Is that thief still lurking here under another name?
I meant Ted Gak.
-
I miss Teddy. Is that thief still lurking here under another name?
I meant Ted Gak.
Uh, sorry.
Here's a niiiice 3-mic mix I made a while back....
http://archive.org/details/nrps2007-09-22.nak303.flac16
-
I miss Teddy. Is that thief still lurking here under another name?
I meant Ted Gak.
Uh, sorry.
Here's a niiiice 3-mic mix I made a while back....
http://archive.org/details/nrps2007-09-22.nak303.flac16
Hey I remember that show!! (and yes it's a mighty fine example of a 3-mic recording)
Hard to believe it's been almost 5 years... wow
-
I miss Teddy. Is that thief still lurking here under another name?
I meant Ted Gak.
Uh, sorry.
Here's a niiiice 3-mic mix I made a while back....
http://archive.org/details/nrps2007-09-22.nak303.flac16
Hey I remember that show!! (and yes it's a mighty fine example of a 3-mic recording)
Hard to believe it's been almost 5 years... wow
Yep, we was wet on the inside, wet on the outside my friend!
-
The was Bob C's rig. He bought a three channel snake from me last year and runs three mics mixes all the time. I was into them for awhile also.
-
I miss Teddy. Is that thief still lurking here under another name?
I meant Ted Gak.
Uh, sorry.
Here's a niiiice 3-mic mix I made a while back....
http://archive.org/details/nrps2007-09-22.nak303.flac16
Hey I remember that show!! (and yes it's a mighty fine example of a 3-mic recording)
Hard to believe it's been almost 5 years... wow
Yep, we was wet on the inside, wet on the outside my friend!
Nice Capt!
The was Bob C's rig. He bought a three channel snake from me last year and runs three mics mixes all the time. I was into them for awhile also.
And that was the Ted
-
Thanks newplanet7 and alpine 85....sometimes the taper gods even show up in the rain, eh?.... 8)
-
The was Bob C's rig. He bought a three channel snake from me last year and runs three mics mixes all the time. I was into them for awhile also.
Ted...Three Omni's?