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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: phishy12 on February 17, 2007, 08:16:15 PM

Title: aiming microphones..............
Post by: phishy12 on February 17, 2007, 08:16:15 PM
if you are not DFC, rather if you are pretty far left or right, do you still point your mics straight forward or do you angle them more toward center??
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: phishy12 on February 18, 2007, 12:11:06 AM
come on..............41 people have read this, and no replies????? what do most of you do in this situation??
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: Gordon on February 18, 2007, 12:23:28 AM
most of us don't ever "point our mics straight forward".    I've never had to run so far off center that I still couldn't run DIN or xy etc.  if I did I would just point at the stacks.
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: sygdwm on February 18, 2007, 12:31:40 AM
agreed. point at the stacks either din or xy.
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: twatts (pants are so over-rated...) on February 18, 2007, 01:01:05 AM
At our local club, we run LOC about 5'...  I usually run DIN, but I rotate my center axis to point at the center of the stage.  So I'm not pointed straight forward, but slightly to the right...

T

Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: rowjimmytour on February 18, 2007, 01:46:36 AM
At our local club, we run LOC about 5'...  I usually run DIN, but I rotate my center axis to point at the center of the stage.  So I'm not pointed straight forward, but slightly to the right...

T


I second this and I am about 8'LDFC and I usually point my mics center running DIN. Ya just have to experiment and see what works.
Peace
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: Swampy on February 18, 2007, 12:50:21 PM
I guess I'm different than most in that when I am off to one side or the other I don't use the center of the stage to orient my pattern. It's gonna be hard for me to explain this... Lets say you're off to the left side running DIN, if you use the center as your orientation point, not only are you getting more direct sound from the left stack, but your left mic is pointed closer to the stack. That means that you arn't getting as much direct sound from the right side, and you right mic is pointing further from the stack. To me this seems to make a lopsided recording, lots of direct sound from the side you are on, and not as much from the opposite side.  * = where your mic is pointing, m = your mic stand position



                          *  STACK                                  STACK          *







                                           
 
                                        m
                           

To correct this, I tend to orient the center of my stereo field closer to the side that my mic stand is on. This way, your mic pointing to the opposite side is pointing more directly at the stack, and the mic on the side of your mic stand is pointing less directly at the closest stack, getting less direct sound. This balancing out the image a bit....

                   *         STACK                                  STACK  *







                                           
 
                                        m




Does this make sense to anyone else? Or, am I completely crazy ;D




Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: phishy12 on February 18, 2007, 12:51:49 PM
most of us don't ever "point our mics straight forward".    I've never had to run so far off center that I still couldn't run DIN or xy etc.  if I did I would just point at the stacks.

i guess i didn't ask the question clearly. i was referring to the center axis and whether you left it pointing straight forward or if you tried to rotate it more toward the center of the stage or stacks??

the reason i ask, is i ran schoeps hypers at ratdog in vegas. i was clamped to a stand with a guy running the classic nak setup with the 2 guns and the super omni in the middle. we were about 20ft ROC and he had the guns pointed straight at bobby which turned the center axis about 10-15 degrees. my recording turned out completley lacking the low end and was wondering if this off center axis would have caused this?? i've ran the mk41's plenty of times and had great results, but this was by far the worst!!! and it sounded pretty damn good in the HOB.................
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: phishy12 on February 18, 2007, 12:55:32 PM
i follow you swampy......so instead of having the center axis aimed between the stacks, you'd maybe give a half turn towards center to try and even up where the mics are actually pointing.
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: ethan on February 18, 2007, 01:23:41 PM
Does this make sense to anyone else? Or, am I completely crazy ;D

Yep...that's exactly my approach.
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: eclark on February 18, 2007, 01:35:45 PM
Does this make sense to anyone else? Or, am I completely crazy ;D

Yep...that's exactly my approach.

agreed. last night i had to run my mics *slightly* off center to the right, and even though i tried to compensate this way, i think my recording might have come out just a tad off center. maybe adding a little gain to the left channel will help...???

+t for the explaination swampy :]
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: Chuck on February 18, 2007, 03:38:38 PM
I do as Swampy does, too.
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: twatts (pants are so over-rated...) on February 18, 2007, 06:25:30 PM
I guess I'm different than most in that when I am off to one side or the other I don't use the center of the stage to orient my pattern.



This makes more sense than what I do...  i'll try this next time.

Terry

Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: gratefulphish on February 18, 2007, 11:10:17 PM
I do as Swampy does, too.

Generally ditto, but in some clubs down here, we are literally forced to the wall, requiring one mic virtually straight on, and the other one adjusted depending on how far back we are, and location of the PA. 
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: twatts (pants are so over-rated...) on February 19, 2007, 01:11:45 AM
I guess I'm different than most in that when I am off to one side or the other I don't use the center of the stage to orient my pattern.



This makes more sense than what I do...  i'll try this next time.

Terry



We were at our club tonite, I checked out our position...  Its weird, I'll have to draw a pix tomorrow, but I'm combining both my thoughts and Swampy's???  I'll show you what I'm doing, I know I'm an idiot, so running F-ed up wouldn't surprise me...

T

Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: ts on February 19, 2007, 11:00:29 AM
most of us don't ever "point our mics straight forward".    I've never had to run so far off center that I still couldn't run DIN or xy etc.  if I did I would just point at the stacks.

i guess i didn't ask the question clearly. i was referring to the center axis and whether you left it pointing straight forward or if you tried to rotate it more toward the center of the stage or stacks??

the reason i ask, is i ran schoeps hypers at ratdog in vegas. i was clamped to a stand with a guy running the classic nak setup with the 2 guns and the super omni in the middle. we were about 20ft ROC and he had the guns pointed straight at bobby which turned the center axis about 10-15 degrees. my recording turned out completley lacking the low end and was wondering if this off center axis would have caused this?? i've ran the mk41's plenty of times and had great results, but this was by far the worst!!! and it sounded pretty damn good in the HOB.................

That was robr you were clamped to. The dude is famous. Reason you are lacking bass is the bass player, not your mics. ;D
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: twatts (pants are so over-rated...) on February 19, 2007, 11:17:13 AM


We were at our club tonite, I checked out our position...  Its weird, I'll have to draw a pix tomorrow, but I'm combining both my thoughts and Swampy's???  I'll show you what I'm doing, I know I'm an idiot, so running F-ed up wouldn't surprise me...

T



Here you go.  This is about how the Pour House in Raleigh is laid out.

Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: RobertNC on February 19, 2007, 11:05:23 PM
Generally ditto, but in some clubs down here, we are literally forced to the wall, requiring one mic virtually straight on, and the other one adjusted depending on how far back we are, and location of the PA. 

So I am curious.  Will be taping at the Beacon basically on the right wall.  Since you have some experience in this scenario, what do you recommend when taping *way* off center?

TIA
Title: Re: aiming microphones..............
Post by: mmmatt on February 19, 2007, 11:24:03 PM
If you have decent phones, you can allways throw the mics up in the air and use your ears... I do that quite a bit.  Even when you are dfc it doesn't mean you are in the sweetspot.  Keep in mind, for most rock-ish shows there is a lot of sound coming off of the stage, and not just the stacks, and on top of that many shows are not in stereo through the PA so dead ahead may give you the best sound wherever you are.  If you don't know the room and/or the band you really need to use your ears IMO, even if it is just your ears and no phones.  Proximity to the stage, stage volume, mono or stereo pa, volume of the show, sound of the room, the alignment of the stars in relation to Jupiter, type/flavor of mics or pre, your personal taste, and type of music all make a difference in how best to run your rig.  To say do it this way every time or do it that way is nonsence.  Run your rig how you think it might be best, keep good notes of how you did it, and then try it another way next time and compare.  Experience and experimentation are what make good tapes.

my .02

Matt