Topic: Help: recording classical violin

[hegedulany]

Audball,
Thanks for putting those links about recording a cello (and thanks Kevin for starting this thread!)

A good friend of mine directed me to taperssection.com and I've been reading different pages of information and trying to learn about the whole recording process. I'm very much a newbie to all of this . . . so bear with the 'naive' questions    I'm trying to read as much as possible so I don't duplicate anything already asked.

I'm a professional classical violinist and thinking about recording something for solo violin (Bach actually) and have been wondering about the positioning of microphones. I'd like to eventually make a professional recording but for now, would at least like to start a possible 'draft' recording. Thanks to Audball and the links (and to my friend sending me this thread!) I might try a few of the mic techniques out 

I have a Sony ECM-MS907 microphone with a Sony MD MZ-R70. It's all I have to use to record with at the moment       Should I be able to get a basic sense of recording using this one microphone?

My other question is - using my basic equipment (I believe Xmas is coming and Santa's going to get a letter this year . . .   )  what type of room should I be looking for to record solo violin in - a hall, a recording studio or say a church?

Any other tips, comments or suggestions about actually recording or equipment advice are all warmly welcomed.

Thanks everyone!

[Ray76]

Audball,
Thanks for putting those links about recording a cello (and thanks Kevin for starting this thread!)

A good friend of mine directed me to taperssection.com and I've been reading different pages of information and trying to learn about the whole recording process. I'm very much a newbie to all of this . . . so bear with the 'naive' questions    I'm trying to read as much as possible so I don't duplicate anything already asked.

I'm a professional classical violinist and thinking about recording something for solo violin (Bach actually) and have been wondering about the positioning of microphones. I'd like to eventually make a professional recording but for now, would at least like to start a possible 'draft' recording. Thanks to Audball and the links (and to my friend sending me this thread!) I might try a few of the mic techniques out 

I have a Sony ECM-MS907 microphone with a Sony MD MZ-R70. It's all I have to use to record with at the moment       Should I be able to get a basic sense of recording using this one microphone?

My other question is - using my basic equipment (I believe Xmas is coming and Santa's going to get a letter this year . . .   )  what type of room should I be looking for to record solo violin in - a hall, a recording studio or say a church?

Any other tips, comments or suggestions about actually recording or equipment advice are all warmly welcomed.

Thanks everyone!

http://www.jdbsound.com/art/art517.html

Heres a good link. Welcome on board to a fellow musician!

[hegedulany]

BigRay,

Thanks so much for that link      Very informative and has given me a lot to think about.

I was thinking about recording in a church as the work is written by J.S.Bach and he's so linked with the church. It has been my experience when playing this music in this acoustic that there is something 'else' added to the sound. I can now see what the challenge must be in recording it that way.

Anyone with thoughts on how to capture what the audience and performer hear??? What equipment to use? (You can see I'm restricted presently with a MD recorder and a Sony mic)

Thank you for the warm welcome. Much appreciated as I explore this new territory of sound. Again, all comments and advice on equipment and recording techniques are also welcomed!

[hegedulany]

Thanks Moke for all those photos. A picture does speak a thousand words . . .or more   
I've got a much better idea of positioning of a mic now.

As you have such experience with recording classical string instruments and in particular violin, with the basic recording setup that I have (Sony ECM-MS907 microphone with a Sony MD MZ-R70 . . . sigh . . .) can I still record in a venue such as a hall or a church, and still have a 'fair' idea of the quality of the sound?

If I was to think about saving towards upgrading recording equpiment, should I first invest in something else than a mini-disc recorder or think about better mics?

Thanks!

[divamum]

Posted by Moke:
I'll lead you down some very dark expensive passages....

<whispers in dangerously suggestive voice>

4060....

4060....

4060....

4060....

 

[hegedulany]

Gosh . .. now I'm TOTALLY curious what sort of changes are coming in the recording world Moke 

So if I stay with the MD recorder (who also has a problem transferring to the computer since it's not one of the netMDs, but I've read other links discussing that issue), what mics should one be looking at? Could you start with maybe a basic upgrade from the Sony one and then show me the "dangerously expensive" types? What does one gain from the expensive mics? I have heard about 4060s . . . .

Thanks!

[hegedulany]

Moke,
I see that you use 4060s. I've heard how sweet they really are 

Is there anything that I might be able to use with my MD recorder at a lower cost level? I know I won't get the same recording level though, but am really curious about your advice with all your experience in recording classical music.

Thanks!

[hegedulany]

Moke,
Since you record so many classical concerts . . . .what sort of setup do you have? I know the price of the 4060s         so I'm looking around until I have the money for them, and asking successful recording people what I might start off with. Though I might not be in the league of professional recording equipment just yet, if I can invest in something that will give me an accurate feedback for now, I'm open to any brand out there   

Also, I am SO curious about you saying that the next level of recording is coming out in the future. Care to share what you are alluding to??

Thanks! You're comments are really valued here since I'm a newbie and very shy about even asking any questions (you all know so much on these pages!)

[WiFiJeff]

I am also a big fan of the 4060s with violin (though I'd like to try the DPA 4052s some time).  The only time I've done solo violin was in a church and the acoustic was pretty frightful, way too much reverb (though some like that sound), I'd use cardioids in that kind of room if I had to do it again.  I run the 4060s into the MMA6000 also, and then on to an Edirol R1.  I'd be happy to send you a copy of a violin/piano recital from a medium size hall with that set up, or even nicer a version of the Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata for violin and string orchestra sone at 24 bits into the Oade modified R1.

Jeff

[divamum]

Hey, WiFiJeff, ow have you found the R1 and its features/performance for classical?  A lot of  classical singers are wondering about it as an "all-in-one" alternative. Because most of my stuff is stealth I'm more interested in the m-audio which doesn't (visually) scream "i am a recorder" quite so badly, but the Edirol is still a mighty appealinig piece of kit. How're the built-in mics on it? 

[WiFiJeff]

I love the R1 (and all I tape is classical).  I only wish it did 96 kH and started up new files at the 2 GB limit.  That said, I have never used the built-in mics nor the mic-in.  I had already switched to using the MMA6000 to do line-in on my old DAT M1, and that preamp has continued to give excellent results in the R1.  The Oade mod is new, and I have not decided how much difference it makes (no unambiguous one-on-one comparisons), I think it does help but not as dramatically as going from the M1 internal preamp to the MMA6000, which was a no-brainer kick-up a notch.

The internal mics are said to be noisy but okay, though to use them you have to get the hang of the levels indicators on the R1 (poor) and the cheesy volume knob, which I have simply taped over, since slipping the R1 into a pocket can screw up settings and it has no markings to help you.  The R1 fits nicely into a sports jacket's inside pocket (right or left), as does the MMA6000.

Jeff

[divamum]

Thanks WFJ.    From your description the unit is smaller than I thought, too. Most interessssttttinnnngg.   Can you hot-swap the media on that unit or do you have to switch off and restart to change the CF card?

Also, what are the DPA 4052s...?  Enquiring minds want to know (even though enquiring budgets need to be content with CMC8s for a while longer!! lol)

[WiFiJeff]

I use an 8 GB CF card on the R1, no need to swap out (a 4 GB card, which is a lot cheaper, will run 4 1/4 hours at 24 bits and about 6 1/2  at 16 bits).  You just have to start a new file when the 2 GB limit is reached (or earlier if you get a chance), this takes about 3-5 seconds.  Would be nice if it did this automatically and losslessly (like the SD 722).  I think you're supposed to shut off the power before removing a CF card on the R1, I always do. 

The DPA 4052 are the smaller version of the regular DPA omnis (4006s), a bit too big for croakies though.

Jeff

[hegedulany]

WiFiJeff,
I'd be really interested in hearing the result of your recording of a solo violin and also the Beethoven Kreutzer sonata. When you recorded solo violin, how far away were the microphones placed from the instrument?

Thanks to everyone for giving me a list of possible recording setups. I'm saving my pennies now      

[WiFiJeff]

WiFiJeff,
I'd be really interested in hearing the result of your recording of a solo violin and also the Beethoven Kreutzer sonata.

Check pm