Topic: How to configure for off-center

[it-goes-to-eleven]

So at last night's show, I was 8 seats off of DFC and 9 rows back at an outdoor roofed venue (though DFC at the venue is a wide aisle)...  So being that close, it made me fairly off center.  I was running Mk41's DINA

In that situation, what is the optimal position for the mics?  Do you attempt to keep them square to the stage as if you were dfc? Or do you rotate the mics so that the left mic is pointed closer to the left PA and the right mic is not pointed so directly at the right PA?

Another question I haven't seen discussed much.  When do you narrow the pattern to something approaching A-B (20, 30, 45 degrees)?  In this situation it was mostly PA sound and not monitors.  When there are decent monitors, I do like to try and capture the stereo that results.

Thanks!

[Cooker]

my rule of thumb - and it may be dead wrong for all i know - is that the farther off center i am, the more coincident i run. if i'm way off to the side, it's always xy. i stay square to the stage too, no PAS for me.

[Ed.]

i used to always run xy when i was off center, but lately i've just been adjusting my din a bit here and there.  i most times don't stay square to the stage either, usually pointing one mic to just outside the stack, and then adjusting to din from that one.  which usually makes the other mic point somewhat to the outside of the other stack.  usually i have to boost the level a smidge on the mic thats farther away from the stack to even out the levels.

probably not the right way to do it, but i've yet to hear anything bad in my recordings because of it.