Re: Harpsichord!!! What the???

On 29 Nov 2005 18:18:54 -0800, "studiorat" <daveslevin@xxxxx> wrote:

>
>Back again...
>
>Thanks to all for the advice regarding the line up tones...
>
>I have a a gig coming up with a strange selection of instruments, on
>their own they aren't all that weird but together they are gonna make a
>right old racket...
>
>Here's the deal:
3 Timps
Orch. Bass Drum
Orch. Snare
>2 Flutes
>Violin
>Viola
>Cello
>Bass
Trombone
>Harpsichord

-- What the above instruments are meant to mimic? -- I mean they don't
quite fit into a baroque (chamber) ensemble for me. They' would
require a larger room.

>It's in a good studio and I will have baffles/gobos etc. I have a plan
>for the layout and a fair idea of the mic.s I'm gonna use. (TLM 170's,
>414's, U-87's blah,blah,blah)

I'd use a stereo pair at a mid-distance. So no grouping of performers
would be necessary and I'd spare at some supporting mics (as each
supporting mic less is an advantage for me).

>I'm wondering about the harpsichord though, I've only ever seen one
>stored in the concert hall with a cover over it let alone put a mic
>near it...

Yes, hapsicord is an plucked instrument and depending of the make they
can be quite clangy. I think they will have the lid open at recording.
With the lid closed, the sound can be quite muted. Unlike pianos, the
spectrum of interest is in higher areas, but frequency tops can go
very high and the content is very rich on harmonics.
A closed lid might be fine for some solo performances in small rooms,
but here, the hapsicord should support much louder instruments.

>Has anybody any suggestions about what mic's I could try, placement or
>any other hidden dangers I should be looking out for. Shuld I approach
>it as I would a piano, should I put mic's inside it a la Pop piano or
>outside a la classical vibe... (I'll probably cover the thing in
>microphones, but a bit of guidance would be helpful)

-- Stay away from the hapsicord as you would from the open-lid piano
if you must support it.

Albeit clangy, a hapsicord can be soft by the make. Some makes sound
brightier. Being plucked, it has a little of keyboard dynamics or not
at all so they always sound similary loud or (or soft) so you would
need not an extremely set headroom for it, ie. you can open the gain
to an extent if you'd have to mike it separately -- of course you'd
care about any leaks. But yes, it might be well a supporting
instrument only in this case.

I remember a concert I was attending to in a local church, very (maybe
a bit uncontroled) acoustic; a violin and a hapsicord. Seated in the
2nd row, performers at the left side with the hapsicord being somewhat
closer and the open lid facing to the center, I heard that the
hapsicord has been quite softer than the sound of violin, perhaps even
3:1.


>Thanks.
>
>oh! did I mention the get-in is at 7.30 am...
Heh! Not a bad thing at all! You will have fresh ears and will be
served with fresh morning cofee, not bad I'd say:))
>Dave

Edi Zubovic, Crikvenica, Croatia
.