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Violins n' Wedges
A READER NAMED BRANDON HAS THE SENSE TO BE WARY OF AIMING WEDGES AT
AN ORCHESTRA.
Have you ever done any orchestral work where the whole orchestra
is reinforced and using monitors?
YES, I HAVE.
THE WEALTHIEST ONES SPRING FOR HARDWIRED IN-EARS, WITH GENERIC EARPIECES
FOR THE WHOLE GANG, FRESH FOAMIES SLIPPED OVER THEM FOR SANITARY PURPOSES.
How would one go about tackling such a project?
AS THE PROJECT HEADS DOWNFIELD TOWARD THE GOAL LINE, YOU RACE ALONG
NEXT TO IT, AND THEN THROW YOUR WEIGHT AGAINST IT, TAKING IT TO THE
GROUND IN A BRUTAL AND HOPEFULLY INJURIOUS FASHION.
WHAT THIS MEANS SONICALLY IS THAT WHAT HAS WORKED FOR ME IS TO
ACTUALLY POSITION THE WEDGES BEHIND THE MUSICIANS RATHER THAN IN
THE TRADITIONAL PLACE BETWEEN THEM AND THE AUDIENCE. YOU ARE NOW
CREATING KIND OF A BUBBLE OF THEMSELVES AROUND THEM AMBIENTLY, IF
THAT DOESN'T SOUND TOO ARTSY-FARTSY.
THEY FEEL IT, AND LIKE IT, BUT THEY AREN'T LOOKING AT THE WEDGES,
SO THE HYPOCRITICAL PURIST WITHIN THEM IS MOLLIFIED. HEY, I LOVE
'EM, C'MON!
POINT THE MICS SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM THE WEDGES (WHICH YOU WOULD DO
IN ANY SITUATION, RIGHT, PAL?).
Also any tips for mic-ing a violin with limited school equipment (aka - a couple SM58's?)
USE A TALL BOOM. ASK THE PLAYER AS YOU MOVE IT IN CLOSER AND CLOSER
TO TELL YOU WHEN IT BEGINS TO INTERFERE WITH THEIR SPACE AND BOWING,
THEN BACK IT OFF A LITTLE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A HI-PASS FILTER,
INCREASE THE GAIN ON THE CHANNEL UNTIL SOMETHING STARTS TO RESONATE,
AND THEN EQ THAT OUT.
THAT SOMETHING WILL PROBABLY BE THE LOW END. THERE IS VERY LITTLE
LF IN A VIOLIN SO DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ROLL IT OFF TO GET MORE LEVEL.
PARADOXICALLY, YOU WILL PROBABLY GET MORE LEVEL WITH ONE MIC THAN
TWO, UNLESS YOU FLIP THE POLARITY ON ONE OF THEM. IF YOU CANNOT
DO THAT, YOU ARE JUST DOUBLING THE UNWANTED MUCK.
ALSO, PLEASE REMEMBER: JUST AS WITH A GUITAR, CELLO, OR UPRIGHT
BASS, YOUR GOAL IS NOT TO JAM THE MIC DOWN THE F-HOLES. REMEMBER
THAT THE ENTIRE SOUNDBOARD IS RADIATING TONE. YES, YOU WANT TO ADDRESS
THE F-HOLE, BUT NOT FROM ONE INCH AWAY, WHERE THE VIOLIN IS ACTUALLY
QUITE BRITTLE AND UGLY. BUT, WHEN USING WEDGES, YOU CANNOT AFFORD
TO BE THREE OR FOUR FEET UP IN THE AIR LIKE THE FILM GUYS AND THEIR
STINKING NEUMANNS.
WHEN I WAS A YOUNG SOUNDMAN, MANY YEARS AGO, I HAD A CRUSH ON A
VIOLIN GIRL, AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME LISTENING IN THE ROOM WHEN
SHE PRACTICED. I ASSURE YOU THAT THE SOUND OF THE DAMNED THING UP
CLOSE IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO REPLICATE. IT WAS INVENTED BY MOZART
AND HIS BUDDIES TO SOUND GOOD FIFTY YARDS AWAY WHILE THEY WERE ALL
WASTED ON ABSINTHE AND SALMONELLA.
Thanks,
Brandon, the 17 yr old audio dude obsessed with quality and
trying to move up in the world...
YOU'RE WELCOME, BRANDON! LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU
GET THAT GIG WITH EMINEM AND I CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW TO HANDLE
HIM TOO!s
- THE OLD SOUNDMAN
