What to Consider before Starting to Record
With any recording, there are a few things to take into account to get the best sound: acoustics of a room, microphone selection, microphone placement, stylistic requirements or the purpose of the recording, and source sound i.e. your playing.
Generally in a studio setting the engineer has treated the room with sound proofing panels, foam, or other materials to create a dry sound. This is done so that a clean recording can be made and effects like reverb can be manually added later in the recording process. Bigger studios will have several recording spaces and may have a larger “live” room to record certain ensembles or styles of music. For a home recording, you may not have the ideal acoustics or want to spend money on sound proofing panels or other things that will help acoustically treat a room. However, acoustics of a room are important. My suggestion is to take your instrument and play something in each room. Note which room/rooms sound the best or have the sound you are going for. If you’re a classical flautist or choosing to record a classical piece you will probably want a room that helps your tone by adding natural reverb.
After choosing the best sounding spot in your house or apartment, the next thing to consider is microphone selection. If you don’t have a microphone and are looking to purchase one specifically for a flute recording, there are plenty of affordable mics out there. I realize many people may not be familiar with audio recording at all, making it seem daunting to choose a microphone. However, if you break it down, there are 3 main groups of microphones: dynamic, condenser, and a newer group I’ll call USB.
Dynamic microphones are often used when miking louder instruments like snare drum or in live sound applications because of their high threshold for loud signals. However, they may not be the best choice to capture detailed overtones of the flute. They tend to be less sensitive to transients in sound waves. A subgroup within this group is the ribbon microphone. These microphones tend to have a very smooth sound and a roll off in the higher frequencies which may help combat harsher overtones in the high range depending on your flute and the overall sound you want.
Condenser microphones are very sensitive and a staple in many studios as they are great for picking up nuances in sound. There are small and large diaphragm condenser microphones available. This refers to the size of the the condenser’s inner capsule. Generally, small diaphragm condensers have a quicker response and a brighter sound than their large diaphragm counterparts, but a large diaphragm condenser is thought to have a more natural sound.
Lastly, I labeled the third group as USB microphones. Unlike the other two groups, these microphones have an added preamp and A/D (audio to digital) converter, both of which allow them to be plugged directly into the computer. They are still either condenser or dynamic in nature but do not need an audio interface to allow them connection to your computer and DAW (digital audio workstation i.e. ProTools). I’m not sure whether this group is recognized as a separate one in the industry, but I see them as uniquely their own and feel they are easiest to use for the average person. My concern with this microphone for a flute recording is maneuverability. Be sure that you are able to attach the mic to a mic stand and extend the USB cable without change in sonic quality so you have mic placement options.
For now I will move on to stylistic requirements or the purpose of the recording, as microphone placement is important enough to warrant its own post and will be coming soon in Part II of Flute Miking Techniques for Home Recording!
Ok. So we have a room picked out, we have a microphone picked out. What we have to consider before worrying about microphone placement is what you want to get across with this recording. Are you a solo flautist? Are you playing with other instrumentalists like a pianist, rock band, or jazz ensemble? Are you playing classical or contemporary pieces? Are you a background instrument adding embellishments or do you play the main melody? Is this for a professional website, personal blog, tracks for a CD, demo tracks to send to a studio?
Generally, classical solo flautists want to capture the room sound and have natural reverb in a recording because they have no other instruments to mix in or help beef up their sound. Jazz flute will need to be mixed in with the ensemble and will likely require a dryer recording so it’s easier for the sound engineer (or yourself!) to mix. Reverb will most likely be added in later.
After determining the style, think about the purpose of the recording. Do you want it as a practice tool or something to show off your abilities on a website? This will affect how you decide to record yourself. Personally, if I’m using the recording as a practice tool, I would want it to be recorded in a room that is dry. This will challenge me to improve my tone so that I’m happy with it EVEN in a dry setting. Then when I record it somewhere that helps the natural reverberations shine through I will really be pleased. Otherwise I would take into account the style and experiment with the variables like room, mic choice, and mic placement until I felt I got a recording that exemplified my best sounding self.
Finally, you MUST remember this: when it comes down to it, the signal you provide a.k.a. your playing :) is the most important part! The more prepared and confident you feel the better chances for a good recording. Work on your tone and sound as much as you can so that you are happy with that first. Once you’ve done that, it will be much easier for you to have fun experimenting with your recording! As a teacher once told me: You can’t polish a turd.