AA2 Week 6 - String Instruments

Our task this week was to record a string instrument. I recorded a cellist with Luke, David and Jake. We used five mics including one stereo mic. They were:

AKG C-414 BULS
Rode NT4 (stereo)
Neumann KM-84i
Neumann U87
Neumann U89

The AKG was placed in front of the cello to pick up the body of the sound with many of the low frequencies. The Rode NT4 was placed above the cello as an XY configuration. The Neumann KM-84i was placed above the cello to pick up more of the string sounds and also to replicate the sound the cellist hears.

The Neumann U87 and U89 were used as room mics and we tried switching between the two. I preferred the sound of the U89. [1]









Here are some audio examples:

Cello Mix (Neumann U87 Room Mic) [2.9MB]
Cello Mix (Neumann U89 Room Mic) [3.2MB]
Cello Mix (Neumann KM-84i Mic Only) [2.9MB]
Cello Mix (AKG C-414 Mic Only) [3.2MB]
Cool Sound [892KB]


[1] David Grice "Audio Arts: Semester 1, Week 6; String Instruments" Lecture presented at the Electronic Music Unit, University of Adelaide, 3rd April 2007.