AKARSH SHEKHAR
What Is The Ideal Equipment For Recording Classical Music ?
Mics The preferred microphones for classical music are those that do not “ color ”. Perhaps you have already noticed that in the recordings of the voices they often have a very warm and “ rough ” sound that we find very pleasant . Among other elements , it is achieved thanks to the type of microphone used . Especially with large diaphragms . However , in classical music , we always want the sound to be as close to reality as possible . This is why we prefer the small diaphragm ( or pencil ) ones . They offer a flatter frequency response and respond quickly to transients ( sound bumps ). In reference to the polar pattern , Omnis ( which pick up the sound in 360 º) are preferred because they better capture the atmosphere of the room and , especially , the bass . Although if the room has too much reverb or the sound is not good , you can use cardioids to ensure a minimum of sound quality . Lately , thanks to new manufacturing technologies , ribbon microphones for classical music have become fashionable again due to their highly analog sound .
Preamps The preamps are the great unknown to those who have nothing to do with the world of sound . But they are a critical point in the audio chain . A previous is the microphone input to the sound or recording equipment ( apart from the cable , of course ). The preamps are necessary because the sound coming out of the microphone is very weak and does not have enough power . The previous one is in charge of raising it to the level that the table or card needs to operate . In classical music , it is important that the preamps are clean and not “ colored ”. It is also vital that the background noise ( all microphones have it ) is extra-low since classical music has a very large dynamic range and the pianísimo sound can be close to imperceptible .
Sound card This is where you will connect the preamps . Many cards already have them built in . The first decision is how many entries you need to record at the same time . For classical music , two microphone inputs are essential to be able to make the stereo . With eight inputs you will be able to solve most of the recordings and if you already have 12 , very exceptionally you will need more . Classical music should be recorded at least 88.2 KHz . Using high frequencies makes the instrument ’ s environment pick up better as there is “ something ” in those frequencies . The crucial point is the converter analog sound to digital . The quality of this is the crucial point of a sound card , especially in classical music .
Software There is a great variety of programs and practically all of them are of quality . The main difference is that some focus more on recording and others more on production ( with loops , virtual instruments etc ). Yes , it is important that you work at 64bits to be able to make use of the maximum power of the plugins you have and so that the audio is not constantly “ truncated ” in the bits that do not fit when working at 32 .
Monitors Look for ones that emphasize flat response , meaning that no frequency is highlighted above another . “ Hi-Fi ” monitors are not suitable for working with classical music because their sound is “ sweetened ” and they do not reflect the reality of what you have recorded .
The consequence will be that what you mix with your monitors will change a lot when you transfer it to any other equipment . The rule is , know your monitors . Because the perfect flat response does not exist , but if you know that “ foot limps ” you can compensate for it in the mix .
The Score Magazine
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