PUNEET SAMTANI
Popular
Stereo
Microphone
Techniques
The Need to record in Stereo
When our ears hear sound in stereo, the left and right ear
take in auditory stimuli and then our brain locates the
direction in which sound is coming from.
Recording in stereo makes the instrument sound fuller
and rich, it gives it much more body than recording with
one single microphone.
Recording in stereo replicates the natural way of listening
to music.
Understanding Phase
When we talk about a particular time in our life, we refer
to that time as a phase in our life!
Even in audio the term phase has to do with time. When
we are recording the same instrument with two or
more microphones, the same sound is going to arrive at
different microphones at slightly different times. (within
milliseconds of each other)
Audio signals either go into positive amplitudes or into
negative amplitudes. If they are travelling in the same
amplitude the frequencies will boost each other and if
they are travelling in opposite amplitudes, they will
cancel each other out.
Generally, the resulting audio has volume fluctuations
and frequency boosting and cancellations. If the two
signals are perfectly 180 degrees apart from each other
then you will have complete silence.
While recording one must adjust the microphone
placement in order to minimize phase issues.
One must try and flip the polarity switch. This basically
inverts the waveform 180 degrees and makes the peaks the
valleys and valleys the peaks. This can make a difference
and solve phase issues.
Image courtesy Rode Microphones
http://www.rode.com/blog/all/stereotechniques
38
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
Monitoring in mono can make you identify phase issues
better. If the sound disappears, or becomes weak when the