Mic Placement

Vocals

-       If it is a choir that is going to be singing then they should be arranged in a circle around a microphone with an omnidirectional polar pattern. Two microphones with a cardioid polar pattern placed back to back would have the same effect.

-       For a soloist a dynamic cardioid microphone would be best to use because its polar pattern records the majority of sound from the way it is facing. An omnidirectional microphone would work though it may have the negative effect of picking up ambience and reverb if there is any in the room. Moving closer to the microphone, which would cause more direct sound to be picked up than the ambience, can remedy this. Do not move to close though because this can cause an increase bass response.

-       If there is no pop filter on the microphone then the vocalist should stay about a hands length away from the microphone to minimise pops and sibilance. Another way of reducing sibilance is to place the microphone at an angle so that it is some way to the left or right of where you are looking.

 Acoustic Guitar

-       On this type of guitar there are two optimum points for placing a condenser microphone. Placing the microphone in front of the sound hole is not necessarily the best way to record the microphone because placing it in front of the sound hole can increase low frequency response and make the instrument sound ‘boomy’ or ‘bassy’.

-       The first position is about 3-6 inches from the guitars bridge. This is not over the sound hole so you do not get the bassy sound but you do get a similar quality as though you were. However, the increase in low frequency response may still be present so be prepared to experiment with the angle of the condenser mic.

-       The second position is about 2- 4 inches away from around about the 12^th fret of the guitar. To get a warm sound with a good tonal balance you should make sure that the microphone is facing the strings. This way the sound hole’s increasing low frequency response will not be picked up as much because the mic is not facing it.

Electric/Amplified guitar

-       An electric guitar can be recorded directly but most often the amp will be preferred because it can give what is known as the ‘crunch’ guitar sound.

-       To record an amp the microphone should be placed around 4 inches away from the grill of the amp facing it directly in the centre. This will give the ‘edge’ to the sound. If you want more of the room sound then all you need do is angle the mic so it is not directly facing the amp.

-       If you want to really perfect the sound then you should consider the position of the amp. Placing the amp on the floor may result in the sound losing some of its brightness but raisin it up may cause a loss of low end in the sound. It all depends on personal preference and of course it can be EQ’d in the long run.

Piano

-       The recording of a piano all depends on the shape of the piano.

-       If it is a grand piano then there should be two microphones for the full sound of it. However, one microphone could be placed between the two mic positions instead of having two microphones. The first mic should be placed about 8 inches from the upper string hammers and the strings.

-       The second mic should be placed towards the opposite end of the piano away from the keyboard. About 6- 12 inches away from the end and 9 inches above the strings.

-       For an upright piano two microphones are usually placed just over the top of the piano at either ends with the lid open.

Health and safety in the studio

In this post I will cover some of the problems that can occur/be caused in the studio.

Ears.

These are one of the most important things in the studio. If your ears don’t work then you won’t be able to record/mix a song.To make sure your ears stay as they are and don’t get damaged keep the volume of the monitors at a maximum of 85 decibels as this is where the volume can cause major and permanent damage to your hearing.However, when you are in the live room you may not be able to control the volume of the instrument so as a precaution you could wear ear defenders or earplugs. There are even specially developed earplugs that will reduce the sound evenly while keeping the frequencies of the music so you can still hear what you are playing just at a quieter volume. 

Wires.

This is another important thing to consider in the studio. Wires can cause harm, create mess and cause confusion.If you do not keep your wires tidy and organised it can cause you to lose track of which wire goes to which microphone. This is bad especially for a stereo microphone setup because you need to know which microphone is left and which is right.Leaving wires trailing across the room creates a tripping hazard for anyone trying to cross the room. To remedy this you can get cable covers that will keep all of the wires in a small rubber tube and will lessen the tripping hazard.So remember to keep your cables tidy, safe and traceable to the microphone.Messy wires or ‘wire spaghetti’ can also create an electrical hazard. It is best to make sure that all wires are firmly plugged in and that all of the cables do not have patches where the rubber coating has been rubbed away to reveal the copper wire underneath. 

Noise pollution.

This is another key problem. If the studio has not been constructed so that it is thoroughly soundproofed then people outside it will also be affected by the noise. It can cause distraction and annoyance because people don’t want to hear the same song over and over again all day.Make sure that the studio is soundproofed properly before playing in it.

Fire hazards.

These are common when large amounts of electrical equipment and flammable material is present. All electrical devices must be monitored carefully and checked to make sure they do not overheat or overload because of the amount of electrical charge being inputted. To many plugs in one socket adapter can create massive heat and cause a fire. There have been multiple cases of this in the past. The soundproofing material in the studio walls should also be checked to see if they are fire retardant as a precaution.A fire alarm and smoke alarm should be installed in both the live room and control room so that both rooms are alerted to a fire inside or outside of the studio.Fire exercises should also be practiced. Anyone who uses the studio should be briefed on where the nearest fire escape is to the studio and where the fire assembly point is.