Recording a Choir

[jiagap]

OK, I have a small home studio. Any suggestions on how to record a 20 member choir? The choir is made up of the traditional four parts: SATB. It would be physically impossible to get them all into the recording room at the same time. Now I could put them all in the room next door and run the mics out to them, so I do have that option. But my question is: would it be better to record them part by part, or as a whole? As a whole, would I try to use a stereo miking setup, as I only have two mics. Or could it work with the director using the headphones to hear the other parts and then direct the part that is being recorded.

I have never done it, so any advice would be welcome on 1) how the pros record choirs, and 2) how I could get close with only 2 mics and a small room.

Thanks
Richard

[Slim Shady]

It depends on the kind of choir. As someone who has done a lot of a-capella groups, I can recommend a couple of different techniques, however if you only have 2 mics, that's going to limit things a bit.

If it's a classical type group, they'll probably want to record all together, so your only option there is to put them in the other room in front of an ORTF or similar stereo mic setup, give the conductor phones with a click (if they want it) and just do a bunch of passes and edit them together.

For modern A-Capella groups, what I usually do is to do a quick scratch of the tune to a click and a piano/MIDI backup for pitch, with one room mic in the control room with everyone singing (this way they have a solid pitch reference to sing to when they track for real). The quality of this track doesn't matter because it's going to be deleted later.

Then I record one part at a time while they listen to the scratch track in the phones. I usually do one mic per singer, but since you don't have that option, I would try putting 2-3 people on each mic - if you can switch the mics to figure-8 or omni mode you can pick up more of them at once, but maybe you can just have them gather in front of the mics as small little groups. Just do this for each part, and you can double some of the parts if for example, the alto's are weaker or fewer in numbers than the other parts. Gradually you will be able to drop the scratch track out of their headphones as you accumulate real takes from each part.

What this method gives you is the ability to do more balancing and EQ'ing when you mix, instead of just having a stereo track to work with. However, like I said, some more classical type groups prefer to sing together in the room for blending purposes, and to follow a director. If you can get your hands on a few more mics and pre's, you could just seperate the groups withing the bigger room and then 'semi' close mic each section with one mic. You'll get some bleed, but still have a few more tracks to work with for mixing.

Hope some of that info helps! Best of luck.

- Slim

[where02190]

Track them all together. It's te blend of all the voices TOGETHER" that creates that sweet sound.
Use a stereo pair, such as AKG C414's, or a good stero mic (I'm anxious to check out the new Rode NT5, but have had great results with a Shure VP-88), and have an assistant move the mic to find the sweet spot. Do not eq when recording. You can always sweeten the eq when you mix.

Hope this is helpful.

[soundboy69]

-Hello. I don't know if you have acces to rental gear (mics, etc.), but these are both excellent suggestions. I do agree, however, that it is the blend of the voices that creates the sweet choir sound. If you do have access to rental, try both techniques at the same time. Watch for easily fixed phase issues though. Close/near mic each section with room mics up for ambience/blend. Mix to taste... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Slim Shady]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR> It's te blend of all the voices TOGETHER" that creates that sweet sound <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree, if you've got a nice church or room where you can a nice blend, but most project studios are small. Plus, the singers can still blend with each other even if they track seperately, and you have more control during the mix. If the group is a top notch group, then the 2 track recording will work, but most college level groups I've recorded (about 50 of them) aren't good enough to do a flawless performance, and they like to double all their parts to make themselves sound like a larger ensemble. You can't do that with room/stereo mics because then you also double up on the ambience.

If you've got access to a nice hall or church though, go for that. You can't beat the ambience of a real room.

[soundboy69]

-Good point Slim on the fact that most project studios are small, etc. The blend w/ headphones, and the natural blend sound totally differnt though (to the singers constantly adjusting their levels to each other). Most ensembles can 'mix' themselves much better than we can, though. Plus if that's how they've been singing all along...Also good point on 'doubling' the ambiance. Don't really want to do that! [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[batj]

what an impressive thread!
everybody right to the point, different opinions, though everyone valuable...
after reading the question, i was going to post an answer, but you guys have already said everything
bravo

[jiagap]

Thanks for all the thoughts. Very helpful. I will just have to jump in and see how it goes.

I do have access to a nice church with great acoustics but I have committed myself at this point to not be mobile. So I will give it a wing here and see how it goes.

Thanks again, this is a great place to ask these kinds of questions.

Richard

[soundboy69]

-Hello jiagap. Woah. You didn't say you had access to a nice hall. Oh man, I'd have to become mobile real quick! For a choir (or any group of vocals for that matter) nothing beats the ambience of a live room. Get a mixer and some close mics too, if you can...

[WestPhillySoulzition]

I have recorded a chorus before. i used 2 c414s for a stereo image of the entire chorus, then i put 1 c1000 way far back in the hall to pick of the natural reverb of the entire hall. Put another C1000 on the timpanis and that was it. It sounded good. I would make usre to track thing low. there are alot of dynamics with choruses. it gets quite then lound and so on.