The music stand - friend and foe

[Stig Eliassen]

During a vocal session I couldn't figure out why I heard some strange slapbackesque and annoying sounds in the recording. Nothing had been changed from the previous session with the same artist. After the session I went into the vocal room while the singer packed her things. I noticed that she moved the top of the music stand to a different angle, and I asked her why. "I just thought that you wanted everything to be as it was when I came here."

AHA!

Never heard issues with any music stand before, but it can clearly degrade a recording a tiny bit. Any thoughts on this?

[albee1952]

It absolutely can and will cause problems. I always try to make sure it is angled away so reflections from the singer get bounced away from the mic(you have to be diligent here as musicians will move EVERYTHING and rarely ask).......

[Stig Eliassen]

LOL - frickin' musicians! She even put a smokin' hot coffee cup on my new kitchen table, without a coaster!!! "Oh, what a lovely table! Is it new? - THUD"

Anyhoo, thanks for chiming in once again, Albee. I knew that I couldn't possibly be imagining changes in the sound. I think I'll cut out a piece of rug or something to put on the stand. I don't care how it looks - it's all about the sound.

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by PT Lover

LOL - frickin' musicians! She even put a smokin' hot coffee cup on my new kitchen table, without a coaster!!! "Oh, what a lovely table! Is it new? - THUD"

Anyhoo, thanks for chiming in once again, Albee. I knew that I couldn't possibly be imagining changes in the sound. I think I'll cut out a piece of rug or something to put on the stand. I don't care how it looks - it's all about the sound.

How about some of that thin cork sheeting?

[Stig Eliassen]

How about some of that thin cork sheeting?

Hmm...I've seen cork boards in various fixed sizes, usually with a thin wooden frame around it. Is that what you mean?

[audiogeekzine]

seen carpet on a lot of studio music stands, the downside is you can't write make notes or the pencil will go right through.

[albee1952]

A good angle will work better than any padding. Thin padding will only affect higher frequencies.

[Stig Eliassen]

A good anlge will work better than any padding. Thin padding will only affect higher frequencies.

I think a combo of the two would be superb. Besides, cork is rather cool-looking.

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by PT Lover

Hmm...I've seen cork boards in various fixed sizes, usually with a thin wooden frame around it. Is that what you mean?

You used to be able to buy sheets of thin cork in rolls like wallpaper. I thought that might be a better solution than foam or carpet. Allbee has a very good point about the angle being most important thing.

[danander11]

Never noticed a problem with a stand before.. but fingernails.., that's a new ballgame entirely.

Had one gal here that I thought had mouth clicking issues.. Kind of hesitant to say anything. then I realized that it was her tapping on the headphones, music stand, whatever.. just very lightly..

Next time it's cotton gloves and duct tape.