another quartet question ?

[surchur]

I have had a few people advise to use to mics to record the group in stereo. My thoughts are that I would like to Isolate them all onto separate tracks in different booths and have all that extra control in the mix and in case there are individual mistakes I can just punch them in or redo their track. I know that there is something to be said for the performance being done together looking at each others visual and verbal cues but al least if they could see each other and hear a good headphone mix. what is your takes on this ?

[Doug Ring]

Just added to the other thread, but this is a different question, really.

The main question is whether the quartet are used to performing together. If they are, they'll know how to balance their own sound. The performance will simply need captured, and a stereo pair is the simplest way to do that. Put them in a good-sounding room, let them do their stuff - job done.

It may seem that you're taking the easy way out doing this, but your role becomes less of an engineer and more of a producer this way: your job is to get the best performance out of them and capture it.

The other approach is a lot more work for you and may feel strange for your quartet, but it does give you ultimate control (which is what a lot of us love about the job: we're control freaks!) But if your quartet don't play together regularly or are more experienced in the studio, they may prefer working this way. Expect them to want to be in on the mixing with this approach, though.

I guess it comes down to who's in control of the balance: them or you. I would explain the pros and cons to them and let them decide.

[surchur]

yes it would be more work to mix seperate but it would be easier to get that balance spectrum of all parts blasting out and then double that. Your right it does depend on there ability to perform and how will it affect that ability.