Recording group vocals (2-4 guys)

[hymns]

The band I'm coming it does group vocals (4 guys), and I was wondering what the best way to record that with a Shure KSM32 would be. Should I record all four at once, in pairs, or each person seperate?

[Analog Kid]

All of the above? All of the ways listed, if done correctly will work. I suppose you would need to ask yourself how comfortable are you with recording all at once and not being able to mix later, and how comfortable are the musicians with being recorded one at a time versus all together. Me, if I were in a good sounding room with four vocalists who were experienced (emphasis on experienced), with the mic you mentioned, I would record them sort of huddled around the front of the mic...shuffling singers closer and farther away from the mic until I had a good balance. Ideally though, I would prefer to use a mic that has more of an omni or even figure 8 pattern to record like this, as that would give me much more flexibility in where I could place my singers.

Just my few cents.

The Kid

[albee1952]

My 2 cents-the KSM32 pattern is likely too narrow to catch 4 singers. Should work good with 2 at a time. Maybe you can borrow/rent a second KSM32 and place them back to back so you can record 4 singers. I agree with AK that a figure 8 or Omni would work better for 4 singers.

[will the moor]

AK's post is spot on.

Is that the only mic you have? If you can borrow/rent another (if they are friends, make them get one!), you can XY record them in stereo.

If you need to record them all with one mic, like albee pointed out, the pattern might be an issue. if so, just make sure who ever is right in front of the mic stands a little further back and see how it works.

experiment. records were made with one mic for 60 years!