Utilising a performance space's best acoustics

[Jonesd90]

Hi all,
Does anybody have any recommendations for recording small choral ensembles.

Specifically, I have a barbershop group wanting me to record them in a school hall type place and I'm not sure how best to setup the session.

Do you guys place the ensemble close to a wall? As far away from a wall as possible? or somewhere in between?

Secondly, if using cardioid mics, would you have the singers performing towards the nearest wall and thus have the back of the cardioid mics facing away from the wall OR have them sing with their backs to the wall, singing out into the biggest space but then have the mics pointing (admittedly it's behind the singers) at the wall.

The way I see it, you either get singers singing into the nearest reflection point possibly creating a more.bixy sound, or you have the mics facing the wall but the singers are singing out into the biggest space.

Thanks, David

[Philbo King]

A lot depends on the amount of room reverb you want to capture. Since they want to use that room there is a good chance they like the reverb. However, reverb reduces articulation and intelligibility.

I'd recommend, since it's a barbershop group (quartet?), position them near a wall facing out, and give each performer a cardoid mic, instructing them to stay 6 to 10 inches from it (except the person singing bass, who might benefit from the bass boost due to proximity effect).

Then also put a stereo pair out in the large room to capture the room reverb. This allows you some control over how much room sound is blended in when you mix it down.

[Drew Stephenson]

Are there any soft-furnishings in the hall at all? Curtains? etc.
I'd be tempted to stick a couple of duvets over mic stands behind your recording array (of whatever type you decide) to help.