Buddhist chants, gongs and eclectic mikes...

[stoic_1962]

I'm making plans to record a buddhist 'service', and am hoping to make a good quality recording rather than just a record of events. I don't have much (any) experience with this, though I've started some trial recordings in one of the venues.

There are similarities with a Christian service (Church of England anyway): solo and congregational singing / chanting plus readings (though from several people distributed around, not from one central pulpit). A difference is the important role of a large japanese-style bell or gong - this has quite a kick and a long sustain. There could be one or more small handbells and/or wooden gongs ('fish' or 'frogs' if you've seen them in Japanese Zen temples). There will sometimes be an acoustic guitar (which has built-in pickups if needed).

The service will be performed with the recording in mind - i.e. its not necessary to be very unobtrusive. People sit on cushions on the floor, men on one side, women on the other, facing inward.

There are two venues: one an old wooden barn accommodating say 30-40 people sitting on cushion. High wooden ceilings, carpetted floor, several alcoves and levels. Acoustic is reasonably flat with moderate reverb, to my inexperienced ear. Second venue is a stone Lady Chapel with hard wood floor, high stone ceiling, long narrow nave. Similar number of people on cushions. There is LOTS of reverb, and live it is a very flattering acoustic for solo and group chanting - but I couldn't capture that to my satisfaction in my test recordings to date.

My collection of mikes is:
Pair (unmatched) NT2000 , which I got for their versatile polar patterns
Pair (matched) SE1a cardiods
Single NT2 (which I find a bit fizzy on solo vocals)
SM57 dynamic

These would go into an Alesis IO28 interface. There's a couple of dbx286 available (some compression? better preamps than Alesis??), a Sampson compressor (I'm thinking of the big bell...). Doubt I'll need to add reverb... I might split the mike signals and clone to a Rane mixer going into a Zoom H4 for belt-and-braces backup.

I could borrow some high stands for the chapel, but could sling some wire in the barn.

I've been experimenting with MS recording, though the two NT2000 plus shockmounts on a stero bar make quite a load for my mike stands. It seems smaller mikes might be better but I don't have a small figure-of-eight.

My main questions are
1. where to put the mikes (central, close and high for a MS or XY pair?),
2. which mikes to use for the different tasks, and
3. any other tips for this!

Sorry, this has become a rather long post!

[ROLO46]

I do singing bowls and gongs
First requirement a quiet locale with good ambience
Next ultra quiet mics and pres
Close miking in stereo for superb resonance and phaseing fx
I MS with MKH 30/30 pair
Also good Schoepes ccm 41/ ccm 8.
You cannot skimp on ultra low level hi harmonics
Great fun
Hair on back of neck stuff
Find a good stone church
Recently Gloucester Cathedral Lady Chapel..
Ps record rehearsals.