how should i go about recording flute?

[dobby156]

hi, i am currently trying to record flute at home, at hand, i have a rode M3 mic and a m-audio firewire 410, then into to reaper.

so my question is how do i record flute?

also, if i were to get a small windfall what equipment, would you recommend buying to best record it? i was thinking another M3 and having a coincidental crossed pair.

also do you have any recomendations on applying reverb or compression to such an instrument.

many thanks, this will help me a lot

[James Percival]

so my question is how do i record flute?

The problem you are most likely to encounter is the mic picking up the gusts of breath. When you blow (in embouchure) across the blade of a flute, the air doesn't simply glide over like videos of car aerodynamic testing you see. Eddies of some distance around the mouthpiece are created which are necessary to set the 'spring' motion to set the instrument sounding. Therefore, to best avoid these eddies and avoid the gusts blowing into the mic diaphragm, try miking from above at some distance (with a dynamic, a few inches, more with a condenser). That is assuming a 'close-mic' stance; you might get better results with a 'spot-mic' type position of a few feet's distance.

also, if i were to get a small windfall what equipment, would you recommend buying to best record it? i was thinking another M3 and having a coincidental crossed pair.

A flute in itself has virtually no stereo image, therefore there would only be virtue in recording in stereo if you intended to capture the early reflections/reverb of the room, which may or may not be desirably-toned. Another matched mic will certainly be handy in the long-run, should you need to record anything like a guitar multi-miked, or in stereo.

also do you have any recomendations on applying reverb or compression to such an instrument.

That's completely subjective. Reverb and compression are tools each with a specific job which might not be required in all circumstances. That said, for that clichéd 'mountains and valleys' flute sound, masses of reverb added as a send effect can be just the trick.

[Ted Kendall]

I forget who told me this in my mis-spent youth, but it's a good general rule - "let the sound happen and then capture it". In other words, unless separation or feedback considerations force you to do otherwise, start two or three feet away from the instrument and listen. Remember that sound comes out of all orifices of a wind instrument, hence the silly eqs I've had to apply to saxes miked at the bell to make them sound right. Similar considerations apply to strings, particularly violins - going in too close, particularly above, exaggerates scratchy upper partials which are lost through air attenuation in normal listening.

A stereo pair would allow the ear to separate room ambience from flute sound to some extent - indeed, in an orchestral situation, there's much to be said for stereo spot miking, as this avoids the injection of a point source of colouration into the mix. Beware moving about too much, though - you may have to narrow the picture a little, or you can easily swing between the speakers on playback!

[Platinum Samples]

Place a condenser mic (preferably large condenser like a 414) about a foot or two above the flautist's head in front of their forehead aiming down.

Personally no compression and a plate at about 2.5 seconds with perhaps some predelay around 80ms... but that'll be dictated by the song.

Rail

[Bob Bickerton]

There's a few questions to take into consideration. Firstly how good is the acoustic space? This will determine to a large extent how far away from the flute you can place the mic. Secondly what style of music are you recording? If classical then a more 'ambient' sound, that is more room sound, may be appropriate.

I would tend to mic the flute above and in front of where the head joins the body at a distance which is suited to the room acoustic.

Generally I prefer not to overemphasize 'breath' frequencies and watch out for key noise. If the M3 is too bright, point it away from the flute at an angle of 45 degrees or so (mics like this tend to be more directional at higher frequencies).

As has been said, I would not tend to record flute in stereo. I would not compress it too much, if at all, unless you are after a special effect. Add reverb to taste.

Best mic I've found for flute is the Neumann TLM193.

Bob

[LAGER MAN]

I would consider aiming the mic about half way between the embouchre and the start of the flute keys, thus avoiding breath and key noises as much as possible.I would also consider not going in too close with the mic, giving the sound a chance to 'bloom'.dont think you need to go stereo.

[dobby156]

There's a few questions to take into consideration. Firstly how good is the acoustic space? This will determine to a large extent how far away from the flute you can place the mic. Secondly what style of music are you recording? If classical then a more 'ambient' sound, that is more room sound, may be appropriate.

I would tend to mic the flute above and in front of where the head joins the body at a distance which is suited to the room acoustic.

Generally I prefer not to overemphasize 'breath' frequencies and watch out for key noise. If the M3 is too bright, point it away from the flute at an angle of 45 degrees or so (mics like this tend to be more directional at higher frequencies).

As has been said, I would not tend to record flute in stereo. I would not compress it too much, if at all, unless you are after a special effect. Add reverb to taste.

Best mic I've found for flute is the Neumann TLM193.

Bob

thanks everyone for your replies. it is much Appreciated!

the flute in question is a USA made powell, that as much as i know about it without talking to the musician. however it is very nice instrument. the style is folk/rock kind of, like jethro tull...

unfortunately for i am recording at home, it is smallish room, (8x12 foot?) with a hard floor if that makes any difference.

i did try recording from above the fluantist and the quality of recording was much better.

although a Neumann TLM193 is way out of my budget, a NT1a perhaps is realistic do you think that would offer an improvement.

so with the new info if anyone has any thing to add it is much Appreciated.

cheers

[Bob Bickerton]

although a Neumann TLM193 is way out of my budget, a NT1a perhaps is realistic do you think that would offer an improvement.

so with the new info if anyone has any thing to add it is much Appreciated.

cheers

I think the NT1a has quite a pronounced high frequency lift, so I wouldn't recommend it. Something more neutral sounding would be better. An NT5 would be preferable to a NT1a, but would still not be ideal.

Bob