Recording a choir

[Steve L]

Recently recorded a choir at my girlfriends church. I've recorded many groups, singles, odd things but this was new. Mic list was as follows: Neumann U87 / AKG 414 / CAD E100 / Blue Baby Bottle / (2) Shure SM81 / AT 4040 / Rode NT1a / PZM wireless I wont't go into setup. The problem is with so many open mics the sibalence and breath noise is compounded. I've gone in and tweaked phrases individually on 3 songs and got it sounding pretty good. Any plugins or tips would be greatly appreciated. I just don't want to spend a lot of time doing that for the other 9 songs if there is an easier way.
Steve L.
Mountain View Recording
Richmond, KY

[Sean McCoy]

Recently recorded a choir at my girlfriends church. I've recorded many groups, singles, odd things but this was new. Mic list was as follows: Neumann U87 / AKG 414 / CAD E100 / Blue Baby Bottle / (2) Shure SM81 / AT 4040 / Rode NT1a / PZM wireless I wont't go into setup. The problem is with so many open mics the sibalence and breath noise is compounded. I've gone in and tweaked phrases individually on 3 songs and got it sounding pretty good. Any plugins or tips would be greatly appreciated. I just don't want to spend a lot of time doing that for the other 9 songs if there is an easier way.
Steve L.
Mountain View Recording
Richmond, KY

If you used every one of those mics for this recording, I'd start be seeing how many of those tracks might be mostly or entirely dispensable. Beyond that, de-essers and low-pass filters on every channel will help reduce sibilance and harsh breathing. You might also try any warm, tubey compression or tape emulation plugins you have. Anything to thicken the lows and mids and de-emphasize the sizzly range.

[CurtZHP]

If you used every one of those mics for this recording, I'd start be seeing how many of those tracks might be mostly or entirely dispensable. Beyond that, de-essers and low-pass filters on every channel will help reduce sibilance and harsh breathing. You might also try any warm, tubey compression or tape emulation plugins you have. Anything to thicken the lows and mids and de-emphasize the sizzly range.

This.

Dump as many channels as you can for starters. Actually, going into the setup might help, as it would shed some light on which two mics to start with.

[Steve L]

Thanks for the tips. I did use them all only because the last guy that recorded the choir used 2 mics only, and they weren't that good. I've automated EQ on the main offenders and this seems to work. Again thanks. The Neumann and CAD were on the sopranos, NT1a on the bass, AT4040 and Baby Bottle on the tenors, SM81 and PZM on the piano, Sm81 altos and 414 overhead. Not the best setup but didn't have a lot of setup time.

Steve L.
Mountain View Recording

[sebastiandybing]

If the room sounds good and the choir has a good balance by
them self, then a main AB set (good omnis) should do it.
Or place a spot mic for each groupe just to be able to give the
choir more diffinition if nessesary.

i try to do as little as possible beside even out resonances in the
room if there are any.
But if you have to many S sounds, why not trying a deesser.

Sebastian

[Steve L]

I placed the mics so I could optimize the good singers with the, Bless them, not so good singers. I don't have a de esser plug that I know of but am playing with different options. Again thanks for all the tips.
Steve L.
Mountain View Recording

[Sean McCoy]

I placed the mics so I could optimize the good singers with the, Bless them, not so good singers. I don't have a de esser plug that I know of but am playing with different options. Again thanks for all the tips.
Steve L.
Mountain View Recording

The Levelizer is a fine de-esser, one of the best I've used.

[Dave Labrecque]

The Levelizer is a fine de-esser, one of the best I've used.

Agreed. And on that note... the channel strip compressor in SAW can do this, too.

I find myself wondering if time-aligning the tracks could help. Maybe the problem is more about 'spread out' esses than loud esses? This would stand to reason, perhaps, because I don't see more mics as decreasing the simple 'signal-to-ess' ratio when mixed. But I could see an exacerbation of the ess sounds if the esses are spread out over time because the close mics and the distant mics are getting all 'relativistic' with each other. As it were. In a manner of speaking.

Try moving the distant mic tracks into sync with the close mics. What does that do to the sound? Anything? Nothing?

[Gary Ray]

The only ORTF mics you seem to have are the Shure SM81's. Set them up according to the ORTF requirements, 100 degree spread and seven inches apart from the mic diaphrams (ie); Ten to Twelve feet high, in front of the center of the chorus, mic stand 8 to 17 feet from the center of the chorus.
If the chorus is a semi circle, place the mics at the center of said semi circle; all of this dependent on the size of the chorus.

If there are soloists, they may need separate mics, however, a good set up with musicians, (even vocal), will not need to have additional solo mics because they are excellent musicians and know how to be balanced.

So set up a chorus rehearsal and try the above sweet spots. It should fall in place once you have had a chance to listen to your rehearsal recordings.

For finishing the recording, a Compressor can be used to bring every thing closer. This can be finished in post. Have Fun !!

[Dave Labrecque]

Poor guy is trying to save the existing tracks, and he's being told to re-record.