OT: Mic'ing an orchestra

[Richard Rupert]

Hi all,
I have been hired to reinforce an outdoor performance of an 80 piece orchestra. They will be under a tent, playing to roughly 200 people outside the tent.

Can anyone make suggestions as to what and how I should mic this group? I certainly can't put a mic in front of every player, so is section mic'ing the best option... or a simple stereo setup over the conductor... or ?
TIA

[Angie]

Hi all,
I have been hired to reinforce an outdoor performance of an 80 piece orchestra. They will be under a tent, playing to roughly 200 people outside the tent.

Can anyone make suggestions as to what and how I should mic this group? I certainly can't put a mic in front of every player, so is section mic'ing the best option... or a simple stereo setup over the conductor... or ?
TIA

I'd do both section micing and the stereo set-up.

[jlklein]

Hi all,
I have been hired to reinforce an outdoor performance of an 80 piece orchestra. They will be under a tent, playing to roughly 200 people outside the tent.
Can anyone make suggestions as to what and how I should mic this group? I certainly can't put a mic in front of every player, so is section mic'ing the best option... or a simple stereo setup over the conductor... or ?
TIA

I've mic'd smaller 20 - 40 piece orchestra's indoors and outdoors and if indoors typically will section mic with the mic favoring the 1st chair player a bit, as when they play a solo bit the rest of section backs off a bit and you can push them up nicely and still get a decent mic. Indoors you'll get a lot of room reflection as well so usually the mics are just to add to that and bring out certain instruments and parts when needed. I'm not sure I'd bother with stereo mic'ing at the conductor, other than for the recording, as you're likely going to have feedback issues what with the typical distance to the nearest players (depending on how the orchestra is arranged, of course).

Outdoors, if you've got enough channels and mics available, section mic'ing with one mic per 2 or 3 players, plus an additional closer mic on soloists can work very well. Don't mic too close if you don't have to, as most orchestral instruments benefit from a bit of room between the mic and the instrument for the sound to develop (i.e. all sound producing parts coming together, i.e. valves and horn or sound-hole, strings, etc). Close mic'ing may be necessary in some instances (esp indoors where there's more chance of feedback) but is far from ideal sound-wise for most orchestral instruments. A close mic'd horn bell, woodwind horn or F-hole can be rather harsh if mic'd too close, but moving the mic out brings in the valve and wood resonance to mellow things out and produce the instrument's true tone.

Hope this helps,
Jeff

[Butch Bos]

I have done outdoor pops concerts for 100 piece orchestras for almost 40 years with audiences of 10,000+
in the early days I used a stereo pair at conductor location but ANY wind and you get THUNDER
I now use about 1 mic per 3 players in sections
USE WIND SCREENS on ALL mics and have fun

Butch

[andrew b]

I have done outdoor pops concerts for 100 piece orchestras for almost 40 years with audiences of 10,000+
in the early days I used a stereo pair at conductor location but ANY wind and you get THUNDER
I now use about 1 mic per 3 players in sections
USE WIND SCREENS on ALL mics and have fun

Butch

Can have examples or photos?

[Richard Rupert]

Thanks to all for the replies. This sounds like it will be a considerable challenge... I'm used to studio work, and with this I won't have the control I'm used to. But I'll try to take Butch's advice and have fun. Thanks again.