Live Performance Room Mics

[jmh]

I don't do much live sound - with the exception of an annual fundraising event for a local food pantry (The Pine Tree Coffee House in Monroe NY - you are all invited 4/5 - give lots of money). It is a series of performers with a variety of instrumentation. Singer songwriters, choral ensemble, strings, vocalist with piano. Not a particularly loud event but the occasional drum set or guitar amp may appear (which I will make no attempts to mic).

This time I have decided to record it so I will record all of the channels I am likely to use and main mix for the duration of the show (it will be set it up at the beginning and left alone). My thinking is that what I really want to capture the event with is a stereo pair placed in an optimal spot in the room. I will take some notes regarding the geometry to help with mixing any of the other stuff back in afterwards when it seems beneficial.

So my question is what mics types and positioning would you choose to best capture a room?

What I have already that I could use is a pair of Rode NT2a (these are great)
or (these next 2 are if I want to succumb to temptation - naturally for other reasons)
AT4021 small diaphragm pair
an AT4080 active ribbon plus a large diaphragm condenser (maybe one of the NT2a)

[Angie]

So my question is what mics types and positioning would you choose to best capture a room?

What I have already that I could use is a pair of Rode NT2a (these are great)
or (these next 2 are if I want to succumb to temptation - naturally for other reasons)
AT4021 small diaphragm pair
an AT4080 active ribbon plus a large diaphragm condenser (maybe one of the NT2a)

I never record a live performance without at least one room mic.

Of the mics you have available I'd go with the pair of NT2a.
Positioning really depends on what you want to capture. For me they are for capturing the audience and ambience of the room. I put them at the edge of the stage on each side, facing the room. I've used either large condensers or when space is at a premium, a pair of PZMs taped to walls.

If your intent is to mic instruments you otherwise won't be micing, You will want to turn the mics so they capture the performers. Place them center in xy.

[jmh]

If your intent is to mic instruments you otherwise won't be micing

Yes this is what I am thinking

[jmh]

I have the NT2As as drum overheads for which they work great. They have been set to cardioid so long, I forgot they are multi pattern (and one could do the perpendicular figure8 as a ribbon would do).

I see you suggest xy. I have gone a few years without buying a mic - long enough where I might deserve a 'ribbon' (as I would tell my wife) - I don't know if you are helping or not...

[Ian Alexander]

I assume since you started by saying that you're doing live sound that there's a PA involved. That might lead you to want three things from room mics:

1 Capturing drums or amps
2 Capturing the interaction of the music with the room, plus the audience
3 As little direct sound from the PA speakers as possible

For the non-miked instruments, an XY pair set either above or below the vocalists and guitarists to capture drums, etc. Or maybe an on-stage overhead. The overhead could be an omni or even a bidirectional mic with the null aimed at the front of the stage where the vocals likely come from. Then for the room, maybe a bidirectional mic with the null aimed at the stage and speakers. Or cardioids with the speakers directly behind them.

HTH

[jmh]

I assume since you started by saying that you're doing live sound that there's a PA involved. That might lead you to want three things from room mics:

1 Capturing drums or amps
2 Capturing the interaction of the music with the room, plus the audience
3 As little direct sound from the PA speakers as possible

In the past there has been a video - which has always had the camera mics with their dsp optimized for who knows what. The drums & amp condition is the minority, so it will be case 2 for at least that fraction of the video (and I fully expect my live mix will be superlative where no additional work could possibly be needed! - but if not, I will have 80% of the show on individual tracks). Over the years there have been some fantastic performers so I would at least attempt to be able to make the video sound good.