Bluegrass
Today, multitrack recording is the standard method by which most groups choose to record. The whole point is to capture individual instruments on separate tracks to allow for the greatest amount of control over instrument balance. Great caution is taken to ensure there’s no “bleed” from one channel to another. For example, poor isolation can lead to loud snare drums winding up on vocal tracks if the vocalist’s microphone is too close to the drummer during a session. This makes the levels between the vocals and the snare more difficult to control.
This begs the question: prior to multitrack recording, how would these problems be avoided? And more importantly, how would one deliberately increase the volume of a featured performer, like a soloist?
We’ll look to bluegrass music for the deceptively simple, even anticlimactic answer: back in the day, mixing was handled by simply stepping closer to the microphone! The mix between instruments and vocals was handled by adjusting the height of the microphone—higher for more vocals, lower for more instruments. In terms of avoiding unwanted bleed, there really was no fix; musicians simply had to play cautiously!
The old-timey technique, like many methods of yesteryear, has a faction of loyalists—even competitively! See this clip and watch “The Hillbenders” winning performance of the “2010 Single Microphone Bluegrass Competition.”
Note that singers far away from the mic are pushing their vocals a little harder to be heard better. Soloists take turns approaching the mic for their spotlight moment, then step away to allow the next featured performer their time in the sun.
Practicing with a one-mic setup is an excellent way to learn greater dynamic control of your instrument and voice. It also presents a great opportunity to learn about microphone pickup patterns and proximity effect.
The BEHRINGER C-3 Condenser Microphone features a selectable omnidirectional pickup pattern.
For example, a unidirectional microphone wouldn’t be appropriate for recording this type of setup, as the performers circle the mic in a horseshoe pattern. As such, a mic like the C-3 or B-5 is appropriate, as it features a selectable omnidirectional pickup pattern, allowing the mic to pick up sound uniformly from all directions. Using a single mic defeats the purpose of using a mixer, of course, but if you’re recording to computer you’ll still want a preamp like the MIC2200.
The next time your band practices are feeling stale, give this technique a shot, and be sure to record the results! Study the recordings, and pay particular attention to whose voice is too quiet or what instrument is too loud. Try to improve the balance on your second go-round; this is an excellent exercise in getting your band to work as a team, as opposed to merely a sequence of soloists!
(via BEHRINGER’s Blog)
