064 July 2003 MUSIC TECH magazine

Keep your distanceContrary to popular belief, the sound of a saxophonedoesn’t come just from the bell. Well it does, but onlywhen the very lowest notes are being played, becausethat’s the only time all the sound holes are actuallyclosed. Most of the sound comes from the main body ofthe sax itself. So where’s the best spot to place themicrophone? Not directly over the bell, unless yourequire a very bright, punchy sound. A more naturalsound is achieved by placing a cardioid mic 1–1.5metres in front of the instrument, above the bell andaimed at the middle of the keys. This techniquecaptures the entire frequency spectrum.

If you need a more intimate, warm and full-bodiedsound, move the mic closer (ie. nearer the sound holes).The sound characteristics of a saxophone, particularlythe tenor, are close to those of the human voice. If youalready possess a shaped-response mic designed forvocals, it’ll probably do a good job on saxes, too.

Upon reflectionRecording the clarinet is a slightly more tricky business.Like the saxophone, the sound emanates from both thesound holes and the bell of the instrument. However,unlike the sax, the bell points downwards. As a result,the higher frequencies are projected to the ground andreflected back, where they join up with the mid andlower frequencies. So a reflective floor will render amore brilliant sound. If you’re recording in a homeenvironment or project studio with a carpeted floor,

T here I am, in this rock ‘n’ roll band, happilyriffing away in the background, when suddenlythe lead singer turns around and heads my

way. “Take it away Mr Sax man,” he yells and shoves hismicrophone deep into the bell of my sax. I promptlyoblige, but the harsh, nasty-sounding racket echoingaround the hall doesn’t even remotely resemble the toneI’ve spent years perfecting. Why? Because the singerhas mistakenly assumed that the sound of a saxophonecomes only from the bell – one of many commonly heldmisconceptions about this family of instruments.

OK, so that was a live scenario, and differentguidelines apply and different microphones are used inthe studio environment. But a fundamental principle ofrecording brass and woodwind instruments has beendemonstrated; positioning your mic is where the skillcomes in – it’s where art meets science.

The next step? Deciding on a suitable microphone.“That’s all very well,” I hear you say, “but I don’t havean unlimited choice of mics in my project studio.”Don’t worry. Generally speaking, recording brass andwoodwinds is a relatively easy business using gooddirectional mics. Most professional studios tend tofavour expensive condenser models, typically AKGC414s or Neumann U87s, but if your budget is tight,good results can be achieved with a quality dynamicmic, such as the trusty Shure SM57 (that you can buyfor about £100). That said, there’s an increasingnumber of budget condenser models arriving on themarket, such as the SE2200 (£140). A little higher upthe scale is the Audio Technica AT3035 (£175). So, thereare plenty to choose from…

I happen to play the most commonly usedwoodwind instruments that you’re likely to encounter –saxophone, clarinet and flute – so I’ll deal with those first.

BIOGRAPHYKeithGemmellKeith can usually befound in his studiorecording library musicand producingcommercial MIDIsoftware. A professionalsax player for manyyears, he alsopublishes educationalaudio products forwoodwind and is theauthor of three bookson Cubase and Logic.Occasionally he getsout to do a bit of musictech lecturing.

METHOD RECORDING BRASS AND WOODWIND▲

Tips from the Pros

Recording brass and

woodwind Getting down large blown instruments can be tricky, so here Keith Gemmelloffers some important guidelines on recording each instrument, plus a tutorialon punch-in/punch-out recording with Cubase SX/SL and Logic.

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try standing the clarinettist on a flat piece of wood, largeenough to catch the reflections.

The clarinet has a range of over three octaves, splitinto distinctive-sounding registers. Deep, rich and woodyin the lower, or first, register – think Peter and the Wolf– liquid and mellow in the second; high and piercing inthe third. There’s also a weak spot called the ‘break’. Soit’s worth finding out from the player before you startrecording which registers they are likely to use most.

Position a cardioid mic 1–2 metres in front, aboveand slightly to the side of the player (to minimise keynoise) and aim it towards the lower keys. Someexperimentation with positioning might be needed. I sometimes use two mics, one about 0.5 metres abovethe keys and another some distance from the bell.

Two other reed instruments that you may encounterare the oboe and the bassoon. A cardioid mic placed over

the sound holes and at a reasonable distance fromeither will provide a natural and balanced sound.Placing a mic near either of their bells will result in abright, but not necessarily more pleasing, tone.

Breath controlFlutes are different again and some experimentationmay be necessary. The sound is projected from both themouthpiece and the sound holes. Where you place themic will depend on the type of sound you want –breathy or pure – and the skill of the player. For anatural sound, place a cardioid mic about 2.5 metresabove the ground and about 2 metres in front of theflautist. Aim it towards their mouth. If you have theluxury of a second mic, place it about 90 degrees to theplayer’s right.

There is another method; place the mic above andslightly behind the player to reduce breathiness. Aim ittowards the finger holes. But if it’s a breathy soundyou’re actually after, place the mic closer to the playerand aim it between the mouthpiece and the first groupof sound holes. You may need to use a pop shield.

The heavy mobNow let’s take a look at the heavyweights: the brassinstruments. The two most commonly used membersof this family are the trumpet and the trombone. Whatdo they both have in common? Volume. High soundpressure levels (SPL), up to 130dB. Take care; somemics, such as ribbons, may not be able to cope withthese SPLs. A condenser with a large diaphragm andflat response is usually best. And use the pre-attenuationswitch to cope with the high SPLs. The AKG D112 BassDrum mic also does the job, particularly with thetrombone. If possible, avoid mics designed specifically forvocals. They’ll work with saxes, but their shapedresponse will exaggerate the higher frequencies of brass.

Where the sound comes from is obvious – the bell.However, although the higher frequencies are projectedin front of the bell, the lower ones are spread over a widearea. So, once again, a mic placed too close will result ina very bright, but not necessarily pleasing, sound. Placea cardioid mic about 2 metres in front of the player andmove it further away or nearer according to theacoustics. Placing it slightly off-axis by about 30 degreeswill produce a mellower sound. On-axis will be brighter.

Keep on trackingThe chances are that a good many of you are guitarplayers. It’s also likely that some of you would relish theopportunity of overdubbing a complete horn section onyour songs. Unfortunately, many project studios areshort on space, and it can be an expensive business.Good brass and sax players don’t come cheap – after all,playing these instruments to a high standard requiresyears of practice. However, you may be lucky andmanage to persuade a complete horn section to play onyour demos for free (beer and sandwiches thrown in, ofcourse). This will most likely be on the understandingthat a paid session will be forthcoming if a recordingdeal is secured. It’s often easier to ask a single player, amate perhaps, to do you a favour.

You may not be experienced at arranging for horns,and if that is the case, one advantage of working thisway is the chance to build a horn section, track by track,with the help of the player’s musical knowledge. Most‘blowers’ are trained musicians with a good deal ofmusical theory under their belt and are more thancapable of working out a few simple harmony lines.

THE RULES IN BRIEFMic’ing upGenerally speaking,choosing and placingmics for recordingbrass and woodwindinstruments is quitestraightforward,provided commonsense prevails.Condenser mics with acardioid pattern yieldgood results. Micplacement dependsvery much on wheremost of the soundactually comes from:brass – from the bell,flute – from themouthpiece and soundholes. However,particularly with thewoodwinds, the soundemanates from otherparts of the instrumentand it’s better to keepthe mic at areasonable distancefrom the player. Brassinstruments emit highSPLs – another reasonto keep your distance!

Month 2003 MUSIC TECH magazine

METHOD RECORDING BRASS AND WOODWIND

066 July 2003 MUSIC TECH magazine

Tips from the pros

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If you’re a brass or wind playerwho’s into recording, you may beworking alone using an audio andMIDI sequencer to buildcompositions from scratch. Whenyou reach the stage where the audiotracks need recording, you’ll bedoubling up as recording engineerand performer simultaneously. I dothis frequently and, believe me,playing saxophone and pressing

Record buttons on and off is anunwieldy and potentially hazardoustask, to say the least. Fortunately,the whole process can be automatedin most sequencing programs byusing their Autodrop facilities. Thetutorial below shows how this isdone using Cubase SX/SL andLogic. The process is very similar inboth programs, but Cubase uses twobuttons – Punch In and Punch Out –

and Logic uses one – Autodrop. Let’s assume you’ve sequenced theperfect track; all it needs is ablistering tenor sax solo betweenbars 17 and 25. We don’t want anynoise before or after the solo(knocked over coffee cups and thelike) so for a clean ‘drop in and out’,follow the steps opposite. Thismethod of recording is also a veryuseful and safe way of replacing

Tutorial Punch-in/punch-out recording Using Cubase SX/SL and Logic.

Most ‘blowers’ are trained musiciansand are more than capable of workingout a few simple harmony lines.

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AKG C414 ULSA large diaphragm mic

that’s ideally suited torecording woodwind and brass. It’s switchable betweenfour pickup patterns –

cardioid, hypercardioid,omni and figure of eight – it has a flat frequencyresponse and a clean,

full-bodied character. With10dB and 20dB pre-attenuation pads, it copes admirably with thehighest SPLs from the loudestbrass players. This is the classicmic for the job.

AKG C3000BIf you can’t afford the C414

(right) the C3000B also has alarge diaphragm and offersan affordablealternative. Designedfor the projectstudio, it’sswitchable betweencardioid andhypercardioid patterns.Good results will beobtained on flute, clarinet,saxes, trumpets and trombones.It’s also fitted with a 10dBattenuation switch. Use it whenrecording brass!

It’s still advisable, though, to do a bit of preparation in the form of a simple chord sheet. If you can, jotdown the main lead lines as well, no matter howcrudely. That, combined with you singing the lines willhelp the player get the gist of things and save a lot oftime and frustration.

A few words of advice here – keep it simple. Thebest and most effective brass writing is usually on thelean side. Use very high notes sparingly, especially ifthey’re intended for the trumpet; save them for aclimactic effect. Although you will probably be temptedto harmonise those brass lines at every opportunity,don’t forget the power of unison. Doubled lines,sometimes an octave above or below, are not onlysimple and quick to record, but can provide a powerfulsectional sound.

If you’re using a multitrack machine, you’ll need toreserve a few tracks – three will probably be enough. Ifyou’re recording to hard disk using a productionpackage such as Cubase or Logic, then track availabilitywill not be a problem. However, your computer’sprocessing power (CPU) will be a determining factor,

particularly if you’ve already laid down a substantialamount of audio.

It’s just an illusionAll this tracking and doubling of one instrument canbecome a little tiresome after a while, both for theplayer’s chops (embouchure) and the listener’s ear. One instrument, brass or reed, played by one player andlayered repeatedly can end up sounding rather bland, tosay the least. One way around the problem in a projectstudio is to mix sampled brass and saxes together withthe real thing. I’ve actually created a pretty convincingbig band piece this way by tracking two alto and twotenor saxes myself and using a sampled baritone for thefifth sax. Nobody, so far, has spotted the interloper. Thebrass section was made up entirely of sampledtrumpets and trombones. The trick is to use a variety ofbrass samples for the different parts.

Don’t tinkerIf a decent mic has been selected and correctly placed,the actual recording process should be fairly painless.

On the Transport panel, set theleft Locator to 17. 1. 1; this is

where the sax solo begins. Now set theright Locator to 25. 1. 1; this is where thesolo ends.

Activate the Punch In, PunchOut or Autodrop buttons on the

Transport panel.

Scroll back several bars beforebar 17 (allow yourself enough

time to reach the mic) and press the Playbutton. When the song position cursorreaches bar 17, the red light illuminatesand Cubase or Logic enters record mode.When bar 25 arrives, off goes the red lightand the program drops out of Record mode.

July 2003 MUSIC TECH magazine 067

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bad sections of an otherwise goodtake. For example, you can playalong with the song safe in theknowledge that only the sectionmarked out by the locators willactually be recorded. Of course,recording this way is not restrictedto just brass and saxophoneplayers; it can be used for vocalsand anything else on both audioand MIDI tracks.

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Typical price £230 approx (online price)Contact www.akg-acoustics.com

SE Electronics SE2200My original choice for the budget

mic here was the excellent all-rounder, Shure SM57 (£100).But a newcomer to consider is theexcellent Chinese-made SE2200condenser. It utilises a large 1-inch gold-sputtereddiaphragm, features acardioid polar patternand has a 10dBpad for high SPLs.It sounds good,looks great and issupplied with ashockmount in anice aluminiumflight case.Good value.

Price £140Contact Sonic Distribution 01582 843900www.seelectronics.com

Typical price £560 approx (online price)Contact AKG www.akg-acoustics.com

Mics for the job▲

The punch-in/punch-out recordingprocess for Cubase SX/SL (right)

and Logic (left) are almost identical .

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Avoid tinkering with EQ; in most cases, brass andsaxophones will record fine without it. Aim at capturinga pure and natural sound. If you really feel the need fora twiddle, save it for the mixing stage. That way, you’llbe better placed to make the judgement call and be freeto experiment. Remember, if you commit now andchange your mind later, there’s little you can do apartfrom ask the player to do it all over again. Ouch!

Compression? Again, avoid it if you can at thisstage. Experienced brass and sax players will be incontrol of their instrument’s dynamics and will knowhow to project an even sound. Beware when settinglevels, though; ask the player to play as loud as he willon the actual take. They don’t always do this whenwarming up; they’re saving themselves for that highnote that will take you by surprise just near the end ofthat almost-perfect take.

Common practiceAs with vocal recording, dropping in and out iscommon practice when tracking, and relieves pressureon the performer (see the tutorial). This is importantwith trumpet and trombone because both of theseinstruments require a good deal of physical stamina.Frequent short breaks during the session will be needed(watch your beer stocks rapidly diminish!).

When you reach the mixing stage, it’s time toconsider the need for EQ and compression. There may

be areas where the higher brass notes will be louder thansome of the lower ones. The same may be true of the sax,particularly if there’s been some screaming going on. Inthat case, by all means use compression, but no morethan is necessary. EQ? Use it correctively, only whennecessary, and for cutting rather than for boosting.Having said that, it really depends on what’s happeningaround it. For example, on a busy tune full of guitars, aslight tweak at the top end will help lift a tenor sax soloout of the mire. There are no hard-and-fast rules; justuse your ears and common sense. MTM

Place the mic a fair distance away from brass to avoid accentuatinghigher frequencies. And placing it off-axis produces a mellower tone.

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RECORDING BRASS AND WOODWIND METHOD

Tips from the pros

Mic’ing upWhich mic to use and where to place it for different brass and woodwind sounds.

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INSTRUMENT MIC PLACEMENT SOUND QUALITY COMMENTS MICROPHONESSaxophone Close to the bell Bright, forceful OK if you require a harsher tone – Good quality condensers, cardioid

rock solos, perhaps vocal mics work – prefer Shure SM57to SM58.

Close to the keys Full-bodied, Nice for quiet solos – will pick up warm, intimate key noise

Above the bell and Natural Good recording practice resulting aimed at the keys in a well-balanced sound

Clarinet Close to bell Bright Not ideal – somewhat unbalanced Good quality cardioid condensersClose to Warm, breathy – Nice for quiet solos in the lowersound holes low register only register – will pick up key noiseAbove sound holes Natural Good recording practice resulting aimed at lowest keys in a well-balanced sound

Flute Close to mouthpiece Breathy, intimate Nice effect for solos. A pop Good quality cardioid condensers.and sound holes shield may be neededAbove the keys Natural Good recording practice resulting

in a well-balanced sound.Trumpet Close to bell Bright, punchy Not ideal, unless you wish to Good quality cardioid condensers,

destroy the player’s tone! large diaphragm. Instrument mics like AKG D440, Audio Technica ATM 25 also suitable.

Not close to bell & Natural Good recording practice. On-axis slightly off-axis will result in a brighter tone

Trombone Close to bell Bright, punchy Not ideal, unless you wish to Good quality cardioid condensers,destroy the microphone! large diaphragm. Instrument mics

like AKG D440, Audio Technica ATM 25 also suitable.

Not close to bell & Natural Good recording practice. On-axis slightly off-axis will result in a brighter tone

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