Assessment 3 – Stereo Mic Technique

Details of the task, for submission to the depot and blog publication by Friday 12th December:

Deadline – Friday 12 December 2008 by 13:00 (hours).

Assessment 3 – Stereo Microphone Technique

Of the various stereo techniques explored – AB, XY, ORTF, NOS, DIN, M/S, Blumlein Pair, Phased Array, OCT and Decca Tree, make a total of nine recordings i.e. three recordings of either three solo pitched instruments, or, a combination of solo pitched instruments and small acoustic ensembles.

In each ‘set’ of three recordings, use AB (spaced omni-directional) and two other stereo techniques. If you’re feeling creative, invent a new technique or combine two or more existing techniques, microphones allowing. Feature any new technique in a ‘set’ with AB and an established other technique listed above.

Each recording should last between 20 seconds to one minute.

The instrumentalist/s should play the same musical phrase for each set of three recordings.

To achieve the optimum result, establish the best placement, signal to noise ratio (through the microphone pre-amps available) and therefore best recording quality. Allow 3 – 8dBs of headroom (i.e. peak between -8 to -3dB) for each recording and ensure that the levels are constant for each set of three recordings, i.e. compensate for loss or gain caused by differing techniques.

Support your recordings with labelled photographs and/or diagrams of the microphone techniques used, detailing the distance between the microphones, microphone angle and the distance between the microphones and the source.

Identify the technique used in each instance, giving a brief description of how the stereo image is derived. Also, indicate your preferred technique in each set of three recordings and briefly substantiate your choice.

Save and submit the (audio) work as a Logic Audio ‘project’. Clearly label all audio files and track names. Present each set of three recordings on a dedicated stereo audio track i.e. use three stereo audio tracks in total. Should you use an HPF for some techniques but not require it for all techniques, automate its bypass. The same applies to the ‘Direction’ MS decoder plug-in.

And of course, if you use OCT or Decca Tree, I’ll expect you to use a mono plus stereo track grouped (as a ’single’ mix technique).

….and here’s what I’ll be looking for:

Assessment 3 – Marking Guide

Things I’ll be looking for (in no particular order):

9 recordings

AB + 2 other techniques per set of 3 recordings OR,
AB + a new technique + an established other technique

A clear stereo image (feel free to have your player move!!)

Accurate recording levels, consistent across a set of 3 recordings

Clean recording signal / signal to noise ratio

Use of HPFs (channel eq) / Direction plug-in or software matrix (for MS) plus automated bypassing when not required

Clear presentation – a well organised Logic project file:

3 stereo audio tracks, named, with 3 recordings – named to identify the technique

Duration – 20 seconds to 1 minute per recording

Accurate written work comprising:

Labelled photographs and/or labelled diagrams

Specify:
Mic distance apart

Angle of mics

Distance of mics from/to source

Correctly identified technique

Accurate description of the technique including a brief explanation of how the
stereo image is derived

Reasons for your preferred technique (let’s see if I agree, also, whether I agree
with your mic placement)

assessment-3-guide.pdf

assessment-3-guide.doc

assessment-3-stereo-mic.pdf

assessment-3-stereo-mic.doc