One big audio myth that doesnt work in practise: I always got rules of thumb to go by from my college when I was younger and learned recording.. I found that those rules of thumb never worked. I always tried to use my ears and didnt want to rely on rules. For that matter, I do measure distances when miking drums for example. But this is more a starting point than a rule. Here is a Sound On Sound article that argues with the 3:1 Rule. Myth: A close mic should be placed three times closer to its target instrument than to any other instrument. Fact: The so-called 3:1 Rule is an oft-quoted principle of ensemble miking. The assertion is that following this rule keeps spill from other instruments roughly 9dB lower in level, so that it doesnt cause too much mischief at the mix. What a lot of people dont realise about the 3:1 Rule, though, is that its based around a number of assumptions: That the instruments in question project all their frequencies equally in all directions. No instrument does this. That all the instruments in question are similarly loud. This is rarely the case — indeed, the whole point of using close mics in many cases is to bolster the level of instruments that are substantially quieter than those around them. That the mics pick up all frequencies equally in all directions. Even the best omni microphones dont this, and definitely not cheap directional types. That the mic signals are balanced at identical levels. This is only likely when the two instruments already balance correctly in the recording room — but if youre using spot mics at all then its often because there are balance problems. That youre recording in mid-air, without a floor, ceiling, and walls reflecting sound back into the mics. Admittedly, this one might apply to you if your studio is an anechoic chamber... But its not just these issues that call the 3:1 Rule into question for me. Its also that I dont think there can be a correct spill level for any spot mic, because the amount of spill is just one variable amongst many that Relying blindly on any rule is likely to lead to disaster. Measuring the distance between your mics and their sources can be useful, but not as useful as using your ears. Influence your mic-positioning decisions when recording an ensemble. As such, I just dont find the 3:1 Rule much practical use in real recording situations. It maybe offers beginners the flimsiest of guidelines for initial mic setup, but I wouldnt suggest giving the 3:1 Rule much credence once youre on a session, because its only your ears that can tell you whether youve got too much spill or not. Source: Sound On Sound
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 22:02:48 +0000
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