Coincident miking for Chris

Posted by Botanico92007 (A) on July 6, 2012 at 15:15:49

In Reply to: Mercury or Decca classical box sets? posted by greg7 on July 4, 2012 at 15:36:33:

The early stereo EMI recordings are probably the best way to hear coincident miking in its purest form. In the notes for a First Hand Records reissue of early EMI stereo recording, Christopher Parker recording engineer from 1951-1987 writes the following:

"EMI favoured two cosine mics crossed at 90 degrees as the best way of reproducing accurately the apparent direction of a sound source when listening on two loudspeakers, thus enhancing the illusion of reality, the aim of recording, I suppose. But the M49 in cardioid tends to be more omni-directional at low frequencies than at high frequencies, so when the two are combined out-of-phase, to create the figure-of-eight, some bass is lost. Early in 1956, or perhaps before, equalizers were introduced to remedy this, and also to reduce a slight peak at two to three kHz. With these equalizers, and the "spreader" (to adjust the width of the image) we had several useful options. This may account for some of the variation in sound quality and in the character of the stereo image in the recordings of this time."

The best explanation of the various microphone techniques is by Robert E. Greene, linked below.

EMI issued many of these early recordings on 2-track Stereosonic tapes from 1955 to c. 1961. Chris, if you would like a list of these titles I can email it to you. I have heard many of them. Two of the most famous are Beecham's recording of Scheherazade and Peer Gynt. Other conductors include Cantelli, Klemperer, Karajan, Malko, Matacic, Mackerras, and other. A lot of the recordings have been issued on CD. The list will help to pick them out.

I can't guarantee the purity of all the miking, as there were other engineers involved, but you will get a good sense of what coincident miking sounds like from listening and from Parker's description. Of course, EMI changed the miking to include outriggers and spot miking, so later recordings reflect this.

Microphone Theory by REG (Open in New Window)

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Mercury or Decca classical box sets? - greg7 15:36:33 07/04/12 (20)

Here is my contraversial opinion - Analog Scott 07:19:21 07/07/12 (0)

Coincident miking for Chris - Botanico92007 15:15:49 07/06/12 (3)

Thanks, Botanico! - Chris from Lafayette 08:58:07 07/07/12 (2)

You're welcome - Botanico92007 13:45:30 07/07/12 (1)

Thanks again - it's actually too bad. . . - Chris from Lafayette 15:04:23 07/07/12 (0)

RE: Mercury or Decca classical box sets? - Larry I 06:35:20 07/06/12 (0)

I much prefer the coherence and clarity of the Decca productions. - Timbo in Oz 16:29:36 07/05/12 (8)

RE: I much prefer the coherence and clarity of the Decca productions. - ahendler 20:34:14 07/05/12 (1)

Thanks, I've only read about the tree and did see a single boom version - Timbo in Oz 01:17:38 07/06/12 (0)

Timbo - what are some good coincident stereo symphonic recordings? - Chris from Lafayette 17:20:04 07/05/12 (5)

Chesky, Kimber? Hyperion esp. those where Tony Faulkner was engineer - Timbo in Oz 00:53:05 07/06/12 (2)

Thanks, Timbo - the only Chesky CD's I have. . . - Chris from Lafayette 09:30:11 07/06/12 (1)

RE: Wilkinson engineering for Reader's Digest - desertorganist 21:42:53 08/04/12 (0)

RE: Timbo - what are some good coincident stereo symphonic recordings? - ahendler 20:35:47 07/05/12 (1)

Right - I realize that - Chris from Lafayette 22:35:05 07/05/12 (0)

RE: Mercury or Decca classical box sets? - no1maestro 08:48:20 07/05/12 (0)

RE: Mercury or Decca classical box sets? - Chuck Y 08:27:15 07/05/12 (0)

RE: Mercury or Decca classical box sets? - rmilewsk 17:54:46 07/04/12 (0)

RE: Mercury or Decca classical box sets? - ahendler 17:20:10 07/04/12 (0)

RE: Mercury or Decca classical box sets? - rbolaw 17:00:48 07/04/12 (0)

Follow Ups

Coincident miking for Chris - Botanico92007 15:15:49 07/06/12 (3)

Thanks, Botanico! - Chris from Lafayette 08:58:07 07/07/12 (2)

You're welcome - Botanico92007 13:45:30 07/07/12 (1)

Thanks again - it's actually too bad. . . - Chris from Lafayette 15:04:23 07/07/12 (0)

Coincident miking for Chris

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