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Microphone Techniques

Microphone Techniques


depending from the acoustic characteristics and from the repertoire of the instrument, Paetzold recorders needs very often to be amplified, and for this, discover well suited positions and how to deal with those, becomes a very important issue.


First of all we need to know that the principal hole for the sound output is located on the top of the instrument and is called Labium, here we find the sounds reproduced by the whole instrument, from open tube positions to full close tube positions. 


If we want to track some more details, especially coming from low notes, there's also a hole in the front bottom of the recorder from which sounds, with a full length close tube, can be clearly heard, even if the sound pressure is not so relevant.


For what concerns traditional execution techniques this two miking options are enough to amplify the instrument but in case we have to deal with extended techniques typical of  contemporary music we need to explore some more microphone possible positions.


Indeed there are many musical pieces in which the sound of the body of the instrument is really important, especially for what regards key sounds, this means that during the exploration of the many sounds possibilities through microphones, place them towards the keys becomes mandatory. 


With a direct connection with the history of the new music, especially in case of Live Electronic pieces, we can find that the solutions proposed by pioneers like Luigi Nono or Karlheinz Stockhausen, for micking long instruments are fundamental guide lines for the sound engineer which approach the Paetzold.
There are then some more particular cases in which microphones tracks also different sounds, more connected with the mouth articulations, in that cases is necessary to place an extra microphone.


A good example of multi microphones placement can be found in the piece "Quattro variazioni sul tema del vento" of Agostino DiScipio.

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