rec.arts.movies.production.sound

On Aug 31, 11:13 pm, Soundhaspriority wrote:
> There will be a single mezzo singer, and a pianist. As the singer describes
> her needs, as well as the traditional stage arrangment, I perceive a problem
> for which I request your insight.
>
> 1. The pianist must be able to see her breathe, ie., be aware of the
> expansion and contraction of her torso.
> 2. She informs me that the traditional arrangment has the singer in front
> of the piano, roughly at the narrowing of the piano body.
>
> This would seemingly put the piano in the middle of the vocal mike pattern.
> Since the power of a mezzo voice requires that the vocal mike be four or
> more feet from the singer, the piano and singer would be inseparable in
> post.
>
> This will be in a hall, but there will be no audience. Stage configurations
> other than the traditional are possible, but it would be helpful to know how
> other recordists have solved this problem. I can think of pan-pot artifices,
> but ignorant solutions can be dangerous like me.
>
> Bob Morein
> (310) 237-6511

What's to solve?

Use a stereo pair of microphones -- ORTF, Jecklin, M-S, or Blumlein
depending on the hall. If yo need more voice, place them closer, more
hall and piano, pull them back. About 10 feet from the vocalist is a
good starting point.

The piano should be in the middle. You don't close mic in this
situation. Not much post involved.

You could get fancy and use a set of hall mics no more than 20 feet
from the main pair, and mix that in to taste.

ps, Mezzos aren't usually as loud as the higher range sopranos, and
the vocal range and timbre is usually very pleasing.