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[Chip Smith]

I need some choir mic advice for an upcoming Christmas concert.  I use 2 Audix MicroBooms (M1250B) to mic our choir of 30-40 people with good results.  I was just informed there will be 53 people in the choir for the Christmas concert.  Audix rates these mics at up to 20 people per mic.  I've had success with up to 45 people on the 2 mics, but I think 53 might be stretching it a bit.  I do not have a third MicroBoom, and since we only have more than 40 people in the choir once or twice a year I'm not sure the expense is justified.

The choir is on 3 rows of risers that are angled in slightly at each end.  I place the mics in accordance to Audix's guidelines.  With the extra people for this concert, I'm not sure if they will need to have a 4th row in front, or if they will be able to squeeze everyone in 3 rows with more people on each end than usual.  The choir is 65%-75% women, and is arranged S-A-T-B left to right.

If I add a 3rd mic should it be placed in the center with the MicroBooms focused more toward the edges, or on the men's side for additional reinforcement since there are so few?  The other cardioid-condenser mics I have are Rode NT5 or AKG C1000.  Would either be suitable for this?

The other consideration is there will also be a small orchestra on stage as the accompaniment:  brass, woodwinds, strings, piano, V-drums, and misc percussion.  I have used the Microbooms for the last couple of concerts and they do a good job reject the sound from the orchestra.

Thoughts?

[Tim Perry]

Chip, review the 3 to 1 rule of mic placement.  If the area you you need to cover supports it add the third mic. either condenser will work well. I would pick the nt5 because i know it well and what it can do. I usually use a pair of them together in x/y configuration for broader coverage.

A group this large of adult singers should be a piece of cake and not even need much reenforcement... unless maybe the venue is huge. 

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Chip, review the 3 to 1 rule of mic placement.  If the area you you need to cover supports it add the third mic. either condenser will work well. I would pick the nt5 because i know it well and what it can do. I usually use a pair of then together in x/y configuration for broader coverage.

A group this large of adult singers should be a piece of cake and not even need much reenforcement... unless maybe the venue is huge.

I'll just add a bit:

The increase in the number of singers will increase the output of the choir.  Adding more mics will let you cover a larger area, but will knock a bit off the system headroom.  These two factors point towards it likely being a wash...except for the arrangement of the choir as the OP mentions.

If the additional members fit into the existing mic pick-up pattern, no more needed.  If the additional members spread things out or push the existing mics into a less workable deployment, then add.

And I agree with the Rode over the C-1000 as the additional mic.

[Jerome Malsack]

If you move up to the 3 mic setup, look at the DECCA tree method? 

This will bring some room acoustics in and still give a strong center.

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

If you move up to the 3 mic setup, look at the DECCA tree method? 

This will bring some room acoustics in and still give a strong center.

This is a good recording setup...but rather useless for live sound.

[Kelvin Gryder]

Chip,
We have a very similar setup. I've got two MicroBooms that work out well for most Sundays when we have 25-30 voices. For the Christmas concert we could have 45-50 in the choir. With all the extra voices I just didn't need as much reinforcement and the two do very well. I guess I could be missing a few voices on the fringes but it's not noticeable. I actually have another microboom but I found it was more useful to hang this over the string quarter that plays with the choir, it helps to keep the strings from getting washed out by all those voices.

[Chip Smith]

Chip, review the 3 to 1 rule of mic placement.  If the area you you need to cover supports it add the third mic. either condenser will work well. I would pick the nt5 because i know it well and what it can do. I usually use a pair of them together in x/y configuration for broader coverage.

A group this large of adult singers should be a piece of cake and not even need much reenforcement... unless maybe the venue is huge.

Tim,  I am painfully aware of the 3:1 rule.  When I joined the sound team they were using 8 C1000's (yes, eight!) for 30-35 member choir. I found I had better results when I left a few of those muted, and that is what lead me to the Aduix Microbooms.

You'd think a group this size would be easy, but it can be challenging with the orchestra on stage in front of them.  Not being able to hear them over the orchestra was one of the reasons I joined the sound team.  Now I'm the one who does all the concerts.  The sanctuary seats about 500 and is good acoustically.

[Chip Smith]

I'll just add a bit:

The increase in the number of singers will increase the output of the choir.  Adding more mics will let you cover a larger area, but will knock a bit off the system headroom.  These two factors point towards it likely being a wash...except for the arrangement of the choir as the OP mentions.

If the additional members fit into the existing mic pick-up pattern, no more needed.  If the additional members spread things out or push the existing mics into a less workable deployment, then add.

And I agree with the Rode over the C-1000 as the additional mic.

It looks like they are going to be adding a 4th row in the center to fit everybody in, so I'm leaning towards adding a Rode NT5 to cover the center and focus the Audix Microbooms towards the edges which will also have more people than usual.  I will have a couple of practices and a rehearsal to work it out.

[Chip Smith]

Chip,
We have a very similar setup. I've got two MicroBooms that work out well for most Sundays when we have 25-30 voices. For the Christmas concert we could have 45-50 in the choir. With all the extra voices I just didn't need as much reinforcement and the two do very well. I guess I could be missing a few voices on the fringes but it's not noticeable. I actually have another microboom but I found it was more useful to hang this over the string quarter that plays with the choir, it helps to keep the strings from getting washed out by all those voices.

I individually mic all the strings, as well as the woodwinds.  They need it to compete with the brass section.  If I had a 3rd Microboom I'd be using it, but i can't justify the cost for once or twice a year when there's this many singers. 

[Tim Perry]

I individually mic all the strings, as well as the woodwinds.  They need it to compete with the brass section.  If I had a 3rd Microboom I'd be using it, but i can't justify the cost for once or twice a year when there's this many singers.

maybe the brass section needs mutes 

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