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[MikeHarris]

Jurgen Wahl...exUREI..used to visit student AES chapters on behalf of Neumann to show where the sound of various instruments come from and how to mic them.
Subject for YouTube vids ?

[Roland Clarke]

Mike, the problem is that is only half of the story.  Where you mic for a classical session, a pop session, a live classical concert a classical pops concert a orchestra with rock/pop band concert and a rock concert with a few classical instruments is all different.  Where the sound comes from in these scenarios is almost a side issue.  The way I’ve miked for classical sessions is a million miles away from what I’ve used live.  Practicalities usually run the day.

[Eric Snodgrass]

I too agree with the above posters.  At a large outdoor venue where I work occasionally there is a resident orchestra that is miced with only area mics.  The other orchestra that plays with bands typically has every instrument miced except percussion (which is miced like Justice stated - one mic per Percussion area).  DPA 4099s are the go-to mic for the orchestra/band configuration.  For the violins and violas the sound designer the instrument body mounts with gooseneck.  The celli and basses use the string clips that mount below the bridge of each instrument. 
We also use plexi shielding to separate the orchestra from the band.  That gives much better isolation in the mix and makes the string players happier. 

[Milt Hathaway]

All I can say that hasn't already been said is that the AKG D112 is a fantastic tuba mic, boomed over the top of the tuba 1 to 2 feet from the bell and slightly off-center. Placement is not that critical, and it a good job of picking up the low end without amplifying resonant mounting or floor issues.

[Al Rettich]

Orchestra's will be either 41, or 71 piece. I've heard things like putting the mics behind the violin players, but what about Bassoon, tuba, clarinet players? Not all tuba players like sound folks dropping a microphone into their instrument.

I would endorse much of the above.  Number of players, musical style, and volume are all issues.  For an out and out classical performance, microphones on stands, fine.  As mentioned above, with a rock band, everything from plexiglass screens to on instrument mounted microphones (dpa4099), will be necessary.  If you can give more detail as to orchestra numbers, instruments and the music being played, you are going to get a lot more relevant advice.

[Justice C. Bigler]

Orchestra's will be either 41, or 71 piece. I've heard things like putting the mics behind the violin players, but what about Bassoon, tuba, clarinet players? Not all tuba players like sound folks dropping a microphone into their instrument.

The mic in the bell of the tuba is something that is only really done for New Orleans style brass brands. A mic on a tall stand 2 to 3 feet above the bell of the tuba pointed down towards it will be plenty, unless it's a really loud stage.


Some folks mic strings from behind, I always go in front. I think it's easier to get the mics pointed towards the players without getting into their bowing space that way. Bassoon are the same. You'll have 2 or 3 bassoon players. A mic between the two main bassoon players pointed down towards them will be fine. If you have a contra bassoon, you'll want to have a separate mic on it, since they are a very soft instrument, but they have such a rich texture you want to hear it.

[Nathan Ihlenfeldt]

Jurgen Wahl...exUREI..used to visit student AES chapters on behalf of Neumann to show where the sound of various instruments come from and how to mic them.
Subject for YouTube vids ?

theirs a fascinating series on Youtube on this very topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT-AZAf997c&list=PLVvj5hGX6tm0GfBAN4GMoAgaHPRLoRaTs

[Al Rettich]

This is one of the first video's I watched. However, he's talking about a orchestra concert.. Not a rock band in front of a orchestra. Still took some things away.

theirs a fascinating series on Youtube on this very topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT-AZAf997c&list=PLVvj5hGX6tm0GfBAN4GMoAgaHPRLoRaTs

[Brian Adams]

For a rock band orchestra, I'd definitely use DPA 4099's on strings. You could maybe get away with 4061's or similar on high strings, but the 4099 will be your best bet. If it's a quiet show you can mic strings with a SDC over each pair of players, but that wouldn't be my choice for this.

I'd use SDC's for woodwinds.
For flute: a mic just above the stand on the players right side usually does fairly well, but you may need to get it a little closer to their mouth to get over the noise.
Oboe: English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, just under their music. I often use a gooseneck clamped to the stand with the capsule of the mic just peeking out under the ledge that the music rests on. A short boom stand works fine too, just takes up more floor space.
Bassoon: similar to flute but more on the left side of the player.
Horn: if you can get a condenser a few feet back it's great, but since you probably can't, something fairly close and just off axis should work fine.
Brass and sax is pretty straightforward, just stick a mic in front of the bell. Except for soprano sax, mic that like a clarinet. If the sax player is playing multiple saxes, the same mic placement should be fine for all of them. A dynamic mic is fine for brass.

I'll often use a mic for every player, especially woodwinds. The brass sections sit right behind the woodwinds in the orchestra I work with most often, and I usually get too much other stuff if I don't mic them close. I'll Y each instrument type into 1 channel if I'm short on space, and it works fine since the sections usually balance themselves pretty well. I might pair the flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons, then individual mics for piccolo, English horn, bass clarinet and contrabassoon or anything else that's different. Basically the same with brass. If I have plenty of channels, great, I'll run them all separate, but sometimes I don't have that luxury with a huge orchestra.

[Nick Pires]

I know on this chat form has to be some great professioanals that run sound for orchestras or symphonies.  I have questions like where is proper mic’ing technique for instruments like Violins, Cello’s, Tuba, or percussion. I have a tour coming up, and need some refreshers.

Do you have any restrictions on channel count? My approach would be different with 48 channels vs 96+ available, particularly with woodwind, brass, and percussion.
Will there be any plexi shields between:
a) the rock band and orchestra?
b) orchestra percussion/brass and the rest of the orchestra (specifically WW and high strings)
Many have mentioned the 4099 for strings which is great. A lower cost alternative with even better isolation is the Countryman i2. It mounts between the bridge and tailpiece, under the strings.

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