(... continued ...)

The popular "Blumlein"-setup of two crossed figure-8 microphones is able to achieve great spatiousness from most rooms. But there's a big caveat. Just read what the description in MIR Pro's Output Format Editor tells you:

@Another User said:

Since almost 80 years this has been one of the most classical stereo setups: It consists of an array of two coincident figure-8 microphones, positioned at a 90° angle towards each other. The array is oriented so that the line bisecting the angle between the two microphones points towards the sound source.

A Blumlein pair delivers a high degree of stereo separation in the source signal as well as the room ambience.

CAUTION: Sources behind the microphone's position will appear on the opposite channels!

.. this last sentence is the important one: It's quite easy to misuse a Blumlein array! Here's why:

[img]http://s9.postimg.org/qyc4mwf73/Blumlein_explained.png[/img]

Signals sources within the green area (+/- 45° left and right of the the symmetry axis) will sound as expected. Signals within the orange area (between 45° and 90° of the symmetry axis) will sound more and more out-of-phase until a point where they seem to be behind the listener. Signal sources in the red area (behind the base like of the array) will appear in the wrong output channel!

(.... to be continued ....) 

(... continued ...)

If your want to see (and hear) a bunch of examples how _I_ thought that MIR Pro's virtual microphones could be set up, then please feel invited to download all the so-called "Venue Presets" I created for all available MIR Venues. Many of them are based on hand-tuned microphone arrays.

->  http://www.vsl.co.at/en/68/428/1957/1622.htm

Hope that helped,

 Wow, thanks! Great stuff. Damn now I see the disadvantage of Blumlein (so long all instruments are place in front). Will give the presets a shot! Thank you!

@nektarios said:

The selection of microphones is big, and I always wonder, how do I know which one is best for the particular venue I am using?... Any rule of thumbs to consider?

The question is interesting to me too. It's not specific to MIR; it's a question audio engineers face when choosing which mics to use in the real physical world. If there were clear-cut answers, the Decca-v-Blumlein contest wouldn't have persisted for decades without resolution, as it has. If you don't have time to become a master of audio engineering (I wish I did), maybe find some real-world recordings which sound good to you, and study the mic techniques used for those specific recordings.

I wish too I had the time! But will study as much as I can. How do I know what mic techniques were done for a recording? [:^)] Below is an example of a recording I like, done in 1993 outdoors. I wouldn't say it's the best, but my ears like it...

Found this document:

http://cdn.audioimpressions.com/OrchestralRecordingTechniques_R4.pdf

I see here they go over multiple mic placements, but in MIR Pro we have two mics. Am I missing something?

Probably because we have the dry signal already at our disposal?

I'm happy that someone started this topic, cause I think most MIR users have no idea when to use which mic.

There is a question I was wondering when i worked with your Jazzdrums. Would it be possible to create overheads in MIR or is this something that is now impossible because it was not planned from the Start?

BR Lars

@LAJ said:

I'm happy that someone started this topic, cause I think most MIR users have no idea when to use which mic.

There is a question I was wondering when i worked with your Jazzdrums. Would it be possible to create overheads in MIR or is this something that is now impossible because it was not planned from the Start?

BR Lars

I would prefer to discuss this in a thread of its own, because it will take us completely off-topic - but what makes you think that there are no overheads in the Vienna Instrument Jazz Drumset ...? .... 😕

[img]http://s27.postimg.org/53afdxuwj/Vienna_Jazz_Drumset.png[/img]

Best,

Hi Dietz,

I know that there are Samples for the Jazzdrums. But I would like to use Overheads for your orchestral drums and for example 3rd Party Drums from another firm.

And maybe for orchestral instruments as well. Even when the use of Overheads is not the common Way for Orchestral drums and instruments.  I am very experimental in mixing and I like BIGSOUND...

But your right ... This is another topic.

Thanks an greetings

Lars

I suspect that you and me are using the term "overheads" for different things. 8-)

Best,

So far I'm very satisfied with the MIR sound, and the more I use it, the more things I learn to tweak the sound to what I envision. Also, what is so appealing about MIR to me is the fact that I can visually place my instruments inside this real orchestral venue and choose different microphones, and since I'm more of a visual person, I love the fact that I don't have to worry too much about mixing and panning etc. It's more intuitive.

As you know, I come from the Trance music genre -- where a good algo reverb is critical, so I have some idea about them. I have tried the B2 you mentioned, and really like it, and do see myself adding a few more to my collection. But again, for my orchestral work, any algo reverb would be used in conjunction with MIR.

Cheers,

-Nektarios

PS: I remember years ago I was contemplating buying a Lexicon PCM 91. Glad I never did... [:)]

@Dietz said:

If your want to see (and hear) a bunch of examples how _I_ thought that MIR Pro's virtual microphones could be set up, then please feel invited to download all the so-called "Venue Presets" I created for all available MIR Venues. Many of them are based on hand-tuned microphone arrays.

->  http://www.vsl.co.at/en/68/428/1957/1622.htm  

Hi Dietz

That link seems wrong since the new VSL website went live.

Can you please re-link....

-> MyVSL - Tutorials/Templates

HTH,

Thanks - very helpful.