MIR Venue/Mic Recommendations for Specific Sound

[Pyre]

Hi all,

I'm trying to make a backing track for my wedding functions band for the song A Thousand Years by Christina Perri (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiHDO5PnAF8).

I'm using chamber strings instead of solo strings so that the instruments aren't quite as distinct (whereas I figured the sound of a solo violin might be a bit strange coming through the speakers, when we clearly haven't got a violinist on stage, whereas chamber strings might get away with it a bit more while retaining some of the individuality of solo strings). But I'm a bit out of my comfort zone when it comes to matching/mimicking someone elses' sound - what MIR venues and mic setups would you suggest for emulating the strings on the recording? At the moment I'm wondering about Sage Hall 2 chamber music preset (mic 1 + 2 with MIRacle) or the ever-reliable Teldex standard setup (which I use for my own compositions), though I am worried that the Teldex room might be a bit large for a chamber strings ensemble.

I would be especially grateful for any suggestions anyone is able to offer - this is the first backing track I'll have made for that band, and I am hoping to impress the other band members with it as a few are reluctant to use backing tracks live (and we can't afford a live keyboardist - or a string section!).

Many thanks,

Pyre


Also, hundredth post, woo!

[Dietz]

Teldex is certainly a great choice for that arrangement! Just reduce the global Dry/Wet-ratio quite a bit. Another nice option would be ORF Funkhaus Studio 3 (the "wetter" one of the two seemigly identical studios). I just had a real string section recorded there, and the blend is simply great. :-) 

If you need more excitement, add a tad of nice algorithmic reverb - but again: Keep it rather dry, and get rid of the "boxy" lower mids that real room tend to expose especially on strings. You want the section behind the other instruments, not in front of them, so don't make them too "fat".

HTH,

[Plougot]

Another "mixing tip" you can try is to set the mir reverb duration to something like 0.3 s, in order to keep only the ER, and then create the tail with miracle.

I read about it on this forum, actually I think Dietz's the one who talked about it, so thx Dietz ^^.

I feel there's much more presence this way, and the wet/dry ratio can be used fully without "mudding" the sound. I find it easier and more efficient to sculpt the sound that way, because you can really work on the ER and the Tail separately.

[Pyre]

Thanks Dietz and Plougot, that's really helpful. So far I've settled on the Teldex using its hybrid setup preset and it's sounding great. I did try turning down the reverb time in MIR to 0.3s and increasing the MIRacle wet level, but preferred the sound with MIR on 1.2s and MIRacle at the preset level of -12. At this stage of the treatment, at least.

Thanks very much for your help :-)

Pyre

[Pyre]

Thanks for your advice, guys, I finished the track this evening and played it to the band, they all loved it!

Pyre

[Dietz]

Great! 👍