A skill of great value to most organists is the ability to make recordings of music on the organ. As students we have teachers and colleagues to give feedback on our playing, but when formal study ceases do we stop learning new works? Most organists are continually learning new music and reworking old pieces for performance in concert and/or church. We rely primarily on our own musical taste and experience, of course, but who is listening to us--objectively and with complete attention--when we grapple with the often difficult and complicated process of working up a piece on the organ? A tape recorder will give us an excellent idea of how we're doing--if we use one. Robert Noehren reports that he records about half of his practicing, enabling him to listen to and analyze his playing.1 Why don't more organists use tape recording as a learning tool? Many say they would like to, but either they "don't know how to do it" or think "it's too much of a production" to be practical.
The purpose of this article is threefold:
1) to give organists a set of basic tools and techniques with which they can, easily and quickly, make diagnostic tape recordings of their own playing;
2) expand on the above with more advanced techniques to achieve recordings suitable for mastering on cassette or CD;
3) give professional techniques, some unique to recording the organ, which can help organists who are working with sound engineers achieve the highest quality recordings.
The information in this article comes from the author's personal experience, research on the subject, experimentation based on the research, and in-depth interviews with some of the leading professional sound engineers who specialize in recording the organ and who have generously shared their knowledge and techniques:
Michael Barone, Pipedreams
John Eargle, Delos International
Frederick Hohman, Pro Organo
Michael Nemo, Towerhill
Jack Renner, Telarc International
David Wilson, Wilson Audiophile.
The footnotes give either background information to supplement the text, or specific information on sources of items mentioned in the text.
Selecting Microphones
The function of the microphone is to convert sound energy into electrical energy which can be recorded. There are two basic types: dynamic and condenser. Dynamic microphones are generally lower in quality and price, and they are not recommended for the rigorous challenges of organ recording.2 Condenser or electret condenser microphones do require a power source (usually an internal battery) and can give very high quality recordings at a quite reasonable price. Some of the experts recommended less-expensive condenser mikes marketed by: Audio-Technica, Beyer, EV, Nakamichi, Shure and Sony.
Frequency Response
Since the frequency of low CC of a 16' pipe is 32 cycles per second (or Hz), the minimum microphone frequency response you need for organ recording is 30-15,000 Hz. For quality microphones, the frequency response specification is given like this: 30-15,000 ±3.5 dB, or 20-18,000 ±3.0 dB. The first spec means that from 30Hz (just below 16'CC) all the way up to 15,000Hz (which approaches the upper limit of hearing), sounds recorded by the microphone will be within a range no greater or no less than 3.5 decibels from the mean, which is pretty good. The second spec indicates a higher quality microphone, which at a low limit of 20Hz "hears" well down into the 32' range (low CCC of a 32' pipe is 16Hz), up through the range of human hearing and which, at ±3.0 dB has a slightly flatter (better) frequency response curve than the other microphone. Some pro mikes respond down to 5 Hz, which is lower than CCCC of a 64' stop!
Polar Response Pattern
Another key microphone characteristic is the polar response pattern, which simply refers to the direction in which the microphone "listens." An "omnidirectional" microphone picks up sounds equally in all directions--top, bottom, left, right, front and rear.3 On the other hand, a "cardioid" (sometimes referred to as "unidirectional") microphone is directional--it responds to sound from a broad angle in front of the microphone and rejects sound from the rear. While there are other response patterns (hemispherical, supercardioid, figure of eight, etc.), these are subsets of the two main types. Both omnidirectional and cardioid microphones can make excellent organ recordings, and in certain situations one may be preferred over the other.
It should be noted that you don't necessarily have to choose between the two types when purchasing a microphone, however, if you get a microphone with interchangeable "capsules." The Nakamichi CM-100 condenser microphone, an excellent microphone which the author uses, has a list price of $150 with a cardioid capsule, and an interchangeable omnidirectional capsule is available for $30.4 Since you may need both omnidirectional and cardioid pickup patterns, depending on where you are recording, microphones with interchangeable capsules are most attractive (see Fig. 1).
Stereo vs. Mono Mikes
Of course you want to make stereo recordings, but should you use one stereo microphone or two monophonic microphones to do it? In general, you have a great deal more flexibility with two monophonic mikes. A "stereo" microphone is simply two mono microphones in one housing. There are two categories: the big, high-quality and very expensive professional version and the small, inexpensive and generally inferior amateur version. The former type is too expensive for amateur recording, and the latter usually doesn't have sufficient frequency response for organ recording.5 However, a mid-priced "stereo" microphone can be a convenient solution for personal recordings made with recorders which have a single stereo miniplug microphone input (more details on this follow).
PZM Microphones
One of the best microphone values, and an excellent choice for personal recordings of the organ, is the "pressure zone microphone" or PZM from Radio Shack (catalog no. 33-1090B) which sells for $60 each.6 The Radio Shack PZM is a low impedance condenser microphone with a 1/4" phone plug. The advantage of the PZM mike is that it allows great freedom in placement (you can tape them to walls, or lay them on the floor or on top of the console--no microphone stands required), they have excellent clarity and frequency response. The pickup pattern is "hemispherical," which means that they are omnidirectional above the plane upon which they are lying (see Fig. 2).
Plugging the Mikes In
On one end of the cable is the microphone and on the other end is a plug. Making sure the microphone plug is electronically and physically compatible with the recorder input is a challenge which requires forethought and planning. Professional equipment--microphones, mixers and recorders--use a low impedance (150 to 600 ohm) system that usually announces itself by the presence of a "balanced" 3-wire XLR plug. This allows long cable runs without hum via XLR extension cables.
Semi-pro microphones (such as the Nakamichi CM-100 mentioned earlier) also use the balanced low impedance system. The microphone itself has an XLR plug (see Fig. 3) and the supplied microphone cable has an XLR on one end and a 1/4" phone plug on the other. This cable is, in effect, an adapter which converts the balanced XLR to an unbalanced 1/4" phone plug. Phone plugs used to be the standard for microphone inputs on home audio gear7 and continue to be the standard on semi-pro equipment. If you need to extend the cable for proper microphone placement, use XLR 3-wire extension cables (the kind with a male plug on one end and a female plug on the other).8 This will prevent hum, whereas the less-expensive shielded extension cables with 1/4" phone plugs on either end will quite possibly cause hum.
The Stereo Miniplug Input
If your recorder9 has a single, stereo miniplug mike input, you have a potential problem. In order to use two mono mikes with 1/4" phone plugs, you need a "Y" adapter with two 1/4" female mono connectors on one end and a stereo male mini (3.5mm) plug on the other (see Fig. 4). This is not an easy item to find, but trying to "create" one from the various plugs and adapters commonly found in electronics stores is a recipe for disaster--it is virtually guaranteed to cause hum (see Fig. 5). The Hosa Company markets the correct part (model YMP-137)10 through independent audio/electronic supply stores.
Another solution, if your recorder has a single stereo miniplug input, is to purchase the best semi-pro stereo mike which terminates in this kind of plug. The Audio-Technica AT822 is a high-quality mike of this type with a frequency response of 30-20,000 Hz. It sells for a pricey $350,11 but it does plug right in and works well. The "under $100" stereo mikes don't have sufficient bass response for organ recording.
As an alternative to using the stereo miniplug microphone input, you can use a mixer and go directly into the "line" inputs.12 The "mixer" solution--which we will discuss shortly--is required if the recorder has no microphone inputs at all.
Cassette vs. DAT
There are basically two choices for a recording medium: cassette tape and digital audio tape (DAT). We will ignore a myriad of other systems such as the digital cassette, the digital minidisc, the recordable CD, 1/4" reel to reel, and recording on "hi-fi" videotape as they are either marginal, impractical or inferior.
Everybody is familiar with cassette tapes. They are great for making personal "analysis" recordings because the tape itself is inexpensive, you can listen to the results in the car, etc. While the original recorded cassette can sound great on playback, the inherent noise level of the medium makes it a less good choice if your goal is to make master tapes for release on cassette or CD.13
Because of its superior quality, digital audio tape (DAT) is an excellent medium for personal analysis recordings and more ambitious projects as well.14A home DAT or portable DAT recorder will cost a minimum of $550, and professional portable models cost from $1500 to $4000. DAT 120-minute tapes are about $10 each.
Cassette "Deck" Challenges
There are some challenges to using home cassette decks--the A.C. "plug into the wall" models which are a component of a home stereo system--for location recording. As virtually none of the newer models have microphone inputs, a "mixer" is required between the mikes and the "line" inputs on the recorder (this is also true of home A.C. DAT decks). Further, few newer cassette decks allow you to plug in headphones and listen to playback, and of those which do very few have a volume control for the headphones. This is mandatory for playback in the field, but a mixer solves this problem too, as we shall discuss. Also, many low-to-midpriced cassette recorders suffer from excessive wow and flutter distortion, which is particularly annoying on the sustained tones of the organ. The bottom line: it is not a good idea to purchase an A.C. home cassette deck for location recording. If you own an older model with microphone inputs and a headphone output with volume control, you are all set (see Fig. 6). However, if you own a newer model cassette deck without these features, we'll show you how to make the best use of it.
Portable Location Recorders
Battery-operated portable recorders designed for high quality music recording--with mike inputs and full headphone capabilities--are not a common item.15 The Sony Walkman Pro series has two cassette recorders: the WM-D3 at $250 and the WM-D6C at $350.16 These are quality cassette recorders. The rugged WM-D6C especially is a fine recorder and a good value. They will do well for personal analysis recordings. Their performance must be compared with the Sony TCD-D7 DAT portable, however, which at a "street" price of $550 makes substantially superior recordings. All three of these Sony recorders have a single stereo miniplug input for the microphone, stereo miniplugs for the line inputs and outputs, plus a headphone jack and volume control.
Using an Audio Mixer
Suppose that you have a perfectly good home cassette deck or home DAT deck without mike inputs. You want to do some analysis recording with it, and you don't mind unhooking it and taking to the church. In addition to the microphones, you will need a mixer to convert the microphone's output into a "line" input the recorder can use. I will confess to "mixer paralysis"--I didn't understand the button-laden beasts and steered well clear of them. This was a mistake I finally rectified, as Rudy Trubitt points out in his excellent book written for the beginner titled Compact Mixers:
Beneath its dizzying array of controls, a mixer actually has some important similarities to a home stereo receiver. A stereo receiver has controls that let you switch between different components of your hi-fi system, and also enables you to set overall volume, the balance between left and right speakers, and tone controls to shape the overall sound. A mixer does many of these things as well, and in addition allows you to control and combine or mix sounds from many different sources [such as two or more microphones] at once.17
For stereo recording, mixers need controls called pan pots. Inexpensive "mixers" designed for the party DJ market. including those sold by Radio Shack, lack this essential feature. Michael Barone and other audio professionals recommend the Mackie MS1202 compact mixer, which is specifically featured in Mr. Trubitt's book. It is priced at $299, which is very inexpensive for a fully professional mixer.18 I have found mine to be small, light weight, easy to use and of excellent quality (see Fig 7).
A mixer will also enable you to listen to playback in the field from recorders which have no headphone volume control or no headphone output at all. Simply run a patch cord from the line output of the recorder to the line input of the mixer. This is very simple to do and gives new utility to recorders with neither headphone volume control nor headphone output (see Fig. 8).
Setting the Record Level
To achieve the cleanest recorded sound, you want to record the loudest sections of the music at the loudest level possible on the tape without causing distortion.19 To set the recorder properly, simply play the loudest section of the music to be recorded at a given session20 and adjust the record level so you get the appropriate reading on the VU meter.21 The "appropriate reading" on the VU meter is different for different mediums.
With DAT, you never want the level to exceed 0dB on the DAT recorder's VU meter, so--while the loudest chord is being held--advance the record level control so that the meter reads 0dB.22 Once the level is set, you don't need to touch it again for the duration of your recording session.
There are three different kinds of cassette tape: Standard (Type I), Chromium Dioxide or CrO2 (Type II), and Metal (Type IV). Type II tape can accept a louder signal than Type I without distortion, and Type IV can accept a louder signal than Type II. The record level should be adjusted with Type I tape so that the peak level is 0dB on the VU meter. With Type II the peak level should be +1dB and with Type IV it is +3dB. Note that these last two settings will have the peaks in the red of the VU meter, and that's fine as long as no audible distortion results.
When choosing cassette tape, skip the somewhat noisy "standard" tape and try the CrO2 (Type II) tape recorded with Dolby B sound reduction. This is a good compromise on price and compatibility,23 and it gives excellent quality on playback. There will be a switch on the recorder which you need to set at "CrO2" or "Type II" or "High Bias," which are three ways to refer to this one kind of tape. Depending on your situation, you may also want to experiment with "metal" tape (Type IV) and Dolby C, which, all other things being equal, gives the highest quality on cassette.
Listening to Playback
One of the requirements for location recording is a good set of headphones. The best designs have circular padded cushions which completely surround each ear and provide some degree of acoustic isolation. You are shielded from noise in the room, and people in the room are less likely to be annoyed by playback from your earphones. Quality headphones provide a lot of sound for a reasonable price. The Sony MDR-V600 dynamic stereo headphones the author uses have clean, lifelike sound with a frequency response which extends well down into the 32' range.24 Priced around $100, they come with a clever screw-on adapter which converts the integral stereo miniplug to a 1/4" stereo phone plug (see Fig. 9). This is very handy as small portable recorders have a miniplug headphone output, and mixers and other audio gear have a 1/4" phone jack.
Stands and Safety
Anyone who can imagine a tall microphone stand crashing down amidst a sea of pews appreciates that basic safety rules must be followed at all times to protect life and property. Use only a stable microphone stand and if necessary, weigh down the base with sandbags.25 Attach the mike cable(s) to the top of the stand with cable ties,26 allowing a bit of slack between the cable tie and the mike, so the weight of the cable doesn't pull on the mike. Run the microphone cable down the stand and either tie it around the base of the stand or preferably attach it securely with a cable tie. Then if the cable gets an unexpected jerk, the force will act on the relatively stable base of the stand and not on the very unstable top.
Microphone stands for organ recording should ideally allow you to position the microphones 20' or more in the air, which precludes many less-expensive audio stands. Audio engineers often use heavy-duty motion picture lighting stands adapted to accept the 5/8" thread which is the audio industry standard.27 Michael Barone recommends, in levels of increasing capability and cost: 1) Shure microphone stands, 2) Bogen light stands, 3) the Ultimate Support system.
If the public is in the room, the microphone cables must be taped down to the floor lengthwise with 2" masking tape so no one trips. These precautions are necessary because no recording is important enough to risk injuring someone, and we live in a very litigious society.
In Part II we will look at one of the most critical aspects of the art of recording--microphone placement.
Notes
1. Correspondence of September, 1995.
2. Dynamic mikes don't require a battery. If the microphone you are considering requires a battery, it is not a dynamic mike.
3. Omnidirectional microphones tend to become more directional--and less omnidirectional--above 3000 Hz, so it is important to point them toward the sound source. Because the response from the sides and back of the mike begins to fall off above 3000 Hz (pitches at and above 3000 Hz are an important component of the harmonics of most 8' voices), you get enough directionality to maintain a clear sense of left and right.
4. For a list of dealers, contact: Nakamichi America Corporation, 955 Francisco St., Torrance, CA 90502, (310)538-8150.
5. A frequency response no lower than 50 Hz, which is typical for inexpensive stereo mikes, won't pickup the bottom octave of a 16' Bourdon.
6. Crown International of Elkhart, Indiana, manufactures a full range of PZM mikes for the professional.
7. Home audio recorders no longer have microphone inputs, and portable amateur recorders often have a single stereo miniplug input for the microphones.
8. XLR extension cables cost about $16 per 25' or $47 per 100'.
9. Such as the Sony Walkman Pro or the Sony DAT portable (TCD-D7).
10. For availability contact: Hosa Technology, Inc., 6910 E. 8th St., Buena Park, CA 90620.
11. For availability contact: Audio-Technica, 1221 Commerce Drive, Stow, OH 44224.
12. In most cases there will be two RCA jacks for the left and right channel inputs, and you will use a standard RCA male-male patch cord to connect the mixer to the recorder. But on some portable recorders you may find a stereo miniplug line input, in which case you need a patch cord with two RCA male connectors on one end (for the mixer) and a male stereo miniplug on the other end (for the recorder).
13. There is no escaping the fact that the cassette started life as a lowly medium for dictation. The ultra-slow 17/8" per second tape speed and the narrow tape width cause a certain amount of hiss despite the best efforts of tape recorder designers and Dolby® noise reduction systems.
14. Because DAT is digital and cassettes are analog, comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges. All cassette recorders have measurable wow and flutter distortion from tape speed fluctuations, whereas DAT machines generally have no measurable wow and flutter. The frequency response, signal to noise ratio, dynamic range and overall distortion specifications of the best cassette machines are not as good as even the less-expensive, amateur DAT recorders.
15. There are some less expensive (approx. $100) portable cassette recorders by Aiwa with a stereo mike input and a headphone output. They have neither Dolby noise reduction for the record function nor a record level control (AGC only), very important features for reasonable quality with cassettes.
16. These are "street" prices--the lowest purchase price I could find--not list prices.
17. Rudy Trubitt, Compact Mixers, published in 1995 by Hal Leonard Corporation, 7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI, 53213, page 3.
18. Available from the "Pro Audio" department of Guitar Center stores nationally. Inquire at 7425 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA, 90046, (213) 874-1060 for a list of locations.
19. This technique maximizes the "signal to noise ratio." The "signal" is the music and the "noise" is the tape hiss and amplifier hum. Since the noise is at a more-or-less constant low level, the louder the music level the more it stands out from the noise. While softer than the loud sections, the quiet portions of the music will also sound as clean as possible.
20. If the session extends over several days, use one level setting based on the loudest piece. The only exception would be a program with one or two loud pieces and many softer ones. I would consider using one level setting for the loud work(s) and a louder recording setting for the softer pieces, as this will maximize clarity among the latter group.
21. The recorder's "VU" meter allows you to set non-distorting recording levels consistently. It has numbers in decibels (dB), with a range of positive numbers (+1, +2, +3, etc.) "in the red" above zero dB and a range of numbers "in the black" below (-1, -5, -20). The range of numbers below zero dB is where most recording takes place. The meter can take two forms: an older style needle which swings on a pivot throughout the meter's range, and the newer style LEDs which illuminate (no moving parts to break).
22. This is generally true, but also consult the recorder's instruction manual.
23. Not every tape player, especially in cars, has a setting for Metal (Type IV) tape or Dolby C noise reduction. Playing metal tapes and/or Dolby C tapes in a machine set up for Type II tape and Dolby B will result in a significant loss of fidelity.
24. They are also excellent for listening to organ CDs on a portable CD player--you can pick up many nuances that you might miss when listening via speakers. The claimed frequency response is 5 to 30,000 Hz.
25. Fully sealed 15# sandbags in a "saddlebag" configuration for this purpose are available from motion picture equipment supply houses and some professional audio supply houses.
26. The Lowel-Light Company, 140 58th St., Brooklyn, NY 11220, phone (800) 334-3426, makes secure and inexpensive reusable plastic cable ties which are available in larger photo stores. Velcro cable ties are also available.
27. The author uses the Lowel KS stand ($135) which will extend to 8' (see footnote 26). The Lowel KP extension pole ($58) allows 5' of extension, and you can use several of those (sandbags are essential if you use extension poles). On the very top you need the Lowel Tota-Tilter T1-36 ($25), a 1/4-20 to 3/8 screw thread adapter (available in most photo stores) and a special 3/8 to 5/8 screw thread adapter thread available from Alan Gordon Enterprises, 1430 Cahuenga Blvd., LA, CA 90028, (213) 466-3561. The microphone holder screws into the 5/8" thread.
Other articles in this series, and by Joseph Horning, etc.:
Recording the organ part 2: Microphone placement
Chorale Preludes of Johannes Brahms
