Miking a Choir for Streaming

[Soundslikepeter]

Hey all,

Next week we will be doing a live stream with our local university and their vocal performance class. Classical music and recording are not really my fortes, so I'm looking for some advice. Suggestions on miking this sort of setup, with everyone socially distanced? Also, need to be able to pick up soloists, who will change in between pieces. Also, per covid guidelines, can't share mics and we can't go into the room to facilitate switching during the event. For the same reasons, not allowed to go in and adjust mic positions while singing is in progress.

Room is a chapel, so big and boomy and reverberant.

Attached is a photo of approximately their setup, and a list of my venue's gear.

 

[DrewE]

I'm far from an expert on this sort of thing, so take this with a grain or more of salt.

I would probably go with the simplest setup I thought I could reasonably get away with, which is probably a stereo pair of microphones centrally located, and leave it up to the choir and director to make sure the balance of soloist to the rest of the group is appropriate. If there are spoken introductions or narrations, a separate microphone for those (reasonably close-up) would be a good idea. If they're by several people, one of the PCC160's mounted to a lectern or similar can work nicely and prevent multiple people handling the same microphone. (I may have my history confused, but I think these microphones were initially designed for this sort of use, for newscasts and courtroom witness stands and pulpits and such, rather than as floor microphones.)

 

[FMEng]

I'm no expert, but I've recorded many choirs in a large, reverberant church. I'd use a coincident mic pair about where the director is standing. I would elevate the pair about 10-15 feet, to reduce the level differences from closer to further voices. I like the ORTF setup because it's a little more spacious than XY, but it's still mono compatible and codec friendly. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ORTF_stereo_technique
The Neumann TLM103 will be nice for the stereo pair. SM81s could work well for the choir, too.

For solos, use KMS105s or SM58s, but not too close. Put them on stands. A foot away from the singer will reduce proximity effect so that they blend better with the choir mics. I would avoid the Shure Betas due to their hyped highs. If your console has channel delay, time align solo mics to the stereo pair. Use a tape measure to set the delay.

Viruses don't have legs so they don't leap from microphones. If the singer does not come in contact with the mic, there is no worry of spreading covid from it. The main thing is to have enough solo mics on stage so that several minutes elapses between singers standing in the same place, to allow aerosols to dissipate. Having some solo mics spread around also makes the trip to the mic shorter for the soloist. Lower the level of the solo mics when they aren't in use.

If the soloists are really good, you might not need mics for them. Try without, first.

 

[TimMc]

{snipped good audio advice}
Viruses don't have legs so they don't leap from microphones. If the singer does not come in contact with the mic, there is no worry of spreading covid from it. The main thing is to have enough solo mics on stage so that several minutes elapses between singers standing in the same place, to allow aerosols to dissipate. Having some solo mics spread around also makes the trip to the mic shorter for the soloist. Lower the level of the solo mics when they aren't in use.

If the soloists are really good, you might not need mics for them. Try without, first.

THIS ^^^^ right here, from your Friendly Covid Compliance Officer.

If the talent doesn't lick the mics, if they don't touch the mics and then pick their nose... there's a better chance of Leapin' Lizards than self-propelled viral infection. Singers caught licking lizards should be referred for counseling...

There was a recent post elsewhere on CB regarding the CDC's reevaluation of "fomite transmission" of SARS-CoV-2 and that much of what was presumed based on other virii and early experimentation with contaminating surfaces, turned out to be overkill in a number of situations. The real issue is fresh air exchange in the HVAC system and direction of airflow in occupied areas. Those don't have simple solutions.

 

[Soundslikepeter]

Time aligning the solo mics to the stereo pair is really smart and something I hadn't considered. I am pretty conferenced about the pure distance and spread of all these singers, worried that I won't be able to get all the singing parts with just an ORTF setup alone (though I honestly have no idea)

I agree about the COVID stuff as you guys have said but unfortunately that kinda stuff is out of my hands for now. The safety commission at the university laid out their rules, is what it is.

 

[FMEng]

I haven't tried ORTF with a socially distanced choir, so that does add a wrinkle. You could use four SM81 spread across the stage. 81s have extended lows compared to most, small diaphragm, cardioid condensers. (Watch our for the slightly hidden pad switch.) Use the 3:1 rule to avoid comb filtering. For every foot between the source and the mic, space the mics 3 feet apart.

The more I think about it, I'd lean toward the four mics. If you can get away with it appearance wise, you could put up mics for both methods and give each a listen.

 

[macsound]

Is anyone watching this live, in the room? Is there a chance you can add some absorption anywhere that's off camera?
Looking at that tile floor makes me cringe about how reverberant it sounds.

 

[Soundslikepeter]

So we did a mock up in the theatre today because there is not a whole lot more going on.

Pair of 184s in ORTF hovering over top of the conductor position thanks to a couple of black boxes and a sandbag.

Spaced pair of Earthworks QTC 50s to the outsides.

A TLM 103 for our soloists to step up to.

And a Rode NTG-2 shotgun for the conductor to stand infront of and announce each piece.

Even set up some PA to shoot out from the audience where the choir would be towards the mics on stage. I'm unsure about the spaced pair, if they are even worthwhile blending in any at all as they don't seem to add much but I'm likely to know better on the day.

In the photos can see our roughed in camera shots too, successfully framing out most of the audio gear.

No one is in the room live for the performance. Hell, even the stream team is gonna be out in the lobby watching through a glass wall. And its a big booming bunker, probably not much to be done to make it otherwise unfortunately.

 

[Soundslikepeter]

Stream was supposed to be saturday. Got cancelled at 6pm friday evening just after we finished setting up and going home after the prefit.

Turns out there was a big party that a bunch of the choir attended with some of the sports teams at the university. A bunch of confirmed cases came out of it.

RIP our only show since November.

 

[FMEng]

It's too bad the show was cancelled. Unfortunately, people don't always use good judgement, and there are consequences.

 

[Dionysus]

People's poor judgement continues to demonstrate "why we can't have nice things". :'( so sad.
Have been working on planning an event for late August (still hoping it will happen), and last month numbers are starting to show a real risk of cancellation moving forward.