Recording a Hurdy Gurdy

[Lasse Lammert]

there are many techniques, it's a difficult instrument to record, especially if you want a balanced sound from all three sources (drone, chien, melody).
Before the recordings I read up on some recording methods...and then decided to do something entirely different.
Since I'm recording that "instrument" for a metal context I wasn't quite sure if I wanted it mono or stereo, I wanted to have all the options, so I decided to use a criminally underused technique...Mid-Side recording.

for the Mid channel I used a ribbon mic (Beyer m160) which captures a nice natural, smooth and warm tone from the gurdy, for the side channels I used an AKG c414.
For a pure folk band I'd have placed the mics in a bigger distance...like 4-5 ft or something, but since I needed it to really cut through heavy guitars I mic'd it rather close this time...about 40cm or so.
That combination turned out to be really nice.
Why am I telling you this?
I don't know, you'll probably never have to record a gurdy in your life....but IF you have to you have a starting point now

 

[Firaxis]

I love folk instruments in metal, like cthonic with the erhu! I'm looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.

Great tips if I ever have record something like this.

 

[Nimvi]

Not going to lie, I had to look up what a Hurdy Gurdy is
If I'm not mistaking, this instrument is used by In Extremo on quite a few songs with heavy guitars, and it cuts through pretty well, so it might also be worth checking out how they recorded it. One song that comes to mind is Poc Vecem, but I cannot find an album-version on youtube.

I do agree that mid-side is an underused technique though, and I can imagine it sounds great with an instrument like this and those microphones you listed.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

the last Eluveitie has some cool Gurdy tones (produced by C.Richardson)

 

[Nimvi]

the last Eluveitie has some cool Gurdy tones (produced by C.Richardson)

Nice, definitely going to check that out. Haven't actively followed them since Slania, but that's one hell of a band!

 

[if6was9]

I love mid-side recording. It's really cool to be able to control the width and ambience. I use it on drum room micing when the room is good and I have the mics/channels.

 

[Shinozoku]

I was just about to ask if you were recording Eluveite, Lasse Always the first band I think of when I hear "hurdy gurdy"

 

[Emdprodukt]

haha, maybe because I told you I didn't even know what it is ?

 

[Uros]

So, you essentially used 2 figure 8 patterns? Interesting.

 

[tempe]

Great idea Lasse, although with two figure 8 microphones wouldn't that be a Blumlien technique

I love it on drum rooms, can't say I'm going to have a hurdy gurdy in the near future though.

 

[Uros]

Well, not really, since Blumlein is strict about using 2 matched figure of 8 microphones

 

[Charles J]

m/s = 1 cardoid and one figure 8

 

[Uros]

Well, it's not the only way Charles (although it's a textbook example)
There is a variation with an omni as the mid mic instead (also with hypercardioid, or as Lasse did with another bi directional mic), when you want more spaciousness and low end. M/S is used mostly in broadcasting, because it really translates well in mono, so no wonder why you Lasse think it's underused (although people are putting it to good use in miking a piano or an acoustic guitar, for example).

 

[Kohugaly]

Great idea Lasse, although with two figure 8 microphones wouldn't that be a Blumlien technique

In Blumlein you use one mic as right and one mic as left channel so you need matched pair. In M/S, pollar patern of the mid mic only affects the stereo width (more directional mic = wider stereo image).

Anyway, Lasse, how did you faced the side mic?
horizontally as in usual M/S or upright to the strings to separate them?

 

[pikachu69]

Great to hear M/S being talked about here. I have seen in so many other forums that it gets bashed and is often referred to as a "cheats" way to record in stereo. So not true!
I love using in one of two ways on drums, Either as over hang with a mono room or as room with spaced pair of LDC as over hang.
I used the room teqhnique a couple of weeks ago on a reggae/pop track, it worked out great.

 

[Derpsicle]

I actually think that Eluveitie used hurdy gurdys all the way back on Spirit.
But fuck, Lasse, I honestly believe your folk metal mixes are among the best there is! Can't wait to hear this one!
... that actually goes for everything you do, but I'm a sucker for folk metal.