Tips on recording a violin

Star Ark

Star Ark

Member
Apr 6, 2010
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Melbourne
I'm lucky enough to have found a violin teacher who will act as a free session player for one of my songs.

Who has some tips on recording a violin?
The violin will be playing slow simple melodies in an Anathema kind of way if any of you are farmiliar with that band (Alternative 4). Or maybe A Perfect Circles '3 Libras' is more what I want, not so much metal more alternative.

I have a rode nt1a, roland dr 80c, UA Solo 610 an Art Pro Vla II and various dynamics. Where are good spots to place/aim the mic? I don't have a real studio just a nice big bedroom studio with high roofs and room treatment. Is doubling the same line a good idea? Can one violin player with just one violin make a lush string section if overdubs are used? Or do I need violas and cellos for that?

I'm cetain her instrument is of high quality, I only hear her at work teaching little kids mary had a little lamb but she has amazing intonation and tone so I know it's up to me to make the recording work.
 
It would probably be helpful if you could hear the song I'm talking about ey?

myspace.com/starark

the song is called Sincerly You
 
amarshism said:
are you recording ne obliviscaris?
Click to expand...

Tim Charles from Ne Obliviscaris was my intended violin player, but he is a very busy guy, he couldn't find the time to complete his own album I was hearing, so I couldn't ask him to play on mine considering he was booking gigs for my other band, supporting Soilwork, bringing out some Indonesian band called Death Vomit, he always seems to be doing something. And I suspect I would have to pay him lol

Nice guy too, and his band is pretty full on musically
 
Man, I'd just harass Tim to do it; He'll make time for it if you harass him enough :) Even get him to session it and send it across like the sleepmakeswaves stuff.
He's only got a bit of clean vocals left to record from the NeO stuff so just keep harassing him. :Spin:
 
I'd close-mic the violin with the nt1a, should sound nice in combination with a good convolution reverb.

Listening to the song, a string quartet would suit it nicely. When I did my music degree most of the violinists also played viola, so it could help to ask if she plays viola too... Then record two violin parts and one viola part. If you can't get a cellist, you could always ask someone with a sample library such as Eastwest Symphonic Gold to do that part for you ;)
 
Stringed instruments can be very tricky to record, and the room will have a HUGE effect on the kind of sounds you can achieve. You don't want to place the mic too close, as the violin can sound thin and shrill, but you don't want to room to detract from things too much either.

I've had the best results simply by having the player PLAY the violin while moving around the room. Look for the location in the room where the violin sounds best, and then walk around the player until you find the best sounding spot in the room (put your ear where the mic would go). Once you find the sweet spot, put the mic there - it's not going to get much better at this point.
 
i've tracked violins a couple times, and in a pretty nice room...used a 451 pointing towards the instrument/player, akin to pointing a mic at the 12th fret of an acoustic guitar...this was to get the nuance of the bow on the strings

then there a U87 10-12 ft. back, and raised up high for a nice, spacious, room sound

the 2 mics blended sounded awesome...i know you don't have 451's and U87's available, but i bet any well-placed SDC(close) and LDC(far) will sound great!
 
thanks for the ideas guys, I will probably end up trying them all.

I didn't find my room sound getting in the way of the mix on the guitars so hopefully the room won't be a problem for the violin either. If it is recorded in the same space maybe that will help it work with the guitars.

It won't be recorded for about 2 weeks, but I will repost in this thread if I get useable results

Cheers
 
sawtooth said:
I'd close-mic the violin with the nt1a, should sound nice in combination with a good convolution reverb.

Listening to the song, a string quartet would suit it nicely. When I did my music degree most of the violinists also played viola, so it could help to ask if she plays viola too... Then record two violin parts and one viola part. If you can't get a cellist, you could always ask someone with a sample library such as Eastwest Symphonic Gold to do that part for you ;)
Click to expand...

I'm sure she can play several instruments, I better viola is one of them, I may just do as you suggest.
thanks man
 
GoofPig said:
Man, I'd just harass Tim to do it; He'll make time for it if you harass him enough :) Even get him to session it and send it across like the sleepmakeswaves stuff.
He's only got a bit of clean vocals left to record from the NeO stuff so just keep harassing him. :Spin:
Click to expand...

I'm starting to think I should have, he would already know how to do all this, and my chance of success would be much higher.

Oh well, in a few weeks I will see for myself whether I can mic a violin. I like to try knew things, and I also like the fact that the person I have doing the session has boobs. And they are quite nice may I add :devil:
 
I've recorded quite a bit of violin for Celtic bands & it can be tricky. The extreme hi's can tear your ears off if not careful.

I'd recommend a ribbon mic a foot or two above the player's shoulder, aimed at the bridge. It won't be as harsh on the hi's as a condensor.
 
Star Ark said:
I'm starting to think I should have, he would already know how to do all this, and my chance of success would be much higher.

Oh well, in a few weeks I will see for myself whether I can mic a violin. I like to try knew things, and I also like the fact that the person I have doing the session has boobs. And they are quite nice may I add :devil:
Click to expand...

Hey man, just start harrassing Tim... he is a busy person but he'll get back to you when he has the chance.

Possibly contact Troy at Pony Music Studios (he's recording NeO), he'd be able to give you some great advice also for recording violin. http://ponymusic.com.au/
 
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