Recording A String Instrument - Roland CD-2e Manual Book

Recording a string instrument

Get a rich sound by allowing
distance from the instrument
The distinctive resonance of string instruments such as
the violin is created by the combination of the sound
of the strings themselves with the resonances of the
instrument's body. The point is that you should place
the mics where the string and body resonances are
well-balanced. Placing the mics 80–120 inches (2–3
meters) from the front of the instrument (for a violin,
facing the musician) will produce a well-balanced
recording. Once you've become familiar with record-
ing string instruments, you can try varying the dis-
tance and height of the mics to obtain other tonal
characteristics.
Emphasize
the sound of the strings
If you want to emphasize
the sound of the bow on the
strings, move the mics close
to the bridge. When doing
so, adjust the input level to
prevent distortion from
occurring.
Clear
Mellow
Rounded
10
Bright
Use distance and
height to adjust the tone
A distance of 40–80 inches (1–2
meters) from the instrument
will produce a bright tone, and a
distance of 120–160 inches (3–4
meters) will produce a rounded,
mellow tone. Placing the CD-
2e on a chair to gain some
height will give the
sound more clarity.
Emphasize the body or strings
to capture your unique tone
If you want a deeper sound, aim the mics at the f-
holes from which the body resonances escape. On
the other hand, if you want to emphasize the scrap-
ing of the bow on the strings, position the mics in
front of the instrument and move a bit closer. In par-
ticular, moving the mics close to the bridge will allow
the bow movements to be captured realistically.
Emphasizing
the sound of the body
If you want to capture a
de e ep and rich tone, aim the
m m ics at the f-holes, which
e e mit the body resonances.
Use the internal tuner to check
the pitch before recording
The CD-2e contains a built-in chro-
matic tuner. You can tune to a refer-
ence pitch, and there's also a tuning
guide that provides a visual indication
of the pitch.