One mic' band recording (plus two overheads for width)

[Robin, Wales]

About 15 years ago a new recording studio opened in our area and they wanted local musicians and bands to come in so they could try out all the kit. I was in a local amateur bluegrass band at the time and 5 of us turned up to this small studio. They asked us which instrument we wanted to be recorded first and started to get out loads of mic’s. We must have looked pretty horrified at the thought of being recorded individually. I said that we always played live just around one mic’ and could we try that first for the recording?

It wasn’t something that any of the staff had envisaged as being a “thing” in the studio but they said they’d give it a try. They set up a single LDC mic’ and, to get some breadth to the recording, two overhead mic’s. We arranged ourselves for what we though would be a good balance (I was playing a Galax dulcimer for this track - sitting on the floor). And we kicked off the song. One take and that was it done!!!

Everyone was really surprised at how well it worked and how natural and “old school” the recoding sounded.

It is my only experience of being in a recording studio but I guess that having everyone sing and play around one mic’ was the way it used to be done. Anyway, I though that you guys may be intrigued by this KISS recording!