English horn on a pop contemorary Christian tune? Absolutely. Carlton of Metro Community Church added some English horn to a song called Breath this past Friday for Metro Community Church’s ongoing CD project for their worship band. The part turned out great! Both myself and Chris from the church “produced” the solo, but Carlton brought the extrordinary tone and performance.
We used our AEA R84 ribbon microphone for the session with a Grace 101 ribbon version preamp for the recording. Choosing where to mic the English Horn was interesting. I used my technique of moving my head around in front of the player look for the “focus” spots. That is where the sound seems to come into focus for me like a picture coming into focus. Contrary to what I thought, I placed the mic alsmost directly in the middle of the instrument. I thought at either end would make more logical sense but it is not what my ears told me.
The R84 was a great choice because it has a pure natural sound with quick, smooth transients, just as you hear it when you place your mic in the studio.
The AEA R84 Ribbon Microphone is an outstanding general-purpose microphone, ideally suited for solo and accent work. It is hard to find an application where the R84 mic does not shine. Its natural sound and figure-8 directional sensitivity mean the R84 gives you everything professionals expect from a quality ribbon mic.
Here are some specs:
AEA R84 Ribbon Microphone Features:
- Reliable ribbon mic with wide dynamic range
- Large Ribbon Geometry (LRG), 2.35″ by 0.185″ by 2 micron pure aluminum low-tension ribbon
- Able to handle better than 165 dB SPL at higher frequencies
- Figure 8 pattern for duo recording convenience
- Includes shock mount, 6-foot cable and sturdy foam-lined carrying case