Pro / Hardware

Microphone Techniques for Stereo Recording

ORTF, NOS, Faulkner, and The Stereo 180 Technique

These set-ups are all variations of the spaced and near-coincident pair. Their designs are very similar, with the major differences relating to the distance between the mics and the relative angles they are positioned at. The ORTF, or "Office de Radio-Television Diffusion Française" (designed by the French Broadcasting Organization) uses two cardioid microphones angled at 55 degrees away from center, spaced at 17 centimeters. This set-up is designed to approximate the human head and the effect of sound hitting the outer-ear. The NOS Array (Nederlandsch Omroep Stichting, a Dutch broadcasting company design) uses two cardioids splayed at 45 degrees off center with a spacing of 30 centimeters between. The Faulkner Array, designed by Tony Faulkner in the late 1970's, uses two figure of eight microphones, facing parallel towards the sound source and spaced at 20 centimeters. The Stereo 180 technique is the most precise of the near-coincedent arrays. With a distance of 4.6 centimeters between capsules, two hypercardioid microphones are splayed 67.5 degrees off center.

For the best results with each technique, pay attention to detail, be precise with your mic placements and remember that the best final recording comes from the best initial mic-ing.

In Conclusion

Even after all of the stereo recording techniques that have been explained in this article, there are many more! They range from microphones inside the ears of dummy heads (also called binaural recording) to mics separated with hard baffles. The vast variety of techniques available is a testament to the fact that recording is not an exact science. Every session has its own unique needs, and the knowledge of the engineer is most important in determining the final sound of a recording. Stereo mic-ing is just one technique that can be used to enhance your recording. For the best results with each technique, pay attention to detail, be precise with your mic placements and remember that the best final recording comes from the best initial mic-ing. Experiment with microphone types, quantities and placement until you get a sound you like.

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References

Eargle, John. The Microphone Book, Second Edition, Copyright 2004.

Runstein, Huber. Modern Recording Techniques, Second Edition. Copyright 1986

Runstein, Huber. Modern Recording Techniques, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2005