Miking Techniques

Question 1

Spaced Pair

Answer 1

Two mics overhead pointing straight down to capture a stereo image.
Wide stereo image, lacks a strong centre, phase issues - use 3:1 rule to help eliminate phase problems

Question 2

XY

Answer 2

Two cardioid mics overhead pointing across each other to capture a stereo image. Larger area of overlap. Mic placed on the right is pointed left, making it the left mic, and the mic placed on the left is pointed right, making it the right mic.
Good phase coherency, strong centre image, not as wide as spaced pair, picks up more direct sound with less room sound

Question 3

3:1 rule

Answer 3

Mics need to be 3 times the distance from each other as they are from the source

Question 4

ORTF

Answer 4

Two mics overhead with left mic angled more left and right mic angled more right.
Very little overlap, lots of room sound, mimics human hearing, wider than XY but not as wide as spaced pair

Question 5

ORTF meaning

Answer 5

Office de Radiodiffusion Television of France

Question 6

Mid-side

Answer 6

Synthetic stereo image - good for summing to mono
Reverse the polarity on the copied side signal
Good phase coherency, not as wide as spaced pair

Question 7

Blumlein

Answer 7

Just like XY but with bi-directional mics

Good phase coherency, strong centre, not as wide as spaced pair, picks up direct sound and room sound