What is blumlein technique used for?

Blumlein pair is the name for a stereo recording technique invented by Alan Blumlein for the creation of recordings that, upon replaying through headphones or loudspeakers, recreate the spatial characteristics of the recorded signal.

What is blumlein configuration?

Blumlein stereo miking involves placing two figure-8 microphones at right angles to one another with the diaphragms as close together as possible. The two microphones are mounted on separate stands, one above the other. The following illustration shows this technique.

What is a stereo mic technique?

Stereo recording is a technique involving the use of two microphones to simultaneously record one instrument. The mono signals from each microphone are assigned to the left and right channels of a stereo track to create a sense of width in the recording.

How do you use blumlein?

The Blumlein Pair technique utilizes two microphones with a bidirectional (figure-of-eight) pickup pattern and positions them on top of – and 90 degrees off axis from – one another. Positioning the microphone elements as close together as possible will help phase coherence.

What is blumlein array?

A stereo microphone technique devised by Alan Blumlein in the early 1930s. It employs a pair of microphones with figure-eight polar patterns, mounted at 90 degrees to each other with the two diaphragms vertically aligned in so-called ‘coincidence’.

What is a figure 8 microphone?

A microphone with a Figure-8 or bidirectional pickup pattern is sensitive to sound coming from the front and coming from the rear, but has a very high rejection for sound coming from the sides. Figure-8 happens to be the natural pattern of ribbon microphones, and most multipattern condensers can be set to figure-8.

What is mic technique?

Seriously, mic technique isn’t rocket surgery — you point the part that’s supposed to catch the sound at your mouth. Backing off a couple of inches is plenty, and anything more will cause not only an audible drop in volume but also a change in the sound of the mic, due to proximity effect (or lack thereof).

How does the figure 8 polar pattern work?

The bidirectional polar pattern (often referred to as figure-8) is symmetrically sensitive to sounds from the front and back while rejecting sounds to the sides. This basically means that both sides of the microphone diaphragm are equally exposed to external sound pressure.

How are stereo microphones mounted in a Blumlein microphone?

Blumlein stereo miking involves placing two figure-8 microphones at right angles to one another with the diaphragms as close together as possible. The two microphones are mounted on separate stands, one above the other. The following illustration shows this technique.

What kind of recording technique does Blumlein use?

Consequently, Blumlein also invented the mid-side recording technique, which is another stereo recording technique used often by studio professionals. A number of companies have developed stereo ribbon microphones specifically for use in Blumlein pair applications.

What kind of MIC does Alan Blumlein use?

It’s interesting to note Alan Blumlein originally developed the technique to record Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony at Abbey Road Studios. Nowadays it’s become especially effective for drums and piano, as well as orchestral ensembles. It will produce excellent results in full band recordings as well.

How tall should a Blumlein be over a drum kit?

The R88 simplifies this by housing two matched ribbons in one microphone body. For overhead recordings of drums, try positioning a Blumlein array 4 to 6 feet from the ground and above the drums or in front of the kit.