Royer Labs R-122V - Manual (Page 14)

upright piano, or on a person with a thin, weak voice, the recorded sound is likely to sound even
thinner than it was in real life. In contrast, using a microphone with strong proximity effect on
such sound sources can deliver a “better than real” sound, since the boosted bass response will
compensate for the weak fundamentals in the sound source. Since the fundamentals are present,
but weakened, boosting them by several dB will sound natural, even though the sound has been
sweetened.
Radio and television announcers have long relied on proximity effect to give a full, rich,
authoritative quality to their voices. By knowing how to work with the proximity effect, the
engineer can get several useful effects without resorting to an outboard unit.
Microphone Techniques
General Tips for Using the Royer R-122V
The following are good basic starting places for recording with the R-122V. These positions are
known to produce good results, but experimentation is the key to getting the most out of your
recordings! Photographs of many of the following techniques can be found at
www.royerlabs.com.
Brass Instruments and R-122V go together very well. Mic the instrument from a distance of a
couple of feet, and increase the working distance a little if several instruments are being used.
Reed Instruments sound full and never edgy when captured with an R-122V. Normal working
distances are about a foot or two from the instrument.
Strings sound very sweet and clean when recorded with R-122Vs. Place the microphone several
feet from the instrument. For larger string sections, try placing the microphone slightly above the
instrumentalists and angled down; a distance of three or four feet will do the trick nicely.
Pianos sound excellent when recorded with R-122Vs and are free of phase-related comb
filtering. The bass is full and rich while the top remains clean with no clatter. Mic the piano at a
distance of one foot to several feet, depending on taste. A more direct “up front” sound will be
achieved when the microphone is placed closer to the soundboard.
For capturing a piano in stereo, place a pair of R-122Vs apart, one over the bass strings and the
other over the high strings. The farther the mics are from each other, the wider the stereo spread.
For a more direct stereo effect, the microphones may be placed in an X-Y pattern a couple of feet
from the center of the soundboard.
Amplified Instruments should be miked from a distance of 6-8 inches or more. The smooth
undistorted response of a ribbon microphone is very useful for electric guitars and electric bass.
The response of the R-122V is particularly lush on electric guitar.
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