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How to Record a Full Choir

People have been signing together since the time of our ancient ancestors. As time passed, singing harmonies underwent many transformations from chants written by Pope Gregory to choir works by Eric Whitacre. The members of a choir may change from month to month--this is especially the case for a professional, church or school choir. Recording a choir is the perfect way to commemorate a particular group of singers, before someone leaves. The simple, "XY Pattern" is best way for an amateur to attempt recording a group of 12-50 people.

Things You'll Need

  • Computer
  • Recording software
  • 2 condenser microphones
  • 2 XLR microphone cables
  • 2 microphone stands
  • Mixing board
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate the center of the choir.

    • 2

      Measure 12 feet out from the center. Place your two microphone stands side by side at the 12-foot mark.

    • 3

      Attach your microphones to the stands and angle them. The right microphone will be facing 90 degrees to the right. The left microphone will be facing 90 degrees to the left.

    • 4

      Connect the XLR microphone cables to the backs of your microphones. Run these cables to your mixing board.

    • 5

      Look at your two recording channels on the board and locate the "pan" knobs.

    • 6

      Twist the pan knob all the way to the right for your right microphone. Twist the pan knob all the way to the left for your left microphone.

    • 7

      Plug your headphones into the "Headphone Output" on the mixing board.

    • 8

      Begin recording just before the choir begins singing.

    • 9

      Listen to the choir in your headphones. It should sound as if you are directly in front of the choir. Adjust your equalizers to perfect the audio. The equalizers are on the same channel strip as the pan knobs.

Recording Music

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