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Using as few mics as possible on a recording session often leads to better sound for the project. In this episode, I describe how I went from one mic, to many mics, and back to one mic, over the course of my career.

Some examples are truly one stereo mic for an entire song recording, while others use two or three mics, depending on the circumstances.

There are high-res audio clips on my podcast web site, https://dougfearn.com/  where you can listen to some of the recordings discussed, plus links to videos that show the actual sessions.

In one example, a song with multiple instruments was recorded live in the studio, but with a single stereo mic, and with a typical multi-mic approach. Both have their place, and you can decide which you prefer. Both recordings are from the same take, so they are directly comparable.

This approach to recording is not for everyone, nor for every project, but understanding the principles may give you a useful tool.

Single-mic recording eliminates the phase differences that can hurt the sound of a recording. And  another benefit is that you might just get a more interesting performance from the musicians, since everyone is playing together at once, in the same room. No headphones needed.

Sometimes a hybrid approach works, too, combining the minimalist mic’ing with standard mic’ing techniques.

You can find the tracks, and links to the companion videos, under “Extras” on my web site.

Got an idea that would make a good podcast episode? Or a question that I might be able to answer? Please send your thoughts to [email protected]

email: [email protected]
www.youtube.com/c/DWFearn
https://dwfearn.com/