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these microphones were progressively panned to front left and right.
Stage details are shown in Figure 16–4. The stereo and surround sound-
stages are shown in Figure 16–5. In setting up the surround mix, the
main microphone pair was demixed and re-panned center left and right
in order to produce a center channel. All accent microphones appear

THE MICROPHONE BOOK

278

FIGURE 16–4

Stage and microphone 
layout for 1812 Overture:
center section view (A);
plan view (B).

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279

TABLE 16–2

Microphone Deployment for 1812 Overture

Position

Description

Stereo Stage 

height

Track

panning

assignment

Major components
Stereo mix left

Track 1

Stereo mix right

Track 2

L flank

omni

left

3.5 m (12 ft)

Track 7

L ORTF

cardioid

left

3.5 m (12 ft)

Track 3

R ORTF

cardioid

right

3.5 m (12 ft)

Track 4

R flank

omni

right

3.5 m (12 ft)

Track 8

L chorus

omni

left

4.5 m (14.5 ft)

R chorus

omni

right

4.5 m (14.5 ft)

L house

cardioid

left

4 m (13.3 ft)

Track 5

R house

cardioid

right

4 m (13.3 ft)

Track 6

Accent microphones (these appear only in the stereo mix)
L woodwinds

cardioid

half-left

3.5 m (12 ft)

R woodwinds

cardioid

half-right

3.5 m (12 ft)

Harp

cardioid

left

1 m (40 in)

Timpani

cardioid

half-left

2 m (80 in)

Basses (1st stand)

cardioid

right

2 m (40 in)

FIGURE 16–5

Recorded soundstages for
1812 Overture: stereo
soundstage (A); surround
soundstage (B).

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only in the front left and right channels. The house microphones were
located 8 m (27 ft) from the main pair and were panned into the rear
channels. They were aimed at the upper back corners of the house.

The opening of this work as auditioned in surround sound is an

excellent example of the condition shown in Figure 15–3, in which all
channels contain mutually uncorrelated reproduction of the chorus.
Positioning the chorus at the back of the surround soundstage during the
open measures of the work was purely experimental – but is musically
appropriate and does not sound contrived.

RHAPSODY IN BLUE BY GEORGE GERSHWIN

The work was performed by Andrew Litton, pianist and conductor, and
the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in McDermott Hall at the Meyerson
Symphony Center. The normal orchestral forces were reduced to 25 players,
in keeping with the original arrangement of the work for the Paul
Whiteman Orchestra in 1924. In this regard the recording is more like
that of a studio orchestra than a full symphonic ensemble, and micro-
phone distances were reduced slightly for more presence. The cover of

THE MICROPHONE BOOK

280

FIGURE 16–6

Stage and microphone 
layout for Rhapsody in
Blue.

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the piano was removed and the instrument oriented as shown so that the
conductor–pianist had direct eye contact with the players. Close pickup
of the piano, within 0.5 m (20 in), was mandated by the high ambient
orchestral levels surrounding the instrument. Figure 16–6 shows the
stage and microphone layout. Microphone deployment details are shown
in Table 16–3. The stereo monitor mix was assigned to tracks 1 and 2 of
the digital recorder.

Details of the stereo and surround soundstages are shown in

Figure 16–7.

The solo piano is a dominant feature in this recording and as such

needs to be positioned slightly in front of the orchestra. After some
experimenting in postproduction it was felt that the direct sound of
the instrument needed to be present in all three frontal loudspeakers, as
discussed in Chapter 15 under Frontal Arrays. By using only partial sub-
tractive mixing, an approximate balance was reached, as shown in
Table 16–4.

The relationships given here produce a total relative level of 0 dB,

and the 3 dB advantage of the center channel ensures that the listener
will identify the source primarily at the center loudspeaker. The rear
channels were derived primarily from the two house microphones, sup-
plemented by a reduced signal, high-passed at 200 Hz, from the main left
and right ORTF pair.

16: Surround Recording Case Studies

281

TABLE 16–3

Microphone Deployment for Rhapsody in Blue

Position

Description

Stereo Stage 

height

Track

panning

assignment

Major components
Stereo mix left

Track 1

Stereo mix right

Track 2

L flank

omni

left

3 m (10 ft)

L ORTF

cardioid

left

3 m (10 ft)

Track 3

R ORTF

cardioid

right

3 m (10 ft)

Track 4

R flank

omni

right

3 m (10 ft)

L solo piano

cardioid

left

0.5 m (20 in)

Track 7

R solo piano

cardioid

right

0.5 m (20 in)

Track 8

L house

cardioid

left

10 m (33 ft)

Track 5

R house

cardioid

right

10 m (33 ft)

Track 6

Accent microphones (these appear only in the stereo mix)
L woodwinds

cardioid

half-left

3 m (10 ft)

R woodwinds

cardioid

half-right

3 m (10 ft)

Orchestral piano

cardioid

left

1 m (40 in)

Violins

cardioid

half-left

2 m (80 in)

Brass

cardioid

half-right

2 m (80 in)

Bass and tuba

cardioid

right

2 m (80 in)

L drum set

cardioid

half-left

1 m (40 in)

R drum set

cardioid

half-right

1 m (40 in)

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OPENING HYMN FROM TE DEUM BY 

HECTOR BERLIOZ

Berlioz’s Te Deum is a large work for orchestra, chorus, tenor solo, and
organ. It was performed with audience at the Cathedral of Saint John the
Divine in New York in 1996 during a convention of the American Guild
of Organists, Dennis Keene, conductor. The Cathedral is the largest gothic
structure in the world, with a nave extending 183 m (601 ft) front to back,
and the reverberation time of the occupied space is about 5 s. The orches-
tra was positioned in the large crossing, and the chorus was located on
multiple risers in the sanctuary. The vast dimensions of the space are such
that there are virtually no early reflections. The first reflections are from
walls that are about 25 m (83 ft) distant, so that the reflected sound blends
in comletely with the onset of diffuse reverberation.

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282

TABLE 16–4

Solo Piano Balance in Rhapsody in Blue

Front Left

Front Center

Front Right

Piano level

–6 dB (1/4 power)

–3 dB (1/2 power)

–6 dB (1/4 power)

FIGURE 16–7

Recorded soundstages for
Rhapsody in Blue: stereo
soundstage (A); surround
soundstage (B).

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