Recording a solo sax: Technique one

While your first inclination might be to place the mic on the bell of a saxophone, that position…can sound very edgy and harsh.…The sound at the side pads generally radiates a more woody sort of tone that's usually a lot more pleasing.…While it's natural to believe that the sound of the saxophone comes mainly from the bell,…it actually comes from every hole of the instrument at the same time, but in totally different…proportions for every note.…With that in mind, in this movie we'll look at one of the ways to record a solo sax.…Place a mic about 18-24 inches away from the player's right side of the instrument, about…halfway up the keys, and then slightly down at the bell.…

Have the sax player play the song that you'll be recording.…(music playing)…Try moving the mic about 6 inches closer to the sax for a tighter sound.…The problem here is that you might pick up some of the valve clicking as well.…(music playing)…If you move the mic away from the sax, you'll pick up more of the room ambience.…