Mixing Indian Music

I have worked with quite a few Indian Classical and folk groups. In general I prefer dynamic mics on percussion and condensers on anything with strings. Harmoniums will get a condenser as well, usually.

I will ask them politely to let me mic them up the way I want if they are requesting 57s and 58s for the following reasons...

Tablas:

Although most classical guys like one or two 57s, I have found that two EV 408s sound fantastic on tablas. I have had quite a few tabla players ask me at the end of the gig what the mics I used were called and where can they get them. Just because they mostly get 57s in India doesn't mean that they are the right mic for the job. There are a lot of tones going on with tablas, and while you can make a 57 work, they pale in comparison to a good mic and necessitate a lot of EQ work, especially to get the top end ring to sound right (as well as the low end whump.) The absolute best tabla sound I ever got was with a single 441. 421s, M88s and RE 20s also sound great.

Sitar, Sarod, Veenas, or other stringed instruments:

I don't think a 57 or 58 could possibly have the frequency range to adequately mic these instruments.  I have never had a sitar player turn down a condenser. I use the best one I have handy, small or large diaphragm. I prefer a Neumann km184 , but have made an 81 work. Have the musician play and put your ear close to it. Find the sweet spot.

I have never gone direct from a tambura box. I have always just laid a 57 near it. It is not supposed to be very loud.  For the real instruments I prefer a condenser.

I once miced an Indian flute with a ribbon mic from above. Quite nice.

A few general tips:

Do not over EQ the system.

Once a rug is put on the stage remove your shoes before walking on it. When in Rome. I have a long and very funny story about not doing this that I will not go into here.

Don't mix too much. Don't compress ANYTHING. Give them all the dynamic range you can. They will handle their own mix.

If they want monitors, they will want sidefills only, most likely.

If you are unfamiliar with the music, educate yourself. Buy some Cds of Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussein, and some other great players so you have an idea of what the balance is supposed to be like. Listen to them play together acoustically before you amplify them. Their instruments should sound exactly the same, but louder. Also, remember that India is a huge place, with many kinds of music. I have run across every type of Indian music from the more folky stuff to Classical, to fusion. Classical guys can be VERY intense to work with. They are picky, as all people who care about their art should be.

Here is a blog post I wrote about mixing Debashish Bhattacharya:

This post comes from a discussion on Pro Sound Web

Post Script:
I recently received an email from a musicology student in Pakistan asking about microphone placement in Indian recordings.  I responded to him from my perspective as a live sound engineer.  Here is my response to his questions:

Hello Sir,

Thank you for writing to me with you questions.  I hope that the recent flooding in Pakistan hasn't affected you or you family and that you are well.

I am actually not a recording engineer.  I am a live concert engineer with many years of experience in mixing acoustic shows of all sorts.  This has included many Indian shows.  Techniques used in live concert production and recording differ greatly, I can only respond to your questions from the perspective of concert sound.

Q1. What basic difference is in recording western and eastern instruments? Which is more difficult to record eastern or western instruments? (To achieve best sound quality)

I believe that the complexity of Indian and Pakistani music makes it far more difficult  to work with.  In the west we only have a 12 tone scale.  Eastern music contains far more tones that need to be represented clearly.

Q2.What is the basic rule for recording an acoustic instrument?

My basic rule for mixing acoustic instruments it to attempt to represent that instrument as perfectly, and naturally as possible. 

Q3. Did you apply western techniques on eastern instruments, or find a sweetspot for the recording?

This is one major way that recording and live techniques differ.  In a recording I would be tempted to use a single ribbon mic or a pair of condensers to record an entire ensemble, especially if recording in a nice room.  It seems to me that "tracking" a recording of ragas (for instance) would be very hard.

In the live setting however, I close mic everything, finding a sweetspot on each and every instrument.

Q4. How many eastern instruments you have recorded? 

I have worked with many instruments from all over the world. 

Q5.How crucial role does “microphone placement plays in recording an acoustic instrument?

In the live setting where I work microphone placement is very very important.  Every instrument has a sweet spot.  I have found that most Indian musicians (especially classical ones and fusion players) are very particular about microphone placement and know exactly where to place the mics for best effect.

Q6. How do u choose between different polar pattern microphone i.e. ( cardioid, omni, bi-direct, hyper/super cardioid) for different instruments.

In my world, I choose mostly different types of cardioid mics, as I have to deal with feedback from monitors are the main speakers systems if I use omnis or bi-directional mics.  In a studio I would use the best mics available.

Q7. What are the basic factors which are responsible for a good recording?

These factors are important in both recording and live mixing, in order of importance:

1. Good quality musicians, instruments.

2. Good quality mics and pre-amps

3. Microphone placement

4. A good room to record/mix in.

Q8.Which technique suits the best for eastern instruments: close miking or distant miking, if individual instruments are recorded?

For a recording I think I would prefer distance miking, or a combination of close and distance miking.  For my world of live concerts I only use close micing.

Q9. Microphone choice/brand

       Microphone placement

       Polar pattern/ Dynamic range

            Above three which plays the major role in getting good quality recording?

Microphone placement is the most important of these, but microphone quality is a close second.  Brand names are just an indication of quality.  Polar pattern/ Dynamic range is also extremely important.

Q10. Is it necessary to put dual microphone in recording an instrument? For instrument such as tabla which has two drums, and sitar which has a long neck and sometimes two drones.

In my blog I go in depth into mixing tablas.  I prefer two mics on tabla, but many classical tabla players prefer one.  I have used two mics on sitar but have also used one to good effect.  I used two mics on Debashish Bhattacharya's guitars and Ronu Majumdar's flute.

I hope that these answers help you.  I would be interested to read your thesis upon it's completion. 

-Dave

Here is a photo from a recent concert I did sound for as part of India Calling, a festival of Indian music that is a part of Chicago World Music Festival.  At this festival I mixed flute player Ronu Majumdar for a second time using an SM81 with a windscreen and a Beta 87 on his flute.  I used EV 408s on tablas all weekend.