ABSTRACT
The concert hall or recording studio should be thought of as one of the instruments in classical music recording, as the most common techniques capture the sound of both the instruments and the room as one audio source. It is important to assess the sound in the hall before listening to the resulting sound coming over the microphones, so that the engineer has a mental snapshot of the acoustic “signature” of the orchestra in the hall. The goal is to replicate in the recording the sound of the musicians in the room, with the intention of improving any shortcomings of the space through the careful placement and balancing of the microphones. In extreme cases, the hall itself might be physically altered to improve its acoustic properties by employing a stage extension, placing sheets of plywood over the audience seats, or hanging theatre curtains off a balcony to reduce excessive amounts of reverberation). Large spaces other than halls and studios may also be considered as suitable recording venues. Many churches have excellent acoustic characteristics and are generally acceptable for recording as long as there is adequate isolation from the outside surroundings.
