Alto flute
- Range
- G3–G6
- Overtones to
- about 4.2 kHz
- Sources
- 42 independent: not from a mic maker
What it is
The flute in G, a fourth below the concert flute, with "a greater dynamic presence in the bottom octave and a half of its range" than the flute.5
Range
G3 to about G65196 Hz – 1.57 kHz
With an altissimo register to Db7. In G, sounding a perfect fourth below written.
Overtones reach about 4.2 kHz (the highest harmonic within 40 dB of the strongest, at a moderate level; louder playing reaches higher)6.
About the range
G3-G6, with an altissimo register to Db7; it sounds a perfect fourth below written.5
Recording it
DPA's flute techniques "apply to both flutes, recorders, and other variants of the flute family": about 5-10 cm away aimed between the mouthpiece and the left hand with a 4006 omni, or a 4011 or 4015 behind and above the player's head aimed at the finger holes.1
Mics
- 5 setups from 4 sources, 2 of them independent of any mic maker.
- On top: the mics more than one source names for this instrument, in any role, the most named first. That is a count of sources, not our verdict.
- Few independent sources so far, so the full list shows no counts.
No mic is named by more than one source yet: each names its own.
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (3)
Studio and stage
The 3 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Woodwinds advice DPA 4006close, about 5-10 cm from the instrument, aimed halfway between the mouthpiece and the left hand
"Approx. 5-10 cm away from the instrument, aim the mic halfway between the mouthpiece and the left hand"; omni for lower sensitivity to wind and pop. DPA: the techniques apply to "other variants of the flute family".
1 - Spot Woodwinds advice DPA 4011spot, behind and slightly above the player's head, pointing at the finger holes
"spot-miked behind and slightly above the head of the player, pointing at the finger holes" (4011 cardioid or 4015 wide cardioid). DPA: the techniques apply to "other variants of the flute family".
1 - Close Woodwinds advice condenser (type only)close, about 30 cm from the sound holes
A mic placed about 1 foot from sound holes will produce a natural, well-balanced sound.
2
Studio
The 2 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Spot Woodwinds advice Royer ribbon microphonespot, close mics on the woodwinds
Royer ribbon mics on the woodwinds and low brass
3 - Contact Woodwinds advice 2 × Schoeps MK 4pair, stereo pair as overall woodwind pickup
the woodwinds had a stereo pair of Schoeps MK4s as an overall pickup
4
Sources
- DPA Mic University: How to mic a flute or recorder
- Shure: How to Choose the Best Mics for Brass, Wind, and String Instruments
- Mix: The Changing Landscape of Orchestral Recording (engineer Steve Smith, Music Works Studios)
- Sound On Sound: Jake Jackson: Recording The 2012 Olympic Anthems
- Wikipedia, Alto flute
- SHARC Timbre Database v2 (Gregory Sandell): harmonic analyses of McGill University Master Samples