Pipe organ
- Peaks up close
- up to 138.4 dB SPL
- Sources
- 54 independent: not from a mic maker
What it is
An instrument that drives wind through pipes chosen from keyboards (manuals) and usually a pedalboard. Each manual controls its own division; stops select ranks of pipes. Notes sustain as long as a key is held. The sources also discuss theatre organs (Wurlitzer), a related type.6
Range
from C0 (top not sourced)616.4 Hz
Manuals: 61 notes C to c'''' (C2-C7 at 8' pitch); pedals 30-32 notes C to f' or g' (C2-G4 written). A 32' stop sounds two octaves lower, so pedal C sounds C0 (about 16 Hz); upper limit set by 2', 1' and mixture ranks, not given.
Written C2 to C7; the range above is sounding pitch.
Where the sound goes
Every pipe is a separate source; the case is divided into compartments (a French church organ is described as five sections plus pedal towers). No polar pattern found.4
Layout
From one or two dozen pipes and one manual to over 33,000 pipes and seven manuals. Pipes sit in several places in a building, often high up, so one mic cannot cover them all.6,3
About the range
An 8' stop sounds at unison pitch, 16' an octave lower, 32' two octaves lower. No source gives the total compass, so none is stated. A 32' stop's lowest note would be about C0, 16 Hz (estimate from the pitch rule).6
How loud
Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.
| Peaks | |
|---|---|
| 138.4 dB(C) | Vox Maris (Hey Orgelbau), Guinness record 'loudest pipe organ', 21 Oct 20117 |
The only figure is a record claim: 138.4 dB(C) peak for the Vox Maris organ (Guinness, 2011). No level at a playing or listening position found.
Recording it
- Main stereo pair first, spots only to reinforce a section: Hugh Robjohns prefers a main pair for overall balance and room, with extra (usually mono) mics to add clarity. ORTF cardioids at about half the critical distance (Dc/2), spaced omnis at about Dc/3; coincident pairs and the Soundfield mic are also favourites. Mic stands should be very tall, as pipework is high.
- A forum engineer would put a stereo pair at least 30 ft back from the pipes, and calls shotgun mics "the worst possible choice". Another used Blumlein and spaced omnis for a theatre organ: omnis gave better bass but have phase problems in mono. A third compared a large-diaphragm M/S pair with a small-diaphragm ORTF pair about a third of the church's length from the organ.
- Close recording of the case itself (research projects): the Vaulted Harmonies project put Schoeps CMC 1 L (MK 4) mics inside the case compartments, plus a DPA 4011c array in front of the facade, then balanced them in post. A chamber organ continuo used three Neumann KM 184.
- Outdoors (Spreckels Organ, San Diego): the team tried DPA, Schoeps and Earthworks in omni and cardioid; they preferred DPA and Schoeps and now use Earthworks QTC-40 omnis with a Jecklin disc plus SR40 cardioids.3,1,4,2
Mics
- 9 setups from 5 sources, 4 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.
- In the full list, each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those come from a mic maker.
No mic is named by more than one source yet: each names its own.
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (14)
Studio
Main pair or array
- DPA 4011c (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)1 source
- Neumann KM 1841 source
X-YBlumleinSpaced pair
Inside
The 8 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Main pair or array 2 × stereo pair (X-Y, Blumlein) (stereo pair 30 ft or more back from the pipes)main pair, 30 ft or more
"I would suggest a decent stereo pair set up at least 30 feet, maybe more, back from the pipes"; shotguns are the worst choice.
1 - Main pair or array 2 × Blumlein and spaced omnis (crossed figure-of-eight and spaced omnis)main pair, theatre organ
Omnis "picked up better bass but phase can be an issue"; Blumlein is usually mono-safe (paraphrase).
1 - Close omni or cardioid small-diaphragm, DPA/Schoeps preferred, Earthworks used (DPA, Schoeps or Earthworks, omni or cardioid)outdoor organ pavilion (Spreckels), several positions
"We tried DPA, Schoeps and Earthworks in both omni and cardioid configurations. Our preference was for the DPA and Schoeps."
2 - Main pair or array 2 × ORTF cardioid pair or coincident pair or Soundfield (ORTF or coincident pair, or Soundfield, at about half the critical distance)main pair, in the hall, up high
"The ORTF approach is generally a good one... the multi-capsule Soundfield mic is also a common favourite." ORTF at about Dc/2, spaced omnis at about Dc/3.
3 - Main pair or array 2 × omni spaced pair + mono spot mics (spaced omnis, plus mono spots at the pipes)main pair, with spots for clarity
"I tend to go for a main stereo pair... then add additional (usually) mono mics if needed to reinforce a particular section."
3 - Inside Schoeps CMC 1 L with MK 4 capsulesinside the grand organ case, five mics, one per compartment (inside the case)
Five Schoeps CMC-1 L with MK4 cardioid capsules in the case compartments "to balance the instrument in post-production".
4 - Main pair or array DPA 4011c (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)in front of the facade, close to the display pipes (array)
Array of five DPA 4011c cardioids on stands in front of the organ facade, aligned with the display pipes.
4 - Main pair or array Neumann KM 184chamber organ, continuo (array of three)
The organ was equipped with a microphone array of three Neumann KM 184 cardioid microphones.
4
On stage
Named, no placement given
- Shure Beta 91 (earlier version of the Shure Beta 91A)1 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM1091 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM1371 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM1411 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM271 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM321 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM441 source from its own maker
- Shure MX2021 source from its own maker
- Shure PG811 source from its own maker
- Shure SM811 source from its own maker
- Shure SM941 source from its own maker
The 1 setup behind this: placement and quotes
- Named, no placement given Shure KSM44 or Shure KSM32 or Shure KSM27 or Shure KSM141 or Shure KSM137 or Shure KSM109 or Shure SM81 or Shure Beta 91 (earlier version of the Shure Beta 91A) or Shure PG81 or Shure SM94 or Shure MX202listed for piano / organ
Listed under "Piano / Organ" in the Shure Microphone Selection Guide (no argument given).
5
On stage
Nothing found beyond the Shure list.
Problems to watch
Phase between spaced mics, a hall that is too reverberant for a distant pair, wind outdoors, and pipes spread over several locations.3,1,2
Sources
- DV Info Net forum: Capturing a pipe organ? (2010)
- PS Audio: The Spreckels Organ, a historic musical treasure, part two (interview)
- Sound On Sound: Q. What arrangement of microphones should I use to record a pipe organ? (Hugh Robjohns, 2005)
- Vaulted Harmonies (UPMC/d'Alembert): Recordings (organ and voices, backstage)
- Shure: Microphone Techniques for Live Sound Reinforcement
- Wikipedia, Pipe organ
- Guinness World Records: Loudest pipe organ