Triangle
- Sources
- 77 independent: not from a mic maker
Frequency bands
| partials | 1 kHz – 8 kHz | dense inharmonic partials; strongest found at 1.4-4 kHz (VSCO) and 4-7.5 kHz (Virtuosity) |
|---|---|---|
| shimmer | 8 kHz – 16 kHz | high partials, e.g. 11.9 kHz |
Own analysis: 1/3-octave band levels of the first second after the hit (dB re loudest band), plus a 12 ms attack window and spectral peak picking. A band is listed where the level stays within about 10-15 dB of the loudest band (weaker bands are given with their level). "tone" = clear spectral peaks; "noise" = dense or broadband energy. Measured from: VSCO 2 CE Triangle3/6-Hit_v2_rr1; Virtuosity Drums Triangle1_Hit_v2.
Sounds it makes
| Single stroke | bright ring for several seconds |
|---|---|
| Roll | beater inside a corner: continuous shimmer |
| Muted | hand on the bar: short "tink" |
The sound
A steel bar bent into a triangle, open at one corner: many inharmonic partials, none dominant, so it has no clear pitch and blends with any key.
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.
| Sound power | |
|---|---|
| 117 dB | sound power level Lw (no distance), not a pressure at a distance; Triangle, maximum possible sound power 0.5 W, in a table of maximum sound power of instruments secondary8 |
The only figure is a maximum sound power of 0.5 W (117 dB Lw) in a German table of instrument sound power, with no measurement behind it given; no radiation source found.
Recording it
- Where: from a distance; its highs carry far
Mics
- 13 setups from 7 sources, 7 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 (3)
Studio
Main pair or array
Decca treeStereo pair
Room
Stereo pair
The 13 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Main pair or array 3 × Decca treemain, Decca tree at the front of the room and high above
at the front of the room and high above (using a Decca tree)
1 - Close 2 × stereo close pairpair, stereo mics directly in front of the section
the Close microphones. These samples were recorded with the stereo mics directly in front of each instrumental section.
1 - Main pair or array 3 × Decca tree (valve omnis)main, Decca tree of classic valve omnis, plus outriggers
A decca tree formed of Abbey Road's finest trio of classic valve omnidirectional microphones
2 - Overhead large-diaphragm condensers (section overhead)overhead, set of LDCs above the percussion section
A set of large diaphragm condenser microphones above the orchestral section
2 - Close 2 × close ribbon pairpair, close ribbon pair
A pair of close ribbon mics capturing a rounded and detailed image.
2 - Room 2 × small-diaphragm omni pair (ambients)room, pair at the rear of the room
A pristine pair of small diaphragm omnidirectional microphones to the rear of the room
2 - Main pair or array 2 × stereo pair (the drum overhead mics)pair, percussionist plays in front of a stereo pair; leaning gives natural movement
I grabbed two mics that had been used as drum overheads, and had the percussionist play in front of the stereo pair.
3 - Close AKG C451 B or Shure SM81close, 6-12 in, aimed at the instrument
small diaphragm condenser such as the AKG C451B or Shure SM81 suits high-frequency instruments; triangle 6-12 inches away (paraphrase) ... small diaphragm condenser such as the AKG C451B or Shure SM81 suits high-frequency instruments (paraphrase)
4 - Close Audio-Technica AT4050close; cardioid for focus, omni for more room
switchable patterns, like the AT4050, give flexibility; cardioid for focus or omni for ambience (paraphrase)
4 - Close close mic (mono)close, mono close mic
Close Mic - Mono; Mid Layer Mic - Stereo; Main/Room Mic - Decca Tree (12 microphones, Synchron Stage A)
5 - Main pair or array 3 × Decca treemain, Decca tree in the large stage (plus mid layer pair and surround/height pairs)
Main/Room Mic - Decca Tree Stereo (L/R) ... Captured with 12 microphones
5 - Distant Small percussion advice microphone (type not named)distant, 3-6 ft from the mic
If it jingles, rattles or scrapes, give yourself a good 3 to 6 feet from the mic for clarity and believability.
6 - Close Small percussion advice condenser (unnamed)close (distance not given); cut 3-4 dB around 6 kHz
Javier Garza uses condenser mics on shakers and tambourine, cutting 3-4 dB around 6 kHz (paraphrase)
7
Sources
- EastWest: Hollywood Orchestral Percussion Diamond Edition user manual (engineer Shawn Murphy), mic positions pp. 34, 40
- Spitfire Audio: Abbey Road Orchestra: Metal Percussion (engineer Simon Rhodes, Abbey Road Studio One), mics and mixes
- Tape Op #127 editor's letter (Larry Crane, 2018): triangle overdub
- TheAudioPod.com: Mic-ing Auxiliary Percussion: Demystifying the Triangle and Cowbell (Dr. Mike Testa)
- Vienna Symphonic Library: Synchron Orchestral Percussion I (sample library notes)
- Recording Magazine: Drumming and Drummers and Mics - Oh My! (Paul Vnuk Jr. with David Blascoe)
- Daley, D. (2006) Recording Latin Percussion, Sound On Sound
- Sengpielaudio (UdK Berlin): Stoerquelle - Musikinstrument? (maximum sound power of instruments)