Sonic Witchcraft

Andrej

A small workshop on recording classical music following the tips of Markus Heiland

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A photo from the recording session of the project “Armenian Rhapsody” by Sausan Schmidt Hussein


Most of my work as a sound designer and recording engineer has been dedicated to so-called “world” or “ethno” music, as well as to jazz and various genre fusions. I have also recorded, mixed, amplified, or mastered alternative rock and singer-songwriters, though I have rarely had the opportunity to record or shape the sound for classical music, which has always been a great passion of mine.

In recent years, I’ve wanted to deepen my knowledge and practice in this field. I’ve read numerous books, forums, and professional articles and watched hundreds of videos on recording classical music and other acoustic styles.

To refine my approach, I selected some of my favorite albums and looked into who had recorded them. The team at Tritonus Studio, led by the highly acclaimed Andreas Neubronner and Markus Heiland, stood out. They are responsible for several exceptional albums I used as references – including the masterpiece Spheres by violinist Daniel Hope.



I decided to reach out to Mr. Heiland, who kindly responded to my invitation and agreed to participate in a small “school” of classical music recording, serving as a kind of mentor.

I must also express my gratitude to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, which awarded me a work grant in 2024. This grant allowed me to work uninterrupted during this process and facilitated the execution of practical recording sessions and projects where I applied the knowledge I had gained.

In this article, I will summarize the ideas and practices I learned from Markus Heiland. (which are my interpretations that I hopefully transmitted accurately enough).

You can read more about him and the Tritonus team here: https://tritonus.de/?page_id=66&lang=en.

Tritonus team have received numerous awards, including multiple Grammys. They have collaborated with nearly all leading global classical music labels and recorded an incredibly diverse repertoire—from contemporary classical and crossover projects to early music, baroque, renaissance, and romantic works. Markus Heiland has also contributed to the recording of some of my favorite ECM label albums in a more “ethno” style (Anouar Brahem – Astrakan Café, Tigran Hamasyan with the Yerevan State Choir, etc.).



The process of mentorship

The collaboration process took place in several stages:

  • Establishing contact and gathering ideas: We discussed basic approaches, specific technical issues, general recording philosophy, etc.
  • Analysis and commentary on my previous recordings.
  • Execution of test recordings: Practical application of what was learned.


A photograph from a test recording session with cellist Zsofi Klacsmann and pianist Sofia Ticchi.


Markus Heiland proved to be an exceptionally friendly, pragmatic, and experienced professional who, after all these years of work, still eagerly explores and records new projects.

KEY LESSONS

The most important idea he emphasized from the start is that a good recording begins and ends with a good room – a space with excellent acoustics. He highlighted that for their recordings, they choose churches with beautiful acoustics, large studio spaces, or even the former studio of the East German radio – Funkhaus.(https://www.funkhaus-berlin.net).


Recording techniques

In this article, I will describe in more detail the specific techniques used by Markus Heiland, including microphone placement, equipment choice, and mixing philosophy. I will also highlight the importance of adapting to each project and listening to the space.

In acoustically favorable spaces, microphones can be placed slightly further away from the musicians, and microphones that capture more spatial sound (omni) can be chosen. In spaces with poorer acoustics, microphones need to be placed closer to the musicians, and those that capture less spatial sound (such as figure-8 or cardioid microphones) should be selected. Here, the experience and sensitivity of the recording engineer come into play, and ideally, there should be enough time to experiment with different microphone placements.

The Tritonus team, including Markus, are students of the legendary Tonmeister Volker Straus, known for developing the “Straus package” – a combination of omni and cardioid microphones placed right next to each other on the same stand, creating a “wide cardioid” characteristic. This combination did not exist at the time, but today, some microphone manufacturers produce models with this characteristic.

Tritonus still uses this technique today for recording the piano in AB stereophony or spaced pair technique. In this setup, the omni pair dominates the mix, while the cardioid is added at around –8 dB to -10 dB, to achieve greater sound definition. The idea behind this technique is to combine the wide and “natural” capture of the omni microphone (including low frequencies and spatial depth) with the more focused sound of the cardioid for added detail.

In addition to this specific technique, Tritonus often uses the so-called “Big AB” microphone pair as the main microphone pair. Although this approach is not as common, it is characteristic of the German “Tonmeister” school.

Before delving into technical details and “recipes,” I must emphasize that Mr. Heiland clearly expressed that he does not believe in universal “recipes”. Each project is different, and microphone placements, equipment choices (which are often a matter of personal taste for the sound engineer, producer, and sometimes even the performers), and other technical decisions depend on the acoustics of the space, the repertoire, and other factors. Nevertheless, there are certain techniques that, with minor adjustments (such as distance and microphone types), are used very frequently and in a similar manner.

As an excellent starting point, he recommended the book Akustik und musikalische Aufführungspraxis by Jürgen Meyer. This book is considered something of an “acoustic bible” and is an indispensable resource for sound engineers, architects, musicians, and others interested in acoustics.

I acquired the book and used it to great benefit. It helped me better understand how individual instruments “radiate” sound and how they interact with the space. This provided me with a better initial idea for microphone placement, musician arrangement (when possible), and what to focus on during recording. The book also offers numerous other insights into sound intensity, the relationship between individual instruments and voices, and an understanding of acoustics, which is useful when acoustic treatments, such as acoustic screens, carpets, and other tools, are required by the ensemble’s setup or the space’s acoustics and when their use is technically feasible.

The most important book, according to Markus Heiland, and alongside the ear, our main assistant.

Partially based on this book (or at least informed by it – you can see the book in the promo video), the research project at Nagoya University of Arts and Universität der Künste Berlin was created, where the effects of different microphone positions on various instruments were practically demonstrated. You can read more about this project at: http://soundmedia.jp/nuaudk/.


This collaboration between the two institutions offers valuable insights into acoustic properties and optimal recording techniques for different musical situations.


When analyzing some of my earlier classical music recordings, Mr. Heiland pointed out that they lacked some “intimacy,” with a bit too much room sound and not enough direct instrument sound. This is the exact opposite of their approach, which is what also attracted me to “their” sound.

I realized that it is precisely the combination of appropriate main stereo pair microphone placement (which is an art or skill that needs to be mastered the most) and close “spot” microphones that drew me to the sound of various productions by the Tritonus team.

In their approach, there is a pronounced use of (often stereo) close microphones and the spatial “Big AB,” which “embraces” the entire picture with the space.

As Mr. Heiland said, the sound image must be interesting, poetic, not just correct and accurate. Similar to their mentor Volker Straus, they do not strive for a “faithful” reproduction of the musicians in space, but rather for a beautiful and interesting sound image, a quality representation of the score, not necessarily an accurate “documentary” representation of the ensemble in the space.

When I asked why they prefer “spaced” techniques, i.e., “time of arrival,” rather than “(near)coincident,” he said it is because, subjectively, they sound better – more open, more spatial. Mono compatibility does not concern him, as he says it is a “thing of the past” and radio, and they mainly record music for reproduction on high-end sound systems. If someone listens to their recordings in mono, in his opinion, it would be on such a poor system (e.g., mono Bluetooth speakers) that ideal mono compatibility is the last thing he worries about. They do occasionally use ORTF or NOS stereo pairs, but mainly use “spaced” techniques.

For soloists, they also use spaced AB – wide cardioid or cardioid, with a 30 cm distance between the microphones. He mentioned that for some smaller early music ensembles, he experimented with a narrower spacing (15 cm) and close stereo recording of all the musicians in the ensemble, treating everyone as soloists and then adjusting the spatial arrangement with varying levels on individual channels. “Big AB” took care of the spatial “aura” around everything.

For the main microphone pair, they mainly use “Big AB” at a height of 3 m – 5 m (never less, never more), depending on the ensemble and the space, and the distance between the microphones is similarly adjusted. The distance from the orchestra also depends on the space and the ensemble. The setups are precisely adjusted by ear – according to the taste of the sound engineer/producer. He mentioned that they do not use the usual 40 cm – 90 cm spaced close stereo pair for the orchestra. While Volker Straus did use it, he does not find it necessary in his approach, relying on close microphones and “Big AB.”

For the height of the sectional and soloist microphones, he jokingly said it depends on the height of the sound engineer, as much as they can lift the stand. Otherwise, it is approximately 2.20 m for strings and a bit closer for woodwinds (they mainly use wide cardioid microphones for all sectional mics – Neumann KM143 or Schoeps MK21).

Personally, I am interested in experimenting precisely with imitating their recording style, while still holding onto his idea that “there are no recipes” and that one must listen to the space, experiment with setups, and rely on one’s ear.

Therefore, I certainly do not abandon other approaches. I also find minimalist recording styles with just one pair of microphones, as well as MS and Blumlein stereophony, intriguing, but I’ve learned that you can’t mix everything, as I realized during the recording of the string quartet.

COMBINING APPROACHES AND POSSIBLE CHALLENGES

The combination of the “DECCA” technique and Mr. Heiland’s approach in recording a string quartet can be very interesting, yet at the same time a challenging experiment. In my case, I found that it would be better to follow either just one approach or adjust the technique more precisely to the space and ensemble.

The “DECCA” technique often relies on the use (mostly) of three main microphones in a triangular configuration with additional outriggers (DECCA Tree), which allows for a wide and balanced stereo capture of the space and ensemble.

In contrast, Heiland’s approach emphasizes the combination of “Big AB” as the main stereo pair and close “spot” microphones for more focus and detail of individual instruments. Some “DECCA” techniques for string quartets also recommend a combination of a main omni pair placed closer and a slightly more distant cardioid pair for additional focus, both at specific starting heights and distances from the quartet.

When I tried to combine both approaches, the problem proved to be mainly in aligning the two different approaches, as it can quickly lead to “sonic congestion” or conflicts between the spatial and close microphones. Mr. Heiland would probably recommend focusing on one unified approach and carefully selecting placements that align with the sound aesthetic.

The lesson from this experiment is that the key is listening to the space and ensemble, and while combining different techniques can yield interesting results, it requires an extremely thoughtful approach. In the future, I might prefer to choose one clear strategy – either the DECCA approach or Heiland’s approach with “Big AB” and close microphones – and adapt it to the specific project. As it was, there was more work in the mix.

The combination of close stereo “spot” microphones and “Big AB” worked excellently when recording the piano trio in the Union Hall, where the spatial “aura” around the recording beautifully complemented the sound image.


The combination of the “DECCA” technique and Mr. Heiland’s approach in recording a string quartet.

The setup of close microphones and “Big AB” for a piano trio.


SOUND EXAMPLES: Piano trio & quartet session – Sausan Schmidt Hussein


RECORDING A STRING QUARTET AND PIANO TRIO IN DETAIL

For recording string quartets at Tritonus (Markus Heiland), they typically use a Big AB setup (microphones spaced 3–4 meters apart, positioned quite high, though closer than for an orchestra) along with a close “small ABwide cardioid pair (microphones spaced about 60 cm apart), most commonly Neumann KM143s. A spot microphone is added only to the cello if necessary, or the cellist is placed on a raised platform to avoid being too much lower than the other strings, ensuring better capture in the main microphones.

I tried a slightly different approach, used by some recording engineers at DECCA. I combined spaced omni microphones, positioned approximately 2.5 meters above the string quartet, with an ORTF/NOS -like cardioid pair placed slightly further back. This setup was arranged “by the book” and not in the way suitable for combining Big AB and small AB (60 cm microphone spacing), following Markus Heiland’s advice. I also added spot microphones for the cello and viola to have more options in the mix in case they were underrepresented in the main microphones. During mixing, I realized that I had too many options available but no perfect solution. Next time, I’ll rely more on listening to the room and adapting the setup to what the “ear” suggests. The final result was satisfactory but could have been better with less post-production work. You can hear the audio example at the link above.

For piano trio recordings, Mr. Heiland’s starting point is again the Big AB as the main/ambient microphone pair, while closer to the piano, they use the Straus package (omni and cardioid microphones together) and stereo spot microphones on the violin and cello. During mixing, they employ a specific approach: the Big AB and piano microphones are panned completely left and right (hard left, hard right). The stereo image of the violin and cello is shaped by reducing the level of either the left or right channel while maintaining the pan positions at 100% left and right, ensuring a clearer spatial distribution.

I tested this setup during a project with Sausan Schmidt Hussein but made an exception by using a DECCA tail stereo spot microphone for the piano. The results were very convincing, as you can hear in the audio example linked above.

SOLO INSTRUMENTS – PIANO

At Tritonus, solo piano recordings follow similar principles. They use a Big AB as the main microphone pair and the Straus package closer to the piano. For the Big AB, they often use B&K 4006 microphones, and for the Straus package, Neumann KM83 (omni) and KM84 (cardioid) microphones in a spaced AB setup. This approach was also used when recording the famous pianist Murray Perahia at the Funkhaus.



At the link below, you can find examples of my practice recording with pianist Sofia Ticchi and cellist Zsofi Klacsmann. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a proper piano, and the “room” didn’t have ideal acoustics either. For the upright piano, I added a spaced AB wide cardioid pair positioned behind it, along with an omni AB above the piano and a Big AB to capture the room. However, since the room wasn’t acoustically great, the Big AB is kept very low in the mix, used only to add some “dimension” to the space.

A “workshop-style” video with pianist Sofia Ticchi.

A “workshop-style” video with cellist Zsofi Klacsmann.


During the practice recording with Zsofi Klacsmann and Sofia Ticchi, the idea was confirmed that a good recording starts and ends with a good room. The acoustics of the space we recorded in were far from ideal, and as a result, not all techniques could shine. Additionally, the practice upright piano is no match for a concert grand. All these are crucial factors to consider when organizing a serious recording for an album or a professional video.



RECORDING CHOIRS

I also inquired about recording choral music (which I haven’t tried in practice yet), and he shared their approach, which again involves using a Big AB as the main pair, with “wide cardioid” microphones placed closerat least one per voice part, typically around four microphones (or up to eight or more for very large choirs).

The microphones are positioned so they don’t point directly at any individual singer—placed between the sections, above their heads, angled downward. He prefers the “bloc” formation for the choir, where each voice part is grouped together, as it makes it easier to position microphones for each part.

Clarity is a priority: the Big AB provides a sense of space, while the close microphones are used for definition. This is further enhanced, if needed, by applying a small EQ boost around 5 kHz for better articulation.

POST-PRODUCTION IN GENERAL

In post-production, they mostly use minimal or no EQ. Occasionally, they reduce some resonances around 200 Hz on the main microphone pair, depending on the acoustics of the hall. Otherwise, the tone is achieved through careful microphone placement and balance. Compression is not used, but a limiter is applied subtly to handle the highest peaks. For any standout forte hits, they are manually reduced to avoid making the rest of the recording too quiet.


A FEW MORE SPECIFIC TECHNICAL DETAILS

I also asked him about some specific albums – Anouar Brahem’s Astrakan Café and Tigran Hamasyan with the Yerevan State Choir. He mentioned that the latter was done with a more ‘pop’ studio approach, using closer microphones in a studio room with less-than-ideal acoustics, requiring artificial reverberation, while Brahem was recorded in the beautiful acoustics of the Church of St. Gerold. For Tigran, they also used microphones inside the piano (an ORTF pair), which he usually doesn’t prefer, but in this case, they used them sparingly in the mix.

He shared some other technical insights:

  • For artificial reverb, they use Lexicon and Bricasti. He didn’t emphasize the importance of artificial reverb much—it’s used minimally, mainly to “connect” the spot microphones and the main microphones or to “improve” a poor acoustic space.
  • On-site, they use smaller Genelec monitors, Sennheiser headphones, and sometimes even bring their Quad ESL63 electrostatic speakers, which are their main monitors for mixing.
  • The use of Quad speakers was something they inherited from Volker Straus, who used Quad speakers for re-recording reverb, adding it to existing recordings instead of using artificial reverb, which was not as high quality at the time.

For preamps and converters, they use RME Micstasy, and for larger projects with more channels, they rely on DirectOut Andiamo and Prodigy systems. As for microphones, he says it’s a matter of taste. They still mostly use the well-maintained original microphones they bought in the ’80s and ’90s, which still sound excellent to them, equal (or better) to the contemporary ones. They have a large collection of Neumann, Schoeps, Sennheiser, B+K/DPA, and other microphones that they continue to use.

For large stands, they use Manfrotto, while standard ones are the usual K+M. He shared quite a few interesting details and approaches, but the bulk of the information I gathered in this process has been covered.

EPILOGUE


During this “school” in 2024, I also carried out some world/jazz music projects, including a recording with the band Harmelogic featuring Bulgarian kavalist Zhivko Vasilev and the author project Hrvatin/Golob duo: Spektral. In these projects, I already applied some inspiration and ideas I gained through my process with Markus Heiland. Although I didn’t use their approaches exactly, they influenced my approach and attention to certain details, such as recording the double bass with stereo spot microphones, the kaval soloist with two microphones, and using a combination of omni and cardioid microphones for the piano (though not in their Straus package variant), etc.



Video of Harmelogic feat. Zhivko Vasilev for which I did audio recording and mix.


An author project in which I perform, for which I also recorded and shaped the sound.


In the future, I plan to further refine my approach to recording acoustic music, especially classical, and perhaps collaborate with like-minded individuals to start a label or at least a project that would showcase interesting independent creators of creative classical (and related) music. A kind of small scale Slovenian “ECM” , “BIS Records” or “MA Recordings“.



If you find the information in this post interesting and useful, feel free to share it with colleagues and friends. If you have a project you would like to record professionally, you are also welcome.
You can find more information about current recording projects, which will be regularly updated (among the references), on my website: www.satoration.org

A special thanks to Mr. Heiland for his kindness, patience, and willingness to collaborate despite his busy schedule, and once again to MzK, which made this process possible by awarding a work scholarship.



A few more photos from various recordings:

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