I just experimented with double-tracking my acoustic guitar with my OC818. Instead of panning, I simply used both outputs into my DAW as a stereo track, and moved left and right as I recorded the parts, about 45 degrees to the capsules.

With both stereo tracks panned centre, it sounds wide enough and very natural, and it was great from a workflow perspective - just loop the track and play. I shall defintely be using this in the demo/writing phase of my process from now on - also for BVs.

I haven't AB-ed it against 2 panned mono recordings, so I'm wondering if the assembled minds on this thread think that this approach could

a) work well for a final mix?
b) if there's any improvements I could make to the process - either in terms of the process, or by using Polar designer on the result.

Of course I could experiment further, but I would rather spend the time getting the track done!

So, I was trying out a couple different alto saxophone mouthpieces yesterday, and my OC818 was the mic set up at the time, so I just used that... Along with being reminded what a great mic it is, it was also really nice for this purpose since the relatively flat midrange makes it easy to hear the differences between these mouthpiece designs. It's more than you might think, and worth considering for engineers working with saxophonists.

So here's an unusual shootout for GS: same mic and recording chain, different... saxophone mouthpieces! It's all the same player (me), and necessarily different takes (can't exactly play two mouthpieces on the same instrument at the same time), but you can hear how different the midrange behavior is between the two.

MP3s of mixed tracks attached, and here's a folder with hi-res files and isolated saxophone tracks for anyone truly bored and curious.

EDIT: The recording chain, I should have mentioned: OC818 (cardioid) into Phoenix Ascent 2EQ, into RME Babyface Pro, into Logic Pro 11.

I made the backing track with Superior Drummer, Spectrasonics Trillian (bass), and VI-Labs Modern D (piano).

thats sounds GREAT!!!!
and i listen to jazz records all day.

very very nice sound

Thank you! I was mainly an alto player once upon a time, many moons ago... I make my living as a keyboardist and tenor player most of the time these days, mostly only bust the alto out to record. Still love the little guy!

The 818 ended up being pretty ideal for this task, I think, since its midrange is so even and honest. Brings out the differences between the mouthpieces nicely, although at the end of the day it just ends up sounding like the player, doesn't it...

I enjoyed the Vandoren sample the most of the two.

That makes perfect sense to me judging by the admittedly small and partial glimpses I've had of your own work! The Selmer piece (which is my main piece, and most comfortable for me) seems more conducive to more American-rooted aesthetics (the funk/soul/RnB side of jazz, maybe, like Kenny Garrett) while the Vandoren seems more in line with a pseudo-classical European-influenced sound... maybe a little more toward Lee Konitz, who wasn't European, but he was very popular there. Or Lars Dietrich, or Ben Van Gelder, two phenomenal Dutch alto saxophonists I enjoy hearing.

I'm wondering if any of you have tried OC818 on classical grand piano. Either as room-mikes or close-up spot for inner clarity.
If so, what were your findings?
::
Mads

i did - they work exactly as you would expect from c-12 type of capsules. dual capsule outputs are a benefit (any the mics are much less expensive the the sennheiser mkh twins).

I've only used sdc's on piano (or my rectangular Swedish microphones) and haven't tried any C-12 capsules before.
Yes the dual output, was one of the reasons I'm considering them.
Have you tried them as close pair (relatively) only or at a distance too?
All info is very welcome.
::
Mads

Not classical piano but classical trained pianist playing some more word music oriented fare on a freshly tuned Yamaha C-2.

Smallish room with less than ideal acoustics, some mobile diffusors applied. Good separation and clarity, little EQ necessary, mostly in the low end which had some buildup due to the room.

OC818 over edge of frame, about 30° angled in and slightly angled down to soundboard with lid halfway up. No fancy pre, directly into BFP Pro FS into Ableton in 24/48. Dual output mode, which is great but we fiddled for ages with the polar patterns in post before we went carotid on both.

in (very) close position only - i'm rarely using mdc/ldc's as close/mid distance ambis and only occasionally as far ambis (if very low self noise is a consideration).

Yeah really like the two 818 in the curve of the well poking up over the side when working with a choir as well.

Tried some higher AB and usually Decca Tail if solo. Although prefer SDC for tail.

In a nice room as a Pair, back a bit, 818s can sound great too.

I should try an over the strings for a Jazzy sound....

Steinway B.

Progger, great stuff, as always !

As far as mouthpieces go -- the Vandoren sounds like it has a bit more "core", while the Selmer sounds a bit more articulate. Honestly, you can't go wrong with either. Maybe the subjective feel while playing is more important than the sound, in this case.

I think it's obvious that you can use OC818's for piano the same way you'd use a pair of AKG C414's: either inside in live fashion, "in the bend" as for pop and jazz, or as a hall pair for classical. I've recorded plenty of classical recitals with nothing but a near-coincident pair of '414's in the hall. Would I rather have DPA's or Schoeps in that role? Yup. Were the clients happy with what I got from the '414's? Yup.

David

In my experience, that's basically always the case! If I decided to switch to the Vandoren exclusively for a while, the differences would probably fade as I got used to it.

Either way, the 818 proved to be a really good tool for evaluating something like this thanks to the relatively linear midrange, and I'm always pleased by the quality of the capture too. I normally prefer a more typically Neumann-esque mic for alto and tenor saxophone, probably because the center-terminated classics were used on literally all my favorite records, but I consider the 818 a seriously excellent all-around wind/brass mic – for my own applications, at least.

My band will, at last, go into a great studio in October to record our fifth album, and I intend to bring my own 818 pair in to supplement the already fabulous mic locker there.

Used them in grands dozens of times. From close paralell to the strings on loud stages to standard AB style in the curve. Sounds fantastic. On loud stages you have quite a lot of bleed of course.

My goto for sax and clari now.

I have, in ORTF on a friend's Yamaha C5, though it's only set up in a lounge room with very flat acoustics (lots of soft furnishings, full bookshelves, carpet, piles of stuff with movers' blankets over them) and I don't think I've still got the files. At the time I was just experimenting, trying mics out. What I actually liked best was 3 similar SDC's (Beyer MC930's) like I saw in a textbook, but the 2 OC818's were a pretty close second. Nothing much to complain about, they gave a natural and detailed sound, I couldn't hear any colouring (though this isn't my area of the most experience) and as always they did a good job as they do on almost anything.

I had them about 1.5 to 2m back from the bend of the piano shell and about 1.6m high. I would think in a better acoustic setting, like an auditorium or other performance space, the SDC's would have been my first choice as I'd expect a better rendition of the reverb tail and the space. I really like my OC818's up close on many things but like most LDC's they can get a bit funny off-axis. At about that distance from the piano I thought they sounded nice in fact though that was not a good recording space. Perhaps the 818's about that close and a pair of nice SDC's for ambience out in the room somewhere would be a good match, I haven't tried

If you hadn't told us you whipped up those backing tracks yourself then on first listening I'd have believed you recorded them live - that is to say, great job
I DID think I heard a bass drum that sounded a little more rock-and/or-roll than the rest of the kit, just once or two hits like that, but I'd still have believed you called the guys up for a recording date

Hah, thanks Bernie! That's a bit intentional, I always like my drums more on the rock/funk side, even in a jazz setting. I find the pillowy and floofy "jazz kick drum!" default to be pretty annoying, with a few exceptions.

I do enjoy making my own jazz backing tracks a bit too much... and I'm an incorrigible virtual instrument fiend, my computer is packed to the brim, it's silly.

At yesterday's gig it was a little like that, they played old 50's and 60's rock-n-roll and some country songs of that era. So I would think they'd want a pretty restrained drum sound but in fact they asked for a bit more aggressive and modern kick sound with more attack on it. Not by much, enough to hear the difference, I thought it sounded great on t.
Anyway I'm impressed that yours doesn't sound programmed I mean, if I listened closely for artefacts I could probably pick something but like I said, on a casual listen I didn't. I can tell you know what sound and feel you want too

EDIT I'm really sorry guys, I thought I was in a different thread. Oops.

I won't attempt to choose a preference but yes you sure can hear the difference. It's so long since i played but one of my alto saxes was a Selmer,.
Thanks for posting the clips, that was cool