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VR88 Active Velocity Ribbon Microphone
VR88 Applications
Piano
There are many great techniques for recording piano, regardless of what micro-
phone you use. Often piano tracks are recorded in stereo so using two VR88’s is
a great solution. The VR88’s are an excellent choice on piano since their active
ribbon technology does not exhibit the comb filtering normally associated with
condenser microphones. When recording piano, you first need to decide what kind
of sound is required for the project. For an ensemble performance a more direct
or up front sound will be captured with the microphones positioned closer to the
strings. So if you want the track to lie in the mix position move the mics closer
(favoring the mid and upper strings). For a solo performance, position the micro-
phones further back from the piano to capture more of the room ambiance.
Strings
When recording a solo string instrument like a violin, place the VR88 one to
three feet from the instrument. When recording a string section, try to position
one or more VR88’s several feet from the players. If the size of the room permits,
raise the microphones three or four feet above the section and position them at a
45-degree angle, facing down.
Drums
The VR88 is an excellent overhead microphone to record drums. For stereo over-
heads, use two VR88’s approximately four feet above the kit. You can set the
spread depending on how large the kit is, however, generally you position one over
the hi-hat and the other over the floor tom.
Recording Sounds With High SPL
The VR88 can handle very high SPL’s however blasts of wind can be very damag-
ing to the microphone’s ribbon. Therefore, you need to be certain that the micro-
phone is not receiving harmful blasts of air. Kick drum, electric guitar and bass
amplifiers are all examples of common sound sources that can produce blasts
of air that can be damaging to your VR88. A simply way to check if there is too
much wind blast, is to position your hand where you want to place the mic, if you
can feel the air blast, don’t place the microphone there. Another way to protect
the ribbon from air blast is to ensure that the microphone is positioned at a slight
angle, either vertical or horizontal. It is important that the microphone element
does not take a direct blast of air, so a little bit of tilt will help prevent harm to
the ribbon.