Stereo Miking Techniques (Part.3)

Third and last article about stereo recording techniques. Today we’re going to talk about the Mid-Side recording technique.

The first 2 parts of this series can be found here and here

The M/S technique sounds a little bit more complex. Originally and mainly dedicated for the Movie and broadcasts, it is also used in the context of « singing vocals » since it offers some dramatic advantages over standard coincident miking.

The M/S technique requires the use of 2 microphones with different characteristics. One has to be cardioid ; the second figure-of-8 (bi-directional).
The figure-of-8 capsule captures everything that is on-axis in its front but also every signal that is on its back side.

However, every signal coming from the side is not captured.
Consequently, the settings are as follow. Cardioid microphone will record pointed directly toward the instrument or signal and therefore be considered and called the M microphone (M for middle). The M microphone will be used together with a S microphone figure-of-Eight that will record the sides (S for Sides).

Concrètement, les 2 micros sont disposés l’un au dessus de l’autre, le bi-directionnel étant généralement en retrait par rapport au cardioïde.

Voici un exemple de couple M/S :

The main advantage about MS recording is the fact that the stereo width may be adjusted after a recording session has been made (or even during). Such « stereo adjustment » is possible by increasing the « Side » signal level with respect to the « Middle » during the mixing stage.

Moreover, would a « Mono Version » of the sound signal needed, the cardioid recorded track will be the only one selected, the bi-directional one being muted and left over.

But keep in mind that MS recording is mainly use in the cinema industry. For music recording, you have plenty to do with the two techniques we talked about in part 1 and part 2 of the series of articles.

This article is no finished thanks for reading it and see you soon for more articles.