Mic Archive

Instrument

Triangle

Sources
5 (5 independent)

Recommended mics

Mics sources recommend

11 setups from 5 sources, 5 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.

Studio

Main pair or array

  • Decca tree3 independent sources
  • Decca tree (valve omnis)1 independent source

Close

Overhead

  • large-diaphragm condensers (section overhead)1 independent source

Room

  • small-diaphragm omni pair (ambients)1 independent source
The 11 setups behind this: placement and quotes
  • Main pair or array 3 × Decca tree
    main, 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 pair
    pair, 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 microphones2
  • Overhead large-diaphragm condensers (section overhead)
    overhead, set of LDCs above the percussion section
    A set of large diaphragm condenser microphones above the orchestral section2
  • Close 2 × close ribbon pair
    pair, 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 room2
  • 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 SM81
    close, 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 AT4050
    close; 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 tree
    main, 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 microphones5

Frequency bands

partials1 kHz – 8 kHzdense inharmonic partials; strongest found at 1.4-4 kHz (VSCO) and 4-7.5 kHz (Virtuosity)
shimmer8 kHz – 16 kHzhigh 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 strokebright ring for several seconds
Rollbeater inside a corner: continuous shimmer
Mutedhand 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.

Recording it

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 dBsound 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 secondary6

Nothing found.

Sources

  1. EastWest: Hollywood Orchestral Percussion Diamond Edition user manual (engineer Shawn Murphy), mic positions pp. 34, 40engineer · media.soundsonline.com
  2. Spitfire Audio: Abbey Road Orchestra: Metal Percussion (engineer Simon Rhodes, Abbey Road Studio One), mics and mixesengineer · spitfireaudio.com
  3. Tape Op #127 editor's letter (Larry Crane, 2018): triangle overdubengineer · tapeop.com
  4. TheAudioPod.com: Mic-ing Auxiliary Percussion: Demystifying the Triangle and Cowbell (Dr. Mike Testa)educational · theaudiopod.com
  5. Vienna Symphonic Library: Synchron Orchestral Percussion I (sample library notes)engineer · vsl.co.at
  6. Sengpielaudio (UdK Berlin): Stoerquelle - Musikinstrument? (maximum sound power of instruments)Eberhard Sengpiel · educational · 2006-05 · sengpielaudio.com