Mixing and recording a small orchestral ensemble to create a large orchestral sound

In this chapter, I explore new ways of recording and mixing 12 live musicians in a controlled studio environment (specifically five strings, two percussion and five brass), with the intention of successfully giving the listener the impression of a symphony orchestra captured within a stereo recording. The recorded piece at the centre of this research is the musical The Battle of Boat, a 120-minute-long piece for young performers/vocalists, written by Ethan Lewis Maltby (Senior Lecturer, Canterbury Christ Church University) and myself. This chapter will explore specific microphone choices, mixing methods and combining ‘live’ stem with ‘faux’ VST-orchestral stems to achieve the final recording.