This tutorial proposal presents a comprehensive exploration of spatial audio recording methodologies applied to the unique challenges of documenting Eastern Orthodox liturgical music in monumental acoustic environments. Centered on a recent project at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph in Warsaw, Poland, the session dissects the technical and artistic decisions behind capturing the Męski Zespół Muzyki Cerkiewnej (Male Ensemble of Orthodox Music) “Katapetasma.” The repertoire—spanning 16th-century monodic irmologions, Baroque-era folk chant collections, and contemporary compositions—demanded innovative approaches to balance clarity, spatial immersion, and the venue’s 5-second reverberation time. Attendees will gain insight into hybrid microphone techniques tailored for immersive formats (Dolby Atmos, Ambisonics) and stereo reproduction. The discussion focuses on the strategic deployment of a Decca Tree core augmented by an AMBEO array, height channels, a Faulkner Pair for mid-depth detail, ambient side arrays, and spaced AB ambient pairs to capture the room’s decay. Particular emphasis is placed on reconciling close-miking strategies (essential for textual clarity in melismatic chants) with distant arrays that preserve the sacred space’s acoustic identity. The tutorial demonstrates how microphone placement—addressing both the choir’s position and the building’s 19th-century vaulted architecture—became critical in managing comb filtering and low-frequency buildup. Practical workflow considerations include: Real-time monitoring of spatial imaging through multiple microphone and loudspeaker configurations Phase coherence management between spot microphones and room arrays Post-production techniques for maintaining vocal intimacy within vast reverberant fields Case studies compare results from the Decca/AMBEO hybrid approach against traditional spaced omni configurations, highlighting tradeoffs between localization precision and spatial envelopment. The session also addresses the psychoacoustic challenges of recording small choral ensembles in reverberant spaces, where transient articulation must coexist with diffuse sustain.
