How to Simply Record the Harp at Home Inexpensively

[Jodi Ann Tolman]

This is the one I have been using for more than two years now and I really like it: https://www.bluedesigns.com/products/yeti/

I set it to the cardiod pattern. You can hear how it sounds on my videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jodianntolman

I put the microphone on a stand directly in front of my harp, angled to face the soundboard. I tested out lots of different locations for the mic but found this one to give the best sound and balance.

[Olivia]

Thanks Jodi! All this info is extremely helpful. Thanks a million!

I love your videos. The audio is so crisp and clean. I just took the plunge and purchased a Blue Yeti. After watching your videos, do you do anything special for lighting or use light reflectors? Or is your studio that naturally bright?

[Jodi Ann Tolman]

Hi Olivia,

Thank you so much for your kind compliments! I actually used to be a portrait photographer, so I have a lot of photography equipment and experience. The room where I record my harp videos is naturally bright, but I do shoot towards a large window that you can see behind me in my videos, so I use two photography lights on light stands with white umbrella diffusers, just to fill in some shadows with light. Those lights also allow me to record videos on darker, rainy days–they simulate a soft natural light. But you don’t have to have fancy lights to make good videos. Just record yourself so that you are facing a window (without direct sunlight) and you should get some nice soft natural light.

[Author]

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