Engineer Matt Lane and producer Keith Saunders spoke with Gearwire recently about a mobile recording they did for musician/songwriter, Jar-e at a barn in North Carolina. Among the gear they used was a Schneider Disc.

If your next question is "what the hell is a Schneider Disc?" you're not alone. Matt Lane has fielded (as it were) that particular query before:

“The disk is based off a Jecklin Disk. These stereo enhancement baffles are just that. They are not completely binaural and not all phase stereo,” says Lane. “The harsh material that separates the mics is suppose to act like a human head, believe it or not. You don't get the sensations of a vertical sound spectrum like that of a HRTF*.”

Saunders adds that it looks more like the planet Saturn turned on its side than a human head.

“It has two microphone mounts on the sides where we placed Omnis in,” says Saunders. “The secret of the Schneider disc is the foam separating the stereo mics. It gives you a very wide and natural sound.”

In practice their first priority was to get the band set up around the stereo room mics which were going to be the foundation of the record's sound.

“We spent most of the first day moving instruments, amps and musicians around to get a well-balanced sound where the mics were positioned,” says Saunders. “By achieving this, we were less concerned about getting isolation on our close-mics.”

Lane says they used the Schneider Disc with omni mics from Schoepps.

“You try and record everything with this set-up. There are three variables, the room, the musicians and the mic,” says Lane. “If the acoustics and the reinforcements are top notch, then the disk shines.”

Both say that the Schneider disc created “the sound” of the record.

“What the disc allowed us to do was to set the band up in a manner where they are all together in a circle around the Schneider disc, looking at one another, hearing everything and not using headphones,” says Saunders. “The disc and omni mics then take a snapshot of the room and everything happening around it, in a 360-degree spectrum. By using these tracks predominantly in the mix, we didn't have to rely on artificial ambience.”

Lane says that, from a technical standpoint, the Schneider has a lot of weight.

“Its not about the sound, its about the methods in which one must take to operate the room by way of mixing with acoustics. It can change the way everyone works. To record in only stereo is not as easy as plugging in two mics,” says Lane. “But that's a whole big spiel I have, and I am sure you do not have time for that. What I always like to say is that I am trying to reach the ecology in harmony. To make a system work for the benefit of the performers.”

Lane says he would recommend the Schneider Disc to anyone who records. Saunders adds that this is especially true of those who want to capture the sound of a well-balanced room.

They would not recommend it to people who do not track live music.

“I can't imagine these being very useful to DJs, rappers, and electronic musicians!” says Saunders. “Or anyone who only close-mics sound sources and adds artificial ambience or reverb.”

If you decide to use a Schneider Disc there are some things to consider.

“It is not true binaural. It can translate to speakers, not better, but more familiarly,” says Lane. “I personally think the separation is a little too harsh. The trick is not to use a hard surface in-between the open cell foam, just open and closed cell foam. However trying to mount things becomes a pain.”

Saunders adds that if the room isn’t “right” the Schneider might not yield useful results.

“You have to spend the time getting the room sound right first.” says Saunders. “(you can use the Schneider with) any good mics, like the omni Schoepps we used, will sound great. Obviously, good preamps will help up front too. In the mix, a little compression goes a long way in bringing out the details of a good stereo room track.”

More with Saunders and Lane to come.

Ed. Note: HRTF, or heat-related transfer function, measures the the left and right ear impulse responses to a sound source of a traditional, dummy-head-mounted binaural recording setup.