Microphone position for a flute

I need to know the mic position for a Native American flute.  Any help would be appreciated.
 
Thanks,
 
Tom

mike_mccue
The main thing: watch out for breathe/wind hitting the mic.
 
Up near the players fore head pointing down towards the flute is a popular option.
 
best regards,
mike

Thanks Mike.  I have two mics that I am thinking of using, either the small diaphragm Rode NT5 or the large diaphragm Shure KSM 44.  Which do you think would be best?
 
Thanks,
Tom
 

Thanks Mike.

I have always used larger diaphragm condensers on flute and got very nice results. I see Native American flutes can come in various sizes too. The larger diaphragm might be better suited to the longer or lower flutes too and the wooden sound as well. One option might be to setup both mics and record them at the same time onto two tracks and listen later during your mix. Or as Mike suggests make some test recordings and see what you prefer.

There are often different options as to how you can record anything. It depends on what the end result is going to be and how or if it is going to be mixed either solo or with other instruments. But I guess it is solo in this case would that be right.
 
If you don't have access to a nice space and you don't want the sound of a distant wooden flute in a room you can also record it reasonably close and capture all the fine detail and use a nice convolution reverb to add the ambience later. (And have a lot of control over that ambience) If you are going to do a closer recording I would not bother making a stereo recording either. It is a very mono point source sound and stereo wont gain much. Use the ambience you add to create the stereo imaging. (even if it's is quite low in the mix)
 
Both very valid techniques but sound different. Decide which one you are going for and then use the appropriate technique to get it.
 
I totally agree with Daniel in that some instruments should not be recorded up close and violin for example is definitely one of them, but wooden flute is not though. That is one of those that can work well either way.

I think it depends greatly on what results you are trying to achieve with the recording.  For a symphonic or even a pop sound where the flute is more of a fill or background instrument, the mic placed a bit further away would be what you want. Cleaner and not much breath sound.
 
For a tune where the flute is the star of the song, closer would work better. In a case like this, and especially with a wooden and Native American flute, you want that breath sound included. Use a pop screen to keep the pressure waves from hitting the mic.
 
New Age could go either way...... I have heard very distinct and breathy new age stuff and also very clean new age.