A comparison of kanun recording techniques as they relate to Turkish Makam music perception

This paper presents a quality comparison of microphone techniques applied on the kanun, a prominent traditional instrument of Turkish Makam music. Disregarding the effects of pre-amplifier color, A/D converter, compression, equalization, mixing and mastering, only the studio recording step of music production is taken into focus: Microphone techniques were applied with varying placements and microphone types, and doing so, original Turkish Makam music etudes were recorded. Using short excerpts of these etudes, a survey comparing microphone techniques and placements as well as microphone types was prepared. Subjects were chosen from kanun players, sound engineers and non-musicians who showed different perspectives, preferences and descriptions to the sound samples of various microphone techniques.