Typically suspended above and slightly behind a conductor or ensemble, the array balances direct sound from the center with broad, ambient stereo width from the outriggers. It captures acoustic spaces with a distinct balance of focus and expansive depth.
How the songs in the archive use it
Perfect by Ed Sheeran uses a Neumann M50 Decca Tree in Abbey Road Studio 2 to record a 20-piece string ensemble for widescreen orchestral depth.
How to do it in Logic Pro
This technique uses a T-shaped array of three omnidirectional microphones to capture acoustic ensembles with broad spatial depth and clear central focus. Use it in resonant rooms or halls when recording orchestras, choirs, or drum rooms.
Position three omnidirectional microphones on a T-shaped stand roughly two to three meters above and behind the conductor or sound source.
Set the left and right microphones approximately two meters apart, facing forward across the ensemble.
Place the center microphone roughly one to 1.5 meters forward, aligned directly between the left and right mics.
Route the three microphone inputs to three separate audio tracks in Logic Pro.
Pan the left mic hard left, the right mic hard right, and keep the center mic dead-center to anchor the stereo image.
A general method with Logic Pro's own plug-ins. Control names are checked against Apple's manual; the values are starting points, so adjust them by ear.
Songs that use it (1)
What each track sheet's analysis found, with the sheet's own score. Analysis, not verified credits.
Perfect by Ed SheeranAbbey Road Decca Staging: Tracking a 20-piece string ensemble via Neumann M50 decca tree in Abbey Road Studio 2 for lush, widescreen orchestral depth.Sheet score 9/10 · Source given: Discogs release 9920546 / Abbey Road Technical Documentation · Open the full track sheet
Want these sounds in your own mixes? Every song above has a full track sheet with its signal chains and a step-by-step recreation for your DAW. Open Track DiveAll techniques