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Decca tree placement: a practical guide

A Decca tree is three omnidirectional microphones on a T-shaped bar, hung above the conductor or just behind the podium on the audience side. These are the usual starting dimensions and the moves that fix most balance problems.

By Brian Losch, orchestral recording engineer · 6 October 2026

What the tree does

Decca's engineers developed the tree in the 1950s, and it is still the most common main pickup for orchestral sessions and film scoring. It uses three mics:

Left and right mics are spaced wide and panned hard left and right.
The centre mic sits forward of them and is panned to the middle. It anchors the centre of the image and fills the hole a wide spaced pair leaves.

The classic mic is the Neumann M50, an omni that becomes more directional in the high frequencies. Today you will also see the Neumann M 150, Schoeps MK2H or MK2S, DPA 4006 and Sennheiser MKH 8020 on trees. Any good omni works; a gentle high-frequency rise helps the tree reach the back of the orchestra.

Starting dimensions

Treat these as a place to start listening, not rules. Scale them to the size of the ensemble and the hall.

Measurement	Common starting point	Notes
Left to right spacing	About 2 m (6½ ft)	Narrower for chamber groups, wider for a large orchestra in a wide hall
Centre mic forward of the L–R line	About 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft)	Further forward strengthens the centre; too far makes it phasey
Height above the stage floor	About 3–3.7 m (10–12 ft)	Higher blends the sections and adds hall; lower is closer and more detailed
Position front to back	Over the podium, or just behind it on the audience side	Move toward the orchestra for more presence, toward the audience for more hall
Mic angle	Pointed down toward the strings, L and R angled outward	Matters most with mics that get directional in the highs

Outriggers

On a full orchestra the tree is usually joined by a pair of outriggers: two more omnis placed toward the outer edges of the strings and panned hard left and right. They widen the image and fill out the first violins on one side and the cellos and basses on the other. Start them at about the same height as the tree, roughly over the outside desks. In the mix, bring their faders up under the tree rather than at the same level.

Scaling it, and rigging it safely

Smaller ensembles: shrink the whole triangle and bring it lower. A chamber orchestra often needs a much narrower tree than a full symphony.
Film scoring and immersive work: stages usually add a rear or surround pair, and sometimes height mics above the tree, on top of the tree and outriggers.
Hanging it: a flown tree or a tall tree stand over the podium must be rigged by the hall's crew to their rules, with safety lines. Put the rigging point and height on your plot so they can plan it.

What to adjust when it sounds wrong

Problem	Try
Strings too loud against winds and brass	Raise the tree so it sees further back into the orchestra
Too much hall, not enough detail	Lower the tree or move it toward the orchestra
Weak or hollow centre	Bring the centre mic forward or raise its level a little
Centre too strong, image narrow	Lower the centre level, or narrow the gap between centre and L/R
Violins or basses vague at the edges	Add or move outriggers before adding more spot mics

Spot mics sit closer to the players than the tree, so their sound arrives earlier. Many engineers delay the spots to line up with the tree and keep them low in the mix, so they add focus without pulling the section forward.

Draw it before the session

Put the tree, outriggers and every spot on the mic plot with heights, so the crew can hang the bar and set the stands before you arrive. The mic plot guide covers what else to include.

Place a Decca tree in 3D, free

MicPlot puts the tree, outriggers and spots over real orchestral seating, shows heights from any angle, and prints the plot and input list. It works in the browser with no signup.

Open MicPlot

More guides: How to make an orchestral mic plot · Orchestral input list template