Recording cello

• 2 to 3 feet away from the instrument.
• Out and up from the instrument. Imagine the sound projecting out at the same angle as the face of the instrument.
• Pointed toward the area where the bow plays, somewhere between the end of the fingerboard and the bridge.

These may be signs that your mic is too close to your instrument:

• Harsh bow noises. Bow strokes, like spiccato, sound crunchy.
• Lack of balance between strings. This happens because the mic is favoring some strings over others, or when the player is moving.
• Body resonances of the instrument that stick out. Every instrument has resonating frequencies, or pitches that cause the instrument itself to vibrate more than others. As a mic is moved away from the instrument, these frequencies mellow out and the instrument sounds more even. These can also be adjusted in the mix with an EQ, but it’s easier to just place the mic well.
• You hear the player moving around. String players tend to move as they play, some more than others. If the mic is too close, you may hear the player going off axis or backing off the mic.

These may be signs your mic is too far away from your instrument: 

• Too much of the room. If you can tell the size of your room or hear a lot of room tone or air, your mic may be too far away from the instrument.
• Little or no bow definition. If the mic is placed well, you’ll record a slight buzzing or sizzle sound (the sound of the bow making contact with the strings), but not an excessive amount.
• No low–end. If the mic is placed too high or off–angle, the instrument’s sound can be thin.
• Lack of definition on some articulations like pizzicato, staccato, or ricochet.[^1]

How to Mic a Cello for Live or Studio Performances How to Mic a Cello? (audio samples included) – The Future Muse How To Mic A Cello – How To Mic How to mic a cello aka my first cello session | by J Duggan | Medium How to Record Cello - Simple One Mic Setup - YouTube