concert/recording voicing

[william ballard]

On Mar 16, 2006, at 11:13 AM, Barbara Richmond wrote:
> It was my understanding
> that the recordings can be manipulated--as long as the recording
> tech/engineer/editor or whatever you want to call him/her has  
> enough tone to
> work with.  For example, a bright piano can get toned down  
> somewhat, but
> it's not possible to work as easily with a mellow piano.  Am I  
> totally out
> in left field here?

 From what little I know, digital audio editing can easily change the  
balancing of low/high frequency of the tone itself (after the  
attack). That's called EQ and will work on the entire wave envelope.  
I suppose there is software which can change the shape of the attack  
at every instance of a new note appearing, and depending on the  
signal size of that note. (Heck, software can correct poor intonation  
and make a late entrance be on time.) But once again, that's with all  
notes in the channel (and here there were 2 mics, hence 2 channels).

Software can alter the acoustic response of the room itself working  
EQ and reverb. The more instruments are involved, the less obvious  
the results are

As to what the piano may have suffered because of number of mics and  
mic placement, balance with the orchestra and the nuances of tone  
heard with a mic at 5' instead of 20' would be the first things to  
suffer. With the mic set-up you describe, you're probably lucky with  
what the recording got, never mind how the piano (buried in among all  
the other instruments) may not have been properly represented.

Don't beat yourself up, Barbie. 2 mics, straight to stereo is the  
cheapest recording set-up available (short of a $29 hand-held  
cassette recorder in someone's lap in the 10th row). The pianist is a  
crucial factor, and polite though you are, you know this. You also  
know the "Big Dead Hall".

> One observation I have is I think the recording industry has sort  
> of skewed
> our expectations of what we should hear at a live concert.  I mean,  
> how many
> concerts have you gone to that you can hear the piano (with  
> orchestra) the
> way you can hear it in a recording?

I agree. Live performance is to mixed audio what stage drama is to  
cinema, and what chicken factory broilers are to the organic free  
kind: a perversion of nature.

(Speaking about perversion, I tried to reply privately last night but  
your ISP was blocking me "for abuse". I apologize for my comment  
about your mom's army boots.)

Bill Ballard RPT
NH Chapter, P.T.G.
wbps at vermontel.net


Reality is the first casualty of technology
     ...........NPR Commentator Daniel Schorr
+++++++++++++++++++++

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