GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: How to make a music person to “get” Audio?

Post Subject: One classical musicians viewPosted by rowuk on: 7/12/2012

Most of my colleagues are more interested in HOW the recorded music was performed than how it was recorded or played back. When I listen to music, even my cheap iPhone speaker gives me a respresentation of the players "soul".

Add that to the pain in the ass recording sessions where the sound engineers are always in the way - always a danger for our instruments because they drag mic stands and cables with no regard for us.

Add to that our perspective from the orchestra. Imaging like in hi fi loudspeakers does not exist on stage, even if you sit next to the other players. The representation in the recording, the geometry of stage and hall is almost always wrong. There is plenty of left right but no vertical. The sound of the violin, viola, tuba and flute is very vertical. The only instrument that has pinpoint imaging is the trumpet. Remember, we hear our instruments next to our head and attached to our bodies. Musical performance is "tactile" not only audio.

For clarinet players, the recorded sound is almost always wrong. The Clarinet sound is very difficult because it is played without vibrato, has a unique harmonic structure based on a 12th instead of an octave and that makes phase critical because of multi microphone idiot recording. Trumpets are very directional, but the audio engineers seek a broader, softer representation.

I remember a good tuba player friend from the radio symphony in Berlin. He used Klipschhorns. He said that they reproduced the sound of an asshole conductor walking off stage and slamming the door behind him better than anything else............... ;-)

Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site