Klarinet Archive - Posting 000572.txt from 2005/03

From: Ellis Johnson <ellisjohnson@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] bass pick-up
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 22:37:39 -0500

my clarinet teacher uses a mic built into his barrel. His name is
William O Smith or Bill Smith. I don't think they are made anymore
though.

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 19:29:33 -0800, Benjamin Maas
<benmaas@-----.com> wrote:
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Peter Stoll
> >
> > It has been interesting reading this; I've often
> > wondered how an engineer could ever record a solo or
> > chamber bass clarinet and not get tons of key clicks.
> > I've noticed that's one difference on all clarinet
> > recordings, depending on the quality of the recording
> > process; no or fewer moments of clicks or air
> > noise/embouchure leaks. Heard 2 recordings lately that
> > had a marked difference there, one from a large
> > multi-national label and one from a small Canadian
> > one.
> >
> > Ben/others; is there a standard setup the biggies use,
> > ie what does Deutsche Gramophon do when Renata Rusche
> > makes her next CD?
> >
> > Peter
> >
>
> Well, it has only been two weeks since this was written... Sorry it has
> taken awhile to reply- I've been pretty busy here.
>
> The quick answer is there is really no standard setup that is used for
> recording. Much of what happens in a session as far as the micing and the
> engineering is dependent on so many things from the equipment available to
> the instruments to the room to the engineer's personal preference for the
> kind of sound they want to hear... There are things that can be done to
> minimize production sounds, though.
>
> The first thing is not to get too close with the microphone. In a solo
> album- say in the case of a CD like Renata Rusche would do, I would likely
> start with a single stereo pair or stereo microphone out in the room
> capturing the best bass clarinet and piano sound possible. I may find that
> a spot microphone or two may be needed for the individual instruments, but I
> try to avoid that generally.
>
> The next thing is to know the individual characteristics of the equipment in
> use. Just like instruments, each part of the signal chain has its effect on
> the sound. Some microphones are bright and some are dark (I don't care
> about your bright versus dark semantic arguments- If I say bright and dark
> 99% of the people out there will know what I mean). Some microphones have a
> very fast transient response and some have a slower response- much of that
> is due to the kind of microphone it is, whether a ribbon, dynamic, or
> condenser. With condensers, you find that some of the older tube mics will
> have a warmer sound but a higher noise floor... They may not be as
> "accurate" but they create a sound that we would find more pleasing.
> Despite the noise, you can still get a pretty amazing recording.
>
> Also, when going into a session, people that play noisy instruments are
> encouraged by me to have a technician go through it and quiet things down as
> much as possible. Here in LA, because of the studio business, there are a
> number of techs that specialize in making a horn play absolutely silently.
> If you are going to go through the effort of making a recording, I suggest
> making sure that your instrument is in tip top shape.
>
> When choosing what kind of main pair to use, I need to consider the room and
> how the instruments sound in that room. Some microphones have a more
> directional pickup than others. What that allows is more or less of the
> room's sound to be integrated into a recording. When using less directional
> mics, I find that I need the mics to be closer to the sound source. When
> mics are more directional, I can get further away. In some cases, you may
> find that a more directional mic can sound better as a spot mic because you
> can get it away from the instrument where you'll hear the production noise
> more...
>
> What it all comes down to is that is part of the art of making recordings.
> It is part science (acoustics), part electronics, part tech, and part music-
> in the end, though, it takes an artist to be able to put all of those parts
> together to get the kind of pleasing result that you are looking for.
>
> --Ben
>
> Benjamin Maas
> Fifth Circle Audio
> Los Angeles, CA
> http://www.fifthcircle.com
>
>
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>
>

--
Ellis Johnson

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