 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Garret
Date: 2007-05-13 05:55
I'm in charge of recording and then making CD's of one of the bands I play in. I record using a Sony MD player with a Sony mic. The sound is pretty true to the band regarding balance. However, the percussionists only play at one volume, ff. One of the 1st clarinets also only plays at ff so the treble sounds are overbalanced. Because of this, the brass can't be heard very well (and we play marches). Some may not quibble over the fact that the brass can't be heard, but percussion and one clarinet does not make for a balanced recording. Will Cakewalk software allow me to edit the sound to create a better balance? Are there other software programs I should consider? Yes, we've tried balancing the sound in rehearsals but that hasn't worked. Thanks!
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2007-05-13 07:45
I can't say much for actually doing what you want to do, but for recordings, I use Audacity. I believe it's free and cross-platform.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-05-13 08:11
For some editing I use Soundforge. Mainly for cutting tracks and editing out uneeded parts, etc. It has some effects you can use for what you describe (EQ, etc). For other stuff I use Cubase, but you also need the VSTs you want, which are seperate. Many studios use Pro Tools but I don't have much experience with it. None of these is cheap though....
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2007-05-13 09:59
Sounds like the bandmaster/you needs to let the percussionists and the monster 1st clar hear the raw recording for evidence and then mend their ways. This might cut down expense and time for you, and improve the band too ! But that's easy for me to say.........
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-05-13 11:54
The main problem is that the different instruments are already merged in the same track - not an easy nor a promising task to try to separate them, and just playing with the equalizer won't help a lot to make the proverbial silk purse... It's like to try to make a crisp poster-sized image from a blurred negative.
I second bob49t's recommendation: Show the band what the audience is actually hearing. That's the best investment of time you can make at that point.
--
Ben
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Author: MichaelR
Date: 2007-05-13 13:07
tictactux wrote:
> The main problem is that the different instruments are already
> merged in the same track
That takes major studio mojo to undo. The analogy to trying to make a crisp enlargement from a blurry negative was spot on.
> I second bob49t's recommendation: Show the band what the
> audience is actually hearing. That's the best investment of
> time you can make at that point.
Thirded. You may meet with counter arguments that the recording was improperly done and the emphasis comes from that rather than the percussive and first clarinet actually overplaying. Has the director been trying to get these people to quiet down unsuccessfully? Perhaps a session with him/her beforehand to have him listen would be a GoodThing.
--
Michael of Portland, OR
Be Appropriate and Follow Your Curiosity
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Author: seafaris
Date: 2007-05-13 13:47
I am just an amateur, but I do fool around with recording my practices and have observed many live performances. You will not get what you want with one mic. Each section will have to be miced, this then goes to a mixer. The engineer then balances the sound for the live performance. He also would then listen with headphones through the monitor output on the mixer and balance the instruments for recording. It is never the same balance, for live and recording. If you can't do this then move the mic around the group or place the group differently in relation to the mic. The mic is very important. Some are a lot more directional than others. There is a ton of info that you can Google.
...Jim
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Author: BobD
Date: 2007-05-13 14:00
Aren't there other problems with MD as far as converting to other formats?
Ah, the joys of sitting in front of the Perc section and having fff brass in front of you. I am inclined to agree with those above in that you're stuck with what you've got at this point because it's all single track single mike.
Bob Draznik
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-05-13 14:16
Garret - if you meant that you only have one (stereo) channel of the entire recording, basically no software will allow you to "balance" it. I (wrongly?) assumed it was recorded in channels (no matter if there are leaks) that still allow to control some of the volume of each instrument/section (at least partly). I agree with the rest about trying to solve the actual problem of them playing too loud.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2007-05-13 14:43
Garret -
From your description, the mic is getting overloaded. If you're using the built-in mic on the MD recorder, or an inexpensive (i.e., under $100) external electret condenser mic, that's almost certainly what's happening. Sony electret condensers are particularly prone to overloading.
The first thing to try is to move the mic back to the center or even the rear of the room, on the opposite side from the percussion and pointing away from the 1st clarinets. If that's not enough, try a dymamic mic, which will not overload as easily. Shure dynamics are well-liked. A pair will cost you around $200, though for that price you can get better quality condensers that won't overload as easily.
Good luck.
Ken Shaw
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