Recording Classical Music

Description

Recording Classical Music presents the fundamental principles of digitally recording and editing acoustic music in ambient spaces, focusing on stereo microphone techniques that will help musicians understand how to translate "live" environments into recorded sound. The book covers theory and the technical aspects of recording from sound source to delivery: the nature of soundwaves and their behavior in rooms, microphone types and the techniques of recording in stereo, proximity and phase, file types, tracking and critical listening, loudness, meters, and the post-production processes of EQ, control of dynamic range (compressors, limiters, dynamic EQ, de-essers), and reverberation (both digital reflection simulation and convolution), with some discussion of commercially available digital plugins. The final part of the book applies this knowledge to common recording situations, showcasing not only strategies for recording soloists and small ensembles, along with case studies of several recordings, but also studio techniques that can enhance or replace the capture of performances in ambient spaces, such as close miking and the addition of artificial reverberation. Recording Classical Music provides the tools necessary for anyone interested in classical music production to track, mix, and deliver audio recordings themselves or to supervise the work of others. Cover......Page 1 Half Title......Page 4 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 PART 1 • Fundamental Principles......Page 14 1 Soundwaves......Page 16 Enclosed Spaces......Page 20 Basic Concepts and Terminology......Page 26 PART 2 • Production......Page 34 The Behavior of a Pure Diaphragm......Page 36 Condenser Microphones......Page 37 Dynamic and Ribbon Microphones......Page 41 Directional (Polar) Patterns......Page 44 Random Energy Efficiency (REE; Also Called Directivity Factor)......Page 46 Distance Factor......Page 47 Proximity Effect......Page 48 Phase......Page 50 5 Stereo Microphone Techniques......Page 58 Coincident Pairs......Page 60 Near-Coincident Arrays......Page 64 Spaced Microphones......Page 67 Critical Listening......Page 72 Setting Levels......Page 73 Room Ambience......Page 74 PART 3 • Post-Production......Page 76 Digital Filters......Page 78 Common Practices (A Place to Start as Listening Skills Develop)......Page 83 Compressors......Page 86 Limiters......Page 92 Dynamic EQ......Page 95 De-essers......Page 97 Digital Reflection Simulation......Page 102 Convolution......Page 115 File Types......Page 118 Loudness and Meters......Page 120 PART 4 • Common Recording Strategies......Page 136 11 Solo Piano......Page 138 Recording in Stereo......Page 139 Unfavorable Room Acoustics......Page 140 Voice......Page 142 Violin......Page 143 Clarinet, Oboe, Flute......Page 144 Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn......Page 145 String Quartet......Page 148 Chamber Choir......Page 149 Solo Piano......Page 150 Solo Cello......Page 151 Double Bass and Piano......Page 152 15 Studio Techniques: Re-Creating the Aural Sense of Historic Spaces......Page 156 Pre-Production......Page 157 Production......Page 160 Post-Production......Page 162 Glossary......Page 166 Index......Page 176