I was listening to some Haydn the other evening. It sounded crap.
The soundstage was artificially wide with poor localization.
The vocals were muddled and lost in the orchestra.
Some very sour noises coming from somewhere - there was so much
reverberation that the previous few notes
must have been interfering with the current one.

After a small adjustment, things were perfect - I got up and took a seat
at the front.
That's the last time I arrive late at the cathedral and have to sit in
the back row.
Live music is alright but it's not like the real thing. :-)

--
Eiron.

On Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:06:26 +0000, Eiron wrote:

I was listening to some Haydn the other evening. It sounded crap.
The soundstage was artificially wide with poor localization.
The vocals were muddled and lost in the orchestra.
Some very sour noises coming from somewhere - there was so much
reverberation that the previous few notes
must have been interfering with the current one.

After a small adjustment, things were perfect - I got up and took a seat
at the front.
That's the last time I arrive late at the cathedral and have to sit in
the back row.
Live music is alright but it's not like the real thing. :-)

Rim shot for that one...

d

Ah, but it shows that you can never get to the best seats if a recording is
going on as its already taken with the microphones..
OK I know iits not so, but it does make one wonder whether on a really good
sounding recording, exactly where the mics are, and if you were there, would
it sound as good.
Not I'm not dangling on a wire suspended from two balconies 20 foot up, not
even if it sounds good!

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"Eiron" wrote in message
...
I was listening to some Haydn the other evening. It sounded crap.
The soundstage was artificially wide with poor localization.
The vocals were muddled and lost in the orchestra.
Some very sour noises coming from somewhere - there was so much
reverberation that the previous few notes
must have been interfering with the current one.

After a small adjustment, things were perfect - I got up and took a seat
at the front.
That's the last time I arrive late at the cathedral and have to sit in the
back row.
Live music is alright but it's not like the real thing. :-)

--
Eiron.

In article ,
Brian Gaff wrote:
Ah, but it shows that you can never get to the best seats if a recording
is going on as its already taken with the microphones.. OK I know iits
not so, but it does make one wonder whether on a really good sounding
recording, exactly where the mics are, and if you were there, would it
sound as good. Not I'm not dangling on a wire suspended from two
balconies 20 foot up, not even if it sounds good!

A rule of thumb would be to suspend them above the conductor. He is
responsible for balancing the orchestra. Although in practice slightly
further back is better. But each case must be judged by listening.

--
*He who dies with the most toys is, nonetheless, dead.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
m

Ah, but it shows that you can never get to the best seats
if a recording is going on as its already taken with the
microphones..

Ears aren't microphones and microphones aren't ears. So, the best place for
humans to listen and microphones to record are usually two different places.

OK I know iits not so, but it does make one wonder whether on a really
good sounding recording, exactly
where the mics are, and if you were there, would it sound
as good.

Generally not.

Eiron wrote:

I was listening to some Haydn the other evening. It sounded crap.
The soundstage was artificially wide with poor localization.
The vocals were muddled and lost in the orchestra.
Some very sour noises coming from somewhere - there was so much
reverberation that the previous few notes
must have been interfering with the current one.

After a small adjustment, things were perfect - I got up and took a seat
at the front.
That's the last time I arrive late at the cathedral and have to sit in
the back row.
Live music is alright but it's not like the real thing. :-)

As a long time fan of live music, though more usually in the folk
field, I have long felt that there is a problem. I have been to a
number of events where the sound at the venue has been pretty
appalling, but the radio recording of the same performance has
been excellent. One was Albion Band at Fleetwood a good while
ago; I stuck my head inside the control van during the set, and
it sounded great, inside the great domed hall it was just a mush.
There has to be something really ironic about having to go home
to be able to listen to a live event properly.

I once (and only once) went to see Equation at Leicester Phoenix.
I sat next to the sound desk, and didn't hear a single word of
lyric all night. I could only assume this was intentional.

Seth Lakeman, at Loughborough festival a few years ago, was
deafening, (but incomprehensible) though the rest of the
evening's performers were fine. I really like his CDs, but would
never want to see him live again.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.