Cognitive dissonance?
 

"Iain Churches" wrote

Answers on a postcard, but no fees will be paid, no contract is on
offer....

(As usual, I will reveal all if/when someone has had a go at it! :-)

Hmm- Most interesting. I am more used to doing AB tests
by switching between them, in "strategic" places. That way
the differences are clearly noticeable.

In both the case of the clnt and the alto saxophone,
I would say the Neumann is "A".



Yes, indeed it is and B is my Oktava MK319:

http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...mannTLM102.jpg

http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...ktavaMK319.jpg

Cognitive dissonance?
 

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:30:34 +0000, Laurence Payne
wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:41:02 GMT, (Don Pearce) wrote:

This is one of the great things about music - that it comes to you in
stages. You learn to play the tunes long before you learn to play the
instrument. Then a great day comes when a new tune is less of a
challenge, simply because you are master of the instrument itself.

There is another way of learning, I suppose; technical exercises and
scales for months before you ever get to play an actual tune, but what
a joyless way of going about things that has to be.

It doesn't have to be either/or. In musical "real life" you often
don't see the tune until the day of performance. So you hopefully go
in technically prepared. Other times you hone a solo performance over
days, weeks, even months (though it's quite rare to get THAT much time
between being asked to do it and having to come up with the goods:-)

That is quite a different matter. Of course it demands that you
understand the instrument perfectly, but also have enough experience
with actual music that you understand what is going on in the piece.
Solos are again something else. I used to be in blues bands as lead
guitar, so I understand both the solo ethos and the challenge of
impromptu playing, with the band responding and changing the music's
direction. That is exciting.

Just celebrated it being a sunny day by popping down to Denmark Street
and buying myself an acoustic guitar. I tried a load that sounded dull
as ditchwater, then the chap went into the back and brought out a
Martin - *******. I'm now quite a bit poorer, but boy does it sound
nice.

d

Cognitive dissonance?
 

"Keith G" wrote in message
...

"Iain Churches" wrote

Answers on a postcard, but no fees will be paid, no contract is on
offer....

(As usual, I will reveal all if/when someone has had a go at it! :-)

Hmm- Most interesting. I am more used to doing AB tests
by switching between them, in "strategic" places. That way
the differences are clearly noticeable.

In both the case of the clnt and the alto saxophone,
I would say the Neumann is "A".



Yes, indeed it is and B is my Oktava MK319:

http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...mannTLM102.jpg

http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...ktavaMK319.jpg

Interesting thread/demo/comparison.
When you get to know the Neumann, you will
appreciate its clean warm sound more and more
The Oktava doesn't come near it.

You made an excellent choice.

Iain

Cognitive dissonance?
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:30:34 +0000, Laurence Payne

Just celebrated it being a sunny day by popping down to Denmark Street
and buying myself an acoustic guitar. I tried a load that sounded dull
as ditchwater, then the chap went into the back and brought out a
Martin - *******. I'm now quite a bit poorer, but boy does it sound
nice.

Great, Don.

To my ear, Martin is one of the holy trinity:
"Guild, and Olson and holy Martin"

Nice way to celebrate a sunny day:-)

Iain

Cognitive dissonance?
 

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:10:30 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Keith G" wrote in message
...

These rough and ready 'test clips' are recorded with two different mics,
one of which only arrived today and cost about *four times* the price of
the other, so is obviously much better; the only question is which is it -
A or B..??

(The mics stay with the same letter throughout and the 'Piano' clips are a
finger walk up and down the keyboard only - due to a badly buzzing
'string' making tunes impossible atm!)

Have fun!

http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...son-ClartA.wav

http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...son-ClartB.wav


http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...son-PianoA.wav

http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...son-PianoB.wav


http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...rison-SaxA.wav

http://www.moirac.adsl24.co.uk/shown...rison-SaxB.wav


Answers on a postcard, but no fees will be paid, no contract is on
offer....

(As usual, I will reveal all if/when someone has had a go at it! :-)

Hmm- Most interesting. I am more used to doing AB tests
by switching between them, in "strategic" places. That way
the differences are clearly noticeable.

In both the case of the clnt and the alto saxophone,
I would say the Neumann is "A".

Since the tumer was here the other day the 'buzzing string' we have
had on the piano for some while has suddenly taken on new dimensions
and it makes playing a tune hideous, so I just did a 'finger walk'
up and down the keyboard!

Too weird to contemplate. Arnold Schoenberg has never been a
favourite of mine:-)

Iain

Have a listen to this, though. I've eq'd the Sax B sample to take out
the Octava honk, and now it really isn't a million miles from the
Neumann. What do you think? Not perfect because I only spent about
thirty seconds, but close enough for a comparison.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/listen/SaxB_eq.wav

d

Cognitive dissonance?
 

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:02:29 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:30:34 +0000, Laurence Payne

Just celebrated it being a sunny day by popping down to Denmark Street
and buying myself an acoustic guitar. I tried a load that sounded dull
as ditchwater, then the chap went into the back and brought out a
Martin - *******. I'm now quite a bit poorer, but boy does it sound
nice.

Great, Don.

To my ear, Martin is one of the holy trinity:
"Guild, and Olson and holy Martin"

Nice way to celebrate a sunny day:-)

Iain


I don't know the Olson sound, but I'll take your word for it, but as
you say, for the rest Guild and Martin are up at the top. I tried
loads that begin with a T, Turner, Taylor, Takamine, Tanglewood and
they were all in the same mould, a bit safe with nothing to frighten
the horses.

I now have another kind of holy trinity. Gibson SG, Fender Strat (both
from the 1960s), and now the Martin.

d

Cognitive dissonance?
 

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:14:28 GMT, (Don Pearce) wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:02:29 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:30:34 +0000, Laurence Payne

Just celebrated it being a sunny day by popping down to Denmark Street
and buying myself an acoustic guitar. I tried a load that sounded dull
as ditchwater, then the chap went into the back and brought out a
Martin - *******. I'm now quite a bit poorer, but boy does it sound
nice.

Great, Don.

To my ear, Martin is one of the holy trinity:
"Guild, and Olson and holy Martin"

Nice way to celebrate a sunny day:-)

Iain


I don't know the Olson sound, but I'll take your word for it, but as
you say, for the rest Guild and Martin are up at the top. I tried
loads that begin with a T, Turner, Taylor, Takamine, Tanglewood and
they were all in the same mould, a bit safe with nothing to frighten
the horses.

I now have another kind of holy trinity. Gibson SG, Fender Strat (both
from the 1960s), and now the Martin.

d

Obviously it isn't played in yet, and it is all stiff as anything, but
here's why I bought it. A little "Stairway" seemed right.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/listen/martin.wav

The mic is a Rode NT1-A three feet away, pointed at the body end of
the fingerboard. I'll post a pic later - my camera battery is down
right now.

d

Cognitive dissonance?
 

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:21:50 -0000, "Keith G"
wrote:

Well, I was getting to that. It DOES sound a bit live.


Not surprising with floor to ceiling glass on two opposite walls!

So remind me - you're buying expensive microphones to record in this
space WHY? :-)

Cognitive dissonance?
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
´
I now have another kind of holy trinity. Gibson SG, Fender Strat (both
from the 1960s), and now the Martin.

d

Obviously it isn't played in yet, and it is all stiff as anything, but
here's why I bought it. A little "Stairway" seemed right.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/listen/martin.wav

The mic is a Rode NT1-A three feet away, pointed at the body end of
the fingerboard. I'll post a pic later - my camera battery is down
right now.


Three feet? Sounds like 10cms! Good bold projection.
How long will it take to play in?

Just thinking, if this is a "sunny day" purchase, it's a good
thing you don't live in Kap Verde :-))

Cognitive dissonance?
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:02:29 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:30:34 +0000, Laurence Payne

Just celebrated it being a sunny day by popping down to Denmark Street
and buying myself an acoustic guitar. I tried a load that sounded dull
as ditchwater, then the chap went into the back and brought out a
Martin - *******. I'm now quite a bit poorer, but boy does it sound
nice.

Great, Don.

To my ear, Martin is one of the holy trinity:
"Guild, and Olson and holy Martin"

Nice way to celebrate a sunny day:-)

Iain


I don't know the Olson sound,

Verty distinctive, especially with alternative tunings.
James Taylor plays Olson.

but I'll take your word for it, but as
you say, for the rest Guild and Martin are up at the top.

The choice of so many session players.

I tried
loads that begin with a T, Turner, Taylor, Takamine, Tanglewood and
they were all in the same mould, a bit safe with nothing to frighten
the horses.

All good but a little bland?


I now have another kind of holy trinity. Gibson SG, Fender Strat (both
from the 1960s), and now the Martin.

My holy trinity was for acoustics.
There must be an ht for electric too? Strat has to be there
right in themiddle. What might the other two be?
Rickenbacker, Gibson?

Iain