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About This Multitrack
#1
You can find the multitrack files for this project in the 'Mixing Secrets' Free Multitrack Download Library.

Before posting a mix, please read The Three Commandments!
Please post your mix as a new thread, rather than as a reply to this sticky.

This session was recorded my the Discussion Zone's very own mange, and here's some project info from him you might find useful...

"The choir is called Öjebokören, which consists of 17 singers divided into sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses. My plan with this project was to record them live in my room and add overdubs for each different voice. However, there were two different lines per voice, and I only had time to do four overdubs on the session (we recorded three songs), so I just did one overdub per voice. When I searched the net for information about recording live choir, I found this article and ended up using its 'best of both worlds' setup for the live takes for this session.

"I remembered this Dave Pensado video, and it inspired me not to pan the highest vocal parts widest, so I suggested to the choir leader that we put the bass and sopranos as centered as possible and the altos and tenors on each side. We also built a riser a so we could have the singers in two rows in front of the mics. (Here ́s an [url=http://www.totalchoirresources.com/lets-talk-choir-
formations/]article about choir formations[/url], although nothing that looks like my idea! [Funnily enough, the jazz choir I sing in uses exactly that setup, so you're not the only one -- Mike S.])

"The mics I used were two Rode M5s as the spaced pair (about four meters apart), an AKG C3000 as Middle mic and an AKG P420 in figure-eight mode positioned straight over the C3000 as the Sides mic. The P420 was also used in omni mode for the overdubs. I used the Midas mic preamps in the Behringer X32, recording straight into my DAW system without any preprocessing."

On further note from me: mange provided the MS tracks in their original MS format, but I've decoded those to a traditional LR stereo file for the upload, using a -3dB Sides level. This doesn't affect the timbre at all, and if you'd like to adjust the MS balance you can easily do this with Voxengo's freeware cross-platform MSED plug-in, again without any audio artefacts. (Alternatively, you could set up a mono send from the stereo track, but without any plug-ins in the return channel. Mixing this return into your mix will increase the Mid level. To reduce the Mid level, just switch the polarity of the return channel.)

If you have any other general questions about this multitrack, just reply to this post.
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#2
Thanks Mike, your introduction is appreciated very much Smile

Cheers,
Luc
Pro Tools 12.7
https://soundcloud.com/luc-van-der-stap
http://www.aecom.nl
-Mobile and static studios are ready :-) http://www.audioreg.com
'Mixing is pure subjective, once the 1st mix is launched it will be considered as the best, hence the standard'
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#3
(29-01-2016, 10:18 PM)Mike Senior Wrote: [Funnily enough, the jazz choir I sing in uses exactly that setup, so you're not the only one -- Mike S.]

How cool. I bet it was you and your audio engineering mind that led to it. So, when will we mix a classic from your choir?

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#4
(31-01-2016, 05:12 PM)mange Wrote:
(29-01-2016, 10:18 PM)Mike Senior Wrote: [Funnily enough, the jazz choir I sing in uses exactly that setup, so you're not the only one -- Mike S.]

How cool. I bet it was you and your audio engineering mind that led to it.

Hah! I didn't have anything to do with it, actually -- I just sing with them. The choir director decides on the layout.

Quote: So, when will we mix a classic from your choir?

Bear with me -- haven't really recorded them in earnest yet myself (or at least not to my satisfaction -- I've always found capturing choirs rather challenging somehow!), but I've got plans with them for this year, so hopefully some of that'll pop up here in due course...

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#5
i'm interested in knowing the room size in order to get an understanding of both the ambiance captured by the microphones and to get a handle on the reflections...especially those captured by the stereo mikes. one of the interesting battles i had was losing the room signature (which we know is not entirely possible) to try and give a larger subjective illusion of space and depth.

this is a general observation, but i find it somewhat perplexing that people post gear lists and signal chains, yet THE most critical part of the signal chain is arguably the room and it's inherent acoustic properties dictated by it's shape, size, absorption/reflection characteristics and how it interferes with the recording, both directly and indirectly, yet it's rarely ever divulged. Mike's Spektakulatius recording is the only exception i've so far come across in the forum which also usefully included mic placement details - invaluable! i think that's a shame.

an interesting project overall, thanks for the multi, chaps.
Beware...........Cognitive Dissonance!
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#6
In my notes to Mike I had information about the room included. I did ask Mike to edit my post for overinformation,spelling and grammar.

Here´s the original section about the room.
Room is about 4.5 x 6 meters. Slightly less than 4 meters in height. Front wall is 5 meters so the short walls are not parallell. Floor is covered by broadloom (Never heard that word before). Backwall (6m) is covered by a regular stage backdrop curtain. Ceiling is thickely padded with “heat isolation” and covered by fabric. It´s also slightly tilted. The rest pretty much untreated. Room was originally built and used to overdub dialog for child cartoons.

and some more additional info..
I placed the choir with their backs close to the stage backdrop curtain.

For the livetake I had the piano in the PA in stereo. Should probably be better to have it in mono, possibly also from only one centered speaker. Next time. PA is placed with it´s backs to the wall facing the choir.
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