21-11-2017, 12:06 PM
Hi Mitc,
I always feel a little uneasy and uncomfortable critiquing this style of music. Although I enjoy this genre immensely and appreciated it more as I get older, I definitely wasn't born with the classical music gene. A purist, not by a long shot. So take my comments with a grain of salt.
It's interesting listening to your mix having seen the photos Mike has posted. Your mixes represent the recorded space well. I like the natural sound and the captured ambience. This is where I get a bit confused as to how one should approach this captured space and represent it in the mixing stage. With this genre, there is as much room sound in the recording as the performance itself. Is it therefore best to present the music within it's natural environment or do we try make it sound like it was performed in the Musikverein in Vienna with some added artificial input. This is where referencing becomes an issue also. Concert halls all sound different.
Your reasoning and approach is interesting and by all means, and a lot more articulate and thought out than that of my workings. I found after basic room balance and gentle re-enforcement with the close mics that any track eq moves thereafter were very reactive and I didn't like what was happening to the overall sound, so I kept this processing very minimal.
Back to your mix, for me and my ears I am wondering if there is too much detail coming through in the close mic's and not enough room sound? Also I feel I'm missing that lovely warm sustained bottom end that extends the bass notes into the room that I hear in a lot of recordings. I guess it would take some additional reverb to introduce this. In saying that, the third mix does seem to be better in this regard as opposed to the first mix which sounds very tight. Otherwise Mitc, I like what I am hearing. Your natural and conservative approach has paid off.
I would love to see how a pro would mix and present this piece, especially in regards to reverbs and space.
Dave
I always feel a little uneasy and uncomfortable critiquing this style of music. Although I enjoy this genre immensely and appreciated it more as I get older, I definitely wasn't born with the classical music gene. A purist, not by a long shot. So take my comments with a grain of salt.
It's interesting listening to your mix having seen the photos Mike has posted. Your mixes represent the recorded space well. I like the natural sound and the captured ambience. This is where I get a bit confused as to how one should approach this captured space and represent it in the mixing stage. With this genre, there is as much room sound in the recording as the performance itself. Is it therefore best to present the music within it's natural environment or do we try make it sound like it was performed in the Musikverein in Vienna with some added artificial input. This is where referencing becomes an issue also. Concert halls all sound different.
Your reasoning and approach is interesting and by all means, and a lot more articulate and thought out than that of my workings. I found after basic room balance and gentle re-enforcement with the close mics that any track eq moves thereafter were very reactive and I didn't like what was happening to the overall sound, so I kept this processing very minimal.
Back to your mix, for me and my ears I am wondering if there is too much detail coming through in the close mic's and not enough room sound? Also I feel I'm missing that lovely warm sustained bottom end that extends the bass notes into the room that I hear in a lot of recordings. I guess it would take some additional reverb to introduce this. In saying that, the third mix does seem to be better in this regard as opposed to the first mix which sounds very tight. Otherwise Mitc, I like what I am hearing. Your natural and conservative approach has paid off.
I would love to see how a pro would mix and present this piece, especially in regards to reverbs and space.
Dave