Bigband mix, whaddaya think...?

[d_fu]

Comments, please...

[loujudson]

Pretty nice. My opinion though is that the BIG reverb destroys the integrity of the jazzy band - I prefer something that sounds more like a dance hall than a cavern. That reverb might sound good on a sinatra type vocal, but the big band sound is more acoustic in my feeling.

I did a Western Swing band a couple of years ago, and the bandleader took the tracks to a local expensive studio and put that kind of verb on it, and it was not a good thing to listen to for me.

Check this out - not quite big band, but related, recorded live, and mixed by me:

Mark Holzinger’s astounding guitar solo on CARAVAN:
YouTube - Western Swing Lost Weekend

Vintage Ellington tune STEVEDORE STOMP:
YouTube - Western Swing Lost Weekend "Stevedore Stomp"

Cindy Walker’s YOU DON’T KNOW ME w/Pam Brandon vocals:
YouTube - Western Swing Lost Weekend "You Don't Know Me"

Personally I like the last one the best! Interested in opinions, and not meaning to highjack the thread. I like your tune there except for the long reverb...

L

[brle]

For me, it´s also a bit too much reverb, therefore instruments are losing on presence and bass line become blurred (but it´s also the way he plays).
Also few audible mistakes on 2nd trumpet - maybe you have other takes to replace those places?
Hope that helps
sascha

[springer]

Sounds really good! Please list equipment and techniques...
I really like the prominence of bass. Now to the horns; I had the same problem with lack of brass doing a HS big band once using Jecklin for the horn section. I simply raised the mics up so I could get more brass and it fixed it somewhat. Early players tend to be strong on sax and weaker in brass... that all changes as they mature.
Nice MIX! Congrats!
Patrick

[d_fu]

Originally Posted by springer

Sounds really good! Please list equipment and techniques...

See here...

Thanks for the comments so far. I personally don't think the reverb is too big, but if more people say so, I will consider... BTW, the reverb is no longer Samp's convolution, as in the previous example, but Variverb from Samp 9...

[springer]

Ah.. thank you. Now I see why you did what you did. I tackled mine in an auditorium (nice sounding one) and opted for fewer mics.
- Jecklin for traditional tiered horns
- XY overheads for drums
- SDC for Ac. bass
- SDC for piano
- TLM103 for solos

I got as much space between the horns and drums as I could and it turned out pretty well. The directors were quite obliging.
The only suggestion I could make is get a different room. To me personally I find the room makes the recording, I am just turning knobs...

Patrick

[pkautzsch]

Nice overall sound, and good balance between the instruments.
But for me too it's way too much reverb. Sounds more like a laaarge concert hall or even a church. Did their leader want that? Sounds very pop-like, I could well imagine a Hansi Hinterseer voice over that
Probably just a few reflections and short tail will do.

[mrsteaks]

Nice work, my friend! The balance is excellent, you caught the drums and bass just right - truly a "big band" sound.

However, I do agree that there is too much reverb - not "way too much", but as pkautzsch says, perhaps a shorter tail and less early reflections. Or more dry to the wet.

Cheers!

[d_fu]

The conductor seemed to like the reverb (good excuse, ain't it?)... Also, the material from this recording will end up on a CD together with material recorded elsewhere (and by others) in a rather big hall...

[mrsteaks]

Aha - the truth comes out!!!! You know what you're doing, my friend. There's two sides to every coin.

[David Rick]

The big room sound doesn't bother me at all, Daniel. To me it sounds like it might have actually happened that way. Maybe it's a bias of us classical guys, but I've come to detest the close-mic'd sound of so many jazz recordings. But I guess I'm in the minority here.

David L. Rick
Seventh String Recording