another Jazz Trio

[5flagsaudio]

Here's a bit of show and tell again. This is a jazz piano competition that I record for the local NPR affiliate. I posted an example of last year's recording and took to heart some of your comments. Decided to mix it less like a studio production and more from an audience perspective.

Rode NT5s on piano, AKG 414BULS on bass, along with bass DI, Earthworks QTC40 overheads, SM57 on snare, RE20 on kick. All tracked through Millennia HV3D with RME ADI8DS as the converter to Alesis HD24XR.

The mp3 sounds horrible to me, but dont they always?

[ajfarber]

The sound of the piano and drums are nice and clear. You should avoid the bass DI, it makes it sound like the 70s. You don't need it anyway, unless the bass player is one of those "amp-jockeys" who sits on a stool. But the bass player on this recording has a real sound. Also, I'd like to hear more of an audience perspective, with less dramatic panning.

[5flagsaudio]

Originally Posted by ajfarber

The sound of the piano and drums are nice and clear. You should avoid the bass DI, it makes it sound like the 70s. You don't need it anyway, unless the bass player is one of those "amp-jockeys" who sits on a stool. But the bass player on this recording has a real sound. Also, I'd like to hear more of an audience perspective, with less dramatic panning.

I talked with the bass player about his sound before the gig. He said that he liked the sound of his amp head because it had a tube in it. Therefore, I took the direct out from the head, in addition to placing a mic. The mic on the instrument is rife with bleed. The bassist was only a foot or so away from the kit on his left and piano on his right. The mic doesn't sound appreciably different (aside from the bleed) than the DI sound, probably due to the loud amp. I think he had a stool. . Trust me, all things being equal, I'd like for there not to be an amp or a DI, as his DI sound took a lot of EQ to sound decent (especially to lessen the amout HF tube distortion/crackle). But then there's the issue of filling the 1000 seat theater with sound (not my problem anyway).

All in all, thanks for your comments. I'm more pleased with the recording this year than last year.

[ajfarber]

Originally Posted by 5flagsaudio

I think he had a stool. . But then there's the issue of filling the 1000 seat theater with sound (not my problem anyway).

A stool-sitting amp-jockey? You can't do anything for those guys. They might as well get one of those upright-electric basses that look like an ironing board.