Classical Professionals, When Did You Know?

[3rd&4thT]

In his book, Geoff Emerick describes how he saw a white-coated BBC sound engineer when a boy of 12, and knew right away that's what he wanted to do with his life. During his EMI apprenticeship, he found out very quickly that he wanted to record rock music rather than classical, but the story does inspire a question.

When did you know you wanted to record classical music?

Were you that young? Was it something you always wanted to do, or did you train as a pianist or conductor and make a lateral move?

What triggered your interest, was it music lessons, listening to the radio, articles in magazines, a TV documentary, an unexpected opportunity?

Regards,
3rd&4thT

[Mats H]

Hi,

I was fourteen when I started making music on my PC, using various programs from Fasttracker, Cakewalk and whatever I could find. I had a Soundblaster sound card and a basic PC. Dad helped me by purchasing me a Peavey mic and building a preamp.

I'd been playing the cello for a couple of years and sang in a choir at music school. At 14, I gave up playing the cello and started with guitar, incorporating that instrument into my music, which mostly consisted of electronic drum'n'bass or dance music. My style was to blend classical instruments with electronic sounds, squealing synths and frantic rhythms.

I read up on forums, books and so fourth, gathering experience recording friends on my songs. I got a break when me and a friend of mine won an MTV contest. In high school I had music as all of my extra subjects.

During high school, I was fortunate enough to attend the recording session of a female choir I was later to join when they let guys in and formed a mixed choir. It was a really exciting event. That year, I took the opportunity to record the first christmas concert of ours, using a pair of cheap condenser mics that I'd purchased. That got me started, since then I've recorded every concert of ours.

I was fortunate to meet a friend of my dad's through this forum and we formed a friendship, collaborating recording his orchestra and others around Stockholm. He has equipment much more suitable to recording classical. Even though we both do it on a semi pro level, we get kicks out of it and continue to record mostly amateur orchestras together to learn the trade.

I like diversity in recording and done sound for two musicals (recording one), live sound, film sound, pop music, piano sampling (several grand pianos) and a lot of other random work. I'm 25 years old now and I hope to be able to do this full time within a couple of years. As of now, it's a hobby. Classical music is very important in my life as it's formed my musical background since the age of 8.

Mats Helgesson
LIVING SOUND

[joelpatterson]

When it dawned on me that these were people with high expectations, regular concert schedules, positive bank balances and they weren't going to leave empty, sticky beer cans lying around?

[MBishopSFX]

I was 6 years old when I became fascinated with recording music of ALL genres. I've been blessed to be able to do just that for my entire working life.

.

[NorseHorse]

I like being involved with kick-ass music.

And there's a lot of kick-ass classical music.

[Corran]

First I wanted to play classical music, circa 11 years of age.

Then I wanted to write the music, around 13 years of age.

Finally I wanted to record classical music when I got into college, at 18.

On a side note, right now I'm working on an album of arrangements I'm writing for flute (me) and other acoustic instruments, and I'll be the sole recording engineer. So I'm combining all three

[Shadow_7]

I've been a trombone player since 11. I did some recording things back then with a couple of tape players. I even went into the Army Band after college. Only recently 36+ did I start getting into recording so I could better my craft. Now that I have the gear, I'm actually spending less time practicing, and more time getting into the recording thing. I've been an active participant / player in various local non-profit groups for many years. I'm actually considering taking next season off so I can focus on the recording thing. It's just too hard to record and perform. There's a number of good performances I would have liked to have recorded this season. I have the gear. I just couldn't find anyone to man the gear, or at least make sure it didn't walk away, while I was off performing. So I"m probably gonna make the choice to take a less active performance role in said groups next season.

[erosconpollo]

When I started dating a concert pianist in my fifties. I got into rock for the girls...I got into classical for the girls half a lifetime later...some things never change!

[Bob Olhsson]

I was 12 when my elementary school class went into a radio studio. I took one look at the control room and the idea of becoming a railroad engineer went right out the window!

I wanted to record or broadcast classical music from the very beginning but only got to do so twenty years later after doing lots of pop and experimental electronic music.

[3rd&4thT]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

I wanted to record or broadcast classical music from the very beginning but only got to do so twenty years later after doing lots of pop and experimental electronic music.

Why Bob, you amaze me. As our resident authority on the infinitely glamorous Motown, you are obviously a man with a rich past.

You writing a book?

3rd&4thT

[scyue]

Hmm..here's a story of not so rich past, haha :)

When I was a kid in the late 80s and early 90s my family didn't have much money (or maybe I didn't want to ask my parents for money) so I never purchase CDs or tapes and whenever I bought one or was given one I would treasure it. So the only affordable way to have music was to record it from the radio using a cassette tape recorder. Most of the stuff I was recording were live classical concerts. So my entire music collection at home were all live broadcast recorded from the BBC radio. When I went to college I stop recording from the radio and started to attend concerts. I would get the cheapest student seats, which were about $5 each (still cheaper than buying CDs in the shop). So every time I attended a concert I will bring my minidisc recorder along (started off with a cassette recorder). Most of my college years my music collection was all from recordings I did in a concert hall. After College I started to earn money and bought professional gear and started to record for musicians. Now it's part of my life. So I guess it's sort of strange I started off this way.

[mathieujm]

My first recording : with a Philips cassette recorder. A superb organ concert in Chartres cathedral (France). I was 12. I still have the cassette. The sound is horrible, but then i never stopped recording classical concerts.

JM