This might seem as a broken record on repeat, but here goes. Another choir concert with my choir, recorded with an RME Babyface and a pair of KM140s in ORTF. I'm only posting because I'm so proud of our performance this time around. We got a very nice sound out of the choir and the recorded sound is pretty nice too...
The only bothersome thing was some traffic noise. I got rid of most of it with RX2 but there's still some low frequency noise left in.
All of the concert is on the Soundcloud link below.
Hey Mats, thanks for sharing! I'm really impressed by your choir, and the recording too The only thing I missed was more deep bass, but otherwise the sound was rich and detailed. Are you using any effects? The loudness is surprisingly smooth, but I suppose that's thanks to the generous acoustics in the room (church?).
My favourite is "song number 3" [edit]... I looked it up and happened to notice you're participating in the Harald Andersén Chamber Choir competition this fall. The best of luck, that's a tough one!
Last edited by evinrude; 16th May 2012 at 07:07 PM..
Reason: request by OP
Hey Mats, thanks for sharing! I'm really impressed by your choir, and the recording too The only thing I missed was more deep bass, but otherwise the sound was rich and detailed. Are you using any effects? The loudness is surprisingly smooth, but I suppose that's thanks to the generous acoustics in the room (church?).
My favourite is "the third piece"... I looked it up and happened to notice you're participating in the Harald Andersén Chamber Choir competition this fall. The best of luck, that's a tough one!
Why thank you! Yeah, we're competing in it, hopefully none of the other choirs find their way here, as there is generally no reference of how it should sound... Could you please scramble the title of that song?
We're five second basses and five first basses out of 40 singers. I blame the lack of bass on the cardioids... I use a smooth boost of around 4-5 dB at 60 Hz to compensate for the distance and a low cut to avoid subsonic frequencies. Other than that, I put a very subtle Valhalla Room to give a little more generous reverb tails, which lose a bit of depth if I don't use omnis and when there's an audience in that church. No first reflections. Otherwise, the acoustics are excellent!
I also automated some of the loudest peaks down 1-2 dB. No more than seven or eight automations at the most. There was also an Izotope limiter working to tame a few select really loud peaks.
Here's an example of how careful automation allows you to bring the overall loudness to a level that makes the recording easier to listen to. I did notice that the levels were processed somehow but you've done it respectfully and the result is very enjoyable.
...We're five second basses and five first basses out of 40 singers.
Nothing wrong with that! We are just spoiled by bass heavy music, but an a cappella choir is not as bass heavy as other music! But true, some slight make up won't hurt - I often use Sonalksis' DQ1 for this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mats H
I blame the lack of bass on the cardioids...
yeah, cardioids lack a bit of bass compared to omnis, but I also prefer cardioids when audience is around and (sometimes) sits pretty close to the choir.
Again, it's been a great performance!
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Here's an example of how careful automation allows you to bring the overall loudness to a level that makes the recording easier to listen to. I did notice that the levels were processed somehow but you've done it respectfully and the result is very enjoyable.
Thanks! I've started automating more of my classical mixes, I rarely if ever use compression. Sometimes on opera singers, I resort to slight very transparent compression but not often.
Quote:
Originally Posted by evinrude
By the way, you'd better change the name of the piece on soundcloud too, google already spots it.
Thx for the suggestion, I just did
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prick Up UR Ears
Nothing wrong with that! We are just spoiled by bass heavy music, but an a cappella choir is not as bass heavy as other music! But true, some slight make up won't hurt - I often use Sonalksis' DQ1 for this.
yeah, cardioids lack a bit of bass compared to omnis, but I also prefer cardioids when audience is around and (sometimes) sits pretty close to the choir.
Again, it's been a great performance!
Thanks!! Yeah, I use either a linear phase EQ, the regular EQ in Sonar or anything by PSP Audioware. It ususally works well enough. This time it was the Sonitus FX suite EQ @96k. The KM140s aren't that bass heavy. I usually use a Schoeps MSTC64 or Microtech Gefell 296, which are a little warmer in those regions. Didn't feel I need too much of a boost this time though. Also because of the heavy traffic noise, I tried to avoid excessive EQ.
I'm uploading a FLAC 2496 version if anyone wants it.
it leans a bit to the left for my taste (just a little). Or maybe its just the sopranos and the basses (placed left?) beeing a wee bit louder naturally...
I like your choir a lot. Are you all non-pros? Because if you are, I must say:
c h a p e a u ; I know pro choirs that are not at half your quality.
You sound like a very special and dedicated bunch.
I'm currently on tour with my choir i Halmstad, Sweden and had a cermon/concert yesterday. I'll relay your comments
Agreed about the slightly left heavy balance but it's partly due to louder singing in some songs and the way we're standing. I wanted to keep the first reflections and reverb centered.
it leans a bit to the left for my taste (just a little). Or maybe its just the sopranos and the basses (placed left?) beeing a wee bit louder naturally...
I like your choir a lot. Are you all non-pros? Because if you are, I must say:
c h a p e a u ; I know pro choirs that are not at half your quality.
You sound like a very special and dedicated bunch.
Hi, we just came back from our tour a couple of minutes ago.
Thanks! Yeah, we're realtively young (19-29) amateurs and noone work exclusively with music professionally. Though some of us are in or have been part of some other profilic choirs (Zero 8, Sofia Vokalensemble, Swedish Radio Choir) and all have been educated at least at music high schools.
We have a couple of videos at Youtube, search for S:t Jacobs Ungdomskör
Yes Mats, great choir (as usual ) and recording... but
There are some artefacts under Soundcloud that don't make justice to your recording.
And yes the bass voices are not enough there. Don't know the real balance of the choir but I suspect the 140.
For me it's where the Beyer MC930 shines. Even at a distance there are great basses.
Here is a recent example from a young english choir without any EQ
Yes Mats, great choir (as usual ) and recording... but
There are some artefacts under Soundcloud that don't make justice to your recording.
And yes the bass voices are not enough there. Don't know the real balance of the choir but I suspect the 140.
For me it's where the Beyer MC930 shines. Even at a distance there are great basses.
Here is a recent example from a young english choir without any EQ
Very nice!
I wasn't fortunate to place the mics where I'd wanted or position the choir where I'd wanted. Not even a sound check before the concert... But please do download the FLAC 24 bit 96 KHz version. It's a bit more representative of the final mix.
We'll try to get the balance better next concert with Microtech Gefell 296 mics and better basses
It certainly seems that you were fortunate to get the position and mix just right. Sweet job and mic balance. Good work!
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The only thing I missed was more deep bass, but otherwise the sound was rich and detailed. Are you using any effects? The loudness is surprisingly smooth, but I suppose that's thanks to the generous acoustics in the room (church?).
I use a smooth boost of around 4-5 dB at 60 Hz to compensate for the distance and a low cut to avoid subsonic frequencies. Other than that, I put a very subtle Valhalla Room to give a little more generous reverb tails, which lose a bit of depth if I don't use omnis and when there's an audience in that church. No first reflections. Otherwise, the acoustics are excellent!
