Big Band on SoundCloud -

[Dr Bob]

Hi just uploaded a tune to SoundCloud. A recording made 18 months ago and mixed/mastered with REAPER. Field recording (not studio!).

I wondered how it sounds out there on the myriad of different sound systems.

Recorded using an AW16G, 2 mixers with 8 mic inputs each. Room mic, mic for trumpets, mic for trombones, mic for singer, DI and mic for double bass, mic for keyboards, and a set of 5 mics for the sax section stereo mixed to AW16G. The drummer was between the trumpets and trombones, and so the drums were extracted from the closer mics, room and also one mic on the kick mixed to the double bass track.

Came out OK I think for the limited number of actual tracks available. Also, the recording space was in a modern church, and the reverb was horrendous (and worse still, we had a ceiling to floor stained galss window behind as well! Not MY idea -

http://soundcloud.com/doctorbob/beyond-the-sea

Db

[HImey Himron]

Dr. B,

Listening on polkaudio PC speakers with very little bass reproduction.

The singer was swallowed by the brass a couple of times (0:44 and 0:50). I like this kind of music so overall I enjoyed it.

On my particular system there was not much bass but that is par for this speaker set. Hopefully someone with a slightly better sound system can give you more information about the bass.

Cheers

[Dr Bob]

Hi HImey,

I'll have a look at those times and see about pulling the brass around a bit and re-render ... always good to have another pair of ears!

I have 16 tracks, so I can chuck a few more up if you wish ... any favs?
I may have a version ..

db

[guitarist06]

hey, very well done.
I did notice the reverb on the brass particularly early on in the song. it sounds like you tried to compensate for them being in such a reflective room and ended up squashing them with a small room reverb or something. its not all the time, more when hes singing. which by the way, sounds great, I really like the way the vocals sit on the mix.
keep up the good work!

[msore]

Agreed on the mix/balance. Good. The horn players are better than the singer is (at their relative instruments), so they CAN grab attention. But the arrangement is very sparse, NOT playing much behind the lyrics (like you hear in many of the more aggressive Basie or Miller or Goodman arrangements). The clarinet solo (or was it another reed?) seemed not very melodic, or strong, rather meandering. Also overall, I would prefer more horn attack, more naturally impactful. Thanks.

Is big band (or small big band) coming back? I drove by a local youth-type hang-out coffee shop Monday night and there was a 10-piece band with a female vocalist trying to be Rosemary Clooney. Being listened to by skateboarders and metal-heads!

[Dr Bob]

Thanks for the kind and useful comments. The recording was in less than ideal situations, and once the kit was set up I had NO chance to set ANY levels etc ... then it was 25 takes of 16 tunes! But, the overall recording and final mix does give a flavour of the band (which has many many members to choose a line up from - usually who can make what gig sort of thing!). So, even for the recording it was just a subset of who was available (the good, the bad and the ugly players - well, actually, they all can play well, but it's how they gel which is the issue at times).

Yes, the sax soloist does play much the same solos most of the time ;-)

I'll chuck a couple of other mp3's up on soundcloud so you can hear some other stuff.

http://soundcloud.com/doctorbob/new-york-new-york

http://soundcloud.com/doctorbob/moonlight-serenade

db

[dkeatscary]

Good mix. Singer is a bit pitchy in places, but each word is clear and is solid overall.

[msore]

Ah yes. Gel. There is the big band key, a key not appreciated by many trios and duos and grunge-ohs and metal-ohs playing covers.

[jsaras]

The mix is very light on the bass. If the bass D.I. sounds good (and relatively reverb free), turning it up would do a lot to warm up the overall sound.