Fifth of RAP Compilation

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"Jim Gilliland" <usemylastname@cheerful.com> wrote in message
news:6uydnU2_6uHYpL7cRVn-uA@adelphia.com...
> Geoley wrote:
> >
> > I have been listening more carefully to some of the Fifth of RAP CD's
lately
> > as time permits and I really like what I'm hearing overall, but some
tracks
> > on some of the CD's I like better then others so far. One track that I
> > really like is track 8 on the 2nd disc recorded by Jim Gilliland titled
> > "Dance of The Lunatics" by the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble. I loved the
> > sound of the ensemble on that track so much that I ordered the CD titled
> > "All the Rage" that the group had recorded at the Blair School of Music
> > Recital Hall in Nashville. Produced by Butch Baldassari and conducted by
> > Paul Martin Zonn, it features Mandolin Orchestra music from 1897 to
1924.
> > Also I like tracks 9 and 10 on disc 1 recorded by Cary Carlan.
>
> I'm really glad to hear that you liked the NME as much as you did - I
> love their music. The concert that they did that night included one
> other piece from All The Rage ("Texas Fox Trot"), but it also included
> music from many other eras, including compositions of Lennon/McCartney,
> Turlough O'Carolan, Duane Allman, and some traditional works. They
> continue to tour, so watch for them to perform near you some time.
>
> They have several other CDs that may be of interest, including a
> wonderful Christmas CD on Sony/Columbia. (Note, I have no financial
> interest here, nor any involvement in their CDs. I'm just a fan <g>.)
>
> You're one of the few here who have had the chance to compare the
> concert recording to the commercial release. One obvious difference, of
> course, is that the touring ensemble is much smaller. Any thoughts on
> the recording itself? I think the two sound quite different.

Jim

There is of course quite a difference in the sound of your recording on
track 8, "Dance of the Lunatics" on disc 2 of the RAP compilation and the
same song on track 4 on "All The Rage" CD. First, the recordings were done
at 2 different venues and second they were recorded with different
equipment. The "All The Rage" CD was recorded at the Blair School of Music
Recital Hall in Nashville with a 13 musician ensemble utilizing 2 Lawson
L47MP microphones, while your recording was done at the Kent State
University Ballroom using 8 AKG microphones with the NME touring ensemble of
only 6 musicians. In your recording, the instruments are much more focused
with more detail, while the Nashville recording has a much larger overall
sound. Jim, your recording on the RAP CD is what really turned me on to the
Nashville Mandolin Ensemble and I thank you for that.

Cheers

Geoley

 

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Geoley wrote:
> "Jim Gilliland" <usemylastname@cheerful.com> wrote in message
> news:6uydnU2_6uHYpL7cRVn-uA@adelphia.com...
>
>>You're one of the few here who have had the chance to compare the
>>concert recording to the commercial release. One obvious difference, of
>>course, is that the touring ensemble is much smaller. Any thoughts on
>>the recording itself? I think the two sound quite different.
>
> There is of course quite a difference in the sound of your recording on
> track 8, "Dance of the Lunatics" on disc 2 of the RAP compilation and the
> same song on track 4 on "All The Rage" CD. First, the recordings were done
> at 2 different venues and second they were recorded with different
> equipment. The "All The Rage" CD was recorded at the Blair School of Music
> Recital Hall in Nashville with a 13 musician ensemble utilizing 2 Lawson
> L47MP microphones, while your recording was done at the Kent State
> University Ballroom using 8 AKG microphones with the NME touring ensemble of
> only 6 musicians. In your recording, the instruments are much more focused
> with more detail, while the Nashville recording has a much larger overall
> sound.

The Kent Festival has allowed me to experiment occasionally with
different miking techniques. Most of the performances are captured as
this one was, using close-mics mixed with a stereo pair of room mics.
When you're working in cooperation with a house sound system, your
flexibility is generally somewhat restricted. Sometimes you can set up
your own mics (rather than sharing the house mics), but the fact that
the house is providing floor monitors and house reinforcement means that
any mic you set up will need to be very close to its target.

But there have been exceptions: For one act (Rhonda Vincent and the
Rage), I used an MS configuration, and for another (Asylum Street
Spankers), I used eight mics to capture specific areas of the stage -
with none of the performers being close-miked in the traditional sense.
However, both of these situations were the result of specific
requirements of the musicians themselves.

The 2003 festival will be on the air (and the web) in a month or so.
I'll post a note about it when the time comes in case anyone wants to
listen.

The 2004 festival will take place in November, and I'll get the chance
to record a few more of my musical heros, including Sam Bush, Jesse
Winchester, and Doc Watson. I doubt that I'll be using any creative
miking this year, though.

BTW, those were Audio Technica mics, not AKG. And I appreciate your
pointing out that All The Rage was recorded with the Lawson pair - I
hadn't read the details of that recording.

> Jim, your recording on the RAP CD is what really turned me on to the
> Nashville Mandolin Ensemble and I thank you for that.

The RAP CDs are educational in several ways, but introducing people to
music that they wouldn't otherwise hear is definitely one of their
intentions. Enjoy.