Fitzcaraldo215
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Completely agree about venue matching with classical music to the needs of the ensemble and the music, then using recording tools and skills to best capture that. Mostly that happens quite instinctively with classical music - chamber music tends ideally to be done in smaller halls, full orchestra in large ones. Still, there have been many poor or mediocre classical music recordings over the years because problems in the acoustic of the recording venue just could not be overcome. Often, they were of a too wet or too dry character. I could cite numerous examples.
Also, it's true that I have perhaps too rapidly shifted gears from the thread topic of delay/decay to questions of the venue acoustic in classical music recording. It seems a tangent, I know. However, I think the topics are intimately interrelated. Delay/decay are a subtopic of venue acoustics, but they are still major aspects of it. Recording engineers have to deal with delay/decay, and capture some semblance of it. And, as we agree there is a big difference between what happens in classical music in concert halls and with most recorded pop/rock and other genres usually done in relatively dead studios.
My use of "reference" with regard to live concerts might also be confusing. Sorry. I am not referring to the sound of a specific orchestra in a specific hall. I am referring to plausible reproduction of a performance in a decent venue, a symphony orchestra in a quality concert hall, for example. My impression, and you may disagree, is that the general character, the "gestalt" of that sound has more similarities than differences from hall to hall, even seat to seat and orchestra to orchestra. There will be numerous more subtle differences, to be sure. But, I am saying that if I compare the live concert sound to a recording mastered for stereo vs. Mch sound, I personally find the Mch to be a truer replica to the gestalt of live, consistently. One reason is Mch contains more of the natural effects of the hall acoustic, including a better replica of the delay/decay we hear live.
Sorry. The hi fallutin gestalt stuff is vintage Harry Pearson, I know. I was never a fan of his, but with this one concept, I think he had good insight.
From what I read, by the way, Meyerson Hall is one of the most successful among newer concert halls. My Philly hometown Verizon Hall is not considered as successful, though with some mods over the years, I find it pretty good, if not quite elite class.
Also, it's true that I have perhaps too rapidly shifted gears from the thread topic of delay/decay to questions of the venue acoustic in classical music recording. It seems a tangent, I know. However, I think the topics are intimately interrelated. Delay/decay are a subtopic of venue acoustics, but they are still major aspects of it. Recording engineers have to deal with delay/decay, and capture some semblance of it. And, as we agree there is a big difference between what happens in classical music in concert halls and with most recorded pop/rock and other genres usually done in relatively dead studios.
My use of "reference" with regard to live concerts might also be confusing. Sorry. I am not referring to the sound of a specific orchestra in a specific hall. I am referring to plausible reproduction of a performance in a decent venue, a symphony orchestra in a quality concert hall, for example. My impression, and you may disagree, is that the general character, the "gestalt" of that sound has more similarities than differences from hall to hall, even seat to seat and orchestra to orchestra. There will be numerous more subtle differences, to be sure. But, I am saying that if I compare the live concert sound to a recording mastered for stereo vs. Mch sound, I personally find the Mch to be a truer replica to the gestalt of live, consistently. One reason is Mch contains more of the natural effects of the hall acoustic, including a better replica of the delay/decay we hear live.
Sorry. The hi fallutin gestalt stuff is vintage Harry Pearson, I know. I was never a fan of his, but with this one concept, I think he had good insight.
From what I read, by the way, Meyerson Hall is one of the most successful among newer concert halls. My Philly hometown Verizon Hall is not considered as successful, though with some mods over the years, I find it pretty good, if not quite elite class.
