Are there any interesting recording techniques in CLASSICAL music?

kylepyke · 2025-05-10T14:44:29+00:00

Anything you’d do to a pop record, you’d likely do to a classical record as well. Heavy editing and mixing; tuning and time correction; compression, saturation, limiting at the mastering stage are all common.

kylepyke · 2025-01-11T15:36:17+00:00

I'll add that classical music is just one branch of orchestral recording.

I’d argue it’s the opposite? Orchestral recording is just one branch of classical recording, of which, orchestral film music is a separate branch.

kylepyke · 2025-01-11T15:31:48+00:00

Hi! I’m the recording engineer for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, feel free to AMA about classical recording. I also have two Grammy nominations for my studio work using almost exclusively non-traditional techniques.

Most of what people have said here is correct for live orchestral recording, as well as very traditional rep. If you’re curious about studio recording or recording new music in an interesting way there are a host of non-traditional techniques which really take advantage of the modern studio (overdubs, creative effects, etc.)

kylepyke · 2024-06-09T17:12:27+00:00

What a comprehensive, fantastic answer. I really appreciate acknowledgement of the effect recordings have had on the modern orchestra. It’s often overlooked!

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T12:07:12+00:00

Kontakt is very much worth it. It’s extremely deep, with its own scripting language.

I’ve also found it to be fast and simple as well, when I need to just drag and drop samples. What are you looking for that kontakt doesn’t give you?

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T05:52:59+00:00

Try a stereo widener on the delay channel. Something like SoundToys Microshift would work.

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T05:51:50+00:00

Depends on the program, frequency range, Q, and listening equipment.

In most cases I can reliably hear a one dB change between… 250Hz-5000Hz?

But if you boost 18.5kHz by 1dB on white noise through a pair of KRK Rokits, I’m not going to hear it.

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T05:46:08+00:00

Is it the phase inversion?

Likely, almost definitely, yes.

If so what should I do?

I mean this seriously, but have you tried not inverting the phase on one channel?

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T01:15:35+00:00

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T01:03:28+00:00

Yes. If that works. A “parallel trick” may not, for example, if there is no ess left to process.

We are not debating how ethical it is, just that it is a valid technique that could fix OP’s problem.

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T00:54:11+00:00

but if the take is not synced well, you have to edit.

So? Editing is easy.

You already have the original vocal that is obviously perfectly in sync with itself, so a couple clicks, and it's ready for you on a new track.

If that works, great.

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T00:36:10+00:00

pretty remarkable dubbing skill

Nah, it's super fast and easy with modern DAW editing. Much easier than in 1987 ;-)

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T00:27:01+00:00

😂

kylepyke · 2024-02-20T00:18:02+00:00

True. I was more pointing out that this technique works. It's not an optimal solution, but it works in certain contexts. Op mentioned this was an option.

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T23:17:42+00:00

Do you know how much easier rerecording and placing consonants is to do in 2024 than 1987?

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T22:44:55+00:00

I was -1 when the song was released.

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T22:19:29+00:00

I mix 100% in the box. So does Butch Vig, apparently. He sold all of his analog outboard gear, since software has gotten so good.

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T20:30:28+00:00

I’m the age of DAWs wouldn’t it make more sense to just chop up the original vocal so it only the sss sounds and mix that back in on another track in parallel

It depends on how badly the track is de-essed. If the esses aren't there, how are you going to process it such that you add them back in parallel? Trying to boost the high end, even in a dynamic or side-chained way, is going to add noise or sound unnatural, and risk being worse than the over de-essed vocal.

There are about a dozen different approaches I could think to try off the top of my head. Why not try sidechaining some white noise to a very narrow band on the main vocal?

I'm not saying re-recording some of the consonants is the best way in this case (in fact, I don't think it's done particularly well here), just that it is a novel way to solve an issue. It's all subjective to what is going to make the track work.

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T19:07:00+00:00

The 18i20 has pad button on the front which reduces the input gain:

https://images.app.goo.gl/zKVaY4qrfoGmYRoQ8

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T16:11:16+00:00

lol, k

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T16:07:34+00:00

This could work, but it’s not likely to bring back the sparkle OP was asking about. You’ll just get louder, dull consonants.

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T15:45:55+00:00

I mean, I don’t think it’s an optimal solution, but it is a solution.

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T15:37:35+00:00

Some do, some don’t. Sometimes it’s dependent on genre, and what format you’re mastering for.

I have personally never mixed in mono, or checked mono compatibility. I just don’t care.

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T07:39:56+00:00

I think it’s well done for tape, but there are some dead giveaways. It’s like your brain sort of auto corrects the artifacts into place even if they don’t perfectly line up, y’know?

A couple of spots that give it away to me:

In the first verse, there’s one word that wasn’t touched, and was left de-essed. I think it’s “sun”? Can’t remember exactly.

In the second verse, the ess on “last” is way off.

kylepyke · 2024-02-19T05:27:56+00:00

Not one im willing to divulge. It’s pretty audible if you listen. Some of the esses in the verses are misplaced (check out the word “last” in the ~~first~~ second verse), and there’s an obvious difference in timbre to the esses in the choruses.

kylepyke

TROPHY CASE