Funny coincidence...double booked with Remy

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:43 pm

So...something kinda funny happened tonight.

Remy and I actually got double booked to record the same ensemble. It was an odd mixup - the conductor forgot to mention the dates to Remy so he didn't think she'd show up and I had just talked to him a few days ago and asked if I could record so he said sure.

Well, it turns out Remy knew the dates anyway and we both showed up ready to record. Of course, the conductor was delighted to have 2 recording engineers there so Remy and I both set up our gear and got two recordings of the same event.

I have to admit - it was kinda cool sharing the wing space with ol' RemyRAD and shooting the proverbial sh*t whilst working. I think between her and myself, we probably scared my new intern a little bit. What a night to be your first night out....the night that two crazy audio-geeks meet and work together for the first time.

What I thought was fantastic was - despite the fact that our setups were so dramatically different, we switched headphones for a minute and the sounds coming through were quite similar. I guess we both knew what we were going for soundwise and got there different ways!

Anyway - just thought I'd share. It was definitely a fun night.

(PS - Remy - tell Bruce not to be mad - it was definitely a mixup but a happy coincidence nonetheless.)

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:58 pm

A match made in Heaven

RO Admin Joined: Mar 20, 2000 Posts: 4328 Location: Canada

that is very cool, thanks for sharing that!

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:56 pm

Cucco wrote:

What I thought was fantastic was - despite the fact that our setups were so dramatically different, we switched headphones for a minute and the sounds coming through were quite similar.

It's very cool that you decided to work alongside each other like that! Do you think you would have done the same thing had you not known each other (either through this forum or other means)? Could it possibly have gotten ugly?

A paid job???

How many microphone stands on stage?!?!

It is also cool that you both arrived at similar results using different equipment. It is the other side of what I often tell my students - there's no point copying what someone else does (in terms of mic choice/placement, use of processing, etc.) in the hope of getting the same sound, because it rarely ever works that way.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:21 am

This was so cool!

I was really quite surprised when I found this other crew setting up. It was even funnier when Jeremy looked at me (whom I've never met in person nor seen) and said, " high Remy". Obviously he knows me too well?? And remarkably, I wasn't! I don't know what I was thinking? I think when anybody sees anybody as beautiful as I am, they automatically know it's a Remy?

I was actually talking to a friend on the phone after this event. My comment was almost identical to Jeremy's. I said we had 2 vastly different systems with 2 completely different approaches. The sonic differences, through different headphones, different preamps, different microphones, different interfaces, were remarkably similar with what I thought was nuance differences. Of course I always appreciate watching other pros who are more precise in their approach and technique than my sex/drugs/rock-and-roll like Hack Lucky broadcast meters moving approach. And I think Jeremy is correct, I think we scared the crap out of this poor kid, Eric that was apprenticing. This interaction we had was much more like the experience I had while working for NBC. I always enjoy working with other professionals. It's the amateurs I can't stand. Especially when they think they're professionals, like myself. Did that come out right?? Jeremy knows and thankfully, he's not talking. I don't think that came out right either? For that matter, it didn't come out left, thankfully.

Could it have gotten ugly? Sure. Paid gig? You bet. I think there was only a single microphone stand on stage. Jeremy's microphones were on stands, in the audience. Even if I hadn't known him, I wouldn't have acted or responded any differently. If you're a professional, you act professionally. But Jeremy was more than just a little accommodating. I couldn't have hoped to work alongside anybody as sincerely as he was. I even said we should set up next to each other, so we did. It was hard to keep from laughing backstage during recording. I was worried he would get upset with me as most everybody else has here @ Recording.org. But scheduling faux pas do happen. I was only a subcontractor here. So I'm really not involved with whatever dollars are changing hands. And since Jeremy is a member of this orchestra, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Sterling Productions loses this contract. Because as everybody knows, sound happens.

OK, so what was the difference in setups and equipment? The stuff I was using was an API 3124m which load the microphones at 1,500 ohms. I let the staging guys fly a pair of Neumann TLM170's for me spaced approximately 8 feet apart in wide cardioid. Tracking into a TASCAM DA78 with a backup to an EDIROL UA1ex into my HP laptop with Sennheiser headphones all at 24-bit 44.1kHz. Yes, yes, I know, I've said all record at 16-bit but because I know Bruce likes 24-bit, that's how I rolled on everything. The software was Adobe Audition 1.5. Practically an old budget system.

I hope I get this right Jeremy? He was using a David Royer passive stereo ribbon in Blumlien crossed figure of 8 with a pair of Schoeps left & right outriggers and a highlight microphone of some type on the timpani. Microphone preamps were Millennia Media, which load the microphones at 6,500 ohms into an RME interface, which I found very impressive. His software was Magix Sequoia, which was totally awesome with a backup to the new Korg DSD interface and Beyer TK270 headphones. I think? One hell of an investment. And his microphone stands were incredible. Much nicer than those lightweight Manfroto crappy light stands or my old Shure equivalents.

Did you hear the one about the Jew and the Italian recording engineers?
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:20 am

Great story!

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:00 am

Simmosonic wrote:

Do you think you would have done the same thing had you not known each other (either through this forum or other means)? Could it possibly have gotten ugly?

You know - I was kind of the outsider on this one, so I wouldn't have had an issue. However, if it weren't Remy, I would have expected some hostility and would have full on accepted it.

Had the tables been turned and it were my regular and someone else were on sight - I'd like to think I would have been a gentleman about it. Of course if it were Remy, I would have been no different than I was last night. If it was some snot-nosed little punk setting up his pair of AWESOME sm81s into his DAT or MiniDisc recorder...I probably would have been pissing and moaning under my breath the whole night.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:20 am

Do you guys wanna get a room or something? Wink

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:29 am

That happen to me once. I got there and somebody was already setup with their 414 omnis. I thought "good, I don't have to do this one!" The guy was wearing a life-alert pager so I decided to not rock the boat.

Were did you two go after the concert?

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:41 am

Nice...
"Help me...I've fallen and I can't get up. Oh...and I need a wider angle on my spaced pair..."

Like fools, we all stood outside in the 40some degree weather watching our breath turn to mist while talking excessively.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:14 pm

Very cool indeed.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:55 pm

Jeremy
What are the microphone stands you were using?

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:48 pm

The main stand was a JTL 20' light stand with a K&M articulated boom arm attached at the top allowing me easy forward and rearward mobility of the ribbon mic (with the mere 20" leg span that I was constrained to and 12' height, there was nary a sign of tippage).

The aux stands were AEA 15B stands.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:37 pm

Very cool. Big web - small world.

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:28 pm

The guy paid both of you.....without trying to get out of it?

This topic sponsored by: