[WillStG]

On Jun 14, 7:18 pm, "geoff" wrote:
Arkansan Raider wrote:

I am no expert engineer, only a fair-to-middling vocalist with a li'l
bit of home and project recording experience, so I'm openly theorizing
on somewhat dangerous religious turf. However, it seems to me that the
more of the environment is allowed onto "tape," the less the digital
sterility is that kind of an issue--to a degree, of course.

'Digital sterility' is accuracy.

The OP is actually hearing more what the audience hears rather than the
complex (and evidently flawed) perception they they receive while
performing.

Taope versus digital is a distraction, and totally unrelated to the issue
raised.

'Studios' do nnot need to be 'sterile'.That is not the issue. The issue was
that the OP was imagining that digital recording was somehow making some of
his performers inotonation to be out. If they were all out, they would have
been in tune !

I agree that recording is the best way to review a performance,
and until a performer records they often have no clear objective sense
of how they really did. However the dichotomy between what is
pleasing and considered harmonious live vs. when recorded - even to
ears that are trained to listen for intonation - is a consistent,
sometimes startling reality. I think it fair to say that what we
experience listening to a live performance is only partially captured
in the recording process.

Digital recording is pretty good, sure. Perfect? I don't think
so. What would be more perfect? Well...

My thinking is if recording was more perfectly captured digitally,
one should be able to identify as objects in software every instrument
in a symphony, and the notes they played, and then one should then be
able to manipulate them in pitch and time. Perhaps one would also be
able to tie each instrument object to a graphic animation of that
instrument. With individual tracks this is to some degree now
possible, but why not with mixed tracks? Partially dsp, programming,
and the ability to model instruments in software for identification.
But also I think, because there is a level of detail lacking in
complex digitized information, a certain lack of detail in the
separation between sources and the interaction between sources.

Ok, I could be wrong. maybe we will eventually be able to work such
magic with no change in how we record digitally. That the new
Melodyne can edit polyphonic material is incredible. But in 20 years
do you think we'll still be recording at 24/96 and mixing on a PC with
a 64 bit buss? I don't think so.

Will Miho
NY TV/Audio Post/Music/Live Sound Guy
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits