Recently got a CD with a fantastic classical guitar sound on it. In the back
of the liner notes it says:
This recording was made with 1/2 inch Analogue Dolby SR with DSD backup.
Newman KM 83 omni and AKG 414 microphones were used as sum and difference
pair.
The recording is a Solo Classical Guitar CD with John Williams name: El
Diablo Suelto.

What does this mean?
Is it OK to mix two kinds of microphones in one recording on the same song.
What about the "sum and difference pair" part?
What's 1/2 inch Analogue?

Thanks for any help.

IS.

This has GOT to be a joke. It is, isn't it? I sincerely hope the poster is
asking out of honest ignorance, and does not work in the recording industry. If
he does, he should be tarred and feathered and run out on a rail.


This recording was made with 1/2 inch analogue

An open-reel analog tape recorder, using 1/2" tape.

Dolby SR with DSD backup.

SR is "Spectral Recording," a noise-reduction system. DSD is direct-stream
digital, a Sony recording system used to master SACDs. (You're going to tell me
you don't know what that is, right?) Backup means a "safety" recording, "just in
case."


Newman KM 83 omni and AKG 414 microphones
were used as sum and difference pair.

One is omni, the other figure-8, the latter mounted above the former. Adding and
subtrating the mics' outputs produces the two stereo channels. This is an M-S
(middle-side) recording. See any book on miking techniques.


Is it OK to mix two kinds of microphones in one recording
on the same song?

Not unless they have similar colorations (or lack thereof), especially when they
are used in an M-S configuration.

What does the number of songs have to do with it?

"IS" wrote in message
y.com...
Recently got a CD with a fantastic classical guitar sound on it. In the
back
of the liner notes it says:
This recording was made with 1/2 inch Analogue Dolby SR with DSD backup.
Newman KM 83 omni and AKG 414 microphones were used as sum and difference
pair.
The recording is a Solo Classical Guitar CD with John Williams name: El
Diablo Suelto.

What does this mean?
Is it OK to mix two kinds of microphones in one recording on the same
song.
What about the "sum and difference pair" part?
What's 1/2 inch Analogue?

Thanks for any help.

IS.

While we get a lot of people here asking basic questions, and 'trolling' for
extreme reactions, when they very well know the answers already, I'll take a
chance that you are sincere and are really don't know much if anything about
pro audio equipment and techniques.

1/2 inch Analogue = an analog reel to reel tape machine that uses tape that
is 1/2" wide. Probably a 'half track' machine meaning each track of the
stereo pair takes up half of the tape width ( 1/4" each ). Generally the
more tape surface area you record a signal to the better. ( better signal to
noise ration, better fidelity, etc ) 1/2" half track machines tend to sound
very good.

Dolby SR = SR is the name of one of Dolby's noise reduction systems.
Considered the best by many to reduce tape hiss from analog tape with
minimally affecting the recorded signal.

DSD backup = I'm drawing a blank at the moment but I think DSD is a type of
digital recorder. Often engineers will record a safely backup, in particular
for live performances, in case something goes wrong with the primary
recording. That way they'll have at least captured the performance, even
though not nessesarily in the best way.

Newman = the brand name of this microphone manufacturer is actually spelled
'Neumann'

KM 83 = a model of a Neumann microphone. These are no longer made (
replaced by the KM183 ) but still highly sought after.

omni = the name of a particular pickup pattern some microphones have. An
omni microphone ( like the KM 83 ) will for the most part pickup sounds from
all dirrections equally. ( the pickup pattern of the KM83 can't be switched
to a different pattern. see below )

AKG = another microphone manufacturer.

414 = a model of microphone made by AKG. It's a multi pattern microphone.
It can be switched to omni, cardioid ( picks up mainly from the from of the
mic, not so much from the back ) and figure eight ( picks up from the front
and back but not much from the sides.).

microphones were used as sum and difference pair. = this is a particular
recording technique also refered to as M/S ( mid/side ). There are a few
variations on it but here I'll guess that the 414 was setup as figure eight
and positioned so that the pickup pattern was catching the sound coming from
the left and right of the performer and then the KM83 was placed directly
above or below the 414 and aimed directly at the performer. When played back
the recorded microphone signals are passed through a M/S matrix which
electrically subtracts the voltages of the two tracks from each other and
passes that 'difference' signal to say the left side of a stereo pair and at
the same time adds the two signals together and passes that 'sum' signal to
the right side of the stereo pair. This technique can create a very good
stereo representation of the performance and has advantages in certain
situations.


And a majority of recordings tend to have several different types of
microphones on them. Recording and mixing audio can be a lot like cooking /
baking. Each microphone tends to have it's own unique way of picking up
sound. The more similar sounds are the more difficult it is to make the
sounds individually distinguishable. Different microphones, microphone
preamplifiers and EQ ( tone control ) etc adds different flavors to a
recording and can make it more interesting. While it can really depend on
someones mood. A hot fudge sunday made with chocolate ice cream, hot fudge
and chocolate sprinkles could be pretty good ( sounds good to me! ) but a
hot fudge sunday made with french vanilla ice, hot fuge and sprinkled with
peanuts would be a more dynamic/interesting/exciting taste sensation.

You might like to read the rec.audio.pro FAQ to learn more about this group
and the basic tecniques of audio recording.
http://www.recaudiopro.net/faq/index.htm

This is all off the top of my head but if I got anything wrong most likely
someone will jump in and correct me.

Best of luck!

John L Rice


http://www.recaudiopro.net/faq/index.htm

William and John, thanks a lot for taking out the time and thoroughly answer
my question.
I know little about recording.
The performance side of the music has always, and will always be my thing.
That is why I spend years in a conservatory.

Thanks.

IS.


"IS" wrote in message
y.com...
Recently got a CD with a fantastic classical guitar sound on it. In the
back
of the liner notes it says:
This recording was made with 1/2 inch Analogue Dolby SR with DSD backup.
Newman KM 83 omni and AKG 414 microphones were used as sum and difference
pair.
The recording is a Solo Classical Guitar CD with John Williams name: El
Diablo Suelto.

What does this mean?
Is it OK to mix two kinds of microphones in one recording on the same
song.
What about the "sum and difference pair" part?
What's 1/2 inch Analogue?

Thanks for any help.

IS.

William and John, thanks a lot for taking out the time and thoroughly
answer
my question.

I appreciate your thoroughness (and any links) as well.
Paul Pinyot.