Orchestral Music Production
Laurene Arrison
"I began playing the piano when I was quite young and eventually reached the stage where I was giving concerts. But once I married and had children, earning a living became more important and I took up teaching because it was more lucrative.
It wasn't until I married my second husband, the composer and cimbalom player John Leach, that I began to learn about recording. He often worked in a studio environment and I used to go along and watch the engineer balance the sound and mix as they went along. It was very basic then, because this was during the 1960s and the technology was quite simple, but it gave me an insight into what was possible.
John and I worked together on some film music and we also did some concerts, but after our marriage broke down I stopped playing in public until I met David. He loved recording, even though at that stage it was more a hobby than a job. Initially he recorded only friends, but as the equipment he bought got better and better, demand for his engineering skills grew and recording became his work. I went along to help and ended up acting as producer and musical director. I also handle all the editing.
As a producer of classical music, the most important thing you have to learn is how to listen to each take so that you end up with a cohesive result that sounds like one marvellous performance. At first I listened as a pianist and would groan at each mistake, but then I learned to listen as a producer and to know what could be fixed at the editing stage and what couldn't. I note down each bar and mark every little mistake, making sure that every part of the music is covered so that we have it all on tape. Then I take the DAT tapes home, play them through and edit them on a Sound Maestro system so that I get a seamless result.
My role is also to help and encourage the artist, because they can sometimes get into such a frightful state that they find it hard to play as they want to. I calm them down, get them to relax, and run through the piece as a practice. The tape is still running but we don't necessarily tell them that, and often those practice takes end up on the finished CD because they sound so natural and perfect.
It is very important that you know the music you are recording, because the one thing you must do with classical pieces is stay true to the music. For example, if you are recording the Debussy Preludes you have to know them even if you can't actually play them. You have to do your homework so that you are aware if there are mistakes.
With the majority of classical recording, you're not working in a soundproof environment like a studio, so you have to watch out for external sounds, like creaky floorboards and planes flying over. One can record in a studio, but I find that the sound is a bit unreal because it is so dead and blank.
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Traditionally the composer, arranger and conductor (who may all be one person) determine the balance between the sections of instruments and sections of the music. Compression during recording could override this and change the balance. However, due to the enormous dynamic range of an orchestra I would think that some form of limiting would be required during recording.
With orchestras my thoughts on compression would be the same as it would for recording anything else. Does a certain element require compression (Eq or whatever) then apply as necessary. If it doesn't Don't.
I personally hate how most classical music is recorded as "it supposedly sounds live", which is utter nonsense since what makes an orchestra live so incredible is 100 individual sources working as one, and the dynamic range of the reproduction system (the orchestra itself) actually being able to reproduce said dynamic range.
If you downscale a "multivoice instrument" to a drum-set, which is also a "single instrument" kinda like orchestra, yet to achieve a nice recording sound that fits the music you jump through hoops processing separate microphones to get there.
Most of it will be played back on s#!+ systems that wont push over 80dB in any respectful listening environment, which is plenty below what a full symphonic orchestra can blow out on a good day. And even great listening systems in controlled rooms are never pushed to intensities orchestra produces.
This is piano, but considering "traditional" piano recording its over-compressed as f*%@ - and compressor is used more as a "coloring" and "perceived dynamics" tool than a necessary dynamic processing tool, and i think it's wonderful.
I absolutely agree with Alan Shields - you should be absolutely careful with traditional orchestral recordings and mixes - especially if you're hired and expected to do such a thing.
On the other hand i also believe most of those recordings sound like s#!+ compared to the real thing and are just a bad imitation of it - instead of being an awesome augmentation that stands it own ground and is an art piece on itself, where producer and engineer left their stamp, like they do on other kinds of music. But i'm a heretic in that regard and voicing a really unpopular opinion here.
I have never compressed trailer music, even the epic stuff. Honestly though, I don't know what happens when I send the raw stems to the editors. But in general, even the lower budget stuff that I submit final tracks to, there is no compression (or very little). If anything, it's on the tracks that have huge percussion parts.
There was zero compression or limiting. I am pretty sure there wasn't a single dynamic processor in the studio, plugged or unplugged. The idea was to stay "pure" and as close as possible to the live sound.
Ploki makes an interesting point though. Is being closer to reality really more realistic? Would you favor reality or realism? Or are you not even concerned with realism in the first place? What is the goal, fidelity, or emotion? After all, we edited the s#!+ out of the recording, the orchestra never played more than 3 bars in a row. I heard it's even worse with operas. Because who wants to listen to a recording where every single time the clarinet plays that note it quacks slightly, or it's just a little fast, or... things that would be okay in a concert situation where you'll hear the performance only once become unacceptable on a recording that you're going to play over and over.
So if it's okay for editing, why not for mixing? And after all, you're not in the same conditions anyway. Well, that's more an more true today. Back then we would purchase very expensive HiFi components, take care of the acoustic of the room, the position of the speakers, sit on the floor, and listen to the whole album uninterrupted. Kinda like watching a movie. I wonder how many people still do that today. I know I don't.
Also glad you liked the track; I highly recommend the whole album from the linked track (also available on apple music), lots of interesting compositions and very well performed, recorded and rounded as an album.
Looking for an organic orchestral sound? I'm your guy :) I've composed & orchestrated music for Disney, Pixar, the San Francisco Symphony, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and many more. This is what I live for and I find absolute joy in helping people take their projects to the next level.
Contributing Composer to 5 Grammy Award winning albums, BMI Pop and Hip Hop Award Winning Writer, and Orchestral Arranger that has worked with industry leaders such as Kesha, Macklemore, Leslie Odom Jr., Seattle Symphony, Sony BMG, as well as film scores, TV and commercials with clients like Grey's Anatomy, New York Times, and Bob's Burgers.
Award-winning composer specializing in Orchestral Arrangement. Scored over 2000 projects including feature films, advertisements, theatrical productions, and dozens of internationally recognized artists
My passion lies in creating unique and captivating orchestral soundscapes for a wide range of mediums, from songs and video games to commercials, films, and music theatre. I am Diego, a Music Orchestrator, Arranger, and Music Engraver and I am here to help bring your musical vision to life.
Hello and greetings,My name is Amit Poznansky. I am an award-winning, experienced composer / arranger of film and television scores, concert, choral and jazz music. I'm also an experienced orchestrator & mock-up artist in a variety of music genres. My works have been performed worldwide, including at Carnegie Hall (NYC) and Disney Hall (LA).
I'm a composer, producer, and commercial video director based in San Diego. Most days for me are split between composing/producing original music as well as custom scores for short films, commercials, etc.
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I honor the Master of Darkness by submitting music with Satanic influences to all my commissioners....not true, haha! - but that got your attention.I am a composer who is well versed in orchestral works, having studied piano and violin myself. Nowadays I mostly compose for the media and videogames, but I also design the odd sound effect too.
Studied Guitar at the HKA in Arnhem/NL from 1998 to 2003. Since then working as Composer for all kinds of clients, ranging from small local businesses, agencies, internet podcasts and websites to industry leading companies such as VW, TUI, JAMBA! and many more. Well versed in a wide array of musical styles.