tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044807434418608139.post8932932444600309378..comments2023-07-20T20:48:38.303-05:00Comments on Wirebender Audio Rants: Who Thought This Was A Good Idea?T.W. Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044807434418608139.post-8145286198851331562010-02-08T18:49:55.374-06:002010-02-08T18:49:55.374-06:00I've never liked pop orchestras' rendition...I've never liked pop orchestras' renditions of metal music. I remember hearing Fieldler and the Boston Pops rendition of Rock shit when we worked at Valmont, & I thought it was silly then, too. Unless someone can pull it off as good as the Crusaders & the London Symphony Orchestra, it's not worth even attempting. <br /><br />"Havens claims that his Queen impersonator "Las Vegas star Brody Dolyn" was a perfect clone of Freddy Mercury..." Obviously Havens must have meant that his clone was as gracious at taking it in the ass. Sounds as if the sound man gave it to everyone up the ass. <br /><br />I feel your pain, but must gloat. I've only heard one good classical concert since I moved from the OC, 7 years ago, where I had 7th row season tickets to the Pacific symphony Orchestra, dead in front of the first violins, at the Seagerstrom Concert Hall. <br /><br />I loved the Pacific Symphony Orchestra and Carl Sinclair, on Thursdays, even though their classical Saturday concerts were dumbed down for OC morons, complete with lame expainations between movements--no shit! But the Thursday night concerts were superb. Steph and I loved every one of them. <br /><br />I knew that when I came to LA I'd never be able to afford the same kind of incredible seats, so I didn't even try. <br /><br />However, last week I thought I'd take a chance again. I went to our local conservatory music school, the Colburn, in downtown LA right next to the Museum of Contemporary Art. I'd never seen a performance there, but I knew it was an OK auditorium, because years ago I heard a lecture there by architecture and sculpture buddies Frank Gehry and Richard Sera. <br /><br />So when I got to the free concert just before it started, I was delighted that they directed me to the FRONT ROW, three feet from the third and second violins. I hadn't heard a symphony from the front row since one of those Saturday concerts in the OC, but since I had been in front of the double-basses, the mix sucked. It was still really interesting, as 6 Double Basses really rock, but there's no way I'd want to hear every concert like that, since many instrument sections were just drowned out from the mix in my seat. <br /><br />But this front row seat at Zipper auditorium in the Colburn was different. I could still hear every instrument in the 60 piece orchestra, and I didn't mind much that the second and third violins were up higher in my mix. It was really fun to hear all those subtle background arrangements in such clear and distinct "surround sound". It was really nice to be able to listen to each individual second or third violinist's playing so critically, becuase of the wide imaging spread. In the first row, I don't think I even heard any PA at all, expcept for the bassoon and clarinet solos in the great piece by Richard Strauss. I had never heard this before, but the contrast between the sweet sound of the incredible clarinetist (I normally hate clarinet sounds) and the complimentary mellow tambre of the bassoon were so mesmerizing. For that piece and the Bethoven Op. 25, the entire orchestra sounded great, and I didn't even mind having the Tympanis up 15 dB too loud (they were ten feet in front of me). <br /><br />I guess I might be able to get a recording, of the performance, too, if I talk to the engineer.<br /><br />I'm so glad to have found out the secret about this school. I can't wait to hear the cello recital tonight at the Colburn. <br /><br />BradAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com