Music Lane

RE: Classical music listening issue - high strings

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josh358

P

In Reply to: RE: Classical music listening issue - high strings posted by jult52 on June 28, 2012 at 10:22:01

Screechy violins are common in poorly recorded orchestral performances. The problem occurs because the radiation pattern of a violin is directional -- different frequency ranges radiate in different directions. So if violin sections are miked close and overhead, they sound screechy.

Unfortunately, there's no good solution: you have either to stick to well made recordings or equalize, and after the recording has been mixed if you EQ the violins you'll damage everything else. Some recordings are so offensive that I find I have to do that just to make them listenable.

Follow Ups:

Josh - as always I appreciate your comments. - jult52 09:08:30 07/02/12 (1)
I have a Charles Mackerras Haydn recording on Telarc which is single miked which I will use as a test case. A lack of screechiness from a mike far away wouldn't resolve the issue, but it would support your argument.
- RE: Josh - as always I appreciate your comments. - josh358 10:19:06 07/02/12 (0)
  I've never heard that in simply miked recordings. Even most simply-miked recordings are too hot, since they use forward-facing cardioids, and put them at the front of the stage, rather than in the audience. But they don't seem to suffer from the screech effect.
  
  BTW, I have to give credit where credit is due -- this isn't my own theory, it's something I read about elsewhere. Not sure if I first saw it in Toole, or first read about it somewhere. But if I recall correctly there's an AES paper on it somewhere. The problem *can* be avoided with even a closely-miked recording, by equalizing the strings, which is why not all of them are screechy. It's possible that some mixes are better than others, since an LP mix forex might be made with EQ on the violins but the CD mix without, it's going to depend on the knowledge of the mixer and the desire of the producers.
  
  Another thing that bothers me about some recordings is that the strings are often pushed up in level so that they outshout the rest of the orchestra. Composers knew that the strings weren't the loudest instruments and brought in the more raucous ones when they wanted a climax. IMO, pushing up the strings distorts the music, but it seems that some conductors prefer the sound that way, just as some prefer a podium perspective.
Parametric EQ - Bob Stern 00:11:29 06/30/12 (1)
My Metric Halo DAC has parametric EQ.

I find that a dip of 2 dB centered at 3.5 to 4 KHz tames screechy violins but does not rob the music of air like the high frequency shelf of a typical treble control.

In practice, I use different values for the amount of dip (dB) and the center frequency for different recordings. After a while, you gain a knack for choosing the best values.
- RE: Parametric EQ - josh358 07:26:29 06/30/12 (0)
  That sounds about right. The precise frequency presumably depends on where they put the mic:
  
  Unfortunately, you can't bring the violins down without affecting the other instruments. But you're probably getting better results than I am since I do it with a graphic rather than a parametric EQ so I don't have precise control over the center frequency. I'll have to try it your way.

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