4 Part Music Blog

On Saturday we recorded the Nelson Recorder Trio. This is our first collaboration with the trio and the first time we had been given the opportunity to record this type of ensemble.  As such we had to make sure we were fully prepared and perhaps in hindsight we did go rather over the top setting up 16 channels of microphones to record 3 instruments!  However, the trouble is we only get one chance to record so better to be safe than sorry!

The session lasted just shy of 3 hours with a short break in the middle for coffee and cake (well there’s always cake involved!).  Our plan is to edit the various takes next weekend and produce an approval disc by the middle of the following week.

Whilst we were at the Magdalen Chapel with the microphones set up I took the opportunity to do a little recording on the organ with the Chapel organist Dr Robert Anderson.  We have committed to produce a joint CD to raise funds for the chapel but it’s proving somewhat harder than we had originally anticipated!  More on that later…

Only 2 days to go until our next recording of the Nelson recorder trio who are based in our hometown of Bath.

We have been planning this recording since about September last year when we carried out a test recording to explore suitable venues. In the end the venue chosen was the Magdalen Chapel in Bath where, incidentally, I am the organist. Initial concerns from the musicians were expressed due to the fact that the chapel is carpeted. For this reason we carried out a free of charge test recording to see if the venue was suitable.

The test recording was also a good opportunity for us to understand the instruments we were to be recording. The most obvious feature of recorders is they are considerably quieter than a lot of instruments. The biggest challenge for this is not our ability to record but more to ensure the venue is as quiet as possible.