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CJ Trinity Sessions, Rumor or Real Deal?

I have been exposed to the following two items concerning the Cowboy Junkie's "Trinity Sessions" offering and wanted to see what you ladies and gentleman thought about this.

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[1]"There has been a story going around that the female vocal solo on this is not a female at all but a Klipsch speaker. Story goes: the session is CalrecSoundfield one point miked but the singer has not enough projection to be heard in a one point mike setup where everyone is fairly far from the mikes so they let the singer sing through a separate mike plus speaker to preserve spatial integrity. If this is true the REAL test of resolution of your system(and your ears) is whether you noticed or whether you bought the is- it- live- or- is- it- Klipsch item."

[also:]

[2]"a few weeks ago, the local NPR station was playing a cowboy junkies interview which explained why. they said that the vocals for the trinity sessions were done by margo singing into a seperate mic, which was hooked to a PA speaker which played towards the ambisonic mics. they weren't happy with how the vocals sounded with her just singing at the ambisonic mics."
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What do you think? I don't own this disc, but have a couple of cuts on a CDR. Interesting, no?

Charlie

Charlie
danvetc
13 responses Add your response
garfish
1,840 posts
 
Charlie ol' Bud, I think both points 1 and 2 (above) are probably horse manure, and being a vet you should know about that:>). But true or not, "The Trinity Session" is an excellent CD and you should acquire it. Trk #1 was left with heavy tape hiss/static-- don't know why(?), but the rest of the tracks are truly Margo Timmins-- and at her best. Cheers and Happy Holidays. Craig
paulwp
585 posts
 
Sorry Craig, but the stories are true and correspond with my own appraisal of the vocals on the lp (dont have the cd -wouldn't buy it , but probably wouldn't throw it out if someone gave it to me). Except for the vocals, the recording is very good and interesting because of the rendering of the cavernous soundstage and all the strange background noises. But the vocals are overly sibilant, coarsely sibilant and two dimensional. Not solid, not palpable and not real. In contrast with almost every other record of a female vocalist I have, including audiophile favorite "Famous Blue Raincoat." I know what a woman singing in my presence should sound like. So I believe the story.

Charlie, you shouldnt have. (Someone we know told us the story in the first place and I found the bit about the NPR interview in a Deja.com search.)
danvetc OP
527 posts
 
Paul, I knew I was going to get on Craig's "naughty list" for even mentioning this. I was trying to spare you the ashes and coal treatment.

Craig, I hope you did not take this as some sort of proposal that Trinity Sessions is somehow now illegitimate or poor. It doesn't. Enjoy as always! It is interesting to note, however, if we can recognize recording manipulations. I must admit that the couple of cuts I heard did not stand out in my mind's eye other than to recognize Margo Timms unique vocal style.

Happy Holidays,

Charlie
creeper
251 posts
 
So what's the story with "Whites Off Earth Now"? It was supposed to have been recorded with the same single mike/2 track digital recorder technique, only in a studio instead of a church. I was listening to this album just last night and noticed how Margo's voice sounded manipulated. I have seen the Junkies in concert several times and know what Margo's voice sounds like. Neither of these two ablums really captured her voice. None the less, they are both interesting recordings.

Erik
garfish
1,840 posts
 
......if true-- GOOD GRIEF, and thank the good lord for my lousy hearing-- I like The Trinity Session. Cheers anyway guys. Craig
ramstl
342 posts
 
The information about the recording is correct, from what I have read and heard about the Trinity sessions, which I think is a church in Toronto Canada. However, I'm not sure what type of P.A. speaker was used.

It was recorded direct to 2 track DAT. The hissing sound is not tape hiss, which you wouldn't get from digital, but rather the air-condition unit.

The idea is not so much "true to timbre" vocals but an accoustic 3 dementional recreation of the actual event. Which, although dated, still is very,very good. That, couple with great songs, makes this a must have for anyone who visits this site.

BTW, the "Junkies" allow audience taping, so there are a lot of Trinity "like" recordings out there. The only problem
is that the soundman can, at times, be a little heavy handed with the bass.

In response to this, I would be willing to burn someone a "Junkies" show if they will do the same for someone else. The first one who responds with the correct answer to this question will be the lucky winner:

What was the brand of mics used for the classic Mercury tree recordings and who was the main engineer responsible for the recordings?
danvetc OP
527 posts
 
Blumlein
garfish
1,840 posts
 
This has been an interesting thread Charlie, but to tell the truth, I'm glad I don't know much about recording techniques. That said, I'm also glad that Paulwp and Ramstl do. Cheers and Happy Holidays. Craig
paulwp
585 posts
 
Hmm. Don't know what that canme from. I know nothing whatsoever about recording techniques, only passed on something I found in a Deja.com search and related my own observations from totally unscientific sighted listening.

Paul
snook2's avatar
snook2
626 posts
 
Great thread. I posted way back that the Trinity Sessions was one of the most horrible recordings for such a popular audiogon band.Thanks Danvec for the homework. Does Margo have any recordings other than the Junkies? Would love to hear her voice right
ramstl
342 posts
 
Danvect,

Nice try, but I wasn't talking mic'ing confiquration but the brand of mic's used. Also, who was the engineer.BTW Danvect, if no one else takes a stab at it or gets it right since you were the first response you win.

Come on guys and gals. I'm sure you like the Junkies and I have a few great recordings. The question isn't too hard is it?

I will be on vacation until the 2nd of 2002. So don't worry if you get it right and don't hear a response from me until then. I'm good for it. Just ask those that I have hipped to other live recordings.

Have a great New Year!
creeper
251 posts
 
Ramstl,

I'm going to guess the mic's used were Neumann's, maybe the KM56, M49, KM53, or most likely the M50. These mikes were all tried for the "Decca Tree" recording technique, developed by Arthur Haddy and Kenneth Wilkinson.
paulwp
585 posts
 
Ramstl, Telefunken 201 used by Robert Fine.
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