There's plenty of music and tons of sound below 50Hz. The lowest note on a 4 string bass guitar is 41Hz. The increasingly popular 5 string bass guitar is even lower. Synthesizers, a ubiquitous instrument in modern pop/rock, can go well down past 50Hz. Also below 50Hz is the sonic signature of mid to large sized recording venues. This information is essential for proper soundstaging. IMO, a speaker should be able to go down to around 32Hz to be considered fully bass capable.
Showing 4 responses by onhwy61
This is a link to an article in the current Mix magazine regarding how engineers record piano. Of particular interest should be the comments by Tony Faulkner. |
Eldartford, recording for pop/rock music imposes a different set of priorites than for classical or even jazz. Instrument separation is one of the key factors. You don't want the sound of another instrument bleeding into the piano's microphones. If it did, it would hamper the mix down to stereo process. In a small or medium sized studio this presents some problems. If you have access, take a look at photos of Phil Spector, Aretha Franklin, any Motown or Chess recording sessions and take note of how close together the musicians are positioned. One of the solutions to the separation problem is to place the microphones within the piano and close the lid. It won't sound like a real piano, but in most pop/rock mixes the piano isn't "naked" , but instead placed deep within the mix. Any of the classic Elton John tracks is an example of this technique. The engineers placed the microphone(s) inside the piano and covered the piano with several heavy moving blankets. |