ORTF symphony recording at DVinfo.net

John Murphy · May 2nd, 2020, 03:56 PM

Hello everyone. I've been recording a large symphony for the last couple of years. Early on I choose the ORTF method for recording. 2 Rode NT1's into a Zoom F8n for the last performance. I never would have believed that the recordings are as good as they are. Mics are about 5 feet behind and 4 feet above the conductor.
I finally got permission to release a recording from a live performance. It is Dvorak's From the New World, M II, Largo. Allan R. Scott conducting the Helena Symphony Orchestra . Video and photography are from my archives. Sadly most have watched the video on cell phones. If you really want to listen might I humbly suggest headphones/speakers and a bigger screen!
Hope you enjoy.
j

vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040

Its a private video so you'll have to copy and paste the link. Sorry.

Paul R Johnson · May 3rd, 2020, 01:43 PM

That's quite nice to listen to, but it's also the reason why I never like the ORTF technique, as it sounds really nice on my studio monitors, but I first listened on my in ears on my laptop and on these, the classic hole in the middle is quite obvious. You can't detect it on speakers, and it gives that slightly exaggerated width.

The sound is quite full and for once, the audience managed to keep quiet!

A nice recording!

John Murphy · May 4th, 2020, 09:25 AM

Thank you Paul, a very nice review. I use headphones for recording of course but I mix and master only on my speakers. Your point about the hole in the middle is right on. On occasion we will have a soloist that I record with separate mic and channel. I generally put them near the middle of the stereo field. Gives me a really nice sound. j

Paul R Johnson · May 4th, 2020, 12:40 PM

I've stuck to X/Y with 90 degrees for this reason. It's a nice recording though - the definition is there, and lots of detail.

Andrew Smith · May 4th, 2020, 11:39 PM

Hi John,

I've copypasted that exact link and Vimeo tells me there is nothing there. Has anything changed?

Andrew

John Murphy · May 5th, 2020, 09:59 AM

vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040

Hi Andrew. Nothing has changed as far as I can tell. I just re-copied the link info direct from Vimeo. Hope that works. j

Andrew Smith · May 5th, 2020, 10:58 AM

No dice. Might be geographical restrictions also applying. (I'm in Australia.)

Andrew

John Murphy · May 5th, 2020, 10:04 PM

Bummer. I'm concerned others might be having the same issue.

Maybe this will work.

Donald McPherson · May 6th, 2020, 03:07 AM

https:// then vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040

I copied and pasted this to the https:// and it worked so it needs this at the front.

Andrew Smith · May 6th, 2020, 03:33 AM

I guess I'm just going to have to miss out, and I've tested it on more than one browser.

Andrew

Andrew Smith · May 6th, 2020, 03:36 AM

Just spotted that Donald updated his post re using an https connection. Neither http: or https: mode in the URL makes any difference for me, and non-secure HTTP is automatically redirected to a secure connection by Vimeo.

Andrew

Donald McPherson · May 6th, 2020, 05:12 AM

Andrew, at the top of web page you will see the web address starting with https:// now copy vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040 high lite everything after https:// then paste & go

this worked for me.

Andrew Smith · May 6th, 2020, 05:36 AM

Indeed that's what I did, to no success. Both http and https versions of the address do not work for me.

Andrew

Boyd Ostroff · May 6th, 2020, 07:03 AM

This link works for me, but it won't work when just pasted into a forum post. Some of the links above seem to have invisible charcters in them, preventing them from working. Try copying/pasting this into your browser address bar

Code:

https://vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040

Andrew Smith · May 6th, 2020, 07:40 AM

And it's a nope from me. Even if I type it in manually to avoid weird character set (unicode fun) issues.

Oh well.

Andrew

May 2nd, 2020, 03:56 PM	#1
John Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Helena, MT Posts: 94	ORTF symphony recording Hello everyone. I've been recording a large symphony for the last couple of years. Early on I choose the ORTF method for recording. 2 Rode NT1's into a Zoom F8n for the last performance. I never would have believed that the recordings are as good as they are. Mics are about 5 feet behind and 4 feet above the conductor. I finally got permission to release a recording from a live performance. It is Dvorak's From the New World, M II, Largo. Allan R. Scott conducting the Helena Symphony Orchestra . Video and photography are from my archives. Sadly most have watched the video on cell phones. If you really want to listen might I humbly suggest headphones/speakers and a bigger screen! Hope you enjoy. j vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040 Its a private video so you'll have to copy and paste the link. Sorry. Last edited by John Murphy; May 2nd, 2020 at 04:03 PM. Reason: link

May 3rd, 2020, 01:43 PM	#2
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: ORTF symphony recording That's quite nice to listen to, but it's also the reason why I never like the ORTF technique, as it sounds really nice on my studio monitors, but I first listened on my in ears on my laptop and on these, the classic hole in the middle is quite obvious. You can't detect it on speakers, and it gives that slightly exaggerated width. The sound is quite full and for once, the audience managed to keep quiet! A nice recording!

May 4th, 2020, 09:25 AM	#3
John Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Helena, MT Posts: 94	Re: ORTF symphony recording Thank you Paul, a very nice review. I use headphones for recording of course but I mix and master only on my speakers. Your point about the hole in the middle is right on. On occasion we will have a soloist that I record with separate mic and channel. I generally put them near the middle of the stereo field. Gives me a really nice sound. j

May 4th, 2020, 12:40 PM	#4
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: ORTF symphony recording I've stuck to X/Y with 90 degrees for this reason. It's a nice recording though - the definition is there, and lots of detail.

May 4th, 2020, 11:39 PM	#5
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	Re: ORTF symphony recording Hi John, I've copypasted that exact link and Vimeo tells me there is nothing there. Has anything changed? Andrew

May 5th, 2020, 09:59 AM	#6
John Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Helena, MT Posts: 94	Re: ORTF symphony recording vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040 Hi Andrew. Nothing has changed as far as I can tell. I just re-copied the link info direct from Vimeo. Hope that works. j

May 5th, 2020, 10:58 AM	#7
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	Re: ORTF symphony recording No dice. Might be geographical restrictions also applying. (I'm in Australia.) Andrew

May 5th, 2020, 10:04 PM	#8
John Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Helena, MT Posts: 94	Re: ORTF symphony recording Bummer. I'm concerned others might be having the same issue. Maybe this will work. DVORAK Symphony No. 9, Movement II - Largo on Vimeo

May 6th, 2020, 03:07 AM	#9
Donald McPherson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Aberdeen Scotland Posts: 815	Re: ORTF symphony recording https:// then vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040 I copied and pasted this to the https:// and it worked so it needs this at the front. __________________ A little knowledge goes a long way but not long enough. Last edited by Donald McPherson; May 6th, 2020 at 03:28 AM. Reason: defferent explanation

May 6th, 2020, 03:33 AM	#10
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	Re: ORTF symphony recording I guess I'm just going to have to miss out, and I've tested it on more than one browser. Andrew Attached Thumbnails

May 6th, 2020, 03:36 AM	#11
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	Re: ORTF symphony recording Just spotted that Donald updated his post re using an https connection. Neither http: or https: mode in the URL makes any difference for me, and non-secure HTTP is automatically redirected to a secure connection by Vimeo. Andrew

May 6th, 2020, 05:12 AM	#12
Donald McPherson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Aberdeen Scotland Posts: 815	Re: ORTF symphony recording Andrew, at the top of web page you will see the web address starting with https:// now copy vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040 high lite everything after https:// then paste & go this worked for me. __________________ A little knowledge goes a long way but not long enough.

May 6th, 2020, 05:36 AM	#13
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	Re: ORTF symphony recording Indeed that's what I did, to no success. Both http and https versions of the address do not work for me. Andrew

May 6th, 2020, 07:03 AM	#14
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Re: ORTF symphony recording This link works for me, but it won't work when just pasted into a forum post. Some of the links above seem to have invisible charcters in them, preventing them from working. Try copying/pasting this into your browser address bar Code: https://vimeo.com/410136994/b5a7463040

May 6th, 2020, 07:40 AM	#15
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	Re: ORTF symphony recording And it's a nope from me. Even if I type it in manually to avoid weird character set (unicode fun) issues. Oh well. Andrew