I was invited by IAA guys in the Acoustics Analysis Inc forum to participate in a live recording project – a HUGE project – to record the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra live recordnig at CCP
for more pictures click here

Two days of great experience with like minded invdividuals – all in pursuit of great sounding recordings. I was tasked to assist in putting up the microphones and also helped in line checking/leveling – but for the most part I was just awed listening to this type of music “live” and off the KRK V8 monitors.

A rundown of the technology and gear behind the music.

• Console: Yamaha O2R
• Preamps: 8 channels via Yamaha O2R, ART 2-channel, ART MPA Gold 2-channels, Neve 1073DP 2 channels
• Recorder: Alesis Hard Disk recorder set to 24 bit 44.1Khz
• Microphones: DPA pencil condensers, AKG C414’s, a bunch of RODE’s from NT1, NT2, NT4, NT2000, EV RE-20, and a Neumann U87

That was it, pretty straightforward. Just a clean signal chain to capture the wide dynamic range of the chosen piece “Shostakovich ‘s Fifth Symphony” – and by wide dynamic range I mean from whisper quiet passages to really loud banging of kettle drums, cymbals, percussion and all instruments going FORTISSIMO! Sweet!

Gear was supplied by Forerunner Technologies, sweetspot audio and Martin Galan lent his AKG C414, too.

Mike Pedero of Tracks Recording Studios had his own recording setup. Only two mics (matched pair of AKG 451’s) in XY configuration pointed up (almost to the ceiling) . He had the mics going to a TL Audio 4 channel tube preamp then straight to a TASCAM DAT – with a parallel signal going to a SONY portable DAT. Sweet!

Tags: Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra , Orchestra recording, CCP