Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Matthew Engel, Pieper Plant Rig Test

T02-14
The expression of space on the right side (within the parameters of 1-4) is perhaps the most profound in this recording because the parallel boundary makes for a soft division of both sides of the sound field. But the right side is the most dynamic because of the ample space for the sound to bounce off the wood surface of the walls to the mics as they record. Unlike the left side, which has a particular amount of dampening because of the car and out reaching square angled space, the left lacks a larger amount of reverb on the clank then the right. This boundary seems more able to define that there is something of an obstruction on the left then on the right. The same can be said of test 06 Station 9 which I have listed in this as another of my favorite recordings because of its forward position in the test. But this rigs center rear placement seems to be amply adequate to capture the defining space of rig test.

T06-09
As mentioned before about this rig, its placement farther forward then most of the other rigs, has put it in a sort of better but perhaps more deranged position of recording the space. I say deranged because it sort of distorts a bit the idea of what this place sounds like because of its unique positioning so close to the 12-point and its direction facing at 10/11 and ½ on the clock points. The most interesting point about this rig is that points 8 and 4 sound so seemingly distant then any of the other clanks making this truly sound distorted compared with the other rigs in the test. This test adds a greater dimension to the sounds space then any of the other rigs that it sort of helps to define something totally different then a lot of the other tests.

T03-10
This test was simply divided, literally as it has very little cross over sound appearing in both mics. It is very simply extreme left, and extreme right, thanks to the baffle. But these extreme channels come through so clear that it real helps to define the specifics of the space better then a lot of the rigs, simply because the sound decay is not a reverb of the sound hitting the opposite side of the room and hitting the opposite mic, it is simply side for side sound. So you as a listener are able to truly get the best feel for the space being recorded. Also it maintained the direct sound from the side it was coming from so it was a lot easier to judge the distance of the clank to the mic, which helps in deciding the distance from the very left to the very right.

2 comments:

Rob D. said...

You're calling my rig deranged!!!

Rob D. said...

Re: Matthew Engel, Pieper Plant Rig Test

Hi Matt--

I think I can hear the spatialization qualities you describe in the Parallel Boundary rig with 1" insets.

How about the physical shape of the Double Triangle PZM Rig rig in explaining why the 8 o-clock to 10 o-clock and 2 o-clock to 4 o-clock strikes are lower in volume? Aren't all of the DIRECT sound waves from those positions blocked by the rig's boundaries? I believe this rig design is supposed to have these traits-- that is be more "directiional."

With the 13" spread, front-facing baffled rig, does the very first, 8 o-clock strike sound like its acoming from the 12 o-clock position to you? Rob D.