String Duo

[Marko]

 This is a short piece for violin and viola. Give it a listen if you will and let me know what you think about the mix in particular.

[URL=http://www.planetcanadice.com/Music/StringDuo_MDrost.mp3]String Duo[/URL]

I just got Altiverb working with VE, but I haven't done much in terms of tweaking. I used a Vienna Konzert Hall setting in Altiverb and gave an instance of Altiverb to each instrument. If you have any tips or suggestions for mixing with Altiverb and VE I'd like to hear them.

I'm usually rather restrained with reverb applications, but I fell in love with this concert hall setting.

Marko

[jbm]

Nice work! It kind of reminded me of Tippett, at points. Man, those solo strings really are amazing. I think it's a bit wet for my liking, but it does work quite well. I would maybe try some smaller halls, or closer mic positions. I also wonder about tweaking some of the dynamics a little in some of the fast runs - just to give a bit more of a sense of phrasing (little accents here and there). You might also try just one Altiverb (not two), on a send, for both instruments.

Good writing, though. Congrats!

J.

[Marko]

Thanks John. I ended up posting a much drier version.

If I used Altiverb on just one send, wouldn't the sound be more mushy and lacking in stereo dimension? Why shouldn't I try to use one Altiverb insert per instrument in VE? I am eager to know your opinion on this.

Another question: I used an instance of altiverb for each instrument here. What should I do with the master track in VE? Do I route both instruments to the master? Do I use any reverb on that master track? How would I get the best sounding mix in terms of routing the audio in VE? Assume that I am using just two instruments.

I'd appreciate your thoughts on this.

Thanks.

Marko

[jbm]

@Marko said:

If I used Altiverb on just one send, wouldn't the sound be more mushy and lacking in stereo dimension?

I guess I see your point here... But with a violin duet, in a conventional space, you really wouldn't have any stereo separation to speak of, so I think it would have a more "realistic" sound with a single Altiverb.

For a duet of instruments (like violins) that can, and would normally, stand quite close together, I would actually just put the AV on the Master track, and mute the direct signal. Then it would just be a matter of finding a space that suited the sound I was after. On the other hand, if the duet were something like piano and percussion, then I could certainly imagine it taking much more stage space, so I'd probably use two AVs, as you've done.

Hope this helps. And, of course, it's just my opinion.

Oh, and it's James, by the way. I guess the single initial "J." threw you off... what, you're not psychic? 😉

J.

[jbm]

...errr, actually... I kind of take back that last statement. For a piano/percussion duet I may still use a single altiverb... Not sure, I'd have to be doing a mix for piano and percussion! ;-)

To me, the point about altiverb is that you should only really need to open an extra instance when there's something about the *reverberation* produced by an instrument or group that is unique enough to warrant another instance. Mostly, that would be whether the instrument is upstage or downstage. The power panning works very well for panning and width tweaking. So, if you had a bunch of percussion instruments upstage, and strings or something downstage, I'd probably use two altiverbs. That's how I tend to think of it anyway... But there are loads of orchestral mix experts lurking on this forum who may disagree!

cheers,

J.