Re: [ARSCLIST] Sibilance removal

[D Basson <wdbasson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Mike

Thanks very much for a very interesting reply!  The recordings were made in
MONO.   The album, which was released by Columbia, consists of Weill's
Berlin and American Theater Songs.

Regards

Diederick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Richter" <mrichter@xxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 7:52 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Sibilance removal


> At 09:20 AM 6/16/2004 -0500, Angie at Avocado Productions wrote:
> >Diederick,
> >
> >Using a de-esser is the easy answer.  A de-esser is simply a compressor
> >that only compresses a specific frequency band(s).  What
software/hardware
> >are you using to digitize?
> >
> >The above assumes your stylus is fresh and the turntable has been set-up
> >correctly. And that the recording was not originally supposed to be
sibilant.
>
> The recorrdings - at least those issued on Columbia in the U.S. - were
> supposed to be sibilant, reflecting the sound of her cabaret voice and
> close miking. Only with the Dreigroschenoper is there a reduction of the
> effect; even in Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, her voice stands
out
> from those of the rest of the cast for sibilance as well as for its unique
> character. Both of the compilation LPs of theater songs (one German, one
> American) have sibilance appropriate to her voice, though I don't know the
> stereo of Berlin songs. I suspect that for Dreigroschenoper stereo
dictated
> a change in mikes used and miking technique, thereby reducing the intended
> sibilance. (For example, compare with the ETV telecast in which her
> speaking voice is unique but not sibilant, but the sung segments which
> follow show the familiar sibilance even when singing with another.) I do
> note that her Telefunken 78s, show a markedly different voice from that of
> the Columbia years and one without excessive sibilance.
>
> If you are being asked to reduce a quality inherent in the voice and the
> recording, you will have to create a sound not intended originally. In
> doing so, your judgement will be taxed and you will probably be criticized
> as having removed too much and too little - one hopes by different people.
> Finally, I note that I am not familiar with the title "Lotte Lenya Album".
> Is it by any chance a compilation with pseudo-stereo? If so, all bets are
> off on creating an appropriate sound - de-esser or not. AFAIK, only the
> Dreigroschenoper was recorded in stereo.
>
>
> Mike
> --
> mrichter@xxxxxxx
> http://www.mrichter.com/
>
>