brass bands

[Beechwoods]

I know this is probably considered sacrilegious amongst both brass fans and hi-fi aficionados, but I'm amongst friends so here goes...



It's actually a rather wonderful collection of Carole King, Melanie and - the reason I bought it, from the States, for more postage than it cost to buy the actual item - Laura Nyro, 'their best songs in Brass'. It's an 8-track, but NOS and plays nicely on my Realistic 8-track deck, albeit 8-track often sounds compressed even on a decent player.

There's lots of good - odd - cover stuff out there from the 70's. I've another Laura Nyro album of arrangements by Ron Frangipane which is very brass orientated.



This is the one that I'm looking forward to hearing on my Lenco when it's finished.

Laura's music, coming out of the Brill Building sound, was always big on brass. The reel to reels I have of her stuff sound better than the CDs as far as the brass is concerned - analogue handles it better IMO.

[Spectral Morn]

Hi guys

Thank you. Just after suggesting norm come to AOS, I felt that gif was a bit off putting for someone who is a complete forum virgin. I thank you on his behalf for your kind response, boy this place is so much nicer than that other place. I think that many people react badly to Brass music. I must admit the first time I heard norm's music. My first thought was to get up and flee, this was a bit of a problem as I was in his house to help him find a system to suit a genre of music I knew nothing about except for a prejudice against it. Well with a lot of visits to norms house he has begun to break down that dislike I had. The power and majesty and emotion that this music can create is amazing. Norm has a great ear for how instruments should sound. I must confess to not being able to do this with brass(anything else yes but not brass).

The ability of a system to do this right is no mean feat and I will leave it to norm to discuss this on the forum but I think he is hoping to find a kindred spirit or two here ? as I have with john(who likes similar stuff to me).

Regards and best wishes D S D L

[Beechwoods]

It's certainly an interesting area. I've got jazz stuff - sax, primarily, which sounds fine, but it's the more 'big band' sound that seems to stretch. I guess it's reeds versus horns and the horns are the challenging bit. Be interested to hear Norm's thoughts, and a bit about what variety of brass he's into - all brass not being the same

[Spectral Morn]

This is norm's passion, his love and I am sure he will love to teach us about it.

Regards D S D L

[pure sound]

Last year I was asked by my sister in law, who runs choirs, to record a concert one of those choirs was giving in a nice, quite large church in Portishead. Also on the 'bill' was a young solo pianist and the Portishead town band. I used a pair of crossed AKG C3000B's directly into a Tascam CD recorder flown about 9 ft up in the air just in front of the centre of the stage.

the band were capable (especially in the front row) of developing tremendous dynamic swings.

Ther only thing I've heard that is capable of reproducing most of what was recorded are the horn speakers I use. Everything else tends to fall apart long before reaching the levels the band were playing at. Not just that the tone of the instruments gets altered significantly too.

Such music really is a serious challenge & its handy to have recordings you were actually at to make reference to.

Even a relatively cheap pair of microphones and a simple CD Recorder can give surprisingly good results.

[Andy831]

Living in the Lancashire/ Yorkshire border region, brass bands are almost a way of life. Most of the collierys used to have a brass band associated with them (and still do) Almost every village or small town also has its own brass band.

From a personal viewpoint its a sound I generally like, its always a sound that "feels like home"

What I dislike about brass is when it is used to play a classical symphony or modern popular music, for me it just does not do it, however well thought out "brass music" composed by people from a brass band background for me can be a fantastic sound, dynamic, moody, gentle or full balls out!!!! .....its just a good sound and so difficult to reproduce with an real accuracy

[Colinx]

For general tone of Brass, rather than the full on band sound try the Dennis Brain recordings of the Mozart Horn Concertos. For full on brass band anything from the 70's and 80's issues from Briggus, GUS,or Black Dyke that is more band than popular or classical centric. Any system that can keep the edge of brass, without the forced ''sparkle'' (screech?), and highlight a soprano cornet without setting your teeth on edge has something going for it.

(former tenor horn and soprano player- long since lost the lip)

[Mike]

The administrator has decided that Colin should be quiet for a while.

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Can someone explain please?

[Togil]

What I dislike about brass is when it is used to play a classical symphony or modern popular music, for me it just does not do it, however well thought out "brass music" composed by people from a brass band background for me can be a fantastic sound, dynamic, moody, gentle or full balls out!!!! .....its just a good sound and so difficult to reproduce with an real accuracy

I love the sound of the Beethoven Funeral March at the Whitehall Remembrance Sunday ceremony though.

My Quads, in spite of the dB limitations, are excellent at reproducing brass band.

[Marco]

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Can someone explain please?

Why not ask Colin?

Marco.