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editor’s couch
Remembering Buddy Rich With The Roland R-26 & Sony ECM-999PR Portable Digital Recording System In Issue 158, July/August 2011, I shared with our readers a concert music video project I am working on. Some of our longtime readers will know that throughout the 1980s I produced a number of music concert video specials for cable, television, CD, LaserDisc, and DVD. These projects were produced and recorded using multichannel digital audio, along with surround sound technology. The various “on location” digital audio and surround sound/concert music video programming was licensed to users such as Sony, HBO, MGM/UA, ON-TV, PBS, and others. One of the projects was a 1982 “live” pay-per-view 3-D broadcast event on ON-TV on Halloween Eve, with the groups DEVO and Wall Of Voodoo at the Warner Beverly Hills Theatre. I also produced and recorded a Concert Jazz Series, experimenting with “live” multi-track and two-track professional digital audio equipment. That series was produced under my DIG-IT Recordings video and audio records label. In 1983, using the new professional Sony PCM1610 digital processor, I released, in association with Sony Corporation of America, a Compact Disc sampler, which Sony used as a bonus CD provided to new purchasers of
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Sony’s first CD player, the CDP101. The last music concert video special I produced was a twoset program in 1985 entitled: Mr. Drums Buddy Rich And His Band Live On King Street. This was released on Pioneer Artists LaserDisc, Sony Beta Hi-Fi, Sony VHS Hi-Fi, Sony Video 8, and DVD. A two-disc Original Master
Widescreen Review • Issue 162 • December 2011
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Recording CD and three-disc LP were released by MFSL’s Cafe Records. While not professionally active in the role of producer since Mr. Drums, I have continued my interests in recording technology, both digital audio and digital video. I have recorded various private projects since founding Widescreen Review. The Remembering Buddy Rich project is to be a 3D Bluray Disc™ and 3D broadcast release, but not all the elements are in place at the moment to “green light” this project. However, Bernie Dresel, the consummate drummer fronting this project as leader and drummer, put on a live performance of some of the charts associated with Buddy Rich at a concert on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11), Bernie’s 50th birthday. The concert took place at Vitello’s Jazz and Super Club in Studio City, California. Bernie’s performance packed the house and broke Vitello’s records for attendance. Bernie is one of the greatest big
band jazz drummers playing today. He was the star drummer with the Brian Setzer Orchestra (http://www.google.com/search? q=Brian+Setzer&tbm=vid) for nearly 15 years, and is now the drummer for Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band (http://www.google.com/ search?q=Gordon+Goodwin's +Big+Phat&tbm=vid), a Telarc Records artist. Bernie is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and is also an in-demand studio drummer, whose latest projects have been Super 8, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, Super 8, Mr. Poppers Penguins, and Cars 2, as well as the TV shows Family Guy, American Dad, The Cleveland Show, and The Simpsons. He is also the leader of BERN, a 12piece (four vocals, four horns, five rhythm) supercharged funk/soul band (http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=e5ZDdr-KXMw). Bernie, along with an all-star L.A. studio musician-comprised big band, performed two onehour sets of jazz charts associated with jazz legend Buddy Rich. I was able to document this special performance at Vitello’s, but the recording is not for release, as this was recorded with the understanding that the result would be for evaluation only as part of mounting the actual production of Remembering Buddy Rich. For the stereo digital audio recording I used the new Roland R-26 portable recorder in the 24bit/96 kHz audiophile format mated with a professional ECM999PR MS Stereo Electret Condenser Microphone. I have used the Sony ECM999PR microphone for a number of years and love the performance. Frequency response is 20 Hz to 20 kHz with a variable stereo image of 0 to 127 degrees. This is a very dynamicsounding microphone. The Sony ECM-999RP was mated, via XLRs, to the Roland R-26. The result was an exceptionally clear and dynamic recording with a natural stereo perspective. Roland’s R-26 is the company’s new flagship six-channel 1/2
editor’s couch portable digital recorder, featuring built-in dual stereo microphones––omnidirectional and directional––which operate independently of each other, quality microphone preamplifiers, and highresolution 24-bit/96 kHz linear PCM fidelity in the WAV/BWF formats (also MP3 format). In addition to the onboard microphone, the R-26 provides XLR/TRS inputs (with switchable 48 V phantom power) for up to six channels (three stereo) of simultaneous recording. The R-26 is equipped with Roland’s proprietary IARC (Isolated Adaptive Recording Circuit) analog circuit on all the inputs. The IARC circuit is completely isolated from the digital circuitry and has its own power supply, reducing digital noise and achieving very clear sound. While the R-26 is capable of combining external microphones with the built-in condenser microphones, I did not use this feature. Of particular significance is that the R-26’s microphone preamplifiers are directly inherited from Roland’s R-44 professorial recorder, assuring the highest level of sound quality. The preamps set a new standard for frequency response linearity, low-distortion performance, and low noise in such a compact unit. The R-26 is equipped with a full complement of other useful features to deal with difficult recording conditions, such as a limiter and low-cut filter. The limiter effectively reduces distortion caused by excessive input levels. The low-cut filter reduces unwanted low-frequency content with selectable 100, 200, or 400 Hz points. I particularly found the large, high-luminance backlit LED touchpanel display useful with its clear and sharp resolution. Not only was the info displayed critical to the recording but operating the R-26 was amazingly intuitive. The graphic metering was particularly responsive, with a fast response time and an LED indicator for exceeding peak recording input. When using the MS Sony ECM-999PR Stereo Microphone, the R26’s MS Matrix mode allows the single left-channel level control to set recording levels equally for both channels simultaneously. This appreciatively simplified setting the recording levels. The Manual mode defeats this function and allows independent level adjustment. I also recorded the 20-piece Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra using the combined internal omnidirectional OMNI and directional XY condenser microphones in the Concert mode at 24bit/96 kHz resolution. The result was absolutely stunning! Dynamic range was excellent, with layers of depth, and frequency response was virtually flat from 20 Hz to 20 kHz––performance parameters that rivaled the expensive MS Sony ECM-999PR Stereo Microphone. All aspects of spatial imaging were excellent, which is dependent on very subtle information cues encoded in good recordings. There was precise localization of every sound source, wide stage width, and deep stage depth, as well as a superbly clean and pure sound quality. The internal microphones are laid out in a 90-degree configuration, which optimizes stereo imaging. The R-26 performed flawlessly using four Alkaline LR6 (AA) type batteries. This test proved to me that I could rely on the R-26 as a compact, virtually unnoticeable onthe-go professional quality digital audio recorder in remote “live” recording environments. Using a 16 GB SanDisk Extreme HD (SDHC) card, the R-26 will record over seven hours of 24-bit/96 kHz resolution stereo digital audio. The R-26 supports up to a 32 GB SDHC card and runs on the included AC adaptor, or on four AA batteries or genetic external batteries. 2/2
When transferring digital files, the R-26 functions as a USB audio interface for a Windows or Mac computer. The R-26 is a terrific lightweight, handheld portable mini-studio digital recorder that is ruggedly built to withstand the often-adverse conditions found at remote recording environments, as well as being simple to use and set up. I never experienced any adverse handling noise in the tests I conducted prior to and during recording Bernie Dresel’s Remembering Buddy Rich or the Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra tracks. What I was able to capture with the Roland R-26 compact and fully featured portable digital recorder and the Sony ECM-999PR MS Electret Condenser Microphone was amazing in terms of dynamics and absolutely stunning fidelity. The R-26 is guaranteed to meet the needs of every professional remote recording situation with high-definition, pro-level sound quality. In the numerous years I have been recording professionally, I have not found a better recording device for the price ($599). You would have to spend nearly $2,000 to match its recording quality. I have not found another recorder on the market that matches its size or feature set, and performance. Another aspect of the test recording with Bernie Dresel was the use of the new JVC Everio GS-TD1 Full HD 3D Camcorder. The extremely compact 3D camcorder captures exceptional video quality in 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution at 60i using either the L/R independent Format or the Side-by-Side Format adopted by broadcasters. Either way, the 34 Mbps processed video can be burned in 3D to Blu-ray discs or AVCHD DVDs and viewed on 3D HDTVs. The GSTD1 supports 64 GB built-in memory and Memory Card Slot for SDXC/SDHC/SD. The GS-TD1 features matched extra-low dispersion glass aspherical lenses. Even in darker environments the camcorder performed well capturing high-resolution images. The one drawback is the generally poor sound quality produced by the BIPHONIC sound processing––not at all acceptable as professional quality, even when the external MS Sony ECM-999PR Electret Condenser Microphone was used as the source. Still, for most consumer applications the results measure up to the sound quality of other compact video camcorders. Overall, I found the GS-TD1 to be a great tool to evaluate what to expect with various 3-D zoom positions and fun to share the results. JVC Professional has introduced a pro version, the GY-HMZ1U, which offers 24p or 60i capture and Full HD recording (1920 x 1080 x 2) to dual SDXC/SDHC flash memory. As I am now working toward producing a 3-D Blu-ray Disc and broadcast project with Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, I will be using the Roland R-26 and Sony ECM-999PR to track the band’s charts in pre-production. Such recordings will be indispensable to scheduling the timing of the charts to be recorded in the actual performance production. For more information on the Roland R-26, visit http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductI d=1178. The Sony ECM-999PR is no longer in production. For more information on the JVC GS-TD1, visit www.jvc.com. This all leads to a call for support. Such projects are challenging, and I thought that I would reach out again to our audience to inquire whether anyone would be interested in providing investment or bridge financing for the projects, which will be licensed to various distribution channels. If, while reading this, you become interested, please contact me via my email at
[email protected] or phone me at 951 676 4914 to confidentially discuss the opportunity. WSR Widescreen Review • Issue 162 • December 2011
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