Reference-Quality CD Recorded & Mixed Live To Two Tracks!
Drums & Bells are comprised of two well-known L.A. drummers who also perform for Sheffield Labs: Brad Dutz and Chris Wabich. The first part of their CD Comparing Sticks is a solo by Dutz, and the second part is Dutz and Wabich together. These all original compositions were recorded and mixed live to two tracks by Tony Minasian of Tonian Labs in California.
"Only blind faith in the hi-rez movement should be shocked that a plain 16/44.1 CD could give it such a stiff middle finger. But really, it's not the format or bandwidth-burning sample rate. It's all in the care of execution. Here that's very high. That means unusually specific image sizing, cracks and snaps with life-like startle factor, visibly bouncing, running and spattering marbles and much more. Foremost, it's the dissolution of the 'barrier' which usually remains between music and listener when it's playback and not live in a good seat in a good venue. Will you end up listening to it primarily for the effectiveness of its unplugged sound effects or the musical story telling they're in service of? I wouldn't know. Here it doesn't really seem to matter. You can enjoy Drums & Bells as a reference recording to show off your personal hardware; or go walkabout in twenty different rhythmic panoramas which are filled with talking sounds beyond just drums..." - Srajan Ebaen, www.6moons.com
"It is a a remarkable recording with all tracks recorded in plain Redbook CD, i.e. 16/44.1kHz and not a souped up multiple. Looking for new music? Looking for artistry? I'll let you decide what's on this CD, though the performers are quite accomplished with outstanding resumes—numerous world renowned performers and more TV shows than I'd want to list. The reason to listen to this recording is to hear what your system is capable of, given the right software. Do you wish your system is better? Maybe it's better than you think it is, but it's just stuck replaying poorly recorded and engineered music, GIGO (garbage in garbage out) and that's not your system's fault. I've been listening to the 20 tracks through my Acoustic Energy Aego speakers at work, with DSP performed by my Mac Mini—about as budget-level as one can get. However, the nuances of the recorded music/sound on Drums & Bells are easily discerned. It's remarkable how much can be conveyed through my lowly office computer setup. What door might these recording open up on your system, which is likely much more resolving than my office setup? That, my friends is the question and I think it's worth an examination. At home with my reference system timbre is as easily identified as a color, and tone is rich and full. This note isn't intended as a music lesson—I'm not equipped to offer that—but consider that timbre is the ability to distinguish instruments playing the same note at the same loudness, e.g. a cello from a viola. Each percussive instrument, with already limited palettes of timbre were easily distinguished. The dynamic envelope of each instrument was nearly as expressive as individual voices have differing dynamic envelopes. Tony says part of the magic (my word) arises from using the right microphone for the instrument to be reproduced, and Tony has enough microphones to choose the right one. The dynamic range on the CD really give me a much greater sense of a live experience. What a live experience means to me isn't being at the event but that the instrument sounds naked of a recording and like a live experience. I'm recommending this CD because I think it will give you a better idea of what your system is reproducing." - Larry Cox, posi+tive feedback
Features:
• CD
• 16-bit 44.1kHz high-resolution
• Recorded and mixed live to two tracks
• Recorded, mixed and mastered by Tony Minasian
• Artwork by Kaoru Mansour
Musicians:
Brad Dutz, percussion
Chris Wabich (Tracks 14-20), percussion
Drums & Bells are comprised of two well-known L.A. drummers who also perform for Sheffield Labs: Brad Dutz and Chris Wabich. The first part of their CD Comparing Sticks is a solo by Dutz, and the second part is Dutz and Wabich together. These all original compositions were recorded and mixed live to two tracks by Tony Minasian of Tonian Labs in California.
"Only blind faith in the hi-rez movement should be shocked that a plain 16/44.1 CD could give it such a stiff middle finger. But really, it's not the format or bandwidth-burning sample rate. It's all in the care of execution. Here that's very high. That means unusually specific image sizing, cracks and snaps with life-like startle factor, visibly bouncing, running and spattering marbles and much more. Foremost, it's the dissolution of the 'barrier' which usually remains between music and listener when it's playback and not live in a good seat in a good venue. Will you end up listening to it primarily for the effectiveness of its unplugged sound effects or the musical story telling they're in service of? I wouldn't know. Here it doesn't really seem to matter. You can enjoy Drums & Bells as a reference recording to show off your personal hardware; or go walkabout in twenty different rhythmic panoramas which are filled with talking sounds beyond just drums..." - Srajan Ebaen, www.6moons.com
"It is a a remarkable recording with all tracks recorded in plain Redbook CD, i.e. 16/44.1kHz and not a souped up multiple. Looking for new music? Looking for artistry? I'll let you decide what's on this CD, though the performers are quite accomplished with outstanding resumes—numerous world renowned performers and more TV shows than I'd want to list. The reason to listen to this recording is to hear what your system is capable of, given the right software. Do you wish your system is better? Maybe it's better than you think it is, but it's just stuck replaying poorly recorded and engineered music, GIGO (garbage in garbage out) and that's not your system's fault. I've been listening to the 20 tracks through my Acoustic Energy Aego speakers at work, with DSP performed by my Mac Mini—about as budget-level as one can get. However, the nuances of the recorded music/sound on Drums & Bells are easily discerned. It's remarkable how much can be conveyed through my lowly office computer setup. What door might these recording open up on your system, which is likely much more resolving than my office setup? That, my friends is the question and I think it's worth an examination. At home with my reference system timbre is as easily identified as a color, and tone is rich and full. This note isn't intended as a music lesson—I'm not equipped to offer that—but consider that timbre is the ability to distinguish instruments playing the same note at the same loudness, e.g. a cello from a viola. Each percussive instrument, with already limited palettes of timbre were easily distinguished. The dynamic envelope of each instrument was nearly as expressive as individual voices have differing dynamic envelopes. Tony says part of the magic (my word) arises from using the right microphone for the instrument to be reproduced, and Tony has enough microphones to choose the right one. The dynamic range on the CD really give me a much greater sense of a live experience. What a live experience means to me isn't being at the event but that the instrument sounds naked of a recording and like a live experience. I'm recommending this CD because I think it will give you a better idea of what your system is reproducing." - Larry Cox, posi+tive feedback
Features:
• CD
• 16-bit 44.1kHz high-resolution
• Recorded and mixed live to two tracks
• Recorded, mixed and mastered by Tony Minasian
• Artwork by Kaoru Mansour
Musicians:
Brad Dutz, percussion
Chris Wabich (Tracks 14-20), percussion
Selections
Brad Dutz, Solos
- Straw Brush
- Muted Drums
- Wood Stick
- Rattle Stick
- Groom Like Brush
- Metal Brush
- Plastic Brush
- Rubber Mallet
- Mallets On Metal Bars
- Plastic Mallets On Metal Bars
- Straw Brush
- Metal Brush & Springs
- Muted Drums
Chris Wabich & Brad Dutz, Duos
- Glass Vase
- Frame Drums
- Frame Drums & Marbles
- Large Frame Drums
- Straw Brush & Bells
- Dropping Objects
- Drums, Bells & Toys
