Making great microphones even much more listenable

There seem to be 2 different approaches.


Mics that have acoustically implemented mid high rise. For example SM7, MD441. Then an L (in series with R or L winding resistance) in series with C for example on SM7 creates flat frequency response. It can be seen on Shure SM7 datasheet.


Other mics such as AKG D1000E seem to have a flat frequency response. Then an R is series with LC creates gentle mid high rise.


The above great filters are subtractive.
For example on the second everything but the mid high is gently and subtly reduced.
On the first example the broad mid high peak is reduced.


Pleiades inline filters operate on these principles. (R,LC) has not been much tried yet. Neither (R,L) cascaded to (R,C).

AKG D190E to Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) to Uher 4200 to BASF 911

It sounded like a sunny morning journey to the dentist.


The sound is very alive and clear but high frequency is too much.
Possible causes:
The particular Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) gives too much high pass
Inter modulation crossover distortion from Uher 4200 output stage driving the loudspeaker
Over,ovulating the record amplifier or tape
Gentle high cut needed to compensate for Equal Loudness curves, voice effort curves etc.


Signal path:


Bedroom with Tempur mattress - male singing voice - AKG D190E - Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) - Uher 4200 3rd arrival to Pleiades - BASF 911 - Uher 4200 3rd playing back - Pleiades linoleum Auratone 5C type monitoring speaker  - listener's ears, brain - bedroom


Recording while speaker is playing gave an interesting double tracking short of effect, phasing as speaker was only 1 meter away from mic


Listening to playback from adjacent rooms gives an impressive sound as edginess is smoothed out.


A thought is to also concentrate on Pleiades gentle slope high cut filters too.


Or (R,CL) filters, see AKG D1000E datasheet.


Later addition: The BASF 1/4in recording was transfered to TDK SAX cassette with the Sony TC-D5M. This was then played on Vicky's Pioneer, Musical Fidelity, Spendor playback system. Although Vicky did not like the s cliping problems she was amazed at the sound of a very bass male register voice recorded at half speed and then played at 7.5ips. She commented it was the best quality she has heard yet with no distortion whatsoever and pro sound. Male singer sounded like a female creature. She decided on buying a Uher 4200 report from eBay.de.


It is in current thought whether the s problems at normal singing voice where due to over loading the type. By watching the LED display on the pioneer cassette deck at s all red LEDs are suddntly lit.

Legendary Jazz recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder had been since childhood a radio ham building his radio, radio transmiters and then his first recording mixer (adder)

On interview in Tape Op magazine.

Hello to Germany and Hellas

AKG D190 E to Pleiades V(-1) low cut implemented after electron tube or to V1 or to Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) filter

At your risk. Take all safety precautions. A fuse should be in series to any battery for fire hazard safety.


V(-1) is one of the first Pleiades mic booster pre preamps.


Made before 2000.


With some mods it now consists of a neat gray painted diecast aluminium rectangular box. One electron tube 12AU7 for each channel.


Long tailed pair with short tail as cathodes of each pair are connected to Vb minus.


Heaters are in parallel so with the 12V battery power supply if one channel is to be used, only one electron tube can be pluged in for less power consumption.


The V(-1) internal signs, path or schematic signal flow is:
Mic XLR connector
Sowter 1:7 input transformer
Secondary feeding grids at space potential
Anodes feeding primary of Sowter 1:1 10K transformer, center tap to Vb=12V
Output XLR connector


Grids are floating as there is no centre tap return.
So amp is sensitive to light falling on electron tubes as possibly the photoelectric effect (photons colliding with matter, electrons etc) changes bias.
The amp might be used as a photo side chain compressor.


This amp has no resistors, no capacitors. Like one stage of a Langenvin amplifier.


So this is what happened by chance:


Since the output impedance is high it was decided to connect a say 10:1 German in line transformer to bring impedance down so that it can then be connected to Sony TC-D5 Pro low impedance XLR transformer input.


There was almost no signal level until some light fell on electron tubes after sunrise. Sound was low and bass heavy.


But fortunately the German in line transformer has a switch making it 1:1. It is clearly "wrong" to use a 1:1 setting but it sounded great, with loud sound and great treble. (Bass heaviness gone).


So this is another case where low cut or high pass is implemented after the first electron tube.


Signal path:


male voice singing Πως θα Ηταν in F minor - AKG D190E at say 3in - Pleiades V(-1) - German 1:1 transformer - Sony TC-D5 Pro or TC-D5M - Sennheiser HD580


Monitoring with the TC-D5M and recording was done to one channel (L) as there is no bridging mono mode.


In the case of TC-D5 Pro there are 3 transformers one cascaded to another, Sowter 10K:10K - German 1:1 - Sony mic input transformer


A recording was also done with Pleiades V1 (CV2269 electrometer electron tube operating with a 1.3V battery for both haters and anode). Anode feeding directly TC-D5M trough coupling capacitor, RL C coupling.


And AKG D190E was also connected directly to TC-D5M through a Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) gentle slope high pass filter.


All sounded nice. The cassette recorded must be listened too again to decide which may be best.


On preliminary real time listening tests on TC-D5 Pro before recording, low cut done on V(-1) by the interaction of anode internal resistance and transformer inductance sounded more natural bright and interesting than the Pleides filter implemented just at mic's output.


It is as if some kind of frequency or even non linear distortion makes the mic more sensitive, more revealing, perhaps more natural.


The Geraman transformer is GSM1 e+p and has at the 1:1 setting secondary inductance 600mH at LF (97Hz), 270mH at MF (around 1.028KHz) and primary inductance 470mH at LF, and if memory is correct 220mH at MF.

Rudy Van Gelder's comment on surround speakers

On Tape Op interview.


After reading the interview there seems to be a suggestion for the future.


One surrounded by fullrange speakers. Each speaker playing an individual instrument.

Rudy Van Gelder's comment on the Neumann U47 and Shure 545 microphones

On tape op (Tape Op Magazine) interview

Sony PCM 1630

It is mentioned on Rudy Van Gelder interview on tape op.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCM_adaptor

Assistant to Rudy Van Gelder, Maureen Sickler

https://eu.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/2018/02/21/van-gelder-studio-peek-inside-room-where-classic-jazz-happened/913843001/

Vintage Microphone Explorer?

Showing notable uses of microphones.


Eg Back to Black - Amy Winehouse - RCA 77DX


Equipboard is very nice too. One can do a search on a particular microphone and see uses referenced on interviews.

Ωραια ποιοτητα ήχου τραγουδιςτης φωνής χρησιμοποιώντας μικροφωνο συνδεμένο με μπομπινοφωνο, (μαγνητόφωνο ανοιχτής ταινιας)

Δρομολόγηση (αλυσίδα) σηματος:


χωρος δωματίου - ανδρική τραγουδιστική φωνη - μικροφωνο AKG D190 E σε απόσταση 3-4 ίντσες - φίλτρο αποκοπής χαμηλών, χαμηλό μεσαίων συχνοτήτων με μικρη κλίση Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) - φορητό μαγνητόφωνο ανοιχτής ταινιας Uher 4200 - μόνιτορινγκ ηχείο Pleiades linoleum τυπου Auratone 5C - χωρος δωματίου


Περισσότερα στο προηγουμενο post:
https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2020/01/akkg-d190-pleiades-13040mh-uher-4200.html

AKG D190 - Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) - Uher 4200 report

First time connecting a mic to Uher 4200 serial number 13034 with a Pleiades gentle low cut filter for reducing bass, mid bass, mid heaviness.


This is live listening while singing in a room. A Pleiades linoleum Auratone 5C type speaker connected to Uher 4200 speaker output,


Signal path:


Male singing - AKG D190 at 3-4 in - Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) mic filter - Uher 4200 channel 1 - Pleiades linoleum Auratine 5C type speaker


A Shure SM63 had been connected too. It sounded too bright.


Speaker output has at max in Uher 4200 and recording level adjusted for avoiding positive acoustic feedback whistle.


Without the Pleiades filter, the sound is very bass, mid bass heavy, due to proximity effect, equal loudness curves, voice effort curves. It sounds like a cheap joke sound. How can Uher 4200 record as such?


With Pleiades filter the sound is exceptionally clear and natural. Approaching the ideal of flat frequency response not from mic to loudspeaker but from record producer's brain to listener's brain. [Lowe, Morgan]


Reference:


Sound Picture Recording and Reproducing Characteristics - D. P. Lowe, K. F. Morgan - Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers

In about a month euroelectron pageviews will be 80 thousand

Hello to France and Hellas

Euroelectron pageviews last week

Pageviews by Countries
Entry Pageviews
Ukraine
250
Greece
32
South Korea
26
Germany
23
Portugal
17
United States
16
Canada
7
Australia
6
Singapore
5
France
4

Rudy Van Gelder

A man who had made his own recording equipment. Started recording musicians in his parents' house. He has recorded some of the best Jazz records in history offering the lowest possible recording fees to musicians and labels as his could finish a record in a day or two.


Would such an approach be possible in recording modern pop music in real time?


DVD interview - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BpmA2VcpP0w


Tape op interview:
https://tapeop.com/interviews/43/rudy-van-gelder/


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Van_Gelder


https://sonicscoop.com/2017/03/15/rudy-van-gelder-optometrist-day-recordist-night/

A suitable composition to improvise with in the key of G minor

Milla's Dream - Parov Stelar


Heard a few moments ago from Galaxy 92MHz. The little Compute a Tune - Waddingtons keyboard had just been tuned and together sounded very well.


One could improvise with any instrument by just using all white or natural notes except B and E which are flat in the key of G minor.


The chord progression on Milla's dream is in Bach's figured bass notation:


G
F6
E7


(Please remember B and E are flat)


ie
G bB D
F A D (ie F major 3rd major 6th)
bE G bB D (ie E flat major 3rd major 7th)


Reference:


Bach Bass Rules - Bach, Niedt - PDF

Ίδρυμα Ερευνών Μουςικης Τεχνης και επιςτημων Βαγγέλης Παπαθανασιου

Μερικα στοιχεια στο προηγουμενο post.

Vangelis Papathanasiou Foundation, discussion in the Greek parliament

A law had to be voted for the foundation of the Vangelis Papathanasiou foundation.


http://users.sch.gr/szygouras/themata/papathanasiou.htm


https://www.evenizelos.gr/culture/533-2009-04-17-17-24-02


Here is the address of the foundation:


Vangelis Papathanasiou Foundation of Music Art and Science:
https://www.vrisko.gr/details/2i0d_62aad01_1b72h2a6ja243b3aa6g


There is also a telephone number on the telephone directory link.
https://www.vrisko.gr/details/2i0d_62aad01_1b72h2a6ja243b3aa6g

Teeth washing with sodium bicarbonate

At your risk. This is not a medical advice.


Today an aged lady on the bus had great white teeth without any problem and was mentioning that she is washing her teeth with sodium bicarbonate. She advised me to do so too.


She also drinks fresh lemon with water every morning, waking up at 5am. She washes her own carpets in the bath tub (this is what she did today), does all kind of difficult things and she is healthy.

Solar Powered Amplifiers

At your risk. Batteries are potentially dangerous devices if protection for overcharging, short circuit etc is not implemented. A fuse also should always be used is series for fire hazard safety.


A small gift from Vicky was a miraculous tiny key chain holder which consists of a small box containing a solar cell. As it seems the solar cell continuously charges an internal battery or capacitor even when there is no direct sunlight. It is just sitting anywhere in a living room. Then a small switch lights up a bright LED when needed.


Is it possible to power in this way small Pleiades with minimum number of components. 1 or 2 active device amplifiers (see earlier posts) so that they have the advantage of being battery powered without the hassle of inserting batteries?


For example the Pleiades one transistor headphone amplifier in class A. It is automatically powered when the headphones are inserted as the headphones themselves are the emmiter load, collector load or the source follower load, drain load etc.


Or a Pleiades mic booster amplifier. Few tens of micro amps are enough for great sound and low noise, see older posts. A schematic like Pleiades V6 but with a bipolar transistor of JFET or even a direct filament electron tube.


If the JFET or bipolar transistor is feeding a hi fi line in device then the input resistor can be the load resistor of the mic booster amp. So again powering can be done automatically by connecting the devices together.


In other cases such mic booster amps can be phantom powered by the next device. For example an iPad which gives a small voltage ag it's headphone socket for condenser electret microphones.

Choosing microphone input transformer turns ratio according to kind of music recorded?

A mic is usually connected to an input signal transformer.


The input transformer has N1 number of turns in the primary wire winding where the mic is connected and N2 number of turns in the secondary where music is sent to the amplifying device being an electron tube, JFET or bipolar transistor. Usually coupled through a capacitor. Coils 1 and 2 are linked by magnetic flux transfered from on to the other by usually a magnetic core. We gain voltage but loose current according to the principle of conservation of energy. Power equals Voltage x Current


Similarly in a bike, the human feet send energy to the rotating gear with N1 teeth. A chain transfers energy to the other gear in the back wheel which has N2 teeth. Changing gear ratio we may increase torque to climb a mountain but loose speed according to the energy conservation principle. Power equals Force x Velocity.


In both cases impedance is transformed. Z2/Z1 equals to the square of the turn ratio. For example if the transformer turn ratio is 1:2 a mic's 200Ω output impedance is made 800Ω.


Costas after coming from his biking exercise was shown a Sony TC-D5 Pro II schematic showing the mic input stage with input transformer. He was told about the analogy of turn ratios and he was asked about how he chooses and manually changes gear ratios for different racing conditions.


He then asked whether different microphone input transformer ratios as chosen according to the type
of music to be recorded.

Can a cat's roaring be used as bass if recorded?

Velvetine the cat (Βελουδίνα) was feeling very cold this night as the sky was cloudless and the temperature in Athens is near zero in the small hours.


She gradually approached her head touching close and her roaring was heard very loud.


The sound was very different, bass increasing in my brain possibly by the higher sound presure level (Fletcher, Munson equal loudness curves).


It sounded like an analog recorded 50Hz mains induced hum. It was amplitudes modulated by her breath. Frequency content was different between inhaling and exhaling.


It sounded like a strange TB-303 tweeking it's high frequency pass between these 2 modes.


Interesting bass sound.

Πως θα ηταν αν το ηχογραφημένο απο κοντα χουρχουρισμα γάτας χρησιμοποιηθεί για μπαςο σε μουσικο κοματι;

A woman mentioned yesterday that her 5 cats keep her warm while she's sleeping

RCA, AEA ribbon microphone comparison

AEA ribbon and mic shootout...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dPSrB5ZMuLg

Terminating a microphone with a much higher impedance than its output impedance

Practice shows it sounds very nice.


Pleiades examples:


Grampian GR2/L (25-50 Ω) - Sowter 1:20 - Ferrograph electron tube tape recorder with 1 MΩ input impedance
(Nice and bright smooth sound)


Grampian DP4/L (25Ω) - Pleiades 1:10 with 140mH primary inductance  in a Pleiades V6 mic booster configuration
(Nice and bright smooth sound)
Mic sees 100KΩ:10:10 ie 1KΩ since the electron tube at the Pleiades V6 schematic has an input impedance of 100kΩ.
1KΩ is 40 times higher that 25Ω, the mic's output impedance.
The Pleiades V6 configuration is very low noise, ie of low equivalent input noise resistance so such connection still gives very low noise.


So should for example an AKG D190 be just stepped up by 1:4 in a Pleiades V6 mic booster front end amplifier?
So the mic's impedance would be stepped up to 200Ωx4x4 which is much lower than 100KΩ.
This gives a 1:30 margin ie mic is loaded by a 30 times higher impedance.


But if the above arguments are correct why does a Sony TC-D5 Pro with an input transformer sound better to Sony TC-D5M when an AKG D190 is connected. The input impedance of the Pro model is lower.



Later addition 20082309:


When the secondary of a transformer sees a higher impedance broad reasonance is less damped so there is a high frequency rise. So the above examples are not mic's behavior but input transformer's behaviour or both. See also Coil design and construction manual - Babani, Rupert Neve interviews on how a transformer can make subtly a brighter sound, Radio Engineering - Terman

On ways to gentle slope low cut microphone signals with minimum components

At your risk.


Using a Pleiades (R,L) filter connected in parallel (shunt) to mic's output.


Using a transformer with suitable primary inductance and core with the property that it's inductance index changes with frequency. For example mumetal.


Using 2 omnidirectional microphones connected in series out of phase, singing to one of them and adjusting the distance of the other.


Using 2 cardioid mics pointing in oposite directions and connected in series in phase. Proximity effects cancel. An omni mic is created.


Feeding the mic to a normal input transformer. Then driving a one stage active device mic booster amp and let the output transformer do the low cut.
See for example the Pleiades V6 when used at very low, for example 14mA anode current.


Note:
In general more low cut is needed if a male singer is singing softly [Lowe, Morgan] or at a high resister.


Reference:


Sound Picture recording and reproducing Characteristcs - D. P. Lowe, K. F. Morgan - JSMPE

Hello to Ukraine, Germany, Malaysia

Effect of microphone terminating load impedance on sound

A variable Dunbridge decade resistor box was connected across the AKG D190E mic.


The less the terminating resistance, ie more loading of the mic, the less the bandwidth as witnessed by listening tests while singing or listening to ambience sounds etc.


For example even by changing from 1KΩ to 4KΩ it sounded as if a veil was lifted from the mic.


More severe effect on HF may begin even at less than 1KHz.


600Ω worse.


200Ω even more worse.


100Ω, 50Ω etc mic soft arts sounding like a telephone.


Perhaps then it may be a better idea to leave the mic alone and do low cutting on the first output transformer if for example a Pleiades V6 mic booster is used?
(Later addition: invalid argument, the reactance of an inductor increases with frequency so there should not be a problem at HF when using an (R,L) low cut filter connected directly to voice coil. But  would there be some problem in the low end due to the mic's impedance rising at its LF reasonance?)


Connecting a Pleiades (130Ω,30mH) filter  to the mic did not show loss of treble but this test is inconclusive.


Or using an input transformer of small ratio?
Ie or when using a very low noise booster amp such as Pleiades V6. (The input impedance of the V6 may be as low as 100KΩ with strong Pleiades bias.)


Is this an important reason why electron tube preamps sound so special? The fact that the impeadnce at grid can be relatively high to the step up ratio needed. So that mic is presented with a high terminating input impedance.



(Later addition: the theoretic part should be that the mic's output impedance is not constant with frequency, for example at diaphragm self resonant frequency it may rise to 1000Ω. The there should also be series inductance as on MM cartridges. So This L and the terminating R forms a High Cut filter. See Pickup Loading and its Effct on Frequency Response - Fitzmaurice, Joseph - Audio Engineering. See also Microphones - Lou Burrough. There should also be a paper in AES. See also a Wes Dooley interview on ribbon microphones.

Shure SM59, AKG D190E comparison

This time the AKG used is the usual one with no low cut filter.


Both mics sound great.


Both have bass, mid bass heaviness if an (R,L) filter is not connected.


The AKG is much louder, (gives greater voltage for same presure). Sony Rec Level must be at 6/10 instead of at 10/10.


The SM59 may be even more flat as there is even less tendency for feedback.


With the Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) gentle slope low cut they both sound crystal clear.


The SM59 sounds subtly more extended in very high frequency witnessed by miking a small clockwork baby's toy music box.


The AKG has more punch and mid presence.

Cinema Engineering 4031-B EQ versus Pleiades Filter

The Cinema Eng. 4031-B program equalizer is possibly the finest on the planet.
A search may reveal that it was used for the breath taking Motown vocals.
It is also described in the Audio Cyclopedia - Tremain.


Inspired by Martin's Mitchel's AKG D170 description:
https://martinmitchellsmicrophones.wordpress.com/tag/how-to-take-apart-an-akg-d170/


and looking at the datasheet link, after seeing the 4dB rise at about 3KHz for dialog presence it was decided to try the Cinema Engineering EQ with the AKG D190.


Signal path:


AKG D190E - Cinema Eng. 4031-B (or Pleiades (130Ω,40mH)) - Sony TC-D5 Pro - Seenheiser HD580


With EQ out sound is very bass heavy as expected.
Same of course with EQ in and settings at 0.


Then the bass reduction knob was turned counterclockwise. It is a joy to hear bass heaviness gradually disappear and a nice voice coming through.


There was some hiss as expected as the Sony was underfed.


Then the other switch was set at 3KHz and control advanced to +4.
Very. nice sound. Bringing voice forward.


Then the Pleiades filter was substituted.
It sounded much more loud as it does not attenuate. Sony rec level knob was reduced from 10 to 7 and there was no hiss.
Sound was perfectly clear too.

Impedance measurement of AKG D190ER? vs D190E

E
238Ω
-2.6mH


ER
222Ω
-1mH

Other Pleiades (R,L) filters for the AKG D190

This time a D190E was used which has no internal low cut.
(It seems the previous one used is a D190ER, reporter's version)


It sounds great with a (130Ω,40mH) for close male singing.


But also surprisingly it sounds very well with even more subtle gentler slope low cut Pleiades filters.


Such as:


>300Ω,40mH
>400Ω,160mH


aprox. 230Ω,80mH (mid emphasis?)

Pope addressing with an AKG D190 microphone

http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/26fc9d7e96ed21383cfde2d9119782e6befd7fbc/c=7-0-3079-4096&r=537&c=0-0-534-712/local/-/media/2015/01/19/USATODAY/USATODAY/635572857966614299-EPA-PHILIPPINES-VATICAN-POPE.jpg


This link had been found on one of the recording forums which had been found while searching (opened AKG D190) on Google.

Updates on AKG D190 on Pleiades lab

Some of the previous posts are wrong.


The AKG D190 that was used in the listening experiments is a bit of a mystery.


Here are some of the facts:


It had been bought from eBay but the AKG logo sticker was missing on both the mic and the case.


It sounds great at say 12in even without a Pleiades gentle slope low cut filter.


Another AKG D190E which had arrived sounds much different and great too.
It sounds much more bass heavy for same mic distance. So a Pleiades (R,L) filter is definitely needed. Then it sounds possibly even better than the first one. Values of resistance for the (R,L) inline filter can be up to 400Ω and inductance can be say up to 60mH.


So why does the first mic is already concentrating on voice. Vicky could immediatly spot it by listening to various mics including it, (see older spots)?


It has been read in an old AKG D190 brochure found here:
https://www.elektroakustika.cz/akgd190c.html
...that there also were made reporter versions of the AKG D190 with internal low cut filter.
They are designated as D190CR or D190ER.

The AKG sintered bronze microphone cap patent (metal balls mesh)

US3652810


https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=0&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19720328&CC=US&NR=3652810A&KC=A

Entropy and music

Requiem - Mozart is now playing on Uher 4200 but in reverse.


Harmonicprogressionwise it sounds nonsense, as if the composition is made by someone with no talent.


Yet it is the same chords, same key, everything put in reverse order, backwards in time.


The arrow of time ie entropy is reversed.


But what happens in music?


Normally 7ths and 9ths are prepared, (played in advance) for preparing the human brain [Bach, Niedt).


In reverse this is not the case.


Could Bach, Niedt rules indicate entropy in music?


They surely indicate arrow of time. If one does not know the correct direction in a score, it can be found even without listening by observing the rule of prepared dissonant intervals and then the third with respect to bass added for the human brain so that they sound fabulous.


Is talent related to entropy?


Strangely enough there is a section on the Requiem's introduction which sounds quiet similar backwards in time to the original.


Reference:


Bach Bass Rules - Bach, Niedt - PDF

Writing a music score with white ink

It should look nice and happy.


5 line stave drawn with white pen.
Notes or everything else with white too.


The idea comes from Vicky's drawing with white one on green paper.

Caution with synthetic clothes if you're allergic

Hello to Hellas

Is music really 1 3 5 (7) (9) notes above bass?

Possibly yes.


See almost any score.


Or play on the piano almost anything with both hands.


Extraordinary harmony happens when one also uses 7th, 6th or 9th intervals above bass.


See Bach Bass Rules - Bach, Niedt - PDF

Color score drawing

This was done with Vicky.


It looks very readable and amazing.


For example taking a very large lined notebook.


Drawing 5 light blue line on top of the notebook's lines.


Then another 5 ugly blue lines below a few lines gap.


Then adding the Sol and Fa chefs in magenta.


Then adding big tasty notes in green.


Voilà.


See also later addition on using white ink on color paper:
https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2020/01/writing-music-score-with-white-ink.html

Is music, songs like real estate property

A very important aspect of the music industry is music publishing.


Music publishing is the art of converting a song or music to money.


For example by
recording it and selling the CDs, vinyls etc
Placing it in a movie soundtrack
Placing it in a TV advert
Radio play
Disco or club play
YouTube play
Cover versions of a song
etc


For example the publisher might take 50% and the rest the artist?


Is it like property renting.


You do not sell the song, you rent it.


And you do not have to pay maintenance fees like on real estate?


But you have to help the artistes to create the music. This is what good publishers migh have done in the past so that we can just press a knob on YouTube and listen to music as it it were drain water and complain when an advertising comes in.


And of course there is the other even simpler way. The Pleiades way. Everything public domain, no patents etc.


One just goes to the sea or maintain, or any paradise and enjoy life.

Pleiades snack

At your risk. This is not a medical or nutritional advice.


Simple with best quality ingredients preferably freshly cut like food chain adverts.
Made after input from a Maros's friend and Vicky.


Using best quality sliced Zeas bread, (dough made without cheap vegetable  oils which have a reputation of clogging blood arteries), lightly toasted.


Then freshly cut wild τριφύλλι.


Then small tomatoes cut in half are added.


Then best quality virgin oil.


Then a bit of hand grated sprinkled Parmesan cheese.

Hello to Hellas

The first bars of harmony vocals on Eternal Flame - Bangles

Key is G major ie all notes white except F sharp.


Melody sings B C D D D D (close jour eyes give me your hand darling...)


The vocals do:


G bass with B with D with G
E bass with B with D with G
C bass with C with E with G (while main melody is D)
D bass with C with E with G (while main melody is D)


Amazing

Transformers and love

2 coils of wire hugging each other.






In audio engineering usually the output of a microphone is connected to one such winding called primary and we take the voltage amplified music signal from the other winding called the secondary.
Transformers are the equivalent to for example 2 bike gears joined by a chain. Force is increased and velocity is decreased. In electronics voltage is increased, current is decreased. So that power ie VxI or
Fxu in the bike case remains the same. The principle of conservation of energy. The varying voltage represents the waveform of the music signal. Similarly the varying current. Electron music dance.


From music producer's brain to listener's brain there may be quite a few such signal transformers in the signal path and usually they sound more than great. There are many reasons known of unknown, some of them are summarized in older posts


A song example:


When I Fall in Love - Nat King Cole


One reason why transformers?


They help maintain flat frequency response from artist's brain to listener's brain [Lowe, Morgan] by creating unflat frequency response from microphone to loudspeaker.
So reproduction sounds less bass heavy and less high frequency heavy.
Fourier theorem or Fourier transform must be taken from artist's brain to listener's brain rather than just mic to loudspeaker. (The frequency response of our brain for example depends on intensity).
The above just not be interpreted that transformers have a limited bandwidth. They can go easily to hundreds of kilohertz. But if bass heaviness for example is needed to be taken care off, suitable choice of primary inductance and winding resistance can do the trick effectively and at a gentler slope than 6dB per octave (because of the winding's resistance).


Can you imagine Imagine - John Lennon with vocal bass heaviness?


Reference:


Sound picture recording and reproducing Characteristcs - D. P. Lowe, K. F. Morgan - Journal of the society of motion picture engineers

Some extraordinary vocals

Just the way you are - from film Perfect Pitch


Qui Tollis - from mass in B minor Bach


God only knows - Beach Boys


California Dreaming - the Mamas and Papas


Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel


Eternal Flame - Bangles


Say it right - Furtado


Bad Boy - Den Harrow


I am not in love - 10cc


I want to know what love is - Foreigner


Julia - Pavlov's Dog


You'll never get over me - Aha






...

The 2 vocal parts of Sound of Silence - Simon, Garfunkel

The main melody is easy to understand by ear.


The other melody seems very difficult to understand by ear perhaps because it may be so simple.


If 2 voices are moving in parallel the result may sound trivial.


On this song (so far the first few bars are examined) the 2nd melody keeps a steDy nite for a long time. A pedal bass. This creates the fantastic combination when the main melody is added as all sorts of different interesting musical intervals are created.
So we have again the principle of least change in misc doing its miracle.


The song is writen in D sharp minor. A very difficult musical scale where most notes are played by black keys. All F, C, G, D, A, E are sharp. So it is #D #E #F #G #A B #C #D.


Main higher melody is:
d d f f a a g
c c c e e g g f


But the other voice is...
(Try to figure out by ear before reading)
(Remember the sharps)
d d d d d d c Hello...
c c c c c c c d (here 2nd vocal taking the role of bass) I' ve...
f f f f f f f f f  Because....
f f f f f f f f f  Left...
f f f f f f b b b b a  And the...
b a f  Still ...
f f f e Within...
e f d  Of silence

Hello to Russia, Germany, Hellas, Sweden, Ukraine

What is done with 3 bass notes?

Idlewild - Travis ft. Josephine Oniyama
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LjeCN1DObYc


Transmited  today from Galaxy FM.


This song is the key or musical scale of E minor 3rd like so many love songs.


Recorded at Hansa Studios - Berlin
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_at_Once_(album)


https://hansastudios.de/live-sessions/

Hello to Hellas, United States of America

Euroelectron pageviews last week

Entry	Pageviews
Ukraine	149
Russia	64
Greece	39
United States	26
Germany	15
South Korea	12
Portugal	11
France	7
Singapore	7
Australia 6

Elements of vocals, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th voice or 4 part harmony. Στοιχεια πρώτης, δεύτερης, τριτης, τέταρτης φωνής, φωνητικά, εναρμόνιση σε 4 φωνές

I know nothing.


How would I teach myself? By listening or reading the best, composers, songwriters, arrangers?


Below are some elements.


Possibly the best approach is to study the best at any time. Bach and of course Bach Bass Rules. [Bach, Niedt].


For example Mozart on the female vocal parts of Confutatis is writting his masterpiece using a very important rule contained in the Bach, Niedt manual:
The seventh with respect to bass is prepared and then the third wrt bass added.
So for example sopranos may be sustaining a B, bass becomes C and altos play the third ie E while sopranos keep singing the 7th B. Then similarly E becomes the prepared 7th of the chord F A E. So the other women sing the A ie the 3rd with respect to the new bass F. This goes on and a harmonic chain is created.


In order to understand the Bach, Niedt manual we have to know the key or musical scale with which we currently compose so that we know the allowed notes to be used which normally should be seven. For example E minor has all white notes except F sharp.


It helps tremendously to know that allowed chord notes are derived from the simple rule: The set of Harmony notes to choose above bass is 1 3 5 7 9 11 13. We do not have to use all notes, we choose what we like or what sounds best. Like a good chef does not use all ingredients at the same time. Just few ones.


For example on above example Confutatis - Mozart.
At a moment in time we may have violin playing bass D, a group of singers singing prepared C (the 7th) and the other singers singing F (the 3rd), and that is all. (Prepared C comes from having women singing C and E simultaneously and then keeping C and the rest women moving from singing E to singing F). Mozart at this particular masterpiece of human intellect uses just 3 parts or voices. The 3rd part is the violin which has the role of bass.


The simplest hint is to use notes that belong to the key otherwise it may sound nonsense. But we may use different sharps or flats when we might like to modulate to a different key.


Another effective hint is keeping some parts constant, or pedal as just mentioned on Confutatis.
Another example is the last few bars of Chiquitita-ABBA where an A (La) is continuously sung while other parts change. On this example there is bass step down change.


Another obvious hint is to give to the voices the notes of the chord. So we must know the chord, (harmony, or bass number code). For example if key is A minor (all notes white) and bass code is F9. The chord is F A G and each voice may sing one of these notes.


Even just 2 voices can sound great. The second voice may sing the chord as melody. For example B minor sung as Si FA FA Re as on Idlewild - Travis at 2:35 subtly heard on left channel if listening softly with headphones.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LjeCN1DObYc


Even 2 independent melodies each sounding nice can make a nice combination full of hopefully nice surprises.


There is also the simple parallel 3rds or the inversion parallel 6ths. For example Silent Night, the melody is G A G E, the second voice can E F E C. If at some point it sound wrong the chord at that post must be consulted and using a note belonging to this chord.


And of cource the most obvious of all but overlooked rule: That we must use notes belonging to the key or musical scale. Any such note will do. For example the masterpiece I am not in Love - 10cc. Each note had been multiple recorded and assigned to a desk fader.[Cunningham]


See also:


https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-2-vocal-parts-of-sounds-of-silence.html


Bach Bass Rules - Bach, Niedt - PDF


Harmony - Piston



Good Vibrations - Cunningham

Euroelectron had started on 2010

In a few months it will be 10 years old.

Neve preamplifier schematics

http://www.celestial.com.au/~rosswood/data/images/NeveInfo2.PDF


See also interviews of Neve on YouTube
He explains how the subtle 1-2 dB HF rise with signal transformers result in a better sound

Digital mastering at half speed

Would it help digital electronics?


Playing back for example an analogue reel to reel tape at half speed and sampling at half sampling rate?


Nice historical reading is the JAES article: An Afternoon with Bill Putnam where half speed disc mastering is described by the inventor Putnam.

Listening at half playback speed as a musical education tool

At your risk.


It can be done for example by reducing payback speed in a reel to reel tape recorder, player.


Vibrato of great singers can be examined, arangment of pop songs, drum machines etc...

Brazilian Soul - The Knocks (feat Sofi Tukker) in E flat Dorian

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X8aSeaPAX5c


It has been played today on Galaxy 92 FM.

Total euroelectron pageviews exceeded 78000

Hello to South Korea

First tests with AKG D190, thin film food wrap membrane and Pleiades (R,L) or no filter with both male and female singing voice

(Later addition: The AKG D190 used is possibly a D190ER version which has an internal low cut filter. see: https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2020/01/updates-on-akg-d190-on-pleiades-lab.html)


The Sanitas thin film transparent food membrane may make the mic sound even better on male voice. Mic was fully wrapped with membrane.
On female voice at large mic distance the treble detail seemed better without the film.


This is one of the first Pleiades real time sound experiments (2nd?) where singer and listener are different. Man singing, woman listening through headphones and vice versa.


Signal path:


Singing voice - AKG D190 with long cable - (with or without film fine membrane) - (with or without Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) gentle slope low cut - Sony TC-D5 Pro - Sennheiser HD580 - different sex listener


Longer cable on male singing voice as yet was used so that listener is not confused by the direct voice acoustic sound.


It is very interesting how much sound changes by changing pointing mic coordinates, direction, for example pointing towards nose. Far miked female voice sounded better when mic was above head.


Male voice:


Best sound:


D190 at 6in - Kling Film - Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) - Sony TC-D5 Pro

or

D190 at 9in - Kling Film - Sony TC-D5 Pro


Female voice, Vicky singing:


Best sound:


AKG D190 at 15-17 in - Sony TC-D5 Pro

or

AKG D190 at 5in soft or louder singing of the song Πως θα Ηταν (louder version in B minor) - Kling film - Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) - Sony TC-D5 Pro
(Great sound, a very sexy breath sound)


The film membrane makes the sound more focused, with less artifacts.

Sony TC-D5 Pro vs Sony TC-D5M vs Sony TC-D5 Pro II

Summary:
The Pro ones sound much better when recording with mic. Focused, pro sound.


TC-D5M according to Vicky while listening in real time through headphones sound as if the singing voice is in a hollow reverb room. Still nice sound but...


Changing to both ears listening by enabling mono mode on TC-D5 Pro made a more treble sound.


Later addition:


The TC-D5 Pro II might had been listened to with phase invention.


What is the reason for the Pro ones sound much better?


Looking at the service manuals of M and Pro II they both have the same bipolar transistor at mic input stage but Pro has an input transformer.


By measuring (ac) input impedance with the Escort LCR meter and reading on schematic what the secondary sees, a guess is that the transformer might be of a very low turn ratio. Perhaps less or close to 1 to square root of 2.
Ie the inpedance of M is about double of Pros.
Typically measured 7.6KΩ transformed to 4.6KΩ input impedance on the Pros.
Ie a small ratio step up transformer.
It may be the presence of the non infinite input inductance on the Pros due to the transformer primary creating a very low or low cut off low cut filter preventing VLF entering. Also subtle HF rise. And all those advantages of signal transformers that even the best universities are a bit shy to teach.

Stockhausen

Was he using white stickers with triagular shapes etc on magnetic tape in order to create attack, release of recorded sine waves?


https://books.google.gr/books?id=2gp5DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA117&lpg=PA117&dq=1/4in+full+track+tape+recorders&source=bl&ots=jxHCfBb5Wo&sig=ACfU3U1HEH5ujHOcbvTkXeuaV3_udmcFSw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiY5cup2OnmAhVJsKQKHT-uBiYQ6AEwE3oECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=1%2F4in%20full%20track%20tape%20recorders&f=false

Goodnight Moon - Shivaree

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tCXeYq6KYZc


Played yesterday night on Galaxy 92MHz radio.

Marantz PMD-430

https://www.fullcompass.com/common/files/2039-PMDRecordersDataSheet.pdf

AKG D190 or Shure SM59 to Sony TC-D5M or Marantz PMD430 or Electro-Voice RE-15 to Pleiades V5 to PMD430

A few days later addition:
This post is wrong.
When listening in Vicky's listening room with Muiscal Fidelity, Spendor speakers the older recording with Sony TC-D5 Pro II sounds must better, bright, focused, clear, loud etc than both TC-D5M or PMD430.
Is this because it has mic input transformers feeding the input bipolar transistor ? See also a few days newer post.


Another mistake in this post:
The AKG D190 mic used seems to be an D190ER with internal bass cut filter.
see: https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2020/01/updates-on-akg-d190-on-pleiades-lab.html


Summary:


Possibly the best was


AKG D190 or Shure SM59 both with Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) GHP (gentle high pass) filter to Marantz


Marantz sounds much brighter with detail. Some s problems, not with SM59.


SM59 sounds less loud. It under modulates tape.


RE-15 with LC to V5 full modulates tape even at a 4/10  Rec Level setting.
Full sound.


All these test by listening trough Sennheiser HD580 headphones.


If listening through the Marantz small internal loudspeaker
Shure SM59 - Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) - Marantz PMD430
is possibly the best

How music works? Πως λειτουργεί η μουσική;

We can find or play the melody (which is the most difficult part to compose anyway) by ear.


But what about for example the left hand while playing the piano, the bass, the chords or harmony?


It is easy.
All needed to remember is the series note after note.
That is: do mi sol si re fa la do mi sol si re fa la do mi ...
Or in different notation:
c e g b d f a c e g b d f a c e ....


Then a particular bass can have its companion notes or chord derived by usually the closest to it in the series.


For example.


Let it be - Beatles


Lyrics: when I find ... Bass is C
Chord is C E G


Old and Wise - Alan Parsons Projest
Lyrics: As Far... Bass is A
Chord is A C E
then bass is G
Chord is G B E (the further E is chosen by composer)
then bass is F
Chord is F A C E
then bass is E
Chord is E G B D
Then bass is F
Chord is F A C E
Then bass is E
Chord or Harmony is E G B D
Then bass is D
Harmony is D F A C
Then bass is E
Harmony E G B D
Then bass is A
Harmony is A #C E


More rare but very beautiful is the case when notes further from the series are used for example
First chord of Just Hold Me - Maria Mena
Bass is A:
Harmony is A C E B (a major 9th chord since A B is an interval or musical distance of major 9th).


One more thing. One needs to also know the particular musical scale that is used. For example if it is E minor (all white notes exept #F) so as to know which sharp or flats to play.


For example: Hey you - Pink Floyd
Key is E minor
First bass is E, bass code is E9
First chord as derived is E G B F (remember F is sharp)
Easy


And another hint:
As Bach explains [Bach, Niedt] when left hand goes left right hand must move to the right. This avoids consecutive 5ths which sound bad and makes possible at the same time the least change which sounds great.
Example: Let it be - Beatles


C bass and C E G
G bass and B D G (instead of G B D)
A bass and A C E
F bass and F A C E (creating prepared F maj 7th)
F bass and F A C D (F maj 6th)


Another possible example, subtle chords played by Hammond organ, Leslie rotating reflector speaker on:
Goodnight Moon - Shivaree
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tCXeYq6KYZc


See also:


Bach bass rules - Bach, Niedt


Harmony - Piston

Soon total euroelectron pageviews will be 78000

Happy New Year

Ευτυχισμένο Νέο Έτος

Thin transparent membrane microphone pop, saliva filters

At your risk. Not tried yet.


How would it sound if the usual round stocking type mic pop filter is replaced by a round thin transparent film type? would it stil protect the mic?

Examples are important

Thanks to Girorgos Siotropos who taught me how important they are.

Cascading Pleiades (R,L) microphone filters

Since they are defined by complex numbers ie vectors ie ordered pairs parallel connection works out  as follows:


(R1,L1)//(R2,L2)=(R1//R2,L1//L2)


This is confirm by R,L measurment of the resultant electrical network or filter.


For example 2 Pleiades (130Ω,40mH) filters connected one after the other (for example 2 XLR adaptors one after the other) make one
Pleiades (65Ω,20mH)
a filter sounding more bright or a filter sounding the same with a microphone of half impeadnce.