Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians

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Matt Dixon:
<< I've been listening to / studying this piece of music for quite a while and,
as a music student, I'll be writing a paper on this piece soo. Do any of you
know anything about how the recordings were produced? I'm interested in how
much of the sound was recorded live with the ensemble and how much was
overdubs.

Thanks

Matt
>>



Due to availability of musicians large ensembles like The Steve Reich Ensemble
often record in sections. I guess this is what you mean by overdubs. I don't
know for sure whether "Music for 18 Musicians" was recorded this way or not. As
one of 3 live performance mixers for Steve Reich I can assure you they can play
it just like the CD live. Many of the ensemble have been playing together as an
ensemble with Steve for more than 20 years. The vocalists that Steve has been
using lately are from the UK, the rest of the ensemble is scattered across the
country. In a recording session where it is not NECESSARY for all the members
to be present all the time it is much easier to schedule in sections.

Mac Kerr

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

mackerr@aol.compost (MacKerr) wrote in message news:<20040829175914.24956.00001550@mb-m20.aol.com>...
> Matt Dixon:
> << I've been listening to / studying this piece of music for quite a while and,
> as a music student, I'll be writing a paper on this piece soo. Do any of you
> know anything about how the recordings were produced? I'm interested in how
> much of the sound was recorded live with the ensemble and how much was
> overdubs.
>
> Thanks
>
> Matt
> >>


>
> Due to availability of musicians large ensembles like The Steve Reich Ensemble
> often record in sections. I guess this is what you mean by overdubs. I don't
> know for sure whether "Music for 18 Musicians" was recorded this way or not. As
> one of 3 live performance mixers for Steve Reich I can assure you they can play
> it just like the CD live. Many of the ensemble have been playing together as an
> ensemble with Steve for more than 20 years. The vocalists that Steve has been
> using lately are from the UK, the rest of the ensemble is scattered across the
> country. In a recording session where it is not NECESSARY for all the members
> to be present all the time it is much easier to schedule in sections.
>
> Mac Kerr

The reason I ask is because, to my ears, sometimes on the recordings
it sounds like faders are used to fade in and out instruments or
sections to create the effect of tonal color shifting. I think the
musicians COULD do this themselves, but it seems more likely to me
that straight volumes were recorded, then faded in and out during
mixing.

At any rate, Reich seems to be one of the most important composers of
the 20th century, and I can't find enogh info on his work.

Matt

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

> At any rate, Reich seems to be one of the most important composers of
> the 20th century, and I can't find enogh info on his work.

2 great resources for info on reich and alot of his contemporaries are
'talking music' by william duckworth, which has alot great, probing
interviews with a variety of experimental and avante garde composers
and 'experimental music' by the wonderful michael nyman. if anyone
has more suggestions, i'd too would love to hear them....

jeff

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Matt,

See if you can get a copy of his "Violin Phase/It's Gonna Rain" tape loop
stuff from the late 60's (maybe 70's)
bizarro but way cool...

Dave Kowalski
Bennett Studios
http://www.bennettstudios.com


"Matt Dixon" <bplogic@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1c5e37a7.0408301003.3bdc0ba8@posting.google.com...
> mackerr@aol.compost (MacKerr) wrote in message
> news:<20040829175914.24956.00001550@mb-m20.aol.com>...
>> Matt Dixon:
>> << I've been listening to / studying this piece of music for quite a
>> while and,
>> as a music student, I'll be writing a paper on this piece soo. Do any of
>> you
>> know anything about how the recordings were produced? I'm interested in
>> how
>> much of the sound was recorded live with the ensemble and how much was
>> overdubs.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Matt
>> >>


>>
>> Due to availability of musicians large ensembles like The Steve Reich
>> Ensemble
>> often record in sections. I guess this is what you mean by overdubs. I
>> don't
>> know for sure whether "Music for 18 Musicians" was recorded this way or
>> not. As
>> one of 3 live performance mixers for Steve Reich I can assure you they
>> can play
>> it just like the CD live. Many of the ensemble have been playing together
>> as an
>> ensemble with Steve for more than 20 years. The vocalists that Steve has
>> been
>> using lately are from the UK, the rest of the ensemble is scattered
>> across the
>> country. In a recording session where it is not NECESSARY for all the
>> members
>> to be present all the time it is much easier to schedule in sections.
>>
>> Mac Kerr
>
> The reason I ask is because, to my ears, sometimes on the recordings
> it sounds like faders are used to fade in and out instruments or
> sections to create the effect of tonal color shifting. I think the
> musicians COULD do this themselves, but it seems more likely to me
> that straight volumes were recorded, then faded in and out during
> mixing.
>
> At any rate, Reich seems to be one of the most important composers of
> the 20th century, and I can't find enogh info on his work.
>
> Matt

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

bplogic:
<<
The reason I ask is because, to my ears, sometimes on the recordings it sounds
like faders are used to fade in and out instruments or sections to create the
effect of tonal color shifting. I think the musicians COULD do this
themselves, but it seems more likely to me that straight volumes were recorded,
then faded in and out during mixing.
>>



While there was probably tweaking of levels in mixdown, that is what it is
about after all, I am quite sure the basic dynamics were part of the original
recording. As I have said I was not involved with these recordings, but I have
been for several years involved with the Steve Reich Ensemble. Steve is very
precise and demanding about what he wants out of them, and they are very
capable of delivering it. Because of the very tight integration of the
percussion instruments for instance they would most likely have been recorded
all together. It is possible that the voice parts were recorded later, and
possibly the winds.

Mac