Wow! Stunning album!

YoYoMaVEVO's Channel - YouTube

Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile (plus Aoife O'Donovan), what more could you ask for?

Does anyone know anything about the production of this album? I can't seem to find any details or credits anywhere. Might this be a Dave Sinko masterpiece?

Beautiful - I love recordings made "live in the studio" and no earphones in sight - wonderful. Beautiful playing, singing and recording.

It's obvious that the many tracks has been used to be certain different microphone colors was there to choose from or even blend.

::
Mads

I saw them on Lenno last night, just Wow!

What a cool project and so entertaining.

They call it "bluegrass". I don't think Bill Monroe or Jimmy Martin would've called it that.

I chatted via email with the inestimable Mr. Sinko yesterday afternoon... he tipped me to the performance on Leno (they had just finished soundcheck when he posted). Fabulous. The mics were his U89s on bass and cello, and his KM84s on fiddle and mando. On the banjo was his fav in that application, a ATM35.

I immediately went to Yo Yo Ma's site and ordered the CD/DVD package from the project... and after finding out about Aoife O'Donovan and Crooked Still, ordered their latest, "Some Strange Country"... which might just be a fit genre title for both Crooked Still and Goat Rodeo.

Was also interested to see that Sarah Jarosz has been opening for Crooked Still on their most recent tour. Made sense... I was immediately reminded of Jarosz when Aoife started to sing last night... although, had I been from Boston and much more hip, I'd likely have said Jarosz reminded me of O'Donovan.

I'm eagerly awaiting the mails... Luddite regarding physical product that I am. Good times ahead!

HB

Here's a short promo video that shows some of the sessions. Nice little forest of microphones there:

Recorded too close and dry for my liking.

To many mics
Was this a photo session ?

Might just have been looking for alternatives/covering bases...

What do Yo-Yo's and Yo-Yo Ma have in common ? ------- Both need strings !

It's possible that the number of mics in this LIVE recording situation are for CYA as much as they are for color blending. Remember 2 mics on the President ISN'T for stereo.
I have started doing this in certain situations and has proven to be worthy at times.

We have TransAtlantic Sessions on BBC4
Nashville meets the Enchanted Isles in a remote snowy Highland Manor
That really works on a musical and fidelity level
Not too sure about a Yo Yo Ma crossover/fusion gig with all the mics out of the cupboard and on display .

Rather than address "how many mics is a good idea to use" I will say that it is an unlikely gathering, the Goat Rodeo deal. Getting them together again would be difficult. Just Ma's time has to be pretty tightly controlled. Even if I knew what I was doing I would have as many mics as would possibly apply. I can always ignore the ones I do not need when working in post. But, oh, wishing I had actually put that ribbon out there for vocals instead of just thinking about it would really grate. So I'd really go the belt and suspenders route.

I have recordings of Isaac Perlman playing jazz with Andre Previn.

It doesn't work....imho

Re the number and placement of microphones.

I don’t want to bring anybody down, or spoil their groovy vibes, but the video is simply an accompaniment to the music. The screen grab shows that there was indeed a forest of microphones and stands, but there doesn’t appear to be many additional cameras or camera men.



Unless they are well hidden, it is reasonable to assume the video was recorded in a number of takes and then edited together with the sound which was probably recorded in the absence of the camera man. What you are seeing is more than likely not what you are hearing.

It is a great song and a great video. I have no criticism of either, but it is impossible to determine, based on viewing the video, whether the exact same microphone set up or lack of headphones was used in the actual audio recording situation. I’m not saying it wasn’t just that it is indeterminate.

Hat prepared and ready for eating should it transpire that there were indeed multiple well hidden cameras.

Excluding all the other benefits of the forum, discovering music and musicians I had previously not heard of makes it worth while. A big thank you.

Well, I hope you're hungry...
The lack of visible camera operators is due to the fact that they are consummate professionals and are aware of the others location and angles.
The forest of microphones includes Richard Kings microphones as well as a few additional mics placed for the video. Somewhere north of 40 inputs including the wireless. This is actual session footage. The record was recorded like a classical project rather than a pop production, thus no headphones or overdubs.
While I had no part in the production, the video material was mixed by 2 engineers from Soundmirror, Jesse Lewis and Jesse Brayman.
All the best,
-mark

I’ve got the humble pie source simmering. I’ll save you a piece.



Still you were partially correct about no headphones.



Other things that made me think it was a composite were like this shot at 3.22



Note the cellist. The shot above cuts to this one below,



Not only would this camera person be visible in the previous shot the hand which was holding the cello is now waving about.

Does any of this detract from the music or the video? I don’t think so.

I been working with project that is sort of similar -- string quintet and rapper. We record music and video all in one session -- record several takes of the string quintet with a click, overdub the rapper on the best take, then everybody goes into the live room and we do three video takes which we edit multi-cam style into the final video. My guess is the Goat Rodeo did something similar -- record the audio, then while everybody is there and everything is set up, do the video. The forest of mics is whatever was leftover when they got done recording the audio.

Example of a video we did this way: Up Outta Here - String Quintet and Rapper - YouTube

I am not a rap fan, but what you guys have made is way better than I would have expected. Good on ya.