Ask questions to Blu-ray Music insider "Alexander J"

[Alexander J]

Originally Posted by Slec

Alexander,
Do you approach each title based on the physical source material or based on what you hear in your head from a musical perspective? As in, while authoring, do you look at the music and see what would most benefit from multi-channel audio, or do you concentrate on faithful upfront presentation first? I'm not by any means saying that you sacrifice quality for the surround experience. I'm more curious if the particular pieces guide what you choose in terms of the acoustic reality experience vs. full blown audio from surround channels.

Maybe to clarify, what got me thinking about this is some of the pieces by Rzewski where the piano is used as a percussive instrument as well as a musical one. Hearing it live can be quite an experience as the room fills with the different sounds emanating from the piano. It can be rather haunting and it got me thinking as to how that would sound reproduced in multi-channel and to ask how decisions are made to best suit playback. The Vivaldi disc makes great use of the possibilities multi-channel surround with the double orchestra. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris

There are several approaches I use then I consider to work on particular music material that I explained in my post No.48 that why my first choice for "Acoustic Reality Experience" titles was the most known orchestral Masterpieces originally recorded specifically for Multichannel Sound Production. In this case my work as a sound engineer was to preserve and underscore the original "stage" performance but to deliver magnificence of natural acoustics completely enveloping a listener with 7.1 surround presentation.

For example like piano piece by Rzewski "The Road" that is notable for the extensive use of the piano's case and the pianists' bodies as percussion instruments and supplied by many of the participants, who also have to vocalize and whistle and manipulate pieces of apparatus I would do new "surround orchestration" of this work to position these effects around the listener however I strongly insists that presentation like this should be done only in collaboration with the performer and prior deep analysis of the composer work.

Great question,

Alexander.

[Paul Cordingley]

Received Rachmaninov, and I have to say it is quite wonderful. It is a warm and very luscious presentation which I find very agreeable. I am listening to DTS-HD:MA via bitstreaming, in 5.1 (hope to go 7.1 before too long )

[jangofett]

Originally Posted by Alexander J

Great Showcase release to start your collection because it featuring all available audio codecs. And 2L label done wonderful job producing the title. I am highly recommend to have a copy. But the goal of my production is to produce not just one Showcase release but variety of titles featuring lossless 7.1 High Definition Audio utilizing more simple and affordable solution:






Like I mention in my previous post more titles are coming.

Are these titles available for order now?

[TheLion]

Originally Posted by Slec

Alexander,
Do you approach each title based on the physical source material or based on what you hear in your head from a musical perspective? As in, while authoring, do you look at the music and see what would most benefit from multi-channel audio, or do you concentrate on faithful upfront presentation first? I'm not by any means saying that you sacrifice quality for the surround experience. I'm more curious if the particular pieces guide what you choose in terms of the acoustic reality experience vs. full blown audio from surround channels.

Maybe to clarify, what got me thinking about this is some of the pieces by Rzewski where the piano is used as a percussive instrument as well as a musical one. Hearing it live can be quite an experience as the room fills with the different sounds emanating from the piano. It can be rather haunting and it got me thinking as to how that would sound reproduced in multi-channel and to ask how decisions are made to best suit playback. The Vivaldi disc makes great use of the possibilities multi-channel surround with the double orchestra. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris

Chris,

your question is much in line with my post #47. So we are obviously on the same page

I would like to provide a short feedback concerning these concepts as I have listened to the Vivaldi and Mussorgsky releases.

I agree that the Vivaldi disc makes great use of the possibilities of multichannel surround music with its double orchestra tracks. This may be the perfect disc to compare the two concepts.

Personally I very much prefer to use the surround channels for discrete music and not "just" ambiance. The basic concept of "acoustic reality experience" is not so much about multichannel music per se but about giving the listener the impression of being in the audience of a certain "simulated" musical environment with specific acoustical properties (eg. reflections). The performance itself takes place isolated on the front stage - while the surround channels "simulate" the environment.
It is a similar experience than sitting in an eg. opera house.

BUT imho true multichannel music can be much more than that. Instead of providing the traditional way of listening to a performance placed in front of the listener it has the potential to use each of the 7.1 channels equally in order to put the listener in the middle of the performance. 2L does that. The Vivaldi double orchestra tracks also succeed in doing so - while still being not "discrete" enough for my liking.

Putting the listener in the middle of the performance - that is an experience you hardly ever get in reality but makes surround music so much more enjoyable in my opinion. Assigning each and every instrument to a distinct channel and using all 5.1/7.1 channels equally is what I would like to see.

This is an all-new music experience. Alexander, you are doing it with your Electronic Music works. What is holding you back doing the same with your classical releases? Sure, it has to be recorded this way - so source material is sparse. But if you are doing your own classical production/recording would you choose to do it in "true surround"?

[TheLion]

Originally Posted by jangofett

Are these titles available for order now?

Yes, they are. Look for them @ amazon.com for example - or order them directly from Alexander with his special offer for Blu-Ray.com members.

[Alexander J]

Originally Posted by TheLion

Chris,

your question is much in line with my post #47. So we are obviously on the same page

I would like to provide a short feedback concerning these concepts as I have listened to the Vivaldi and Mussorgsky releases.

I agree that the Vivaldi disc makes great use of the possibilities of multichannel surround music with its double orchestra tracks. This may be the perfect disc to compare the two concepts.

Personally I very much prefer to use the surround channels for discrete music and not "just" ambiance. The basic concept of "acoustic reality experience" is not so much about multichannel music per se but about giving the listener the impression of being in the audience of a certain "simulated" musical environment with specific acoustical properties (eg. reflections). The performance itself takes place isolated on the front stage - while the surround channels "simulate" the environment.
It is a similar experience than sitting in an eg. opera house.

BUT imho true multichannel music can be much more than that. Instead of providing the traditional way of listening to a performance placed in front of the listener it has the potential to use each of the 7.1 channels equally in order to put the listener in the middle of the performance. 2L does that. The Vivaldi double orchestra tracks also succeed in doing so - while still being not "discrete" enough for my liking.

Putting the listener in the middle of the performance - that is an experience you hardly ever get in reality but makes surround music so much more enjoyable in my opinion. Assigning each and every instrument to a distinct channel and using all 5.1/7.1 channels equally is what I would like to see.

This is an all-new music experience. Alexander, you are doing it with your Electronic Music works. What is holding you back doing the same with your classical releases? Sure, it has to be recorded this way - so source material is sparse. But if you are doing your own classical production/recording would you choose to do it in "true surround"?

The Music is that we here for,

Surround Sound is only a tool for creative expression to provide a greater presentation of Masteries created by Composer and Performer.

The music Content is determining that kind of Surround Techniques should be utilized.

I would not use the same techniques that was greatly utilized in production of 5.1 2L presentation of Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten, Bacewicz's Concerto for String Orchestra, Bela Bartók's Divertimento for Strings for 7.1 presentation of our Vivaldi, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky Releases featuring world most known Orchestral works that most of the listeners expect to hear in more traditional acoustic settings that actually is the” True surround”.

For that you referring to “True surround” I call “3-D Sound Reality” and “Surround Orchestration” were each instrument placed in particular position around a listener that like I mention in previous post: ” I am strongly insists that presentation like this should be done only in collaboration with the performer and prior deep analysis of the composer work.” That why
My Electronic music compositions is quite different because I am writing music and producing each track or sound effect to be heard from the point in 3-Dimensional perspective from the beginning of the composing and production process, more then that my Symphonic Fantasia “The Master and Margarita” will have a track in a partiture where I show where each instrument should be located during recording of the performance.

I have also Experimental project "Classic Expressions" on DVD-A - original orchestral partitures were transcribed in a virtual domain using midi, sampled instruments and synthesis to achieve real separation of the instruments, and also to balance them together in the surround mix - so if you interested in my conceptual works I would recommend to check this out.

[Alexander J]

Originally Posted by TheLion

Yes, they are. Look for them @ amazon.com for example - or order them directly from Alexander with his special offer for Blu-Ray.com members.

Our Studio page at Blu-ray.com has all current information about our titles including detail product description and links to Amazon product pages to make your purchase:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?studioid=51

The Special offer from our studio was available only to selected members who would like to review titles from our collection, but as far as it got mentioned in my thread I am temporary posting link URL and password:

http://www.surroundmagic.com/bluraylogin.htm
password "letmein"

[Alexander J]

Sorry, I was going throught the thread and just realized that I forgot to answer this:

Originally Posted by blu2

Have you considered any Jazz releases? Do you think the surround experience would translate well to a small group jazz recording?

Absolutly,

and to support that I am posting my Surround Arrengement of "Autumn Leaves" (by Johny Mercer) performed on Synthesizer that I have in my plans for next year to produce with life musicians:

"Autumn Leaves" download

and instructions:
Check your home theater system for DTS compatibility.
1. Download zip file.
2. Unzip DTS Wav files
3. Burn an Audio CD. (Not a Data CD)
4. Play your new DTS Music CD with your Blu-ray player

[Alexander J]

Originally Posted by Alexander J

I would like to announce a contest.

Every 2 weeks I will present a title from our Surround Music Collection for the most interesting question or comment about Music in Surround Sound.

Good luck,


This is our First Prize:

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: Orchestral Suites No.1,2&3 / Tripelkonzert - Acoustic Reality Experience



SUITS NOS. 1 - 3 BWV 1066 1069

The four Orchestral Suites or Ouvertures BWV 1066 1069 are a set of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, probably composed around 1720 in Cöthen. The word ouverture refers to an opening movement in which a section of slow dotted-note rhythm is followed by a fugue; at the time, this name was also used to refer to a whole suite of dance-pieces in the French baroque style.

Ouverture No. 1 in C major, BWV 1066
1. Ouverture
2. Courante
3. Gavotte I/II
4. Forlane
5. Minuet I/II
6. Bourrée I/II
7. Passepied I/II
Instrumentation: Oboe I/II, bassoon, violin I/II, viola, basso continuo

Ouverture No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067
1. Ouverture
2. Rondeau
3. Sarabande
4. Bourrée I/II
5. Polonaise (Lentement) - Double
6. Minuet
7. Badinerie
Instrumentation: Solo flute, violin I/II, viola, basso continuo The badinerie has become a show-piece for solo flautists, due to its quick pace and difficulty, and it is also often heard as a mobile phone ringtone. It was sampled by rapper Busdriver for his 2002 song Imaginary Places.

Ouverture No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068
1. Ouverture
2. Air
3. Gavotte I/II
4. Bourrée
5. Gigue
Instrumentation: Trumpet I/II/III, timpani, oboe I/II, violin I/II, viola, basso continuo The Air is one of the most famous pieces of classical music. An arrangement of the piece has come to be known as Air on the G String.

TRIPELKONZERT

Concerto for harpsichord, flute, and violin in A minor, BWV 1044
1. Allegro
2. Adagio ma non tanto e dolce
3. Alla breve
Scoring: harpsichord solo, violin solo, flute solo, violin I/II, viola, continuo (cello, violone)
Though this a concerto for three instruments, the harpsichord has the most prominent role and greatest quantity of material; there are several cadenzas and virtuosic passages for the instrument; the scoring is identical to that of Brandenburg concerto no.5, BWV 1050, though the character is quite different. The first and third movements are adapted from the prelude and fugue in A minor for solo harpsichord, BWV 894, which have been developed with added tutti sections. The middle movement is from the trio sonata for organ in D minor, BWV 527, which has been expanded to four voices; only the solo instruments play, and the flute and violin share the melody and accompaniment, switching roles on the repeat of each half.

Musicians:
I BAROCCHISTI:
Duilio Galfetti, violin, viola
Giovanni De Rosa, viola
Thomas Muller, natural horns
Raul Diaz, natural horns
Maurice Steger, recorder
Stefano Bet, flute, recorder
Emiliano Rodolfi, oboe Gabriele Cassone, natural trumpet Francesco Cera, harpsichord
Diego Fasolis, harpsichord, conductor

Audio Presentation: 24bit / 96K 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

And this disc goes to Slec for the question about piano piece by Rzewski:

Originally Posted by Slec

.............. what got me thinking about this is some of the pieces by Rzewski where the piano is used as a percussive instrument as well as a musical one. Hearing it live can be quite an experience as the room fills with the different sounds emanating from the piano. It can be rather haunting and it got me thinking as to how that would sound reproduced in multi-channel and to ask how decisions are made to best suit playback.

Originally Posted by Alexander J

For example like piano piece by Rzewski "The Road" that is notable for the extensive use of the piano's case and the pianists' bodies as percussion instruments and supplied by many of the participants, who also have to vocalize and whistle and manipulate pieces of apparatus I would do new "surround orchestration" of this work to position these effects around the listener however I strongly insists that presentation like this should be done only in collaboration with the performer and prior deep analysis of the composer work.

Great question,

Alexander.

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Alexander J

And this disc goes to Slec for the question about piano piece by Rzewski:

Thanks Alexander! I've got more questions brewing, it's great to have you here on the forum with us. Thanks for taking the time to participate

[Fatboymart]

Congratulation Slec

I didn’t know a gooner could articulate themselves that well

From the South Wales manc

[Alexander J]

Our Next prize for the most interesting question or comment about Music in Surround Sound that will be posted during the next 2 weeks will be:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No.25 / Piano Sonatas - Acoustic Reality Experience [7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Disc]



Alfred Brendel, accompanied by Sir Charles Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra presenting the grandest of Mozart s C major concerto.

It has the following three movements:
1. Allegro maestoso
2. Andante in F major
3. Allegretto

The expansive first movement is one of Mozart's most symphonic concerto movements. This movement subtly slips in and out of the minor several times. The secondary theme of the concerto's first movement is a march that often reminds people of the then unwritten Marseillaise.[2] Beethoven references this concerto in his own Fourth Piano Concerto. In addition, the famous motif in the first movement of Beethoven s Fifth Symphony resembles one found in this concerto. The tranquil second movement is in sonata form, but lacks a development. It extensively uses the winds. The third movement is a sonata-rondo that opens with a gavotte theme from Mozart's opera Idomeneo. Girdlestone considers this movement to be very serious-minded. Like the first movement, it touches upon the minor; however, it ends confidently and triumphantly.

Mozart Sonata in E flat major K282
4 I. Adagio
5 II. Menuetto I- Menuetto II Menuetto I
6 III. Allegro

The early sonata K.282 written when Mozart was nineteen, are full of youthful brilliance and warmth and were favourite performance pieces as he travelled around the courts of Europe.

Mozart Sonata in D major K 576
7 I. Allegro
8 II. Adagio
9 III. Allegretto
9 III. Allegretto

In contrast K.576 is Mozart s last sonata and, from a technical point of view, possibly his most challenging. It is fitting that it ends in a simple, understated style ; this most dazzling of all Mozart s sonata finales fades gently away into the distance.

Mozart Fantasia in C minor K.396
The disc ends with something of a rarity the imposing C minor Fantasia which remained unfinished at the time of Mozart s tragically early death. This intriguing fragment, which includes a brief accompaniment for violin, was completed after Mozart s death by Maximilliam Stadler. For this recording, however, Alfred Brendel has allowed himself to modify Stadler s rather static and bass-heavy realisation of the violin part.

Audio Presentation: 24bit / 96k 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio


Best Wishes,

Alexander

[magphil]

Hi Alexeander

I have just place an oder for your generous offer.

Shipping option mentions that 15$ would be added for international shipping.
Delivery address is in Luxembourg, but those 15$ were not added on the paypal amount. Will I get my order ?

Cheers and thanks again for your generous offer.

[Alexander J]

Originally Posted by magphil

Hi Alexeander

I have just place an oder for your generous offer.

Shipping option mentions that 15$ would be added for international shipping.
Delivery address is in Luxembourg, but those 15$ were not added on the paypal amount. Will I get my order ?

Cheers and thanks again for your generous offer.

Sure,

I believe it has already been sent to you.

But in the future please write to info@surroundrecords.com for all sales inquiries.

[mohyi]

Hey guys ,

i am trying to play The chaikovsky acousitc relaity experience on my blu ray , Panasonic DMP-BD50 , connceted vis ananlog outputs , but it gives me a message that the disc is not compatible, i upgraded the firmware to 1.5 version. i am very disappointed can anyone help ? has anyone experienced this issue.

[Alexander J]

Originally Posted by mohyi

Hey guys ,

i am trying to play The chaikovsky acousitc relaity experience on my blu ray , Panasonic DMP-BD50 , connceted vis ananlog outputs , but it gives me a message that the disc is not compatible, i upgraded the firmware to 1.5 version. i am very disappointed can anyone help ? has anyone experienced this issue.

Panasonic DMP-BD50 may not play this particular disc
Anybody who will come accross compatablility problem on any of our titles, PM me personally, I will resolve all issues.

[mwoods]

Alexander J I have sent you a PM Thank you for your continued support

[dominica]

I have these to items in my Amazon cart, but I would like to know what type of music are included in these two titles (Space or Dream of Life & Spatial Dynamics) before I place the order

Electronic Music is it a mix of (House, Jazz, Techno, Jungle) ???

Thanks

[JimShaw]

Originally Posted by mohyi

Hey guys ,

i am trying to play The chaikovsky acousitc relaity experience on my blu ray , Panasonic DMP-BD50 , connceted vis ananlog outputs , but it gives me a message that the disc is not compatible, i upgraded the firmware to 1.5 version. i am very disappointed can anyone help ? has anyone experienced this issue.

I purchased the same and it would not load on my player which is a Marantz BD8002 that does not have a firmware problem.

I sent the disc back and received another to discover that it also would not play. I returned the Blu and was discouraged to try again.

This was the first time a Blu would not play on my player.

[JimShaw]

Alexander

Glad to hear from you.

Did you get my letter thanking you?

Thanks, once again, for the signed case and the gift for which I was extremely surprised.

-------------------------------

My order was from Amazon. I just discovered that I can order from Alexander direct, great.