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Views from the Choir Loft

Beware Of Microphones!

Jeff Ostrowski · July 8, 2015

531 microphone image N THE PAST, I mentioned how choir directors must have the integrity to record their choirs “live” and carefully listen to the results. On the CCW Facebook page, someone made a very intelligent comment. He said the microphone will never give an accurate representation. Nevertheless, a few weeks ago, we placed a cheap microphone at the very front of the Church, behind a pillar. I wanted to see how our choir sounded to the congregation so we could make improvements.

The recording came out decent, but not stupendous … let me explain why.

The balance and tone as presented by the cheap microphone struck me as incorrect—and I was confused. Was I not present during this Mass? Did I not hear our choir with my own ears?

Somebody might respond, “Jeff, that just proves your ears aren’t very good; the microphone doesn’t lie.” However, my mother was present during that Mass and recorded brief snippets on her iPhone. Her recordings proved that my memory was correct—for instance, about the balance of voices. 1

HERE’S THE BOTTOM LINE: the guy on Facebook was correct. Microphones sometimes provide an inaccurate record. 2

I don’t have the clips from my mother’s cell phone, but I do have several clips captured by the cheap microphone (the one hidden behind a pillar). Feel free to listen to these clips, but please remember our choir sounds much nicer in real life!

    * *  Excerpt • ALLELUIA

    * *  Excerpt • COMMUNION

    * *  Excerpt • HOSANNA

    * *  Excerpt • GLORIA

    * *  Excerpt • CREDO

The final clip (“Credo”) really told me something was wrong with the recording because—as you can hear—the organ is almost too loud for the soloist. I can assure that was NOT the case!  But I would undoubtedly still be second-guessing myself if I hadn’t listened to my mother’s cell phone recording, which was located at the center of the nave.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I am sensitive to the balance between organ and voice. During the recording session for an audio CD back in 2003, the microphone was placed too close to the organ, so I had to reassemble the entire schola—including the organist—to redo the whole session. During my college years, I attended a local parish and the organist played so loudly throughout Mass my head hurt for a week.

2   Please note: I’m not here concerned with poor quality recordings per se. After all, I’m someone who grew up listening to scratchy, awful, distorted records of the Golden Age Pianists, and no one has a greater love for such things or spent more time enjoying them than I. One eventually learns to focus on the music beneath all the surface noise.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

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    During the season of Pentecost, you might consider using this 2-page Piece “for the season of Pentecost.” Rehearsal videos are available at #40691, but the lyrics are different. Therefore, make sure your choir members understand that one can rehearse songs that have different lyrics (“CONTRAFACT”).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • (This Coming Sunday)
    Our volunteer choir appreciates training videos, so here's my attempt at recording “Exáudi Dómine Vocem Meam,” which is the INTROIT for this coming Sunday. This coming Sunday is Dominica Post Ascensionem (“Sunday after the feast of the Ascension”). It is sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.
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    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Gregorian chant is the sacred chant, proper and principal of the Roman Church. Therefore, not only can it be used in all liturgical actions, but unless there are mitigating circumstances, it is preferable to use it instead of other kinds of sacred music.”

— §16, De Musica Sacra (1958)

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