Chris Curtis Web Site

I have been experimenting with a Zoom H2 digital recorder. We have a major need to record students playing and singing at school and at the moment are using all sorts of things from full-blown cubase through various digital recorders and CD recorders. None of these are ideal. We need simplicity but also high quality. The Zoom looked worth a try. The microphones are built in, once the record volume is set you just press the obvious red record button once to check levels and again to record. It all goes onto an SD card and can go onto the computer directly or via a USB connection to the zoom.

I have done some recordings using the Zoom and I am very impressed. The set-up could not have been easier.

1. The zoom sits on the music stand (though this might not be an ideal location it works well enough)
2. I play the backing track on my ipod through open back headphones, so I can hear the backing track and the Sax but the zoom only records the Sax
3. I pull the zoom recording into audacity, normalise it and then align it with the backing track. Counting in with the backing track helps!
4. I add a little reverb and equalisation in audacity – especially to the sax. I tend to leave the backing track alone.
5. I create an mp3.

The result is like this:

The Wedding

Given this was recorded in my bedroom without any attempt to exclude external sound, and it has had only a little work in audacity, the sound quality is really quite pleasing (not quite so sure about the playing, though!)

The “music stand” placement for the zoom (it literally sits on the music stand in front of the music I am reading) can tend to emphasise the breath and key sounds from the instrument, though I have found taking a step or two backwards is helpful. There is also a risk that I will send it flying! I ought to put the Zoom on a mic stand. It is very convenient though. You hit the red button on the zoom, then hit “play” on the ipod (which is on the bed – my headphones have long leads) and by the time the backing track is counting in, you are ready to play.

The music is “The Wedding” by Abdullah Ibrahim. I love the smoochy, laid back tune. This arrangement is in the AB Real book which contains pieces for ABRSM Jazz grades 4 and 5 for Clarinet, Alto and Tenor Sax, Trumpet and Trombone and the backing track is from the Grade 4 Tenor Sax CD that goes with it. It is used here for educational purposes. The middle 8 is improvised.

The Sax is a Bauhaus-Walstein Phoshor-Bronze Tenor (probably the best value Sax in the world) with a Vandoren V16 ebonite mouthpiece and fibracell 2 reed. I have been playing sax for about a year.

• Flickr: evening light http://bit.ly/Wt7o #
• Flickr: cello_player http://bit.ly/4G3cef #

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The “Spanish plume” of hot air which brought the thunderstorm has also given us the first day over 20C this year.

I was woken by a single crack of rolling thunder at 05:14. It seemed very loud and close.

• Flickr: dance recital bg http://bit.ly/27YrSk #
• Having a lovely cappucino – made with my new dualit espressivo – fantastic foam! #
• Flickr: IMG_1218 http://bit.ly/CAO5 #

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As I previously mentioned, I went to one of Hilary Shedel‘s “Dance Shoot Days” recently.

Although I take a lot of photographs, this was the first time for very many years that I have been on any kind of photographic course, training or lesson. I did not really know what to expect, and was quite nervous. The day took place at Hilary’s studio in the Ferrer’s Centre at Staunton Harold. This is a set of converted stables associated with a “great house” so the setting was very pleasant and rural but more than three hours’ drive away from home so it meant an early start, and on the day the clocks went forward too! The weather was lovely with bright sunshine, so the miles went by quickly enough.

I really enjoyed the day. There were five of us on the course which meant that, even taking it in turns, we had a lot of “hands on” time, but also the fascinating opportunity to watch each other at work. The studio was set with a plain white paper background and one powerful strobe with a huge softbox and two large, homemade reflectors. In the afternoon, the lighting was changed to a single “red-head” tungsten light so we could experiment with deliberate use of movement blur. Lighting was predominantly from the side, slightly in front, to provide form and to deliberately use the “drop off” to differentiate the dancer from the background.

Hilary is an excellent teacher. I knew I really liked her work, but she was able to share one or two apparently simple ideas which generated all kinds of thoughts and insights: these were then worked out practically by shooting an excellent modern dancer: Sharla. The emphasis throughout the day was on how to run the shoot and especially how to visualise the results and work with the dancer to achieve them. There was little technical input, except where it really mattered, but lots on how to ask the dancer to move, what the dancer needed and on timing. All this was driven by a real respect for dance and the dancer, which built confidence in trying to make good photographs.

We were given five minute “slots” when we were in charge of the dancer. For each of these (without being told) you needed to have visualised an image and have thought about how to work with Sharla. She was excellent, which made things work very well, bringing her own interpretation of movements and asking sharp questions which made you clarify your own thoughts. She was also willing to try things – even though she was injured and looking after her back. When we were using the tungsten lighting, it was possible for several of us to shoot at once, though only one was ever in control.

Hilary’s patience and clarity, the warmth and comfort of the environment and the focus on making images meant the time went very fast, but the work was intense. I was mentally very tired by the end of the day, but burning with a wish to do more – to experiment.

I was delighted with the images I managed to capture, and with the new confidence I gained. I would feel much more able to work with a dancer or model in future. The images are not “mine” to use as I wish, as they were set up by Hilary within the context of a course, but I have put a few in my space on Flickr (the last 9 in that set) to share what came out of the day.

The day was extremely good value, very worthwhile indeed and good fun. Thoroughly recommended.

• Listened to – Abdullah Ibrahim “The Mountain” from A Celebration [Jazz] #
• Listened to – Abdullah Ibrahim, Ben Riley, Carlos Ward, Charles Davis, David Williams, Dick Griffin & Ricky Ford “The Mountain” from Wat … #
• Listened to – Abdullah Ibrahim, Ben Riley, Carlos Ward, Charles Davis, David Williams, Dick Griffin & Ricky Ford “The Wedding” from Wate … #
• Listened to – Adiemus “Cantus Iteratus” from Songs Of Sanctuary [New Age] #
• Listened to – Adiemus “Hymn” from Songs Of Sanctuary [New Age] #
• Listened to – ABRSM “The Wedding BT” from Jazz Grade 4/Tenor Sax [Saxophone Tutor] #
• Listened to – ABRSM “The Mountain BT” from Jazz Grade 4/Tenor Sax [Saxophone Tutor] #
• Listened to – ABRSM “Nostalgia in Times Square BT” from Jazz Grade 4/Tenor Sax [Saxophone Tutor] #
• Listened to – ABRSM “The Window BT” from Jazz Grade 4/Tenor Sax [Saxophone Tutor] #
• Listened to – ABRSM “The Wedding BT” from Jazz Grade 4/Tenor Sax [Saxophone Tutor] #
• Listened to – ABRSM “The Mountain BT” from Jazz Grade 4/Tenor Sax [Saxophone Tutor] #
• Listened to – “PAYG_090331″ from pray-as-you-go [Podcast] #
• Listened to – Jim Wilke “Jazz Northwest 3/29/09″ from Jazz NW Podcast [Podcast] #
• Listened to – Podcast:Music “Kinky” from KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic [Podcast] #
• Listened to – Podcast:Music “Andrew Bird” from KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic [Podcast] #

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