Most under-appreciated album?

[Rebecca (:]

There's a thousand and one ways to record choirs.......I would agree that every voice is recorded seperately....yes...but also together..... using different micing techniques.....all the different vocal tracks would then be blended....the reason for recording solo voices is so the engineer has complete control over every sound as every sound or voice is different and needs different tweaking...it also gives the mixing engineer the ability place different voices in the stereo field of the track...example....the left side of the speaker or the right side...this allows for every frequency or pitch to have its own little place in the music so that it is audible...hope that makes sense...

I always look at recording and mixing like a pot of soup....you can either put all the ingredients in at once...but the problem with that is that each ingredient might have a different cooking time so you end up with some mashy potatoes and some meat that is not quite soft enough.....if you let it go too long all the ingredients just sort of become one and taste the same...


or you can cook each individual ingredient seperately and bring it all together at the end...so you still get the same dish but you can taste each individual ingredient as it was meant to taste.

And what Symphonica said too!! Thanks buddy! I, for one, really appreciate having you on these forums!

You're a great cook... I mean sound engineer!

Mind you, he is a great cook as well!

An yes, I agree! It's great to have someone here on the forum who has expierence with this type of thing!

[symphonica7]

Glad to have people here that are actually interested in sound.

[BrightEyes]

The only thing I don't like about Luminosa is Sanctus II at the end - it seems like such a break from the rest, with the sudden beats. On one hand it's a fitting ending song, after so much intensity (esp. with Luminosa, Stabat and Veni Sancte in a row), but still. It seems like an awkward song on the album - I love Sanctus as a song, but on that particular album it seems out of place.

I agree with you on this, Maarten. Sanctus II is a nice song and all, but it does feel totally out of place here, like all the other tracks are so peaceful and serene, and that one song is completely different beat and mood, etc. I like the first Sanctus better anyway, but that is just my opinion.

[LiberAeterna]

Hi BrightEyes

I was wondering which interview you heard that the boys mentioned recording all their parts separately? Maybe just the soloists are recorded on their own? It would seem to contradict some of the video from the Free promo where you see the boys all together with headphones on and near mics. This is interesting to me and it would be nice to see and hear a little more how these wonderful songs and albums are produced. Perhaps symphonica7 can shed some light on this ?

Hey back, LiberAeterna,

Gosh I've seen so many videos and it was one I watched recently. I can't remember the exact interview, but it surprised me when I heard it. I always thought they always recorded together until I heard that.

I have to head off to tutoring and work now, but I will try to find it and post a link later. 'Til then, anyone else remember this interview?

There's a thousand and one ways to record choirs.......I would agree that every voice is recorded seperately....yes...but also together..... using different micing techniques.....all the different vocal tracks would then be blended....the reason for recording solo voices is so the engineer has complete control over every sound as every sound or voice is different and needs different tweaking...it also gives the mixing engineer the ability place different voices in the stereo field of the track...example....the left side of the speaker or the right side...this allows for every frequency or pitch to have its own little place in the music so that it is audible...hope that makes sense...

I always look at recording and mixing like a pot of soup....you can either put all the ingredients in at once...but the problem with that is that each ingredient might have a different cooking time so you end up with some mashy potatoes and some meat that is not quite soft enough.....if you let it go too long all the ingredients just sort of become one and taste the same...


or you can cook each individual ingredient seperately and bring it all together at the end...so you still get the same dish but you can taste each individual ingredient as it was meant to taste.

Thanks for that very "tasty" breakdown of recording techniques symphonica7 (lol)! That does seem to make sense to have every boy's voice recorded all together and then blended together to make the perfect combination. One of the things that made an impression on me when I first heard Libera was how they use modern recording techniques and apply it to a, in some ways, ancient choral tradition to create a timeless and unique sound. Take for example "Secret". Josh's voice is double tracked across the stereo field which really helps envelop the listener into the song.

[LiberAeterna]

Ralph mentioned in the Nutcracker interview that their parts are recorded separately and then added together a lot of the time. I love how they can perfectly perform all together in concerts and sound just like, if not better than, the CDs.

Nicki and Dani, I could hug you both for finding the specific interview where they said that.

I knew I heard it somewhere and I've been driving myself nuts trying to find it again. Anyhow, in searching through various videos and interviews, I found the promo video for Free, where it showed the boys all sitting together with headphones and microphones, and Michael Horncastle said they were recording "Free".

So I think depending on what they're working on, maybe sometimes they're in studio together and other times may have to go in individually to record their parts. I imagine part of that may be due to the boys attending different schools and having different schedules. They may find it hard to get all the kids together at one time.

Hey thanks BrightEyes, Nicki and Dani for your efforts in finding this info Forgive me for being ignorant, but is that Nutcracker interview with Ralph a video, radio, or print one?

Back to the topic of the albums, if I had to rank them in terms of most listened to I would have it thus (I have only included full original albums, not compilations, meaning no Eternal or Angel Voices/Live in Concert) :

1. Free
2. Luminosa
3. Peace
4. Visions
5. Libera
6. New Dawn

That doesn't mean I think New Dawn is the worst or that Angel Voices and Eternal don't matter, it's just that, as a whole, this would be the order of listening for me. For example, when I want to introduce someone to the group I tend to give them Free. Just my two cents...

[BrightEyes]

Hey thanks BrightEyes, Nicki and Dani for your efforts in finding this info Forgive me for being ignorant, but is that Nutcracker interview with Ralph a video, radio, or print one?

Hey LiberAeterna,

It is a video interview with Ralph and four other boys. It's already posted in the forums here.

Scroll to the very last post on page 3 for the video.

It's quite an enjoyable interview

[paopao]

Back to the topic of the albums, if I had to rank them in terms of most listened to I would have it thus (I have only included full original albums, not compilations, meaning no Eternal or Angel Voices/Live in Concert) :

1. Free
2. Luminosa
3. Peace
4. Visions
5. Libera
6. New Dawn

That doesn't mean I think New Dawn is the worst or that Angel Voices and Eternal don't matter, it's just that, as a whole, this would be the order of listening for me. For example, when I want to introduce someone to the group I tend to give them Free. Just my two cents...

yeah, i'd be so impressed (which then would grow obsessed ) if Free was my first Libera album that i listened to.

i wonder what makes New Dawn less favored by most fans, i mean it's got the philharmonic orchestra stuff while Peace only uses synthesized sounds (albeit very subtle, unlike the Libera album). Perhaps there are songs that just don't work with synth and songs that work well with Strings/orchestra?

[plumpuff6]

i wonder what makes New Dawn less favored by most fans, i mean it's got the philharmonic orchestra stuff while Peace only uses synthesized sounds (albeit very subtle, unlike the Libera album). Perhaps there are songs that just don't work with synth and songs that work well with Strings/orchestra?

Not sure about that...But you're right, it seems like New Dawn is not a general favorite. It had a lot of new songs on it, and, IMHO, some real gems like "Sancte" and a beautiful "In Paradisum" by Ed. I don't really listen to "Air" that much, but I have to admit that it's an amazing feat accomplished by Tom, Liam, Ed and Josh.

Maybe New Dawn isn't as popular because it seems like it deviates a bit from the Libera sound we've all come to know, at least that's my thought. (For example, the use of an orchestra and the singing of more "pop" songs like "Love and Mercy" and so on). The classic Libera sound comes back (albeit with a wonderful, new twist) in Peace.

[Yorkie]

i wonder what makes New Dawn less favored by most fans, i mean it's got the philharmonic orchestra stuff while Peace only uses synthesized sounds (albeit very subtle, unlike the Libera album). Perhaps there are songs that just don't work with synth and songs that work well with Strings/orchestra?

Not sure about that...But you're right, it seems like New Dawn is not a general favorite. It had a lot of new songs on it, and, IMHO, some real gems like "Sancte" and a beautiful "In Paradisum" by Ed. I don't really listen to "Air" that much, but I have to admit that it's an amazing feat accomplished by Tom, Liam, Ed and Josh.

Maybe New Dawn isn't as popular because it seems like it deviates a bit from the Libera sound we've all come to know, at least that's my thought. (For example, the use of an orchestra and the singing of more "pop" songs like "Love and Mercy" and so on). The classic Libera sound comes back (albeit with a wonderful, new twist) in Peace.

There isn't any Libera album I don't like but for me New dawn doesn't have enough songs that I really love to be near the top of my absolute favourite list. I tend to skip Oflow, Maria, Air, Gloria, Road Rise & Jerusalem.

Not that I dislike these songs, I just like others better. But it does have songs that are amongst my favourites on it. Free for instance only has I Vow To Thee that I skip past and Peace only has the odd track I could miss.

Some boys like fat girls and some boys like thin girls and some boys don't like girls at all. It's just a matter of personal taste (unless it is about The Lamb in which case you are quite clearly wrong not to like it).

[plumpuff6]

Some boys like fat girls and some boys like thin girls and some boys don't like girls at all. It's just a matter of personal taste (unless it is about The Lamb in which case you are quite clearly wrong not to like it).

HA HA HA, Yorkie.

And speaking of "The Lamb"--it would be kind of interesting to see Libera sing it live. It's quite a special song and was so well suited to Ben's voice.

[symphonica7]

Hey back, LiberAeterna,


Gosh I've seen so many videos and it was one I watched recently. I can't remember the exact interview, but it surprised me when I heard it. I always thought they always recorded together until I heard that.

I have to head off to tutoring and work now, but I will try to find it and post a link later. 'Til then, anyone else remember this interview?

There's a thousand and one ways to record choirs.......I would agree that every voice is recorded seperately....yes...but also together..... using different micing techniques.....all the different vocal tracks would then be blended....the reason for recording solo voices is so the engineer has complete control over every sound as every sound or voice is different and needs different tweaking...it also gives the mixing engineer the ability place different voices in the stereo field of the track...example....the left side of the speaker or the right side...this allows for every frequency or pitch to have its own little place in the music so that it is audible...hope that makes sense...

I always look at recording and mixing like a pot of soup....you can either put all the ingredients in at once...but the problem with that is that each ingredient might have a different cooking time so you end up with some mashy potatoes and some meat that is not quite soft enough.....if you let it go too long all the ingredients just sort of become one and taste the same...


or you can cook each individual ingredient seperately and bring it all together at the end...so you still get the same dish but you can taste each individual ingredient as it was meant to taste.

Thanks for that very "tasty" breakdown of recording techniques symphonica7 (lol)! That does seem to make sense to have every boy's voice recorded all together and then blended together to make the perfect combination. One of the things that made an impression on me when I first heard Libera was how they use modern recording techniques and apply it to a, in some ways, ancient choral tradition to create a timeless and unique sound. Take for example "Secret". Josh's voice is double tracked across the stereo field which really helps envelop the listener into the song.

Great observation!!!! One of the reasons I'm such a huge fan of Libera is the creative engineering behind it.....Voca Me is really a good example of utilizing the stereo field...

[maartendas]

"False Dawn"? Are you saying you don't like the album - or are you implying that despite the title it didn't offer a new approach?

No, just trying to be provocative and get a reaction

And how would you define the old and the new style?

I'm not musical enough to analyse the styles. being a simple soul it is easier to reflect on the content. The gravity and originality of the songs changed. Quite deep, and mysterious and yes, new age in the first two. Free perhaps a little less so and then by new Dawn it is......lighter, less serious somehow.

I think the New Age tag can only really be attached to the old stuff, the newer releases are much more mainstream if not exactly traditional.

Hey Yorkie,
I never got back to you on this one, but I have been thinking about this. I feel the same when it comes to the more 'serious' feeling of the first albums and the switch they seem to have made with the newer ones. Hard to pinpont but I too experience a different atmosphere in the older stuff, which gives it an irresistible quality, something that is not there in the same manner on the newer stuff, Although Peace does seem like a start of a return to that. Esp. with songs like Sanctissima and Adoro Te. Very different from New Dawn which seems to me like their 'lightest' album, with the least church choir feeling to it.
As for new age, I would only say that the first album (Libera) fits that moniker, as I intend to associate new age with acts like Enigma, Enya, Era, or any other act that starts with E and ends with A and the 'Libera' album has the closest sound to that I think.

[TullyBascombe]

Gee, I've always rather liked the New Dawn album. It was, however, closely followed by the Eternal album which included many of the songs from New Dawn and their other more recent albums.

[LiberAeterna]

Hey thanks BrightEyes, Nicki and Dani for your efforts in finding this info Forgive me for being ignorant, but is that Nutcracker interview with Ralph a video, radio, or print one?

Hey LiberAeterna,

It is a video interview with Ralph and four other boys. It's already posted in the forums here.

Scroll to the very last post on page 3 for the video.

It's quite an enjoyable interview

Thanks again BrightEyes! I did enjoy the interview and all five boys were their usual adorable selves. It must be time consuming for the boys to record all their parts separately. I wonder how long it normally takes to record a whole album?

By the way, I love the song you take your name from . Justin Hayward sings a nice version with orchestra on an album called Classic Blue.

[BrightEyes]

Thanks again BrightEyes! I did enjoy the interview and all five boys were their usual adorable selves. It must be time consuming for the boys to record all their parts separately. I wonder how long it normally takes to record a whole album?

By the way, I love the song you take your name from . Justin Hayward sings a nice version with orchestra on an album called Classic Blue.

Hey LiberAeterna, I'm glad you liked the Nutcracker interview. Ralph "cracked" me up with his "Ouch" comments.

Thanks for telling me about the Justin Heyward album. I've always liked his voice and I love a lot of Moody Blues songs. He did a song called "Forever Autumn" that was on Jeff Wayne's musical of "War of the Worlds" that was a really beautiful song too. It would make a good Libera track I think.

Regarding Bright Eyes, it's nice to see some of the other fans here on the forum like it too

Maartendas was kind of enough to send me a link to a version by Joseph McManners... It is a fine rendition as well:

[youtube][/youtube]

And when I was looking for Justin Heyward's version, I found Declan Galbraith did it too:

[youtube][/youtube]