From goffmac747@aol.com Mon Jan 17 15:57:13 2011
Subject:Re: New Vent Footswitch


In a message dated 1/18/2011 7:00:40 AM, gabru@comsec.net writes:

<< A mic'd Leslie is not a 360 degree
instrument once it is traditionally recorded. >>

I think that is not true. A mic'd leslie still pics up reflections from
boundaries and within itself. Micing a real lesie has numerous possibilites,
where the mic is placed, how much of one rotor is captured over the other, how
the phase switches on the preamps are set, in-phase, out-of-phase which
gets it a different tone altogether, what types of mics. Have you ever tried
Mic Mod? Every mic sounds different. And then how the rotors react, spin as
they would mechanically is the main issue. Whether a Vent is a simulation of a
mic'd leslie is almost a vague comment as it should be how a leslie sounds
through the air to your ears but then in what environment? A wood recording
chamber 20 feet tall? If you want to say that the Vent captures the sound of
a recorded leslie, that may be closer to a possibility but there are many
versions of a recorded leslie. And if that is the case, then a recorded
leslie sample is a generation removed from a real leslie and we still have a ways
to go on learning to record any instrument as best it can be recorded.
Perhaps like most music technology, we have Van Halen's guitar tone on Hot For
Teacher, or Eric Johnson's tone on Cliffs of Dover, so then maybe shades of
Matthew Fisher or Gregg Rolie should be part of the menu on a simulator or
The Cat for JOS fans if recorded leslies are the main point of focus, which
for many would be usable out of the box. I can say though that a simulation
has this "simulation tone" as every rotation is perfect unlike a real leslie
that waivers in its imperfection using motors and belts. Again refer to the
old cartoon animators and the modern way. For every ten moves the old farmer
Gray cartoons would make, Bart Simpson has way less moves. Case in point we
have aclimated ourselves to accepting a more static version of the original.
We could be discussing piano samples and how some like the sound of the
hammers and the mutes or dampers as part of a traditional piano sound and the
way these mechanical parts resonate through the piano's case, that are
available on expensive soundscapes, so it all depends on how good things need to
be for any one player, whether it is perceivable or if it even matters.

Goff