Re: [ARSCLIST] analyzing room acoustics to identify recording venues

[Scott Phillips <scottp@xxxxxxxxx>]

The overuse or inappropriate use of technology is a problem. Just
because you have a tool doesn't mean it should be used, or tell you when
it should be. Protools is software that easily allows that to happen
because of its power, but the fault is the engineer/producer, not the
hardware. 'Plugin' reverb, compression, and effects software do breed
sameness, and the ability to 'fix' poor performances just allows
mediocre recordings. Not really the equipments fault though.... just the
humans'.

-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Matthew Barton
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 7:43 AM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] analyzing room acoustics to identify recording
venues

Not long ago I heard an engineer complain that the problem with current
recordings is that "they're all made in the same room, and that room is
called Pro Tools."

Matthew Barton
American Folklife Center
The Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540-4610
phone: (202) 707-1733
fax: (202) 707-2076
email: mbarton@xxxxxxx

>>> scottp@xxxxxxxxx 2/22/2005 11:48:33 PM >>>
With an acoustic recording, you might use a Time Energy Frequency
(TEF)
waterfall display of the material. A fairly distinct pattern may
emerge.
For a non-acoustic recording that won't work well, because of
artificial
reverb that is added in random amounts. I would think that recordings
from the later 50's and through the 60's you might have some success
though, by identifying the echo chamber signatures of various studios.
They are pretty distinctive, but since the later recordings may have
been tracked in several locations and mixed in several, there isn't
much
to work with there.

-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steven C. Barr
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 10:34 PM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] analyzing room acoustics to identify recording
venues

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry Young" <youngs0@xxxxxxxxxx>
> This is almost a forensic question. I am looking at a
> number of recordings made in different studios and
> performance venues, and I would like to know if there
> is some reasonable way to analyze the room acoustics
> (decay rate, frequency spectrum etc) to be able to
> locate where recordings (or parts of recordings) were
> made. It seems that there must be some tool for
> quantifying what the ear tells you is different.
>
> For example, you can often spot Studio 8H when you
> hear it.  Is there a tool that can sniff at a
> recording and, if not tell you where it's from, take
> an acoustical fingerprint that you can match other
> recordings against?
>
I've witnessed this being done for acoustic recordings...I have a
good friend, with an excellent ear, who could aurally identify the
source company of recordings by listening to them!

As far as electric recordings, I can't say specifically...

Steven C. Barr