Baritone Euphonium Multi-tracking : Euphonium Quartet "Ball of Fire" - Peter Smalley

http://www.NextStepMusicPerformance.com.
I first heard this piece on Steven Mead's World of the Euphonium Vol.2 CD. I was impressed that one person could play all four parts in a technique called 'multi-tracking'. I knew that this could be accomplished in a professional recording studio using different tracks for each of the parts, but I wanted to know whether there was any affordable recording device that any musician could use to make their own multi-track recordings in the comfort of their own homes.

After doing some research, I found a Zoom H4 portable digital recorder which I started using about 2-3 years ago. After a bit of practice, I found I could make my own multi-track recordings where I played all the parts. Fortunately, the H4 recorder has some nice built-in features that help you make multi-track recrdings. There is a built in metronome and you can hear each part playing back as you record subsequent tracks which is great for synchronization.

Besides being great fun, I found I was able to learn a lot about my playing. First of all, it becomes very obvious when any of the parts are out of tune or if the parts are not together. I found that I had to listen to my playing a lot more carefully and work to improve both intonation and rhythmic accuracy. In several places in this video, you can hear that not all the parts are always exactly together, especially in the sixteenth-note (semiquaver) passages. Intonation is also a bit 'wonky' here and there. It's still work in progress for me.

But the point is that all musicians can learn a great deal about their playing by multi-tracking and have great fun in the process too. Check out my website at http://www.NextStepMusicPerformance.com for more information and a great deal on the Zoom H4 portable digital recorder which I used to make this video.

I also use the recorder to record my own practice sessions (I'm always amazed how much more you can hear when you play back a recording of yourself), band practices, small group rehearsals and concert performances (if permitted). The recording quality for such a small device is pretty amazing.

In the next few weeks, I will be posting some more multi-tracking videos, so stay tuned. In the meantime, if you want to hear some brilliantly played multi-track euphonium playing, check out Steven Mead's "Euphonium Magic" CDs.

Thank you for listening.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• zoom recorder
• baritone
• euphonium
• multi-tracking
• tuba
• brass
• band
• zoom
• H4
• H4N
• portable
• digital
• recorder
• solo
• home music recording

[MultiEuphonics]

for a live performance of this, search ball of fire peter smalley. euph quartet led by bowman. very nice playing jeff.

[BaritoneEuphoniumJef]

@MultiEuphonics Thanks for your comments. I'll check out the video you recommend.

[EuphPlayer514]

What kind of horn are you using?

[BaritoneEuphoniumJef]

I play a Besson Sovereign 967GS

[BaritoneEuphoniumJef]

Janni, thank you for your comments.

[Partyburner]

It sounds nice. I'm using a Zoom H4 for multitrack recordings, too. Is the other device a H4n? Why do you use *both*? :)

And BTW: Is the H4n better than the H4 in every aspect or are there some advantages of the H4 over the H4n?

[BaritoneEuphoniumJef]

Patrick. Zoom just came out with the new H4N recorder. H4N has better screen and enables 4-track rec0rding rather than just stereo. In my opinion, the H4 and H4N give about the same results for multi-track recording. By both, I meant I used H4 previously but now use H4N because I can see it better (:

[lbrown21494]

Cheap Multi tracking? Audacity and a thirty dollar mike would accomplish the same thing for half the price.

[frintong]

that's good, my friend did the same thing with brilliante. Check out my video of me and my friends playing this live. (Dr.Bowman said we were good, so we were all really happy)

[EuphPlayer514]

@BaritoneEuphoniumJef Thanks for letting me know its a beautiful horn

[JanniXBunny]

you play incredible!

This piece seems to be very difficult and you performed it that well!<3