Click here to hear! Christmas Shellac, Part 2
People have been asking, "Lee, why don't you put three versions of Parade of the Wooden Soldiers in one post?" "Okay," I replied. "I will." And I have. You'll hear Nat Shilkret's wonderful International Novelty Orch. recording, plus Paul Whiteman's pre-electric (1923) and electric (1928) versions, both arranged by Ferde Grofe, whose Christmas Eve we heard earlier.
All selections are new rips created with VinylStudio and MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab MX, and boy, what a difference it makes when the treble and bass rolloff points can be clearly and precisely designated (along with the lower freq. cutoff). Crisp, clean sound--the best kind. I picked the rolloff points by ear, using 250 Hz as a starting point for the "bass" and fine-tuning from there. If the lowest end sounds muddy, I go lower. If it lacks punch, I go higher. (No, I don't think that explanation qualifies as circular.)
With Dance Characteristique (next to last selection), I really had to creatively EQ to keep things from sounding too flat. I'd already de-RIAA'd the playback curve and adjusted the rolloff points, but the sound was too pinched. So I raised the faders and freed the sound, crying, "You're free! FREEEEE!!"
I need to get out more. (Wait--it's in the teens. Never mind.)
Enjoy!
Lee