Sunday Feast Kirtans

Video courtesy of Krishnapada.

Here are a few subtle highlights of the sound mixing in this video segment:

You can hear at various points shifts in the balance of instruments. For example, the top end of the tabla comes up at 1:14, around 2:31 on the "turnaround", and again at 4:37. Changing the balance of the instruments creates a dynamic feel to the kirtan. It renews interest and energy and keeps it fresh.

There is a chorus effect on the harmonium during Vraja Dhama's kirtan. It's most noticeable around 3:37 during the response.

The booming of the bottom end of the mrdanga around 3:38 was me mucking around with Krishnapada. I maxed out the 80Hz on the AKG D770 mic we had on the bottom end of the tabla, and this caused the 800W subwoofer we had hooked up to go to town.

In the kirtans overall you can feel and hear a strong presence in the elusive 80Hz-120Hz range, delivered with authority and precision by an RCF ART 705A 800W active sub with an 80Hz crossover. This is balanced by a reasonable amount of 12kHz-20kHz provided by a few select cartals and a tambourine played by competent players. The overall effect was a relatively high SPL (sound pressure level) that was as much "felt" as it was heard, and didn't leave you with ringing ears and hearing damage afterwards.

Heaps of cartals in the 16kHz-20kHz range will make you deaf. Heaps of bass in the 80Hz-120Hz range will make you shake your booty.

To deliver those frequencies you need Lots.Of.Power. Shifting the amount of air needed for low-frequency, long wavelength sound needs a powerful amp and a big driver. The RCF ART705A, with 800 watts of power amp and a 15" driver delivers this.

Two of these would be ideal to get an equal experience throughout the room, and Yes, we will get there; but in the meantime we had a 100W Ashdown bass amp near the musicians to provide bass guitar foldback, and put the subwoofer at the back of the room to minimize feedback through the mics.