Rudy Van Gelder FXP?

Hi, I am looking to seeif someone has created and uploaded a FXP of the iconic piano at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, as heard on all of the Blue Note records?

Thanks,

Charlie

Hi, that would be great. I would love to check it out.

mqbernardo wrote:

bombaycharlie wrote:

Hi, I am looking to seeif someone has created and uploaded a FXP of the iconic piano at Rudy Van Gelder's studio, as heard on all of the Blue Note records?

Thanks,

Charlie

I´ve tried to do it a couple of times, but was never quite happy with the result. if you´d like I can try to locate and upload them to the fxp repository.

I can't help with the specific request, so sorry for that.

However, I keep reading lots of criticism of RVG's sound, particularly the piano. I'm surprised by this as I thought his recordings were generally accepted as being some of the best examples of jazz albums. Admittedly, my own knowledge of his work is pretty limited and focussed mainly on the Grant Green records but was the sound really all that bad?

The criticism seems to centre on him not giving the piano enough "space" by miking it too closely. I've even read that he used a mic inside the piano wrapped in some sort of cloth, presumably to kill off some top end. He's also accused of using excessive compression and EQ. When I listen to something like McCoy Tyner's 'The Real McCoy" this all fits but the sound is still "good" to me, albeit in quite a midrange focussed way.

Presumably the ideal start would be the Steinway B pack (he used other pianos before this but I think the B is considered the "classic" RVG studio piano) and experiment with very close mic positions and not be afraid to add liberal EQ and possibly compression?