Performance Recordings: Recording Performances...
I have my own strong opinions about recorded audio; I want to listen to performances, live performances that capture the resolution of the instruments creating the performance.  The interaction between the musician(s), the room, the other instruments in the room... they're all important to me.  I want to hear that when I sit down to listen to a performance. Because this style of recording is rare, I have found the best results are for me to record it myself.  

Equipment:  
Much can be said about the recording equipment available today.  Unfortunately not much good can be said about it.  Now, don't get me wrong, there are some very very good recording tools out there, but there are more bad recording tools out there.  What gets me, is that people don't seem to know the difference.  It seems that people have forgotten about capturing sound accurately, and are driven by features, ease of use, number of tracks and so forth.

I have assembled a recording system that fits my needs perfectly, which consists of a pair of custom hand built microphones, a custom hand built mic pre-amp for the said microphones, a very high quality Analog to Digital converter, and a Hard Disk recording device. 

The Goal... My Goal...
To accurately capture audio performances.  

I Understand...
I understand that my goal is different from most other recording engineers.  My end user is sitting in the living room, listening intently, growing goose bumps or chills with the music, as one might do in the presence of the actual performance.  My user has spent countless hours building a stage for the performance to appear on, choosing the best equipment within their means to play back the captured audio. I do understand that these users are the minority.  I don't quite understand why.. but that's just me.

What is music?
To the real world, I believe music is what is heard on the radio. Music is manufactured in an environment geared towards selling to particular crowds, marketing, compressed dynamics. Music is the stuff that comes out of little computer speakers, bad earphones, boom boxes and the speakers in your car's door.  

To me, music is what comes of musicians before the microphones are ever turned on.

What are Musicians?
Anyone who makes an audible performance, for the purpose of expressing a thought or a feeling.  Instruments are often used to create sounds of emotion.

Thank you, there is more to come someday soon...

J. Scott