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Allan	This discussion includes members-only video content My apologies if this has been posted before but I feel it is worth sharing. This is one of my favourite pieces of music and one that I am working on although I am a way off sounding like this. Beautifully performed...! Allan 18 Responses Posted: May 3, 2011 Last Comment: May 9, 2011
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Eileen Posted: May 9, 2011	Yeah, I was trying to figure out where that other violin was coming from too.....it was a puzzle ! Thanks for the explanation Beth Very interesting !

Jonathan Chan Posted: May 9, 2011	I knew something was up when some of you keep looking at the song sheets the whole 5 1/2 minutes but no one flipped pages... :D

Beth Blackerby Posted: May 9, 2011	We actually recorded it there on our stage at our violin shop. The acoustics are so nice (ya'll will experience it when you come to Austin) that we didn't need to add reverb. I have a friend who does audio engineering, and he set up his equipment. Then we took the files to the mastering place. Apparently mastering makes sure the sound is compatible with all stereos, and computers. We only did that since it was going on a CD. It's still a fascinating process.

Simon Posted: May 9, 2011	Thanks for revealing the 'secrets' behind the process - I hadn't considered that the audio was recorded in a studio beforehand!

Frank M Posted: May 8, 2011	Beth, thanks for explaining about the third violin part. I was really perplexed, watching your hands and Tracy's, and thinking "how can either of them be playing that part?". I guess I'm not quite as crazy as I thought! :-)

Anne aMaudPowellFan Posted: May 8, 2011	Fascinating process. Thank you for explaining. I had been wondering about the three violin parts because I definitely heard three entries (beginnings, however...). I thought you switched voices around.

Beth Blackerby Posted: May 8, 2011	I will demystify the production process. We definitely processes this video/recording. Originally we were making it for the Barton Strings website, but my friend and colleague Carolyn Hagler(the cellist and former owner of Barton Strings) never followed through with putting it on the site, so I asked her if I could post it here and on the blog I rarely keep up with. She said "Do whatever you want with it" We had to make this in parts since we only had one camera. To be completely transparent and to let you know how these "professional things are done", first we recorded the audio. Again, with one camera and many different takes, there is no way to patch together a good audio track with editing tools , so we spent a good deal of time recording to get an entire take that we liked. I really am playing the first violin part, Tracy Seeger (next to me) is really playing the 2nd violin part...and if you listen carefully...you'll hear a 3rd violin part! Our friend Jaimie Desautels recorded the 3rd part but couldn't be there for the video shoot...so you hear him but don't see him. Then we processed the audio..passed it through a fancy audio mastering software that makes everything sparkle (this was done in a studio for the Barton Strings CD). Then we took our own audio, cranked it really loud through a boom box and played along with our own tracks. Kinda cheating I know, but that's how all music videos are done, unless you have many fancy cameras set at all the right angles, and lots of expensive microphones. We have only one camera, but my husband was in the news business in his former life, so he's great with the camera! We had to play through it several times to get all the footage we needed. Then I spent countless hours patching the video part with my editing software: Final Cut. Editing and processing aside..in the right acoustic, we always sound that gorgeous ; )

Allan Posted: May 8, 2011	I agree the quality of the recording is excellent. The opening cello is especially good. The editing and transitions are also superb. There are some good shallow depth of field shots across the bridge of the cello as well. A very professional result it won't have been done on an iPhone...!

Simon Posted: May 7, 2011	Great piece and great performance - I really enjoyed it so don't apologise for sharing! The sound quality was also superb, I sometimes record rehearsals and performances with my groups but don't have a high-end set up - what microphone / set up was used here?

Beth Blackerby Posted: May 4, 2011	Yes, that is Bruce's signature pizz. style. He's always done it like that.

KarenJ Posted: May 4, 2011	That's some crazy pizzicato right there!

Joshua E Posted: May 4, 2011	This is my favorite piece... and also one of the reasons I got back into violin playing - beautiful!

Beth Blackerby Posted: May 4, 2011	This discussion includes members-only video content Here's one. It's the first movement to this Bach Trio Sonata I played with my "Baroque" group, a completely non-enterprising group. We play for the sheer joy of it.

Beth Blackerby Posted: May 4, 2011	Ya'll crack me up. We made this video for our quartet's wedding business. I don't do any of the contracting or business end, but the second violinst does. I just show up, play Palchebel, hope they stay married, and leave. Tomi, I do have other videos stuck somewhere down in the archives. I'll see if I can pull them up.

jack Posted: May 4, 2011	It's definitely a beautiful piece and everyone playing it has a big smile on their faces as well. They not only sound awesome, but they appear to be having tons of fun. All they need now is an ice cream party afterwards to celebrate their brilliant performance. ;-) I don't know about anyone else, but comes Austin, I'll be asking for Beth's autograph.

tomi Posted: May 4, 2011	Very nice! Beth, do you happen to have any more performance videos like this hidden somewhere? :)

Vicky Posted: May 3, 2011	thank you for sharing this - one of my favorite pieces (maybe someday I will be able to play it!?)

Eileen Posted: May 3, 2011	OH...I see my favorite violinist there ! ;-) I'm going to be working on a duet of this piece with my friend Helen. Too bad we won't have a cello to accompany us. :-( Hopefully we'll get a chance to play it at church around Christmas time if we can find an appropriate spot to squeeze it in. Beautiful piece !