Chapter 12
Chamber ensembles
Chamber ensembles come in many varieties, but they all perform music designed for a more intimate space and work without a conductor. Communication and eyelines between the players are therefore very important, and this needs to be taken into consideration when deciding on studio recording layouts. Small classical brass ensembles (of quintet size) have been included in Chapter 13.
We will consider some of the most common ensembles in turn.
12.1 String quartet in studio layout
The string quartet consists of two violins, a viola, and a cello; music has been written for this combination of string players from the 18th century to the present day. Whatever method is used to record the quartet, the aim is stability and ...
