This event is an adjudication by professional musicians and composers against a set criteria, based on musicality and tonality. These recordings enable up to 160 bands, at the regional stage, to assess how well they are progressing. NCBF previously used a battery-powered portable cassette recorder, but has now switched to the CDR300, according to NCBF business manager Kevin Cooke, using one channel to record the band direct to CD via a Behringer mic, while the adjudication panel overlays comments on the second channel via a Shure SM58.
"This device is ideal for direct to CD-R recording," continues Cooke. "With 50 bands going through in two days - each playing a 25-minute set - there is no time to write the performance to hard disk. This means we can work at high speed allowing each band to go away with their CD labelled up, listen to the full performance in mono ,and then pick up the adjudication on the other channel. The CDR300 is portable and durable, writes direct to CD, and most important, it is easy to use and set up." The NCBF is hoping to add a further seven units in preparation for next year's event, when the national festival will be held at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
