24102537 MPR4C001R-003 Portfolio: Production & Log

by

Sam Smith 24102537

MPR4C001R-003 Portfolio: Production & Log 2 Template

Task 1 – WAV Mixes

Please add your uncompressed audio files to the block below

TaxMan RemakeDownload
Sam Smith Taxman Remix 2Download
LIVE RECORDING 30_04_26Download

Task 2 – Production Log Book

1500 Words

Please use the sections below to evidence your personal contribution to the production for the portfolio. Please include details for all the tracks produced as a part of this portfolio.

Provide rationale for any of the production decisions that you made as a group. Include any multimedia (pictures, videos, audio recordings etc) evidence to the relevant sections.

Consider the following:

Pre Production

  • Rehearsals
  • Track development
  • Demo recording
  • Arrangement decisions
  • Session planning

Recording

  • Microphone choices
  • Room setup
  • Musician management

Mixing

  • Mix plan/concept
  • Balance
  • Pan
  • Tone
  • FX

Project Management

  • Time management
  • Planning
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Structure and organisation

Track 1 (Genre Specific Emulation)

The song we have chosen to replicate is Taxman by the Beatles as we thought that the groovy bass line and simple drum beat would be easier to replicate rather than other genres such as: 1970s Disco/Funk or 1990’s Neo Soul/RnB/Rap.

The Beatles’ production of “Taxman” represents a significant evolution in their recording techniques, combining innovative studio methods with strong musical influences from soul and R&B, this is a sudden change compared to the original 1960s rock’n’roll style of music.

The tracks were tricky to replicate as we had to get the exact sounds used on Ringo Starr’s drums, Paul McCartney’s bass, George Harrison’s distorted rhythm guitar and John Lennons clean double tracked vocals.

The opening Count-in consisted of Harrison’s deliberately grim, miserable voice which then contrasted sharply with their earlier cheerful count-ins and to recreate this we had multiple takes to get it spot on trying our best to do the same Liverpudlian accent.

Firstly, we collected numerous talented musicians to recreated the exact patterns and styles of how they played with the closest sounding instruments we could find.

We started with recording the bass line which was heavily inspired by Motown music with the use of slides along the fret board we then doubled the pentatonic bass line in the third verse. The mics we used for the bass was a SM57 pointed at the one at the cone of the bass amp for a fuller sound. Then we also plugged the bass into a DI box for a cleaner signal which we them blended together in to mixing stage.

For the guitars we used a fuzz-toned rhythm guitar for the chords. The mics we used were the SM57, DI box and Sontronics Halo. The SM57 and Sontronics Halo where used on the amp for the gritty distorted fuzz as the SM57 is a dynamic microphone so it can handle the SPL. We blended the clean DI signal with the distorted fuzzy so that it doesn’t overpower the rest of the instruments.

For the solo section of the song, we removed the effects for a clean sound to replicate the actual recording. We used the same mics as the rhythm guitar except from the Sontronics Halo.

Next, to record the vocals we used a simple vocal booth with a JZ V67 microphone with a pop filter to remove sibilance. We also double tracked to vocals to copy John Lennon on the track.

Next, to record the drums we used the Glynn Johns technique which is a method for recording drums using a minimal microphone setup, typically involving four microphones: one overhead, one front-facing, one near the bass drum, and one close to the snare. This technique aims to capture a natural and balanced drum sound, creating a spacious and realistic drum recording. We used an AKG 414 for the overheads to capture the hi-hats and cymbals as it’s a high frequency microphone. We also used a Audix D6 for the kick drum as its large diaphragm dynamic microphone giving it a high SPL. We used a SM57 for the snare which was aimed at the centre of the snare to increase the punchy sound similar to what Ringo Starr did in the recording. We also stuffed the kick drum with pillows to dampen the sound and relied of compression for the punchiness copying the original technique.

Recording the percussion such as the tambourine and a cowbell we just used a simple set up playing them in front of a AKG 414 as it can capture the high frequencies of the tambourine and cowbell.

Finally, for the ending of the song we had to splice the guitar solo section onto the end so that it created an innovative fade-out effect.

Track 2 (Live In the Studio Stereo Recording)

Firstly, for the live in the studio recording we used a spaced pair which consisted of two Schoeps CMC5U omni pair which were equally distanced and balanced giving us the depth and dimension on the sides making the recording wider but the only problem with the spaced pair is that there is a gap in the middle so whichever musician was in the middle would be quieter than someone who is more on the outside, in most recordings in the same room the most important instrument or the lead would be in the middle creating numerous problems. We countered this problem by using a mid-side recording technique which captures both directional and ambient sound. It involves using two microphones: a cardioid channel facing the sound source and a figure-8 polar pattern microphone for the channel perpendicular to the mid microphone. The mid microphone captures the direct sound, while the side microphone captures the ambient and spatial information. The recorded signals are then processed to create a stereo image, allowing for adjustable stereo width in post-production. We used an AKG C414 XLS for the figure-8 polar pattern as it’s a well-rounded microphone with a clear signal and we used a Calrec CM1051 for the direct microphone, its well-rounded with a clear direction due to its cardioid polar pattern.

Track 3 Remix track

Firstly, for the vocal remix I chose to use the style of house music as this would fit the vocal when manipulating and time stretching as this is a prominent feature of house music. 

When I started to first gather ideas for this, I started to take inspiration from other house music and how they incorporated their sounds with the vocal itself. From this research I gathered that this style of music had a lot of synth sounds with plenty of creative effects such as risers, slap back delay and the use of reverb to create a wider space for the vocal to lay in. Vocal chops and pitch correction plays a big role in creating the catchy vocal we can groove to. 

Next, as I started to create synth sounds on my Yamaha DX7, I picked another live instrument to record in to fit the requirements as you must include two live instruments recorded. I selected to use a bass for the bassline to give the track natural groove. I later then used effects such as Auto Wah helping to bass with movement. I also decided to use delay to adjust the bass to stay in time as well as using EQ to boost the parts of the bass to help it punch through the rest of the mix so that its not overcrowded by the synths.

Next, I started to create synth loops that fit the house style consisting of using similar sound to the more well know songs of house music. As these loops were recording I was playing the vocal underneath them in the original state and thinking of ways to chop them and manipulate it to fit with the pitch and timing of the loops. I found that certain phrases that were said in the vocal had the correct flow I needed to fit the synth loops. After chopping the certain phrases, I added effects such as flex pitch to make vocals deeper and higher, EQ to use a low pass filter similar to house music also giving it a creative effect, Digital reverb to give the vocal a robotic feel and I finally used delay at the end of phrases going into another part of the song to help it glide smoothly into other sections.

After layering the synths with the vocal and bass I moved onto creating the drums which carried the house groove throughout the song. I used a four to the floor pattern on the kick drum putting the snare and clap on the two and four beats. The open hi hats were placed on the off beats giving it structure, I also used regular hi hats varying before the open hi hats changing them to a lower velocity similar to house music allowing the drums to flow better.

Instead of using the same drum pattern throughout the whole song I used a different sound for the kick, snare, clap and I took the hi hats out to avoid overcrowding when transitioning to the bridge. I also used a four to the floor kick pattern at the end of the verses to help build up tension for the beat drop which then introduced the original house beat increasing listeners interaction.