Willliam Maxwell (25102037)
Task 1 – WAV Mixes
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Task 2 – Production Log Book
In pre-production we set out to make a session-by-session plan with our goal to, ideally, be finished within 3-4 weeks.
Doing so now would leave time for us to develop and mix each track with room for the remix.
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We agreed to pick two tracks that were already rehearsed and ready to be performed. I met with Amy and Polly to discuss our recording and arrangement methods with a session plan to be finished the same day. While we each contributed, Polly took notes to consolidate what we agreed on into a roadmap for the studio sessions.
For our emulation, we chose the Brit Pop track ‘Alright’ by Supergrass, for the stereo mix we chose ‘Kiss Me’ by Sixpence None The Richer.
The emulation band have already performed this track together, though we still gave ourselves time to re-record if required. The vocals are sung cleanly and we all agreed we could work with it when remixing.
For the stereo pair capture, we wanted a song that would be easy to rehearse and perform for consistent takes. Sunny plays with a 6-string acoustic in a fingerstyle pattern unlike the original’s strummed 12-string. Polly would perform the vocals similarly, though without the aid of overdubbed vocals. We aimed for the arrangement to feel intimate and would base our recording choices to suit this goal.
Amy booked the microphones while I used my hours to book studio time. Polly liaised with the musicians and rehearsed in preparation for both performances.
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 first instrument was performed by Polly on the keyboard, arguably the most iconic part of the track.
We recorded this independently to focus on getting the pulse correct, as a backing track for the others.
Rather than a click track, we recorded the vocals against the keyboard, then recorded both guitars against the drums. This was to ensure each part could be accurately emulated without losing too much of the live spirit.
Supergrass’ producer Sam Williams revealed that they tracked this single with their synergy in mind. When together, the band used their ‘eyes and volume’ to wordlessly adjust their performance. This was an important aspect to their driving style and would be important to consider when re-capturing that ‘unchained’ rock’n’roll feeling that Brit-Pop often strives for.
Track 2 (Live In the Studio Stereo Recording)
I booked a 2 hour session in 422 with myself managing the recording and assisting Amy with the desk itself.
I felt that preserving a sense of authenticity was a highly important factor for this capture to land. By accurately panning the microphones on the desk and testing their phase relationship, I painted a physical space in the recording that could be heard and felt as if it were ‘in the room’. This consistency was the basis behind our microphone placement, as well as my own editing and mixing decisions later on.
The stereo mics will be capturing the performance closely, and any obvious edits would the listener’s immersion – before our session I directed Polly and Sunny to rehearse until they were consistent, as it is harder to mask mistakes in such a small arrangement.
This recording uses a pair of KM184s with two Reslo ‘Beebs’.
The Beebs gave the guitar’s body richer low-mids, whereas the KM184s supplied the necessary high-end (3k-8k range) for Polly’s vocals to sit above the guitar.
I wanted a recording that places the audience in-the-room while still evoking a certain emotional intimacy. KM184s are the small diaphragm condensers chosen to close-mic the musicians. The stereo pair were positioned to encapsulate both instruments for a detailed recording, which you can hear in Sunny’s fingerpicking and Polly’s breathing.
The ribbon microphones possess a greater sensitivity to input impedance and therefore have a darker tonal characteristic when compared to the KM184s.
Their lower sensitivity required me to raise their gain higher. I was concerned that compressing at the mixing stage would reveal too much of the noise floor, so I aimed to balance this appropriately before printing. The ‘rolled off’ darker sound from the ribbons were used to blanket the KM184s, making the hard reflections of the live room sound softer.
After a few takes, our group decided to space Sunny further back, so Polly could be better heard in the KM184 mix. This solution was simple and far easier than to action in the live room rather than in the mix.
Our group liked this sound and recorded 12 takes total of varying speeds and dynamics with minor errors.
When we felt we had at least 2 great takes, I agreed to personally oversee the mixing and mastering for consistency’s sake, given I had made the recording decisions while Amy manned the desk.
