Live Band/Ensemble Capture
We structured the process by dividing the recording into four different sections which are: Pre-production, recording, mixing and project management. We did this so that we could focus on each section 100%, ensuring we complete it to an excellent standard.
Before we got the band in to record them we had them do a few rehearsals beforehand. We did this because it meant that they could prepare properly for the recording and so that we could have more time to set up and record rather than have them rehearse in there aswell. It was especially important for the singer because it meant that he could practice the different flows and pitch changes that were apparent throughout the performance.
For the development of the track we routed each instrument to a separate track in Pro Tools (including each drum in the drumkit) so that we could mix and manipulate each instrument individually.
To get started, we created a smorgasbord of demo recordings to get a rough idea of how the band wanted to go forward with their performance. After each recording, we had them come into the control to listen to what we had just recorded so that they could listen to it and pick out any mistakes or sections they could play better. We also gave them some constructive feedback to give them some different options. For example, we suggested that the guitar player could turn down his distortion to create a smoother feel. We also had some demo recordings where the guitarist turned up the distortion so that we had options to go with a smoother and calm feel or a more energetic feel.
We managed the musicians by moving them into different positions so we could see if we could get some different sounds.
For the room setup we listened to the musicians as they came with an idea of how they wanted to be set up. We took this on board so that everyone was happy. We had the bass player and drummer in the same room and had the guitar and vocals in a separate vocal booth. We did this so that we could minimize the amount of bleed that would come from the drums.
The microphones and amps we chose suited the kind of sound we wanted and it reduced the amount of overall bleed. Guitar – Fender amp and Beyerdynamic 165, Bass – Di tech 21 analog brilliance est 89, Vocals – Valve Warm Audio WA251. Drums: Overheads – octava MK319, Kick in – AUDIX D6, Kick out SONOTRONICS DM1B, Snare top – Beyerdynamic M201, Snare bottom, 3x SURE SM57 and two talkbacks, Toms – 3x SENNHEISER MD421.
We managed the time by booking a studio for a total of 5 hours. We did this because we took into consideration the time it would take to set up the mics and amps, and test them to make sure they were working. We split the session into different parts which were, setting up mics and amps, setting up Pro Tools, testing the mics, demo recording, actual recording and packing up. We also allowed about an hour just in case something went wrong or we needed a member of staff to show us how to solve any problems.
We all had some different roles to play during the session so that everything could be done quicker. Sienna was mostly involved with the setting up and positioning of the them and the musicians. At some points she made a few small adjustments which really helped with the overall sound. Zach was in charge of the desk making sure that all of the sound was coming through into the right channels and correctly mixing the song as we were recording. My job was being in charge of the Pro Tools session. I created all of the instrument tracks and made sure all of the instruments were routed and getting the signal to the correct ones. Also making sure that the signal was going back out into the desk.
The mixing for the live sound recording was very simple. We added some volume balancing so that nothing was too quiet or too loud. Next we panned the overheads so that the music was not trying to occupy the same space and it allowed the recording to breathe. Last of all, to end off the song smoothly we faded it out slowly.
Method 2 – Overdub Production
In the overdub recording, We structured the process into four different categories: Pre-production, recording, mixing and project management. This helped us to structure and manage the sessions properly.
For the pre-production we booked rooms for the musicians on different days and times so that we had a plan of when and what was going to happen. We also got the musicians to send us the song that they wanted to overdub so that we could get an idea of what mics we would use and how we would work out the setup. The idea was to record the drums first as that would take the longest time to set up and it would be a good base to have for the rest of the instruments to record over. We then next recorded the bass and then the guitar and vocals together as it was a guitar vocalist. Before we got them into record we asked them to rehearse their parts so that we didn’t have to waste time in the studio waiting for them to do so.
We created a bunch of demo recordings so that each musician could go through their parts and correct any mistakes they may have made during it. The demo recordings also allowed us to cut parts where a mistake was made and then start recording at that cut instead of recording the whole thing again. We did this because it eliminated any chance of mistakes in the final recording.
For the overdub we got the musicians in separately to record their instruments on their own. After we got good recordings of each instrument we then layered them on top of each other to create a base layer to set it up nicely for mixing later on.
For the overdub we had a few changes with the mic choices as we didn’t have to worry about bleed or multiple people performing at once as we were recording one person at a time. We recorded the guitars and bass in the vocal booth so that they sounded dryer and a bit flatter because we didn’t want to have a roomy sound for them. As for the drums, we put them in the live room because we wanted the opposite effect as it allowed for them to make the song sound more full and fill any quiet gaps.
For the microphones we used: Bass – AKG D550, Electric Guitar – SENNHEISER MD441, Vocals – SONOTRONICS STC-3x, Room – Neumann KM183. Drums: Overheads – 2x AKG 414XL2, Kick in – AUDIX D6, Kick out – SONOTRONICS DM1B, Snare top – Beyerdynamic M201, Snare bottom – 3x SURE SM57 + 2 talkbacks, Toms – 3x SENNHEISER MD421. We used the SENNHEISER’s because they are very versatile which allowed us to use them for the electric guitar and the toms on the drumkit. We used the SONOTRONIC’s for the same reason but to also have a vintage inspired sound that it produces.
The mix of the song was very simple as all it needed was some volume balancing, some panning of the overheads and a nice little fade out to create a smooth end to the song.
We had to be very organised for this because we had to book studios multiple times, on various different days, and sometimes at different times in the day. During this process, we had to chop and change the original plans of the recording times because some days the studios weren’t available and at other times some of the recording team or the musicians weren’t around. For the drums we booked out 104 for around 4 hours as it is the instrument that takes the longest time to set up and pack down, also considering extra time for any faults or mistakes that could occur. For the other instruments we booked out 104 for around 3 hours as they don’t take too long to set up and take down.
For the roles and responsibilities, Sienna managed the bookings of the studio and availability of the musicians. She also mainly set up the mics and was in charge of moving equipment to trial different sounds. Zach’s main responsibility was making sure the signals were going through the mics into the desk and into the right channels. My responsibility was creating a ProTools session that had separate instrument tracks which allowed us to mix and manipulate each instrument individually.
