Task 1 – WAV Mixes
Task 2 – Production Log Book
1442 Words
Track 1 (Genre Specific Emulation)
For our emulation track, we recreated ‘Come Together’ by The Beatles, originally recorded by George Martin at Abby Road Studios in 1969. Before we started recording on the track, we researched the techniques and recording style of George Martin (which I will discuss further below) to ensure the track’s small nuances sounded as close to, and as iconic as, the original. For planning and the pre-production aspect, we arranged different parts of the song within our group, with Tom on drums, bass and guitar, and me on keyboard and vocals, which were all learned and rehearsed before the sessions.
To lay down the foundation of the track, we started with drums and bass first. When recording the drums, we aimed to recreate Martin’s techniques by eliminating the use of a metronome to replicate the groovy and laidback feel of the song, and also used a close duplicate of Ringo Starr’s drum kit with low-tuned toms, along with the use of tea towels, which covered the rack and floor toms to copy the soft and damp tone of the instrument. As the original drum stem was recorded on an analogue desk, we found that the natural saturation and slight compression were similar to our recording on the analogue desk.
As pre-planned, our microphone choices were carefully selected to sound as authentic to the original as possible. For the kick drum, we used a mixture of dynamic and condenser microphones, placing the Audix D6 inside the skin-off kick drum, and the WA47jr microphone (condenser) angled toward the kick drum on the side. This mixture of different microphone types was spread across the kit as a whole, with a Neumann KM184 condenser microphone on the bottom of the snare, RE20 dynamic microphones across the bottom of all three toms, a condenser SM57 on the hi-hat, and finally a Beeb microphone (a replica of the Coles 4038), which its ribbon style and firgure of 8 polar pattern captured the subtleness of the cymbals. Due to the size of the room at Abby Road Studios in the original recording, this mixture of dynamic and condenser microphones replicated the airy sound and room reflections within the recording.
When researching the guitar, we discovered that all the guitar parts, both rhythm and solo, were recorded with a Rickenbacker guitar and played by John Lennon. In recording, Tom used an Epiphone Sheraton II to mimic the distinct sound of the Rickenbacker, and used a cracked Fender Twin Reverb amplifier to recreate the drive and distorted sound and placed the SM57 condenser microphone in close proximity to the amplifier to ensure we gained this sound. The bass, originally recorded by Paul McCartney, was directly interjected into the console. In the studio, we used this technique, along with the use of running the bass through the Goldmike tube pre-amplifier, to gain the slight compression which was heard in the original recording.
After recording drums, bass, and guitar, we started on the keyboard. The keyboard was originally recorded by McCartney on a Fender Rhodes electric piano and plugged directly into the desk with a mono input. Using a similar technique, and a close replica of the keyboard, the Nord Electro 5, we were able to mimic the subtle and slightly gritty tone of the original recording from the side chain. To finish the recording process, we moved to vocals. For the vocals, which were originally recorded by John Lennon, Martin used the Neumann U67 tube microphone. To capture the rich and creamy tone of this microphone, we used a replica called the Warm Audio WA-67. When recording, we used the technique of overdubbing to replicate the original tape-tracking technique used by George Martin. This technique also replicates the warmth and saturation originally picked up by the tape-tracking and use of the analogue desk within the original recording.
For mixing the track, we used reverb on both guitars, with added overdrive through compression on the rhythm guitar. We added distortion and cut the low-end frequency of the EQ on vocals to replicate John’s voice more authentically, and added reel tape saturation on guitars to recreate the original tone. To finish the process, we balanced and panned the instruments to mimic the sound of the original.
Track 2 (Live In the Studio Stereo Recording)
For the stereo recording, we used an already rehearsed, three-piece jazz band and recorded this session in room 104. To capture a well-balanced sound between the singer, pianist, and double-bass player, we used the mid/side microphone technique. For this recording, we used a Neumann KM184 for the mid microphone, placed directly in front of the singer, and an AKG C414 for the side microphone, aimed directly at both the double-bass (right) and the pianist (left). We set the C414 on a figure-of-8 polar pattern to capture both the double bass and piano equally while capturing a depth of field that increases the ambience and atmosphere of the recording. The use of a condenser microphone on the vocalist eliminates any overpowering or bleed from the side instruments, making the recording as clean and direct as possible.
During recording, we used the Drawmer compressor, a tube hardware which lightly controlled the dynamics during tracking. The band didn’t use headphones and recorded each song the whole way through, allowing the recording to capture the natural flow of the music, and wlong with the compressor, enhanced the warm and clear tone of the band. After recording, we mixed the track by duplicating the mid microphone and flipping the phrase, panning the tracks hard left and right. The result was a very direct and clear vocal with the perfect balance of instrumental bleed without the audio getting too crowded.
Because the double bass and piano are quite delicate and acoustic instruments, the dynamic range of this ensemble was a perfect choice for this microphone technique, as we were able to capture all three parts without overpowering the vocals and capture a clean sound in the recording.
Track 3 Remix track
For the remix aspect of this assignment, I divided the structure into three sections. Within this arrangement, I centred the music around the key of d minor and used the bridge, with a plagal cadence (chord IV) to pivot into a modulation of D major for the final section. As opposed to the original, which is entirely in the key of d minor, I chose to change key signature to both maintain listening interest and to align with my chosen genre, electronic/ tech house. Aside from harmony, I also experimented with the structure of the song, using the verse and bridge to build tension toward the chorus at the end, different from the typical verse-chorus-verse structure they used within the original.
For the percussive side of the track, I used found sounds to recreate a drum kit as realistically as possible, using objects to emulate the sounds of a kick, snare, and hi-hat. For the kick, I layered different sounds together, recording myself banging my fist on a table, hitting a cardboard box, and hitting the wooden edge of a guitar. I pitched these three components down two octaves to create a low-pitched ‘thud’, then boosted the low end of the EQ and added heavy compression in order to get a clean and solid sound, similar to a real kick. For the snare, there are two different layers which play separately in the track in order to fill the texture of the percussion. The first layer consisted of me clapping into a microphone, and muffled its sound by cutting the high end in EQ. I also used compression to create a short decay, mimicking hitting the top of a real snare. To recreate the snare bottom, I shook a bag of coins to copy the sound of the wires at the bottom of a snare, using distortion to create a ‘crackle’ sound as heard in a real snare. The split of the clap and coins created a ‘glitching’ effect, which fit the genre of music. To finish the percussive track, I used a salt shaker with added reverb to make a more roomy and atmospheric sound, recreating the real vibrations and long-term decay of a hi-hat.
To finish off the track, I added the vocals from our group emulation project. For the processing and manipulation of the vocals, I used EQ to boost the high end, along with compression to keep the vocals tight with the beat. I also used a little distortion, delay, reverb, and the flanger effect to fit the electronic/tech house genre as closely as possible. For the live instrument element of the track, I used the vocals from our project, and recorded a synthesiser keyboard for the bass synth in the studio.
