‘Crocodile tears’ Production Log

Pre-production

 The song ‘Crocodile Tears’ is written and performed by a band called Jeanine, who are also students at Leeds Conservatoire. The song’s theme revolves around the ambiguity of love which is presented through its dreamy sounding guitar and vocals. The chord structure is simple but beautiful and remains the same throughout – alternating between Emaj7 and Amaj6 throughout. It is also in 4/4 time – which was useful for us as the producers as it allowed us to focus more on a good performance capture which in turn allowed for a cleaner mix. This simplicity also meant that any weaknesses in performance or tone would be more noticeable, increasing the importance of accurate recording techniques and a good live delivery from the band. During the pre-production, we decided to have 4 instruments before adding overdubs; drums, electric guitar, bass guitar, and vocals. We conducted a rehearsal before recording anything in order to ensure the best possible take. This rehearsal stage allowed us to identify any potential timing/arrangement issues early, therefore reducing any unnecessary retakes during the actual recording session. I also created a Gantt chart to provide an easy visual of the mics used and the mic technique/polar pattern:

Reasoning for mic selection

• The Shure SM57 was chosen for both the vocals and the electric guitar due to its mid-range clarity and high end shimmer. It provided a clean capture and we also used it later for electric guitar overdubs and backing vocals. Its familiarity also made it a reliable choice in a student studio environment where efficiency was important
• The AKG D112 was selected for the kick to emphasise low end punch, and also because it is less sensitive than other mics, so there is no distortion.
• The MD421 and Sennheiser e604 were chosen for the toms and snare in order to reduce spill and isolate each part of the kit
• Oktava MK-012 for overheads to capture a stereo image of the whole kit and specifically the cymbals. Using a spaced pair configuration helped create a natural sense of width and space as for this assessment we were not allowed to use any plugins or VSTs to achieve this effect

Time management

 The production group communicated via an Instagram groupchat which allowed fast and easy sharing of ideas, scheduling, photos, files, and updates.

(Screenshot of the instagram studio groupchat confirming scheduling)

 We followed a structured workflow;

• Pre-production recording
• Initial band recording of the drums, bass, guitar, and vocal
• Overdub of guitar parts
• Editing and basic balancing in pro tools

Studio diary

 We were able to record this song in one day. I began by setting up the mic stands and mics for the drums, electric guitar, and vocals. We then created a Pro Tools session and routed each mic to a different channel on the desk and within the pro tools session. I also checked gain staging before recording to ensure clean signals with sufficient headroom.  We recorded multiple takes in order to achieve the closest we could to perfection and the drummer was sent a click track as the rest of the band went off of his tempo. As I went along I kept notes in my phone of the process and details of the session in order to prepare for this write up.

‘Wonderkid’ Production Log (live capture with overdubs)

Pre-production

 ‘Wonderkid’ is also written in E major, but is in 6/8 time. Although in the initial studio session we recorded the bass, vocals, drums, and electric guitar live, we later added overdubs to enhance the texture and arrangement of the track whilst at the same time preserving the human connection of the initial live performance. The compound time signature contributed to the song’s flow and influenced our approach to add rhythmic overdubs. These overdubs included;

• A double track vocal part
• Backing vocals for harmonies
• Bongos
• A miked acoustic grand piano
• DI Rhodes keyboard

Pre-production ensured that the live production was tight enough timing wise in order to later allow for and support overdubs without the final mix sounding unorganised or muddy.

Live ensemble capture

The core ensemble consists of guitar, bass, drums, and the lead vocal recorded simultaneously live in the same room (excluding the vocal which was performed in the vocal booth). I chose specific instrument placement in order to minimise bleed whilst maintaining visual communication between the band members; this allowed for greater clarity in the final mix.

 The process for the live ensemble capture was identical to ‘Crocodile Tears’ as we recorded both songs in the same studio session using the same setup and signal flow. This allowed for a more fluent and faster recording session. However, we then booked another studio session a few weeks later in order to record the vocal and bongo overdubs, which also gave us time to reflect on the mix and arrangement and identify areas where we could potentially add things without the mix becoming cluttered.

First Overdub Session

 I set up a stereo pair of Oktava MK-012 to record the bongos –  a percussion element which we thought could enhance the rhythm of the song. We did a practice take and then recorded 3 more takes until ourselves and the performer were happy with the material we had.

 For the vocal recording, I set up a Shure SM57 outside of the vocal booth, as isolation was not needed due to the lack of simultaneous instrument recording – this approach simplified the session. I proposed that the vocalist should sing the main melody again to create a double tracking effect. After we had recorded this I turned down the channel volume so that this effect was further in the background of the mix. Next we recorded backing vocals for the final chorus via the same mic. This involved punching in towards the end of the song and building up additional vocal layers through the use of ‘oo’s’ and ad-libs to add depth and energy to the final section of the track, which is a common theme in many popular songs nowadays.

 During this session we also recorded a saxophonist who we recorded with the same mic routed to a separate channel. However, after reviewing the takes the following day, we decided that the saxophone did not complement the song as intended and the recordings were removed in the final mix.

Final overdub session

 We then had one final studio session the next day without the band present, where I set up a stereo pair of Oktava MK-012 microphones inside the piano and recorded simple octave notes following the chord structure with the aim of adding texture to the mix as prior to this there was a slight lack of low/mid range frequencies. Finally we recorded a Rhodes piano through the use of DI to ‘fill in the gaps’ in the song where there was space in the arrangement.

 The performer, Josh, made sure not to play complicated melodies whilst the vocal/electric guitar was leading. This ensured a cleaner mix and more space for each specific instrument within the mix. Once all parts had been recorded, we played the track through the studio monitors, during which I adjusted fader levels and panning within Logic to widen the stereo field and improve the balance of each track within the mix to ensure that all elements sat together cohesively.

Conclusion

 This portfolio demonstrates two different but complementary approaches to music production, both requiring similar workflow and skillset needed. ‘Crocodile Tears’ represents a live recording based production in E major, where the focus was placed on a human sounding, live, emotional detail rather than complex layering. The relatively simple chord structure and harmonic framework allowed for more attention to detail to be given to the performance which in turn allowed for a more simple mix. 

 In comparison, “Wonderkid” was based initially on the live band recording in 6/8 time, centred on a repeating Emaj7 to A6 chord sequence, but later overdubs were added as the focus of the track was placed on texture. Overdubs, including vocals, bongos, piano, and Rhoades, were added at a later stage and were used selectively to enhance the recording and somewhat change its character. This required careful consideration from all involved as we all agreed on textures to add as a group to make sure that the live energy of the performance remained intact while still adding depth and interest to the arrangement, specifically through the use of the Rhodes piano and double tracked vocal.

 Across both projects, planning and communication played a key role in achieving a successful outcome. Pre-production discussions in person helped define the direction and approach to each track, while clear communication through group messaging allowed us to organise sessions and respond efficiently to any issues that arose, with timings, file problems etc. Booking additional studio time gave us the opportunity to reassess earlier decisions and make changes where necessary, for example removing parts of the track that did not benefit the overall song and mix. This approach reflected professional working practices and an understanding of time management within a studio environment.