PROJECT MANAGEMENT

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• Oliver, Me, and Finn shared most of the workload, Oliver provided both groups to record, while all three of us were present for the recording/production of each track.
• We had created a group chat at the beginning of the year which provided efficiency when it came to mic suggestions and sharing dates/times of recording sessions
• Guitar Track – The band we recorded were Pharmacie, a band that included Olivers mates, we recorded the main bulk in one session and then overdubbed vocals after.
• Jazz Track – Again, this group were provided by Oliver, it took a couple of takes to get the final track.

Track 1 (Guitar-based band production)

October 16^th

• We created a share folder; this helps in keeping track of our progress, any information/imagery surrounding a specific session we were able to put in here.

MIXING

DRUMS 

• Balance
  • Set usual balance, often kick and snare are the loudest.
  • Later on within the mix, applied parallel compression to the kick and the snare to make them punch through the mix.
• Pan
  • The kick and snare are completely central
  • The rest of the kit is panned according to how it would sound as if you were standing in front of the kit.
• Tone
  • Subtractive EQs on each drum part, and the bus, often removing harshness around 3k, and boxiness around 400 Hz.
  • Then applied separate additive EQ’s, the SSL E Channel Strip, adding clarity to the kick in (2KHz), and adding bass to the kick out (200Hz).
• Effects
  • Compressors applied to most.
  • Then a room reverb applied to the kit through a bus reverb, adding depth and adding a space to the recording.

Guitars

• Balance
  •  Again set usual balances, kept the lead louder than rhythm, the rhythm acting as a bed for the lead.
  • Applied compression to both, controlling and peaks and troughs.
• Pan
  •  To widen the stereo field I panned the rhythm guitar to the right and the lead to the left
  • This also helped remove any interference the guitars had on the vocals.
• Tone
  • Removed bass up to around 150Hz on both, then removed harshness from them both around 2KHz, and some boxiness around 200Hz.
  • Then, for clarity, I removed some 1KHz from the rhythm and then accentuated this same frequency on the lead, allowing this part of the lead to shine in the mix – finally increasing the highs on both for presence.
• Effects
  • Again, both have a bus room reverb, using Capital Chambers, making sure its cohesive with the drum reverb.
  • For the lead, to bring it forward in the mix I then applied a small delay through another bus, Galaxy Tape Echo – weary of making the mix muddy.

Vocal

• Balance
  • Set usual balance, Using the UAD 1176 to control the dynamics and create an intimate sounding vocal, then applying the LA-2A to control these further and bring up the gain.
  • Adding parallel compression and saturation through buses, bringing the vocals forward and making them more present.
• Panning
  • Lead vocal line is central
  • Backing vocals are panned slight right, adding width to the vocal.
• Tone 
  • Removed any problematic bass frequencies, boxiness from 400Hz, harshness 4KHz – then cleaned up the sound.
  • Added ‘Fresh Air’, an exciter plugin, providing harmonic distortion
  • Then a Pultec EQ, boosting bass frequencies to add a bit more body and increasing the highs for more presence.
• Effects
  • Added delay and reverb through busses, applying the delay to allow the vocals to stand out within the mix, then the reverb to position the vocals in the same space as the rest of the instruments.

Bass

• Balance
  • Added a Distressor, controlling the peaks of the bass but also adding click in the high-end of the bass.
  • To make it more presence within the mix, I applied the same parallel compression as the kicks adding punch and bass.
• Panning
  • Kept completely central, helps drive the track along.
• Tone
  • Used an EQ to remove anything below 50Hz avoiding any rumble.
  • Removed some of the highs
  • Then accentuated around 100Hz and 500Hz as I thought these were what I wanted from the bass.
• Effects
  • I added the logic bass amp plugin, adding some distortion and applying some little compression.
  • Chromaglow added saturation to the bass, adding higher end ‘hiss’ that I like when mixing basses.

Track 2 Live in the studio (jazz/folk ensemble)

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December 8^th

• Studio started at 6 o’clock until 9 and the schedule looked like:
  • 18:00 – Setting up mics, Logic Pro, and the desk – adding tape and writing the names of the tracks.
  • 19:30 – Band arrived, staggered, we set the levels one by one when they arrived.
  • 20:00 – Recorded takes (overall recorded 3, we chose the second one to mix and master).
  • 20:30 – Packed down.

Microphone Arrangement

Mixing

Track 3 Remix track

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Pre-Production

• I knew after hearing the vocal id like to remix it into something mor hip-hop.

Recording/Production

Piano

• Recorded my piano at home, playing a chord sequence, then manipulating it using a chain of effects.

Balance

• Applied parallel compression to the drums, providing saturation.
• Used sidechain compression to get the bass and synthesisers moving with the drums.
• Added ‘Wider’ plugin to play with the stereo field allowing for the vocals and drums to punch through the mix.

Pan

• Vocals are centred, the synths, keys, and lead, are panned around for separation.
• Layered a sub bass along with another bass preset to allow for the bass to be felt and heard.

Effects

• Added vocal doubler through a bus send, adding width to the vocal.
• Then I applied an echo to the vocal, knowing it’d help it be at the front of the mix.
• Next was a saturator, adding higher frequencies/more presence.
• Then finally two reverbs, one for most of the song, and then one I automate in the bridge to send it further back in the mix.