Unit 48: Music Recording -
Recording a Pop Song Cover
Scenario - As a recording engineer, you have been approached by a pop band to produce a demo of their latest cover song. You will have to organize the entire process from start to finish, and will be expected to produce a high quality recording for the band to give to their label.
Run Through -
First of all after collecting our musicians we had a run through of the track that was going to be covered. This went over things like when certain instruments will be played with what specific style. This included elements like timbre and tone. We first played the original to the musicians going over what we wanted to keep similar and more importantly what we wanted to change. For an example we wanted to keep the bass and piano the same with a different vocal element and an added synth. We made sure our performers understood what we wanted from them before we starting playing any music.
Rehearsal -
The songs bpm is 85. This can make it really difficult for a musician to play on the beat for long stretches of time without going off beat on the odd occasion. This was an issue as the song has a really minimal structure making it really difficult for the eventual slip ups not sound evident. This therefore meant that we had to practice a lot before we actually started rehearsing. Instruments like the bass, piano and drums had to be sure on what they were doing when they entered the studio as those instruments were the ones that had to be on beat throughout.
Sound and Level Checks -
Too low of a signal normally meant a lot of background noise while when too high you get popping and cracks known as clipping. We therefore had to find the perfect level for each instrument. We found the perfect balance for most instruments to be a peak in between -12db and -6db. The background noise wast too loud and there was no audible clipping.
Performance -
The performance of each instrument was done individually in the two minutes apart from the piano. We ended up doing 16 bars of the piano and as it loops throughout we have just looped the 16 bar sample. We did this due to the piano's chords being really difficult to successfully play without a break in fluency every beat and as the beat ins't as rhythmic as a more steady 120bpm. The chords also require at least 4 different keys being played per chord normally in 2 octaves. The bass also had this issue as the bass was really difficult too play on such a minimal track structure on beat. Drums weren't as bad as we were first expecting as our drummer had quite a precise rhythm being able to play purely off a click back track. The vocals weren't an issue as they were last to be implemented and the synth was running off an arpeggio 1/8 up down rhythm DI so it was much easier.
Gain -
Gain throughout the tracks were different. We couldn't have it clipping for each so we changed each track until it sounded like it fit with the music. This was done in the studio recording.
Stereo Recording -
We used stereo recording on the piano as its an instrument that flows throughout the whole song. Its melody is recognisable instantly as the song we chose. Because of this we really wanted it to sound good. A factor to this was added the stereo recording. We had two C1000s microphones underneath the piano where the speakers were. This gave it more amounts of tone.
We also used a stereo recording for the manual claps and the glockenspiels. One panned manually to the right while the other left.
Multitrack Recording -
Instead of recording the whole song with all of the musicians playing together we recording each instrument separate. This meant we could refine and practice each track perfectly before adding it to the final song. It also meant we were free to get rid or add anything we wanted similarly with effects we could add whatever we wanted to any track.
Connections -
We had the XLR leads going from the box in the studio linking to the mixing desk in channel 3 and 4 for most of receding changing microphones when needed. We used RODES for the vocals and kick drum while using C1000s's for the more precise sounds like piano. We used the DI for the bass and synth by having the lead just go into the back of the control panel on the mixing desk.
Proximity Effect -
The proximity effect is how close the performer is away from the microphone. This can add an effect on the vocal recording. As the vocal is one of the songs most pronominal factors we wanted to use this heavily making her move away from the mic when she sang the end of a verse. The minimal design fully complemented this.
Live Recording -
Recording live was harder than I thought it was going to be prominently due to the fact you couldn't quantise or manipulate sounds after they were played - Everything had to be perfect before recording.
Screens/ Guards/ Pop Shields -
We only had one guard on the recording and it was for the vocals as we didn't want any of the tone in the voice being lost in the recording as it is a song that heavily requires on a strong vocal lead.
The Recording Process:
Piano -
The piano is probably the most evident and important instrument in the entire recording due to its recognizable chord signature. This meant we had to get it right and we wanted it to sound good. We actually recorded the 4 bars and then sampled it throughout the rest of the recording. We mainly did this as we knew how long it would take to get done to a good enough standard without missing notes or messing up chords.
The piano also has a strange time signature. This influences the rest of the eventual track as all of the other instruments revolve around the piano. The intro does a chord pattern (A) for 4 beats, then another (B) for 2 beats then the third (C) for 4 beats making it 10 beats when normally a track revolves around a 8 beat signature. This then changes when it goes AAAABBCC for the rest of the song apart from occasional 10 beat bars.
We added a note at the start of each other beat from two octaves down. Almost like an added bass this required 2 people to play.
As I've already said we had the microphones underneath the keys with two C1000s.
Because it was the first instrument we recorded we had the pianist have headphones on with a click of the bam playing so he could get the timing just right as I've already said its such an important factor in the mix.
We used talkback on the control room to establish what was correct.
We also overdubbed once on the piano on the lower octaves parts as it didn't sound loud enough on the one so we tried to make them louder.
Synth Pad -
Unlike most using a traditional synth we didn't use the DI option playing straight into the console. Instead we got a stereo recording of a preset on the grand piano used in the studio and matched the chords to the chords used in the melody. We wanted to keep it stereo to add the element of depth in the mix. It was kept at the same octave and notes throughout.
On both stereo recordings we also kept looking for distortions just in case however to our pleasant surprise we were unable to identify any.
Drums -
We never got along with recording drums in the past however when recording for this assignment drums were straight forward and little hassle. The only issue encountered was a squeaky kick pedal which we quickly resolved.
The intro, as I've mentioned before, is 10 bars long unlike 8 in the rest of the song. We worked with this by changing the drums so that each individual component was added separately along.
We recorded the kick drum with an egg mic (RODE) to pick up the lower frequencies associated with a kick. We placed it inside the kick drum on a tower of blankets to soften the recording and therefore the sound.
The snare and hi-hat we recorded as a single track with the microphone above the hi-hat capturing that more than the snare. This was intended.
The drums were recorded in one studio sitting with around 6 takes. There are 3 different drum signatures. One regular for the song throughout. One for the break removing the kick and one introducing a symbol for the end of the track.
At the end of bars we also introduced rolls on the drums.
Clap -
The clap simply ran off a signature someone in the studio started clapping too. We added it because it sounded more human.
We recorded it with the microphone used to record the vocals accompanied by the shield.
Scraper -
We also recorded the scraper, brought in toward the end of the cover (phase 3) with the microphone used to record vocals.
We used it as an added drum almost like an off beat hat or open hat.
Bass -
The bass was our DI instrument. we used an AUX from the bass to the audio interphase which then used an XLR into the mix console.
There were two sections to learn. One used throughout and then one used almost as a solo in the second phase of the track.
Vocals -
Vocals were recorded using a female voice as we wanted it to sound different from the original. We used a RODE microphone complete with a semi circle guard around the microphone all to achieve a maximum in sound quality.
Our artist also used the proximity effect when singing to achieve an effect which we were happy with.
After recording we simply played it back making sure everything sounded in time and correct within the given context of them all being played together.
Final Product:
Recording a Pop Song Cover
Run Through -
First of all after collecting our musicians we had a run through of the track that was going to be covered. This went over things like when certain instruments will be played with what specific style. This included elements like timbre and tone. We first played the original to the musicians going over what we wanted to keep similar and more importantly what we wanted to change. For an example we wanted to keep the bass and piano the same with a different vocal element and an added synth. We made sure our performers understood what we wanted from them before we starting playing any music.
The songs bpm is 85. This can make it really difficult for a musician to play on the beat for long stretches of time without going off beat on the odd occasion. This was an issue as the song has a really minimal structure making it really difficult for the eventual slip ups not sound evident. This therefore meant that we had to practice a lot before we actually started rehearsing. Instruments like the bass, piano and drums had to be sure on what they were doing when they entered the studio as those instruments were the ones that had to be on beat throughout.
Too low of a signal normally meant a lot of background noise while when too high you get popping and cracks known as clipping. We therefore had to find the perfect level for each instrument. We found the perfect balance for most instruments to be a peak in between -12db and -6db. The background noise wast too loud and there was no audible clipping.
The performance of each instrument was done individually in the two minutes apart from the piano. We ended up doing 16 bars of the piano and as it loops throughout we have just looped the 16 bar sample. We did this due to the piano's chords being really difficult to successfully play without a break in fluency every beat and as the beat ins't as rhythmic as a more steady 120bpm. The chords also require at least 4 different keys being played per chord normally in 2 octaves. The bass also had this issue as the bass was really difficult too play on such a minimal track structure on beat. Drums weren't as bad as we were first expecting as our drummer had quite a precise rhythm being able to play purely off a click back track. The vocals weren't an issue as they were last to be implemented and the synth was running off an arpeggio 1/8 up down rhythm DI so it was much easier.
Gain throughout the tracks were different. We couldn't have it clipping for each so we changed each track until it sounded like it fit with the music. This was done in the studio recording.
We used stereo recording on the piano as its an instrument that flows throughout the whole song. Its melody is recognisable instantly as the song we chose. Because of this we really wanted it to sound good. A factor to this was added the stereo recording. We had two C1000s microphones underneath the piano where the speakers were. This gave it more amounts of tone.
Instead of recording the whole song with all of the musicians playing together we recording each instrument separate. This meant we could refine and practice each track perfectly before adding it to the final song. It also meant we were free to get rid or add anything we wanted similarly with effects we could add whatever we wanted to any track.
We had the XLR leads going from the box in the studio linking to the mixing desk in channel 3 and 4 for most of receding changing microphones when needed. We used RODES for the vocals and kick drum while using C1000s's for the more precise sounds like piano. We used the DI for the bass and synth by having the lead just go into the back of the control panel on the mixing desk.
The proximity effect is how close the performer is away from the microphone. This can add an effect on the vocal recording. As the vocal is one of the songs most pronominal factors we wanted to use this heavily making her move away from the mic when she sang the end of a verse. The minimal design fully complemented this.
Recording live was harder than I thought it was going to be prominently due to the fact you couldn't quantise or manipulate sounds after they were played - Everything had to be perfect before recording.
We only had one guard on the recording and it was for the vocals as we didn't want any of the tone in the voice being lost in the recording as it is a song that heavily requires on a strong vocal lead.
Piano -
Unlike most using a traditional synth we didn't use the DI option playing straight into the console. Instead we got a stereo recording of a preset on the grand piano used in the studio and matched the chords to the chords used in the melody. We wanted to keep it stereo to add the element of depth in the mix. It was kept at the same octave and notes throughout.
We never got along with recording drums in the past however when recording for this assignment drums were straight forward and little hassle. The only issue encountered was a squeaky kick pedal which we quickly resolved.
The clap simply ran off a signature someone in the studio started clapping too. We added it because it sounded more human.
We also recorded the scraper, brought in toward the end of the cover (phase 3) with the microphone used to record vocals.
The bass was our DI instrument. we used an AUX from the bass to the audio interphase which then used an XLR into the mix console.
Vocals were recorded using a female voice as we wanted it to sound different from the original. We used a RODE microphone complete with a semi circle guard around the microphone all to achieve a maximum in sound quality.
After recording we simply played it back making sure everything sounded in time and correct within the given context of them all being played together.
Final Product:
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