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The process of my multichannel track
recording
A guide on how to use Studio One Part Two: Microphones
Audix F
When setting up the drum kit, I decided to use the Audix F6
for my kick drum. This mainly due to the microphone being
specically designed for bass freuencies and being
!purpose"built for kick drums#. The Audix F6 is $ery
light%eight and compact, making it easy to position %hen
setting up the mic. Withholding a freuency response of &'
() * +6 k(), and the ability to handle sound pressure le$els
of +&'d, the F6 instantly became my go to mic for
recording my kick drum. The freuency range for the
microphone %as perfect, as kick drums usually ha$e a
range bet%een +'' () * +- k(), gi$ing me more than enough space to play %ith
%hen it came to mixing. When hearing the microphone for the rst time it
sounded like it had already been mixed * later %hen reading into the
microphones characteristics, I realised that this %as because the F6 had boasted
a little more mid"range punch, making it suitable for more aggressi$e attacks *
%hich I came to understand, is ho% ich likes to play. As stated by /usician0s
Friend, the microphone has a
!hypercardioid pickup pattern for
isolation and feedback#,
meaning that much of the sound
%ill be picked up from the front
of the microphone, but also a
little behind * making a little less
directional the Audix F1
2described belo%3. For more
attack, and less bass boom, I
mo$ed the microphone closer to
the beater. This is the sound I
%anted to portray throughout
the mix, as I felt like the song I
%as creating sounded almost like a pop alternati$e mix * %hich usually has a
hard hitting kick drum but not too hard like a rock4punk song. As stated
pre$iously in !part one of ho% to use studio one# * the kick drum %as signal
routed through channel t%o in the rack mount and the input of an audio channel
of 5ogic ro 7 in order to be heard.
Shure SM!"
For my snare top, I used a 8/-9. This is because before the studio session, I %as
fully a%are that the 8hure 8/-9 %as a dynamic microphone that performs
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reliably. It can also %ithstand abuse and is designed to be durable.
ealising that this %as the right mic for the snare top, as the snare has
an act for being uite a hard sound to replicate nicely and make
sound right %ithin the kit * I used this one. The 8/-9 boasts
%ide freuency response bet%een &' () to +- k(), making it
accurate for a snare top, %hich normally has a freuency range
around :'' () * :.- k(). When positioning the microphone, I made
sure it %as facing the centre of the snare, as the microphone being
used had a tight cardioids pattern, ideal for close"in miking.
Shure SM!#
The 8/-; %as used
for the snare bottom in
my pro$?1-@9%xBdC
Additionally, the microphone has an excellent re
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reproduction. This %as easily recogni)able %hen editing the toms, as I
didn0t ha$e to use too many eDects in order to enhance its
sound.
Audix F%
The Audix F1 is a small diaphragm condenser
microphone that is kno%n for its clear,
accurate response particularly in the upper"freuency range. Ideally, it is suited
for a %ide $ariety of acoustic instruments, making it an excellent choice for
o$erheads and cymbals. The microphone %as chosen for the o$erheads purely
due to its $ery directional pickups * making it extremely good for the recording
source. The Audix F1 has a freuency response of &' () * :' k(), making it
accurate to record the o$erheads, %ith the lo%est source of freuency being +''
() * from the kick drum * and the highest being +- k(). The F1 is much more
sensiti$e than any dynamic microphone and %ill pick"up sound from a greater
distance. (o%e$er, for my pro
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When setting up the microphones, I made sure that rst of all, the correct cables
%ere used * this being the long cables for the kick, snare top and snare bottom,
and the shorter ones for the rack tom, oor tom, and the left and right
o$erheads. 8econdly, I assured myself that the right cables %ere plugged into
the correct channels * the kick for channel t%o, snare top for channel three,
snare bottom for channel four, rack tom for channel nine, oor tom for channel
ten, left o$erheads for channel ele$en, and the right o$erheads for channel
t%el$e. 5astly, I checked that none of the cables or microphones %as in the %ay
of ich playing, as this %ould cause interference in my recording. This %as
achie$ed by %rapping the cables around the mic stands, and placing the
microphone at a distance from the centre of the each drum part * %here it0ll be
hit.
The process of creating& recording and
mixing my multichannel trackThroughout my pro
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When thinking about my pro
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8ampleWithout5o%Cnd.%a$
ich then
done another take, but seemed to nd
it uite hard to record the bass in time%ith the sample, e$en %ith the
metronome being on. 8o, instead, I
decided to record a /IGI kick and
snare using the pencil tool and then
loop it, in order for ich to record
approximately +6 bars of the bass.
This still didn0t completely sol$e the
problem, but made it a lot better, as
the bass %as no% more in time %ith the sample.
In order to get the bass exactly on beat, I usedthe Flex time, and sliced the bass to a +4+6 note
* getting in time %ith the sample.
When ich %as practicing %ith the drums, I
ad
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I couldhear that e$en %hen playing %ith the $elocities of the bass, it still someho%
seem to ha$e parts that really
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When setting up my ro Tools session, it looked like this *
T%enty"four channel tracks %ere all defaulted at the fader le$el of '.' %ith no
eDects on them at all. When looking at this, I kne% the rst step I %anted to take
%as %orking my %ay from top to bottom * so the rst thing I looked at %as the
sample.
(earing the sample play through for approximately t%o minutes, I realised that it
needed some sort of change in its sound e$ery no% and then in order to not betoo repetiti$e and boring. I %anted to take my listeners on
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As you can see from the image abo$e, I used the Air Gynamic Gelay to pro$ide
this presence to the sample. elo% the tracks region, you can see %here I ha$e
automated the delay plugin. I set the delay to eight, meaning that the eDect
%ould repeat eight times before fading out. I then set the feedback to -'M, as I
didn0t %ant the eDect to o$erpo%er the actual sample. The delay also had a
stereo %idth of +''M, making it ha$e a $ery %ide eDect. (o%e$er, I did set the
left and right ratio to 1-=+'', gi$ing it a slight (aas CDect. The delay also had an
C on it, cutting anything belo% &+.: (), and anything abo$e 9.+: k(). 5astly,
the mix %as set to -'M, %ith it again not o$erpo%ering the actual sample.
As the track progressed, I %anted the sample to ha$e more of an airy ambient
sound to%ards it, resulting in me using the 8tudio e$erb in ro Tools. As you can
see, the pre delay and mix parameters %ere automated, and gradually turned up
throughout the track. (o%e$er, originally, the re$erb started oD %ith the
parameters being at= type * small room, decay * ;.', pre"delay * ' ms, tone *+'.', mix * +.'. Throughout the track, the sample adds little boosts to the pre
delay and mix, %ith its highest point being :'' ms for the pre"delay and -.1 for
the mix.
Around + minute N' seconds into the song there %as a drop
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%ould cause an eDect to the highs, coming to the conclusion that both
freuencies had to be boosted to the same le$el. Knce the drop has nished, the
C returns to normal, %ith "-.' db reduced at + k() and -.' db boosted at : k().
As %ell as boosted the C, I made sure that the sample contained a little delay to
it in order to further enhance this eDect.
Guring the break do%n section, I felt like the sample needed to ha$e a dramatic
change again before the change of the drop. I felt like it needed this telephone
eDect, reasoning behind %hy I used the Fu))"Wah plugin. With both the post %ah
and %ah on, I played about %ith their parameters, lea$ing the post %ah at 6-M
and the %ah at -'M. This meant that there %as more of the post %ah left on
after the %ah ha$e nished its
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8ample+.%a$ 8ample:.%a$
After nalising the sound of all these eDects, I felt the need to mo$e onto another
sound * this being the bass. 8o to nish oD, I put the $olume le$el into read and
made sure that it %as all at the appropriate le$el.
(earing the sound of the bass, I kne% straight a%ay that it needed more grit to
it. This gi$es reasoning for %hy I put a harmonic 8ans Amp on it. I belie$e I used
this eDect extensi$ely %ell, as it didn0t take a%ay from the original sound of the
bass, but at the same time enhanced * %ith this being my main ob
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I chose to
use the
8tudio
e$erb plugin
eDect for myaux sends, as
it has a load
of
parameters
that I can
play %ith. I
put an arena
re$erb on my
type, as I
%antedelements of
the song to
sound uite
spacious.
C$erything
else %as left
the same. With the delay return I chose the /od Gelay N, and left all of the
parameters the same.
For eDect sends, they say you should ha$e all of the eDect %orking, meaning
that its output is set at +''M. (o%e$er, for the re$erb mix, I left it at -.'rather than +'.'. This is because I
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As the song progressed, I %anted to add this other texture to the bass. This is
%hen I decided to duplicate the channel and pick certain elements that I %as
going to use, almost as if it %as delayed +''M and had an added layer of
distortion on it. In order to do this I placed the picked regions P a note behind its
original placement in the song. After this, I took the aux sends oD of the song
and lo%ered the o$erall output $olume of that channel to "&.+ db.
This is the 8ans Amp settings that %ere used. As you can see, e$erything %as
turned up from the original bass settings, except for the lo%s and highs %hich %e
turned do%n. I made sure that the highs %ere at a higher le$el than the lo%s
%ere in order to gi$e the bass almost an arpeggiator sound %ith a higher octa$e.
This is ho% it sounded in the end.
,ass.Gistort.%a$
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As this %ent so %ell, I thought to add that same eDect %ithin the build up. 8o,
follo%ing the same procedures of the duplication of the !bass.distort# channel I
made another channel. I didn0t touch any of the parameters other than the le$el
knob in %hich I turned up on the !bass.distort:#. I then added the re$erb and
delay sends back onto the channel, ad
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,ass.%a$
The only
eDect I used
for my kick
%as an C,
%hich
boosted '.1
db at :' ()
* +'' ().
C$en
though, kickdrums don0t
ha$e
freuencies
that reach
this lo% in
the
spectrum, I
decided to
boost this
freuencypurely
because I
%anted to
hear some
dirt from the
kick, as it
sounded too
clean to my ears for this track. As stated before, !the F6 had boasted a little
more mid"range punch, making it suitable for more aggressi$e attacks#, sho%ing
%hy I didn0t need to use too much C or any other harmonic eDect on the kick,as the microphone had already handled that. When using C, I ha$e come to
terms %ith the fact that I shouldn0t C anything %hilst in solo mode * ob$iously if
the C needs a little touch an up then that is ne, but ne$er to C fully in solo
mode. I say this because, your audience is ne$er going to solo that kick and say
that it sounds nice soloed, they are going to listen to that C0d kick in context
%ith your %hole mix. This gi$es reason for %hy you should al%ays C in context
to%ards ho% your o$erall song is going to sound, rather than making that one
kick sound great %ith C * %hich brings me onto another point. I ha$e learnt that
not e$erything sounds good %hen C0d at their appropriate freuencies.
8ometimes sounds ha$e to be compromised in order to get the o$erall desiredsound for your mix. Qour C may sound %rong or may sound like it could be
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ad
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For both the snare top and bottom, I put a re$erb send on, at the $olume le$el of
"N+.' db. (o%e$er, for the snare top I boosted its higher freuencies %ith an C
by 6.9 db at around N k(). With the snare bottom, I boosted +.' db at around N
k(). As snares approximately stop at the freuency :.- k(), I thought it0d be
nice to boost
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I added
an C and
deducted
"+:.' db at
around
++1.& ()
in order to
get rid out
any
background noise that %as interfering %ith the cleanness of the rack tom0s
sound. The toms freuency starting at +:' () gi$es reason for %hy I done this. I
then added some re$erb send to the channel at the le$el "N+.' db, and delay at
":6.' db. After this I turned the rack tom channel do%n to "++.' db.
When listening to the oor tom, I realised it didn0t need much doing to it, so
instead I decided to add
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When listening to the ending of the song, I didn0t %ant it to
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With the ending oor toms, I
put a compressor on all of
them * but used it only to act
as another $olume le$el
control, by turning up its input
and outputs. Knly after
nishing the song and putting
it up on 8oundcloud, did I
realise that instead of a
compressor, ideally I should
ha$e used the maxim eDect.
This eDect controls the
compression by acting almost
as a brick"%all limiter, due to
it enforcing the channels fader
by allo%ing it to not peak nomatter %hat %hen setting the
ceiling to "'.+ db or "'.: db. I
then could turn the channel
up by turning up the threshold
le$el * but not too far as it cause the sound to lose its essence and texture, as
%ell as dynamics. This is the same eDect I used on the master $olume channel,
by
setting
the
ceilingto "'.+
db and
the
threshold to "-.' db.
I turned up all of the high freuencies %ithin the toms using C, as I %anted
them to add more texture and light into their sound.
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Floor Toms.%a$
As I had nished %ith the
editing of the drums, I also
%anted to put them %ithin
their o%n group in order to
edit their $olumes, solo
them, as %ell as complete other
acti$ities that may occur, to them
altogether rather than
indi$idually.
Grums.%a$
Eo% mo$ing onto the /aschine drums, I decided
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When hearing the !hea$y
kick#, I
kne% it
had to be a
lot dirtier and in your face. In order to portray this, I used the Gistortion eDect. y
turning the output le$el and mix up to +''M, I made sure that the distortion
eDect completely took o$er the sound of the !hea$y kick#. I then turned the dri$e
up by & db, and added re$erb and delay sends to the channel, %ith the re$erb
le$elling at ":6.' db and delay at "6+.' db.
Again, instead of using a maxim plugin on the hi"hats, I used a compressor to
turn up the $olume. It had the same eDect, but
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When it came do%n to mixing the $inyl snare, I %anted to hear uite a bit of
re$erb added to the sound in order to make it seem real open. This is %hy I had
its fader le$el set at a high "1.1 db. I also decided to set the delay at a high le$el
* ha$ing it at '.' db. I then put the $olume fader le$el at "N&.9 db. After all this
%as done, I still felt as if the sound could t better %ithin the mix, this ga$e me
the idea of panning the sound hard left, causing no sound to come through the
right stereo eld of that
channel. This seemed to sol$e
the problem.
When it came to mixing the
!kick 1'10s#, I felt like it needed
more tonality in order to make
the sound more endorsing
to%ards the audience. This
clearly sho%s %hy I decided toboost 6.- db at N.9' k(). After
this %as %hole, I added a little
bit of re$erb * a$eraging its
le$el at "N;.- db. I then turned
the fader on the channel to
"+9.: db. This allo%ed the
listeners to not so much hear
the 1'10s come in, but more so
feel them.
In order to change the feel of the last 1'1, I decided to re$erse it using the
re$erse audio suite plugin. This caused an extremely unusual eDect that I
actually seemed to en
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5G Linyl 8nare.%a$ /aschine.%a$
I found that the
synths group %as
the easiest to mix. I
later understood
that this %as
because 5ogic had
naturally put a lot of
default eDects upon
the instruments that
I had chose to use *
as they do %ith most
of their /IGI
instruments. Gue to
all of this, the
changes I made to
the synths group
%ere the output
le$els and re$erb and delay send le$els. Their output le$els
%ere controlled by a compressor, simply by turning up the
output on the compressor used. All of the synths except the
arpeggiator had a compressor on them. After that, I made sure
that re$erb le$els %ere set uite high, %ith all of them being at
"+'.- db, except for the arpeggiator, %hich %as at "+1.' db. I
chose to use a lot of re$erb, as naturally I like to hear strings
and synths in uite a soft atmospheric place, rather than be too
sharp. Thirdly, I set all of the delay sends at the default le$el,
this being '.' db, as I %anted them all to sound as if they ne$er
stopped playing out. 5astly, I set the fader le$els for the
channels " as sho%n in the image to the right. I then grouped all
of the synths to make sure that they %ere together. This is ho%
they sounded %hen nalised.
8ynths.%a$
After all this %as complete, I decided to take a nal listen back to ho% my song
sounded, and it %as exactly ho% I had pictured it from the beginning in my head.
I0$e decided to attach the track of ho% it started before I made my edits on pro
tools,
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,efore 6T /ix.%a$
Akai /ilan...
This is the song before I had mixed it on