more - the process of my multichannel track recording

7/24/2019 More - The Process of My Multichannel Track Recording

1/25

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


2/25

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


3/25

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


4/25

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


5/25

When thinking about my pro


6/25

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


7/25

I couldhear that e$en %hen playing %ith the $elocities of the bass, it still someho%

seem to ha$e parts that really


8/25

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


9/25

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


10/25

%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


11/25

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


12/25

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


13/25

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$


14/25

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


15/25

,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


16/25

ad


17/25

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


18/25

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


19/25

When listening to the ending of the song, I didn0t %ant it to


20/25

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.


21/25

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


22/25

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


23/25

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


24/25

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,


25/25

,efore 6T /ix.%a$

Akai /ilan...

This is the song before I had mixed it on

more - the process of my multichannel track recording

Documents