Recording a pop song cover

Recording a pop song cover

Pre recording

Once I had the microphone set up, I had to go back into the studio to make that they were picking up any signal and to do some level and sound checks. If the signal was to high, I would have to sort out the gain to make sure that there was no clip coming up on the mixer.

For one of my microphone set ups, I added 2 microphones for the piano, one on each side of the piano. This would create a stereo effect and that it can pick up both sides being played.

Before I started to record my talent for my pop song, I did a run through with them before to make sure that they were comfortable with what they were playing.

While is did the run through, I had to fix the gain levels as they played since when they play, they would sometimes play the instrument with force as they played, which would result into more gain changing.

I did a multitrack recording for 2 instruments: the drums and the piano. What this does is record multiple tracks at once and it saves the time for having to them one by one and it also helps to keep everything in time while the talent plays.

Electronic instruments

The only electronic instruments that I have used are the: Direct Injection (DI) and the bass guitar.

The bass guitar is plugged into the mixing desk via a DI cable and so whenever a string is played, the computer will pick it up like it would do with and acoustic instrument and a microphone.

Recording

I monitored the instruments as they were being played/recorded and to make sure that there was no clipping and that the gain wasn’t too low.

The headphones we connected to the box on the wall, this will then send the original track from the studio and into the other side of the studio where the headphones are plugged in. This will then play through the headphones and the person on the other side (who is playing the instrument) can hear what the person in the studio can hear.

Talk back was used during the sessions. This was used to communicate with person on the other side without having to get up and go round to the other side just to talk to them.

I was able to identify each one of my tracks by labelling them as to what they are and what they are representing and grouping them together.

I’ve done some overdubbing, which is where you record a track on top of another. I had to do that with the vocals but then I would have t shorten the track bar because it was muting the other track. This was used to record different sections of the song and for when the vocalist needed a lead up for a certain of the song.

I had to listen for any unwanted distortion, especially after the recording. If the entire track has distortion then the track would need to be recorded again however if there’s a small amount of distortion at one part then that part of the track can be turned down just so there’s no distortion or clipping.

I had to check for any playback for when I export it to make sure that the entire track was exported properly.

SoundCloud link

https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/every-heart

Rather Be Mixing and Mastering

Rather Be mixing and mastering

So what I did was I had to do was to pick a previous project to mix and master and I had chosen the first Cubase project which was rather be.

Fist I grouped my tracks so for when I go into the mixing desk I can just turn down the instrument that’s are grouped together. The only instrument tracks that I didn’t group together were the drum and bass tracks since there’s only one of them.

After grouping I started to add the suitable effects on for each track; like for the strings I added a small amount of reverb and add some compression.

For the bass I added a VST amp to get it have that “bassy” sound to it and changed the way it sounded by twisting the knobs like you would on a real amp.

All of the other tracks either have reverb or compression or both. This is because they don’t need that many effects on to make it sound decent.

                     

After all of the mixing of the tracks, I panned the tracks so some of the parts are playing in either the left or right ear, especially ones that have 2 parts such as the strings at the start where the string ensemble is coming through on the right side of the headphone and the contrabass strings are coming in from the left side of the headphones.

I’ve also added a multiband compressor on the main part of the mixer. This is so I can sort every track and make it sound more professional and cleaner. It also allows me to control each element that makes up the song such as the bass, the vocals the melody and the beat.

Link https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/rather-be-mixed-and-mastered

Mixing and mastering

Mixing and mastering

Task 1

·      Setting up a project

·      Grouping tracks

·      Limiting: changing the EQ

·      Balancing

·      Effects: Reverb, EQ and Distortion

First I had to set up the tracks first by downloading them and then dragged them all onto Cubase 6. I then had to colour code the tracks and group the tacks (except for the piano, bass and the drums). The reason as to why I have colour coded and labelled my tracks is because it makes my project look more organised and I know what each track is without having to solo it and listen to it.

I used FX channels to group all of my tracks together and I have colour coded them so they match the colours on my tracks and that I know which set of tracks I’m changing the volume and effects on.

I had to change the EQ on some of the tracks because some of the frequencies on the tracks were either not pronounced enough or they were pronounced too much and they need to be turned down.

EQ is where you change the frequency of the track to alter the sound of it so you can make certain parts of the track stand out. For example: I have changed the EQ of the kick drum so it sounds more “bassy” and more pronounced and I have changed the EQ of the vocals to get rid of any of the unnecessary high pitch sounds.

I have added effects on all of my tracks. This is because I wanted to make the track sound more interesting and to make some of the tracks sound more live and not artificial.

Using effects is when you alter the sound of a track to make it sound different.

For example: the guitar solo has some distortion and reverb on it so it can stand out for when it does it solo and to make it sound like it’s live.

Another example is on the vocals where I have added reverb, which makes the vocals sound like its being performed in a room such as a hall, and it gives that “echoey” effect on it and its also there to make the vocals sound more “alive”. This also applies to the backing vocals since those where done by the same person.

I have added a VST Amp in the bass, which is another effect that I have used. What it does is that it creates a digital amplifier (which makes the bass sound like its been plugged into an amp) and it makes the bass sound less artificial and more “bassy”. I can also alter the sound of the bass by making small tweaks on the amp, like you would on a real amp. This includes altering the gain, bass, treble and many other features that you would on a normal amplifier.

I haven’t included this in the bass but by adding the VST Amp, it gives you more options such as microphones and pedals. The pedals would be better for the guitar tracks, especially for the guitar solo.

I have also added some compression to compress the tracks. What this does is compress the dynamic range of the tracks so it doesn’t sound so bombastic compared to the other tracks.

I also had to turn down some of the tracks since they were clipping.

If the entire track as a whole is clipping then it means that something is way too loud so it means that you need to go back to the start of the track and find out where it clips and turned down the track that has forte dynamics.

To get rid of the “clip” signal, you just have to click on it to get rid of the clip sign, however it will reappear if a track has caused clipping in the overall track.

It’s also difficult to control the clipping since your stereo out’s DB has to be on 0, so you really have to control your entire track DB and if that doesn’t work, go back to your EQ and change the EQ slightly.

Task 2

Before I could export the track, I had to alter the track as a whole and to pan each of my tracks.

Panning is where you shift the tracks into a certain direction so it comes out of that side of the headphones. (Example images are shown below)

I mastered by using the mixer and pressed on the “E” on the stereo out and then I had to add “multiband compression” and this allows me to change and control each sound and frequency level that the song has as a whole.

(Also, I was able to do some mastering on the Cubase project that I used for the mixing, which is what I am doing since I don’t have to switch between projects.)

 Trombone

Right hand side of the headphones

 Trumpet
Left hand side of the headphones

Afterwards, I had to export my track into a .wav file so I can put it into a separate Cubase file.

I did this by going into “project” and finding “export”. I then had to click on “Audio mixdown” and it allows to me convert my Cubase project into a file. However, before I can convert it, I have to make sure that all of my tracks are “highlighted” before I can do anything. What this does is that selects all of the tracks that aren’t muted and allows them to be heard when you convert them.

The final thing to do is to check that the KHz is set to 44 and that it’s on a 16 bit, otherwise its not going to work.

Once all of that is done then you can export it.

SoundCloud Link: https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/stick-together