Recording vocals might not seem like the most challenging of tasks when producing a CD, but this delicate and crucial process often ends up being quite draining and taking longer than expected. Producer Larry Hammel , who has just finished shooting some instructive videos focused on this topic, has agreed to share some of his experience with us.
Recording the perfect (or the best possible) vocal track is an art that involves not only technical knowledge but also a certain amount of psychology. Which of these two elements is more important?
I think they are of equal importance, they are both tools used to reach the ultimate goal. When recording a vocal you first need to know what you are looking for ,which sometimes is very elusive and may only rear its head during the process. I go into a session with my toolbox, if you will, consisting of my tuned room, my gear , my experience and my knack for feeling what the artist can do and a sense of where we are at the time. In recording a vocal, you must take a very sensitive, empathetic approach, and you must constantly go with your gut, and that's where the psychology comes in to play. You have to read the ebb and flow of an artists head space and emotion and react accordingly. The pacing in the studio is critical, you can destroy a session by simply pushing someone too hard or making a ill taken comment, you have to tread lightly and really get into their body, mind and soul. At the best of times, I feel communion with an artist, like I am singing along with him or her, it allows me to sense exactly where we are going and know how far we can get, and thats why I do what
I do.
As far as the gear goes, that's the other side of the coin, its the lens we are all hearing” through so to speak, and like a great cinematographer you need equipment that will help make tangible, this exchange of feelings, words and language that is music. I use a myriad of lenses” in my recordings from an amazing $10,000 German mic that literally helps to expose the molecules of ones soul, to a $100 handheld mic that allows someone to be more carefree and live. We combine these with preamps and compressors that symbiotically react to an artist and their unique voice. We are either going for purity, larger than lifeness or some creative statement. Its reaching your goal that matters.
Singing is very self-exposing, in particular for people who enter the studio for the first time. How do you deal with insecurity?
First understand that anyone that sings, is naturally not an introvert. I believe there is a latent or as yet unexperienced need for self expression, analogous to a baby chick pecking its way out of an egg. My job is to get them to peck a little harder and help expose their feelings in song. I have worked with hundreds of singers, and with the proper coaching and coaxing (my trade secrets) they have all come out of their shells and have thrived in the studio. All artists need to be exposed slowly and comfortably as they evolve in the studio.
Metaphorically speaking, soon you won't be able to get them to put their clothes back on.
Should all singers do warm up exercises before they record or are a couple of takes enough to get their voice ready? What kind of exercises would you recommend?
A singer is an athlete, and even more so in the fact that the small muscles used to vocalize are very sensitive. Taking care of one'ss voice is a lifelong endeavor and should include warm up exercises each time you sing whether you are on the road or in the studio. I usually do a combination of yodels and lip trills to get my self ready before I sing. I also like to do a light aerobic workout to get the heart pumping and to get in touch with my breathing. I recommend a visit to a vocal instructor or coach at some point in your career From personal experience I can say that my coach the amazing Cari Cole here in New York saved my voice when I was singing 4 nights a week. To this day, I do my exercises before I sing and I also help my clients with these as warmups. Its not worth hurting yourself by being lazy or naive. Do your warmups!
How long does a session with a vocalist normally last before the performance starts suffering?
I have another analogy I use with singers called the Are you a Rocket or a Rocky” Some singers are like rockets in that they can do 3 or 4 takes and then fizzle out, where some are like Rocky Balboa, the harder you hit them the stronger they get. I like to first evaluate a singer based on this, so I can develop a sensitivity for their physical being. From there I am interested in their spirit, and how I can push the boundaries of performance without hurting them in any way. We could go 2 hours and get great stuff, or 8 hours with breaks and really work our asses off to get the same results, the adventure is in knowing that the precipice of the mountain is sometimes a few steps away.
Technically, what are the main reoccuring problems when recording a vocalist?
Sometimes its hard to decide on that perfect” combination of signal path. The mic, pre, compressor etc. I go nuts over this at times because I would hate to miss a golden moment by not getting the sound just right. So to avoid any unnecessary pressure on an artist, I like to casually record a half day to explore various gear combinations without any stress. You'd be amazed at the great stuff we get a lot of times and if the budget allows, its nirvana. Another issue that crops up is an artist that is under the weather or not warmed up. Here you must do what you can to physically, get the artist up to speed. Drinks, aerobics, rests between takes, coaching and positive reinforcement are all things you use and do to get what you need in maybe the only day you'll have. 99% of most things can be overcome in the studio with the right approach.
Modern, cheaper recording technology seems to enphasize the high frequencies a lot, and this often creates problems with trebly sounds like esses and tis. How would you deal with that if you didn't have a whole cabinet full of mikes to choose from?
There are a few ways to conquer sibilance” both physically and in the mix. An extreme example is a singer I once recorded who just had dental work done (front teeth veneers) and she had this very sibilant whistle sound around 12,000 hertz. I had her go back to the dentist and she had him lightly file between teeth a bit. Sibilance gone! Now you can't file everyone's teeth down, but you can use multiple pop filters to help attenuate some of the high end, sing at an angle to the mic to avoid direct sibilant air blasts (this helps for plosive p and b sounds as well) and adjust the singers technique a bit to avoid the problem in the first place.
The beauty of recording in a computer workstation are the great plugins designed for this, we call them de essers”. Get your self a few of these and see what works best. Remember it's always a compromise when using plugins like these because overdoing it tends to darken up the overall vocal. These generally work by honing in on the offending frequency and notching out, so I like to get it to work about 60% and live with a little sibilance, better then a lifeless vocal.
Are there some kind of mics that work better on male voices and others that are preferable for female ones?
Traditionally I would say sometimes, technically I would say no. In the past, a Neumann U47 was a most coveted vocal mic, and used on Sinatra, the Beatles and Aretha. A Telefunken 451 was typically used for big airy voiced females like Celine, but there are no rules. There are an amazing amount of microphone types out there and if you have a wide variety in your locker it's wise to try a handful out on an artist and get the best match, male or female.
Are there some kind of mics that work better for different kinds of music?
In my experience yes, depending on the music, I may pull out a certain combination of mics that I have had success with. For example, the German mic I mentioned earlier, the Brauner KHE, is incredible microphone for ballads and softer songs, think Janet Jackson or John Legend, where you need to hear every gorgeous breath and nuance. For rock, a handheld indestructible mic like Bono's favorite SM 57 may suffice or the aforementioned Neumann U47 or its modern day clones.
Alex Nuca
Sunday 31 July 2016
Saturday 30 July 2016
How To Mix Piano Keyboard
Piano is one of the most common instruments you can find in pop and in producing country music It is also commonly found in ballads and adult contemporary music.
In this short guide, you will know how to properly mix a piano and apply panning/EQ/reverb techniques. The main objective is to let the piano tracks shine without causing any trouble with the rest of the instruments such as guitar and vocals.
This needs careful listening and adjustments of the most commonly used effects in audio mixing which are:
1.) EQ
2.) Compression
3.) Reverb
4.) Panning
Grand piano
EQ Tips on mixing piano
Piano is a wide range sounding instrument that spans from very low bass to very high frequencies. In most piano pieces used in country and pop music, it can be found somewhere in the middle frequencies.
If the piano is being used as an accompaniment, it can harder to mix that piano with vocals together and these two occupy the same frequency spectrum.
If you are planning to produce a song with piano, it would be much better to use chords than an arpeggio accompaniment. Chords are easier to deal with in the mix because the sound is played together. This is quite a common technique Let it be” by Beatles.
To EQ the piano for best results:
a.) Cut -6dB 2000Hz or 3000Hz Q=1.4 (this will reduce frequency masking problems with the vocal and guitar frequencies)
You can cut up to -9dB if you find out that the piano piece is making the vocals unclear in the mix.
These EQ settings are not permanent for all piano mixing scenarios. They only serve as a starting guide in the EQ settings. It would be highly advisable to use a parametric EQ to find the sweet spot” of any musical instruments
b.) Apply a low shelf (cut) at 200Hz (this roll-off /attenuate all the frequencies below 200Hz while passing all piano frequencies above 200Hz)
The overall objective of this setting is to prevent the low piano bass frequencies from masking bass guitar and kick drum frequencies. So if you have a bass guitar and kick drums in your mix, this is an important setting.
This 200Hz can be adjusted between 100Hz and 250Hz depending on the piano track. Cutting much higher than 200Hz removes a lot of bass in the piano; which can be detrimental to the track especially if the piano has a lot of bass.
Otherwise if the mix consists of only a piano and vocals (from start to finish), then this is not necessary because you need the bass from the piano to support the song.
c.) Boost +2dB 6000Hz Q=1.0 - this EQ setting will add more gloss/shine to the piano tracks particularly in the intro and piano solo sections.
But if the entire piece of music is a piano solo (such as classical piano music pieces); there is no need to apply any EQ. If you find some tonal quality problems with a solo piano, do not fix it with EQ instead fix it during the recording of the solo piano. A lot of factors can influence the sound of the piano during recording:
1.) The size of the live room where the piano has been recorded. Larger rooms add more reverb. Smaller rooms have warmer sound.
2.) Microphone placement on the piano. Even specific microphone models can have a big impact on the sound of the recording.
3.) Acoustic room treatment of the room where the piano has been recorded. For example, if you place the piano at the corner of the room, it will tend to have more bass” sound than if the piano would be recorded in the center of the room.
In this short guide, you will know how to properly mix a piano and apply panning/EQ/reverb techniques. The main objective is to let the piano tracks shine without causing any trouble with the rest of the instruments such as guitar and vocals.
This needs careful listening and adjustments of the most commonly used effects in audio mixing which are:
1.) EQ
2.) Compression
3.) Reverb
4.) Panning
Grand piano
EQ Tips on mixing piano
Piano is a wide range sounding instrument that spans from very low bass to very high frequencies. In most piano pieces used in country and pop music, it can be found somewhere in the middle frequencies.
If the piano is being used as an accompaniment, it can harder to mix that piano with vocals together and these two occupy the same frequency spectrum.
If you are planning to produce a song with piano, it would be much better to use chords than an arpeggio accompaniment. Chords are easier to deal with in the mix because the sound is played together. This is quite a common technique Let it be” by Beatles.
To EQ the piano for best results:
a.) Cut -6dB 2000Hz or 3000Hz Q=1.4 (this will reduce frequency masking problems with the vocal and guitar frequencies)
You can cut up to -9dB if you find out that the piano piece is making the vocals unclear in the mix.
These EQ settings are not permanent for all piano mixing scenarios. They only serve as a starting guide in the EQ settings. It would be highly advisable to use a parametric EQ to find the sweet spot” of any musical instruments
b.) Apply a low shelf (cut) at 200Hz (this roll-off /attenuate all the frequencies below 200Hz while passing all piano frequencies above 200Hz)
The overall objective of this setting is to prevent the low piano bass frequencies from masking bass guitar and kick drum frequencies. So if you have a bass guitar and kick drums in your mix, this is an important setting.
This 200Hz can be adjusted between 100Hz and 250Hz depending on the piano track. Cutting much higher than 200Hz removes a lot of bass in the piano; which can be detrimental to the track especially if the piano has a lot of bass.
Otherwise if the mix consists of only a piano and vocals (from start to finish), then this is not necessary because you need the bass from the piano to support the song.
c.) Boost +2dB 6000Hz Q=1.0 - this EQ setting will add more gloss/shine to the piano tracks particularly in the intro and piano solo sections.
But if the entire piece of music is a piano solo (such as classical piano music pieces); there is no need to apply any EQ. If you find some tonal quality problems with a solo piano, do not fix it with EQ instead fix it during the recording of the solo piano. A lot of factors can influence the sound of the piano during recording:
1.) The size of the live room where the piano has been recorded. Larger rooms add more reverb. Smaller rooms have warmer sound.
2.) Microphone placement on the piano. Even specific microphone models can have a big impact on the sound of the recording.
3.) Acoustic room treatment of the room where the piano has been recorded. For example, if you place the piano at the corner of the room, it will tend to have more bass” sound than if the piano would be recorded in the center of the room.
13 Correct Ways To Mic Up A Drum Kit
The choice of mics and their placement around the kit can have a massive impact upon the recorded sound and, while there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to mic placement and choices, here we'll look at some of the most popular options for getting quick and easy results.
1. Choose the right mic: dynamic
First is the dynamic mic , which will often be used on the snare, bass drum and sometimes on the toms. A dynamic mic functions just like a speaker, only in reverse, with the movement of the diaphragm in turn moving a coil in relation to a magnet, creating an electrical signal.
This mic is good for picking up mid-range and is sturdy enough to take the occasional miss-hit. Most dynamic mics use a cardioid pattern, which means they reject sounds coming from behind them while also boosting bottom-end when placed close to the subject.
2. Choose the right mic: condenser
The other type of mic that is frequently used is a condenser mic which, unlike the dynamic mic, needs power sent to it from the desk or pre-amp. This 'phantom power' is sometimes available on individual channels of a desk, though it can be sent globally to all mics without affecting other dynamic mics.
This power supplies a small amplifier inside the mic that increases the signal picked up by the movement of a diaphragm, this time a capacitor. Condenser mics also tend to be more sensitive than dynamic mics because of the low mass of their moving parts but usually have built-in pad switches (10 and 20 decibel increments) to enable them to handle the levels us drummers are capable of delivering.
3. Bass drum miked inside: miking the bass drum from the inside has the advantage of isolation, weight and definition
One problem often encountered when miking the bass drum comes if the drum is fitted with a full front head. In this case, placing a mic in front of the drum will work, but it can lack the definition and isolation of placing a mic inside the drum (as above).
But, there are a couple of options…
4. Bass drum miked outside: using two out-of-phase mics in front of the bass drum will capture the ambient sound of the front head
Firstly, miking the batter side of the drum will have more definition, while adding a second mic in front of the drum 'out of phase' (more on this shortly) will capture the ambient sound of the front head. However, the pay off for having the mic outside of the drum is more bleed from the rest of the kit and less attack than if it were placed inside.
5. X/Y overhead miking: two mics placed directly above the kit captures the stereo image with no phasing problems
There are really two main options here, an X/Y (or coincident) pair or a spaced pair. The X/Y configuration involves placing the two overheads directly above the kit with their capsules next to each other. This is a good way of capturing a stereo image of the kit with no phasing problems, as the sound of the kit reaches both mics simultaneously.
6. Spaced pair overhead miking: spreading the overhead mics further apart captures a wider stereo image of the kit
For a wider stereo image, spreading the mics apart as a spaced pair is more effective. However there is now a risk of phase cancellation - where the signal from the source reaches each mic at different times, thereby cancelling itself out. We can check for phase cancellation by taking two channels and using the pan control to sum them to mono. With one fader up as the other is blended in, the sound should remain full with good bottom-end. If out of phase, the two channels will sound hollow when heard together. The solution is to either move one of the mics until this improves, or reverse the polarity of one mic. In the digital domain the waveform can be inverted after it is recorded for the same effect.
7. Snare miking position #1: a snare is miked from the top, with the mic pointed to the centre
If given another mic and channel, the next drum we would want control over would be the snare. The snare would usually be miked like the toms, from the top, three fingers away and at the edge of the drum and pointing at the centre. The three-finger rule can help keep the mic away from unwanted harmonics from the edge of the head and hoop, while aiming it at the center helps capture the stick sound at its point of impact.
Moving the mic away from this point will introduce more 'air' or ambience into the sound and moving it closer, if using a dynamic mic, will introduce low-end as a result of what's called the 'proximity effect'. This can be useful to a point, however if you get too close, the proximity effect will render sound unnatural or unusable.
A dynamic mic is usually the mic of choice here and, surprisingly, the relatively cheap Shure SM57 wins over more expensive alternatives thanks to its ability to capture the mid-range and handle the high SPLs (sound pressure levels) a loud 'two and four' backbeat is capable of delivering. On the subject of miking the snare, if you are playing a cross-stick part, as well as turning the stick around to play with the butt end, pointing the mic at the point where the stick hits the rim can help capture a stronger sound.
8. Tom miking: you can get a more defined tom sound by bringing the mics lower
With a four-mic set-up, neither of our overhead options, although giving a natural representation of the kit and clear cymbal sound, will give much definition from the toms. So one final overhead option is to bring the mics down low. This approach is more effective on smaller set-ups such as four- or five-piece kits which, with a mic
looking at the kit between the hi-hats and first tom and another looking over floor tom towards the ride cymbal, both set equidistant from the snare and bass drum, will give a fuller sound than with the mics above the kit.
In the case of the toms, you'll also hear their sympathetic overtones ringing away as other drums are hit. When miking the toms, the choices are varied - the most popular being dynamic mics or small condensers. However, depending upon the budget, large diaphragm condensers can sometimes be used.
9. Hi-hat miking: hi-hats should be miked using a small condenser mic placed 2"-3" away
If we have channels left, the next part of the kit we would mic would probably be the hi-hats. These would usually be miked using a small condenser mic from above, 2"-3" away and sometimes pointing away from the kit. The proximity effect has to be taken into consideration here - get too close to the cymbals and they will take on a gong-like quality. This can be EQed out but is best avoided. Another thing to avoid is placing the mic so that it faces the point where the air escapes from the hi-hats (also a good reason not to have a fan pointing right at the kit on hot gigs).
10. Snare miking position #2: A second mic below the snare will capture the sizzle of snare wires
Some people like to also mic the bottom of the snare. This can work well when blended in with the top snare mic, as it helps to capture some of the sizzle and pop of the snare wires.
To do this, one of the mics should have its phase reversed.
11. Room miking behind the kit: the four-mic set-up
If recording in a nice-sounding room and you have the luxury of spare mics and channels, putting up room mics can provide some useful natural ambience, which can really bring the sound of the kit to life when dialled into the mix.
12. Room miking front: a large condenser mic in front of your kit is a logical place to start
If you are recording in a smaller, not so nice sounding room, a single ambient or room mic set a few feet away from the kit can also be used to create artificial ambience using reverb, but more of that later.
13. Try a sub mic for the bass drum
One additional mic that can make an enormous difference to the drum's sound is a sub mic for the bass drum, and although there are ready made products out there for this purpose such as the Yamaha sub-kick , a driver from an NS10 speaker (though any mediumsized speaker should work), will achieve a very similar effect for a lot less money.
Mounted on some kind of stand and with a microphone cable connected with no ground and plugged into a regular channel with the phase reversed (simply re solder the '+' and '-' the other way around if you can't 'flip' the phase on your desk), this speaker will work as a huge dynamic mic and add serious low end to your bass drum sound.
1. Choose the right mic: dynamic
First is the dynamic mic , which will often be used on the snare, bass drum and sometimes on the toms. A dynamic mic functions just like a speaker, only in reverse, with the movement of the diaphragm in turn moving a coil in relation to a magnet, creating an electrical signal.
This mic is good for picking up mid-range and is sturdy enough to take the occasional miss-hit. Most dynamic mics use a cardioid pattern, which means they reject sounds coming from behind them while also boosting bottom-end when placed close to the subject.
2. Choose the right mic: condenser
The other type of mic that is frequently used is a condenser mic which, unlike the dynamic mic, needs power sent to it from the desk or pre-amp. This 'phantom power' is sometimes available on individual channels of a desk, though it can be sent globally to all mics without affecting other dynamic mics.
This power supplies a small amplifier inside the mic that increases the signal picked up by the movement of a diaphragm, this time a capacitor. Condenser mics also tend to be more sensitive than dynamic mics because of the low mass of their moving parts but usually have built-in pad switches (10 and 20 decibel increments) to enable them to handle the levels us drummers are capable of delivering.
3. Bass drum miked inside: miking the bass drum from the inside has the advantage of isolation, weight and definition
One problem often encountered when miking the bass drum comes if the drum is fitted with a full front head. In this case, placing a mic in front of the drum will work, but it can lack the definition and isolation of placing a mic inside the drum (as above).
But, there are a couple of options…
4. Bass drum miked outside: using two out-of-phase mics in front of the bass drum will capture the ambient sound of the front head
Firstly, miking the batter side of the drum will have more definition, while adding a second mic in front of the drum 'out of phase' (more on this shortly) will capture the ambient sound of the front head. However, the pay off for having the mic outside of the drum is more bleed from the rest of the kit and less attack than if it were placed inside.
5. X/Y overhead miking: two mics placed directly above the kit captures the stereo image with no phasing problems
There are really two main options here, an X/Y (or coincident) pair or a spaced pair. The X/Y configuration involves placing the two overheads directly above the kit with their capsules next to each other. This is a good way of capturing a stereo image of the kit with no phasing problems, as the sound of the kit reaches both mics simultaneously.
6. Spaced pair overhead miking: spreading the overhead mics further apart captures a wider stereo image of the kit
For a wider stereo image, spreading the mics apart as a spaced pair is more effective. However there is now a risk of phase cancellation - where the signal from the source reaches each mic at different times, thereby cancelling itself out. We can check for phase cancellation by taking two channels and using the pan control to sum them to mono. With one fader up as the other is blended in, the sound should remain full with good bottom-end. If out of phase, the two channels will sound hollow when heard together. The solution is to either move one of the mics until this improves, or reverse the polarity of one mic. In the digital domain the waveform can be inverted after it is recorded for the same effect.
7. Snare miking position #1: a snare is miked from the top, with the mic pointed to the centre
If given another mic and channel, the next drum we would want control over would be the snare. The snare would usually be miked like the toms, from the top, three fingers away and at the edge of the drum and pointing at the centre. The three-finger rule can help keep the mic away from unwanted harmonics from the edge of the head and hoop, while aiming it at the center helps capture the stick sound at its point of impact.
Moving the mic away from this point will introduce more 'air' or ambience into the sound and moving it closer, if using a dynamic mic, will introduce low-end as a result of what's called the 'proximity effect'. This can be useful to a point, however if you get too close, the proximity effect will render sound unnatural or unusable.
A dynamic mic is usually the mic of choice here and, surprisingly, the relatively cheap Shure SM57 wins over more expensive alternatives thanks to its ability to capture the mid-range and handle the high SPLs (sound pressure levels) a loud 'two and four' backbeat is capable of delivering. On the subject of miking the snare, if you are playing a cross-stick part, as well as turning the stick around to play with the butt end, pointing the mic at the point where the stick hits the rim can help capture a stronger sound.
8. Tom miking: you can get a more defined tom sound by bringing the mics lower
With a four-mic set-up, neither of our overhead options, although giving a natural representation of the kit and clear cymbal sound, will give much definition from the toms. So one final overhead option is to bring the mics down low. This approach is more effective on smaller set-ups such as four- or five-piece kits which, with a mic
looking at the kit between the hi-hats and first tom and another looking over floor tom towards the ride cymbal, both set equidistant from the snare and bass drum, will give a fuller sound than with the mics above the kit.
In the case of the toms, you'll also hear their sympathetic overtones ringing away as other drums are hit. When miking the toms, the choices are varied - the most popular being dynamic mics or small condensers. However, depending upon the budget, large diaphragm condensers can sometimes be used.
9. Hi-hat miking: hi-hats should be miked using a small condenser mic placed 2"-3" away
If we have channels left, the next part of the kit we would mic would probably be the hi-hats. These would usually be miked using a small condenser mic from above, 2"-3" away and sometimes pointing away from the kit. The proximity effect has to be taken into consideration here - get too close to the cymbals and they will take on a gong-like quality. This can be EQed out but is best avoided. Another thing to avoid is placing the mic so that it faces the point where the air escapes from the hi-hats (also a good reason not to have a fan pointing right at the kit on hot gigs).
10. Snare miking position #2: A second mic below the snare will capture the sizzle of snare wires
Some people like to also mic the bottom of the snare. This can work well when blended in with the top snare mic, as it helps to capture some of the sizzle and pop of the snare wires.
To do this, one of the mics should have its phase reversed.
11. Room miking behind the kit: the four-mic set-up
If recording in a nice-sounding room and you have the luxury of spare mics and channels, putting up room mics can provide some useful natural ambience, which can really bring the sound of the kit to life when dialled into the mix.
12. Room miking front: a large condenser mic in front of your kit is a logical place to start
If you are recording in a smaller, not so nice sounding room, a single ambient or room mic set a few feet away from the kit can also be used to create artificial ambience using reverb, but more of that later.
13. Try a sub mic for the bass drum
One additional mic that can make an enormous difference to the drum's sound is a sub mic for the bass drum, and although there are ready made products out there for this purpose such as the Yamaha sub-kick , a driver from an NS10 speaker (though any mediumsized speaker should work), will achieve a very similar effect for a lot less money.
Mounted on some kind of stand and with a microphone cable connected with no ground and plugged into a regular channel with the phase reversed (simply re solder the '+' and '-' the other way around if you can't 'flip' the phase on your desk), this speaker will work as a huge dynamic mic and add serious low end to your bass drum sound.
Friday 29 July 2016
Recording Electric Guitar
by Myles Boisen
The electric guitar (El Gtr” in engineer shorthand) is one of the easiest instruments to record. Even a modest rig-a good guitar coupled with a decent amplifier-makes the engineer's job a cinch, offering plenty of level, a variety of easily adjustable tones, and-with most modern amps, at least-an assortment of flavor enhancers” such as tube saturation , overdrive, and compression
In addition, the limited bandwidth of a typical electric-guitar track is ideally suited to the frequency response of affordable dynamic microphones But that doesn't mean that using the age-old standard of miking guitar amps-a Shure SM57 shoved up against the grille cloth-is the best way to get El Gtr to stand out in a mix.
Like many engineers, I learned the basics of recording guitars by doing live sound and occasional session work. But my higher education” began when I was hired by a blues/R&B-oriented mail-order record company, and I had” to listen all day long to recordings from the '40s, '50s, and '60s. No matter how primitive or poor the recording quality on those old discs, I was constantly amazed by the array of exciting sounds produced by electric guitar. Later, when I started recording blues sessions in my own studio, I learned firsthand about the key elements that contributed to the great tones that I'd heard on those classic recordings.
Tubes on 10
Nothing sounds as good as a tube amp turned up to 10 You can do this with some old amps, and they will sound fairly clean; others will explode. Use caution and keep an eye out for plumes of smoke. Newer tube amps generally have separate preamp and master-gain controls that can duplicate the gritty anarchy of yore, minus the lease-breaking SPLs. For jazz and other clean guitar styles, it's okay to turn the volume down a bit, as long as you don't underdo” it.
But having hot tubes is only half the recipe for getting great tone. Room sound is the other ingredient necessary for obtaining a full-bodied guitar track. It didn't take me long to figure out that the guitarists on my formative blues sessions were slyly contributing to my education” by nudging the mics away from their amps as soon as I left the room. Thanks to their clandestine efforts, my ears opened up to an entire new world of electric-guitar sounds.
I've since developed several recording techniques that are a sure cure for the El Gtr blahs. Try the following four tricks in their order of appearance, as they are progressively more complex.
Simple does it
Once you have the essential elements in place-a great amp, guitar, and guitarist-you almost can't help but get a great guitar tone. Crank the amp up to the appropriate level and begin with some mic comparisons. It's especially telling to audition different types of mics: for example, dynamics, ribbons, and large-diaphragm condensers. (I rarely use small-diaphragm condensers for miking guitar amps; on the other hand, I've found that almost any microphone will strike gold once you find the right spot for it.)
My favorite dynamic mics for this application are the Sennheiser MD 421 and 441 and the Shure Beta 58 (which has a fuller sound than the SM57). My favorite ribbons are the Royer R-121 and Coles 4038. For large-diaphragm condensers, I lean toward tube models, in particular the Lawson L47MP and Neumann M147.
Start with all of the mics clustered together three to six inches from the grille cloth, pointed at the center of the speaker. On a multiple-speaker cabinet, don't assume that all the speakers sound the same. Rather, listen to each of them at a sensible volume, and then mic the one that sounds best. If the speakers sound alike, a miking position close to the floor will generally provide a little more low end.
Back in the control room, audition each mic, preferably as the guitarist plays along with the other instruments. Listen carefully to how each microphone sounds on its own and, more importantly, to how it works in the mix. Usually, one microphone will come up a winner on the first pass. Don't stop there, however. Instead, leave the winning” microphone where it is and experiment with the placement of the other two mics. Time-and mic selection-permitting, you may also wish to do a second round of testing with other microphones.
The key elements of mic positioning are distance from the source and orientation to it. Moving the mic closer to the amp provides more definition, increased highs and lows, and less room sound. As you pull the mic back, the sound becomes less detailed, more midrangey,” and more blended with the ambience. Depending on the room you're in, a distant-miked amp may gain a natural presence and unique character in the mix, despite an apparent decrease in definition. On the other hand, placing the mic too far back will result in a washed-out, murky, or hard-to-control tone.
Mic orientation , or the angle of the mic in relation to the speaker, becomes more critical as the mic is moved closer to the amp. Pointing the mic at the center of the cone will yield more active highs and better transient detail but fewer lows. As you move the mic toward the outer rim of the speaker, maintaining a 90-degree angle with the grille cloth, the low frequencies gradually increase because of proximity effect and other factors, resulting in a sound that may be warmer, softer, or more powerful. Many engineers like to blend these complex characteristics by angling the mic between 30 and 60 degrees off-axis from the center of the speaker.
Of course, it is vital that you experiment and let your ears be your guide with all the techniques mentioned in this article. Don't hesitate to try a crazy placement or an unusual mic such as a PZM (pressure-zone mic). With persistence and a bit of luck, you will likely discover some tricks of your own.
Take two
Once you've mastered the intricacies of single-transducer miking, it's fun to start working in stereo. For true stereo recording, you need a matched mic pair as well as a twin-speaker amplifier, preferably one with built-in stereo chorus and vibrato (such as a vintage Magnatone or a Roland Jazz Chorus). Two separate amplifiers fed by the same stereo delay or multi-effects unit will also work.
Mic each speaker or amp , pan the two channels apart, and let the effects work their magic. Hard-panning to the extreme left and right produces the most dramatic results; should this prove too dizzying, try panning one microphone toward the center, or move the tracks toward a more centered symmetrical position.
You can use similar two-mic techniques, minus the effects, on a single amp to capture a variety of larger-than-life guitar sounds. One trick that I stumbled upon involves miking a twin-speaker amp with two mics that are close in response, but not matched (see Fig. 1). The first time I tried this, on a session with guitarist Paris Slim, I used an Electro-Voice RE20 and a Sennheiser 441.
Place one mic on each speaker at the same distance and orientation, and check the pair for phase cancellation by panning them to the same spot and listening in mono. The minute differences between the speakers, mics, and mic positions, combined with double-tracking, creates a monstrous presence when the tracks are hard-panned in the mix, and opens up a world of possibilities for separate EQ and effects processing. If you don't need the guitar to dominate the mix, you also can sum these mono-compatible tracks together to a single pan position for a noticeably bigger sound.
To capture aggressive, distorted guitar sounds, my studio partner Bart Thurber likes to use two mics in an XY configuration on a single speaker: a Shure SM57 aimed at the middle of the speaker and a Sennheiser 441 (with the high-end boost switch engaged) pointed at the edge of the cone. The SM57's signal is sent to a compressor, and the two mic signals are then mixed together and recorded to one track. This technique provides some compression for the harshest high frequencies and strong, midrange volume peaks picked up by the SM57, while simultaneously delivering full highs and lows through the 441. Another variation on the two-mic technique involves miking the front and back of an open-backed cabinet.
For this application, be sure to place the mics at an equal distance from the speaker itself and reverse the phase of the rear mic.
To Air is Human
Forget Risky Business (remember the famous scene of Tom Cruise rockin' out in his boxers?); this technique, which I consider real air guitar, is serious business. It entails capturing the airy, percussive sound of the plectrum strumming or picking the electric guitar's strings-either in acoustic isolation or combined with the ambient sound from the amp-and then mixing this sound with the recorded amplifier sound. The addition of just a little percussive plucking can enhance the presence wonderfully for any style of guitar playing. In my opinion, it's the greatest studio-recording innovation since John Bonham's distinctive drum sound.
The blues was my inspiration-specifically, the late-'40s solo recordings of John Lee Hooker. Hobo Blues” is an excellent example of early Hooker on which his violent string slapping-clearly audible in a blend of amp sound, haunting vocals, and trademark foot stomping-creates an indelible realism and engaging intimacy. My recording of Paris Slim's The Day I Met
The Boogie Man” (see the sidebar Selected Discography”) was one of my early experiments with this technique. Since that time, I have used a discrete air-guitar” mic whenever I have had an available track for it. Guitarists may initially be skeptical of such unusual miking, but it's always a treat to watch their faces light up as they listen to the monitors deliver the bright, transient sounds that they have been accustomed to hearing during their years of practicing their instruments.
I have achieved my best results with this technique when miking resonant hollow-body guitars, getting the mic in as close as possible to the guitarist's picking hand. Large-diaphragm condensers, especially the Neumann U 87 and Manley Cardioid Reference tube mic, have proven superlative performers on big-box guitars such as the Gibson ES-175 (see photo on p. 114). The small-diaphragm Oktava MC 012 and medium-diaphragm Shure KSM32 have worked wonders on solid-body instruments, most notably on improvisational-guitarist Ron
Thompson's seven-string custom axe.
Mix magazine columnist Stephen St. Croix recently documented his own variation of this technique. He uses two air” mics-one each on the low and high strings-with the resulting tracks panned hard left and right in the stereo spectrum.
An overdubbing session is ideal for air-guitar miking because there is no leakage from other instruments. I usually prefer to maintain total isolation between the two sources, placing the guitarist and amp in separate rooms. But for some production styles, the acoustic air mic can also do double duty as a distant room mic for the amp, with the ratio of pick sound to ambience determined by mic placement and amp volume. I've recorded some very hefty-sounding rock ‘n' roll power chording this way, as well as a variety of vintage-style solos and rhythm parts. At the board, a low shelving or low-midrange EQ cut, combined with a subtle high-end boost around 4 to 6 kHz, will usually help these tracks jump out of the mix.
The key to capturing any kind of ambient tracks is a good reverberant space, although a narrow or dead room can also work, as long as there is sufficient distance between the guitarist and the amp. I usually put the air mic at least ten feet from the amp, positioned off-axis, or in an omnidirectional pattern to pick up as much reflected sound as possible. Placing a baffle between the guitarist and the amp will increase the apparent room size, as will making the amp sound pass through a doorway or turn a corner into another room.
Should space restrictions or volume levels make these methods impractical, try adding an air-guitar part as an overdub to a conventionally miked guitar track. The principle is similar to vocal doubling, for which the same part is performed twice; you may not be able to do this for an improvised solo, but for rhythm parts or composed lines, it's a snap. In addition, double tracking with a bright acoustic guitar or a smooth-sounding hollow body will add extra richness and some slick, big-budget zing to your mixes.
Multiplication Rock
After you have the hang of mono and stereo miking, room miking, and air guitar, you may be ready for the final frontier of El Gtr exploration. The time-consuming technique that I call multisourcing” combines all the aforementioned methods, multiplied by the infinite possibilities created by splitting the guitar output and sending it simultaneously to different amps (using, for example, a Whirlwind Selector splitter box).
When I first tried multi-sourcing, on a solo project by Club Foot Orchestra guitarist Steve Kirk, I used an air mic, a direct source (Manley tube DI box or speaker emulator output from Kirk's Marshall JMP-1 tube preamp), a close mic on a clean-sounding Fender Princeton amp, and close and distant mics on a cranked-up Marshall cabinet (see Fig. 2). And that was just for the first rhythm track! As you may imagine, mixing was a lot of fun, and after that day there's been no going back to the old SM57 shoved up against the grille cloth. If you dare, you can take it from there. The only limitations are your time, the guitarist's patience, and available tracks. Oh yes-and lots and lots of mics.
The following CDs, engineered by Myles Boisen, are recommended listening for the electric-guitar miking techniques described in this article.
The Dynatones, Shake That Mess (Blue Suit Records, 1999) Bulldog” (tubes on 10) Ace of Spades” (stereo vibrato) Memphis Women” (air guitar) Available from
Steve Kirk, Steve Kirk Pop (SKP Records, 1999) River of the White Lake” (tubes on 10) all tracks (air guitar, multisourcing) Available from skirk@
Ben Marcato and His Mondo Combo Party Mix (Urgent Records, 1999) Too Lazy to Work” and Little Joe from Chicago” (air guitar) Smack Dab in the Middle” (tubes on 10, air guitar)
Available from
Paris Slim, Bleedin' Heart (Globe Records, 1996) The Day I Met the Boogie Man” and The Candle's Burnin' Low” (air guitar) Available from
Ronald Thompson (avant-garde seven-string guitar), Spiritpark, vol. 3, Music for Percussion, Saxophone and Guitar (Spiritpark Records, 1999) and Spiritpark, vol. 1, Music for Solo Guitar (Spiritpark Records, 1999) all tracks (air guitar, multisourcing) Available from Spiritpark@
The electric guitar (El Gtr” in engineer shorthand) is one of the easiest instruments to record. Even a modest rig-a good guitar coupled with a decent amplifier-makes the engineer's job a cinch, offering plenty of level, a variety of easily adjustable tones, and-with most modern amps, at least-an assortment of flavor enhancers” such as tube saturation , overdrive, and compression
In addition, the limited bandwidth of a typical electric-guitar track is ideally suited to the frequency response of affordable dynamic microphones But that doesn't mean that using the age-old standard of miking guitar amps-a Shure SM57 shoved up against the grille cloth-is the best way to get El Gtr to stand out in a mix.
Like many engineers, I learned the basics of recording guitars by doing live sound and occasional session work. But my higher education” began when I was hired by a blues/R&B-oriented mail-order record company, and I had” to listen all day long to recordings from the '40s, '50s, and '60s. No matter how primitive or poor the recording quality on those old discs, I was constantly amazed by the array of exciting sounds produced by electric guitar. Later, when I started recording blues sessions in my own studio, I learned firsthand about the key elements that contributed to the great tones that I'd heard on those classic recordings.
Tubes on 10
Nothing sounds as good as a tube amp turned up to 10 You can do this with some old amps, and they will sound fairly clean; others will explode. Use caution and keep an eye out for plumes of smoke. Newer tube amps generally have separate preamp and master-gain controls that can duplicate the gritty anarchy of yore, minus the lease-breaking SPLs. For jazz and other clean guitar styles, it's okay to turn the volume down a bit, as long as you don't underdo” it.
But having hot tubes is only half the recipe for getting great tone. Room sound is the other ingredient necessary for obtaining a full-bodied guitar track. It didn't take me long to figure out that the guitarists on my formative blues sessions were slyly contributing to my education” by nudging the mics away from their amps as soon as I left the room. Thanks to their clandestine efforts, my ears opened up to an entire new world of electric-guitar sounds.
I've since developed several recording techniques that are a sure cure for the El Gtr blahs. Try the following four tricks in their order of appearance, as they are progressively more complex.
Simple does it
Once you have the essential elements in place-a great amp, guitar, and guitarist-you almost can't help but get a great guitar tone. Crank the amp up to the appropriate level and begin with some mic comparisons. It's especially telling to audition different types of mics: for example, dynamics, ribbons, and large-diaphragm condensers. (I rarely use small-diaphragm condensers for miking guitar amps; on the other hand, I've found that almost any microphone will strike gold once you find the right spot for it.)
My favorite dynamic mics for this application are the Sennheiser MD 421 and 441 and the Shure Beta 58 (which has a fuller sound than the SM57). My favorite ribbons are the Royer R-121 and Coles 4038. For large-diaphragm condensers, I lean toward tube models, in particular the Lawson L47MP and Neumann M147.
Start with all of the mics clustered together three to six inches from the grille cloth, pointed at the center of the speaker. On a multiple-speaker cabinet, don't assume that all the speakers sound the same. Rather, listen to each of them at a sensible volume, and then mic the one that sounds best. If the speakers sound alike, a miking position close to the floor will generally provide a little more low end.
Back in the control room, audition each mic, preferably as the guitarist plays along with the other instruments. Listen carefully to how each microphone sounds on its own and, more importantly, to how it works in the mix. Usually, one microphone will come up a winner on the first pass. Don't stop there, however. Instead, leave the winning” microphone where it is and experiment with the placement of the other two mics. Time-and mic selection-permitting, you may also wish to do a second round of testing with other microphones.
The key elements of mic positioning are distance from the source and orientation to it. Moving the mic closer to the amp provides more definition, increased highs and lows, and less room sound. As you pull the mic back, the sound becomes less detailed, more midrangey,” and more blended with the ambience. Depending on the room you're in, a distant-miked amp may gain a natural presence and unique character in the mix, despite an apparent decrease in definition. On the other hand, placing the mic too far back will result in a washed-out, murky, or hard-to-control tone.
Mic orientation , or the angle of the mic in relation to the speaker, becomes more critical as the mic is moved closer to the amp. Pointing the mic at the center of the cone will yield more active highs and better transient detail but fewer lows. As you move the mic toward the outer rim of the speaker, maintaining a 90-degree angle with the grille cloth, the low frequencies gradually increase because of proximity effect and other factors, resulting in a sound that may be warmer, softer, or more powerful. Many engineers like to blend these complex characteristics by angling the mic between 30 and 60 degrees off-axis from the center of the speaker.
Of course, it is vital that you experiment and let your ears be your guide with all the techniques mentioned in this article. Don't hesitate to try a crazy placement or an unusual mic such as a PZM (pressure-zone mic). With persistence and a bit of luck, you will likely discover some tricks of your own.
Take two
Once you've mastered the intricacies of single-transducer miking, it's fun to start working in stereo. For true stereo recording, you need a matched mic pair as well as a twin-speaker amplifier, preferably one with built-in stereo chorus and vibrato (such as a vintage Magnatone or a Roland Jazz Chorus). Two separate amplifiers fed by the same stereo delay or multi-effects unit will also work.
Mic each speaker or amp , pan the two channels apart, and let the effects work their magic. Hard-panning to the extreme left and right produces the most dramatic results; should this prove too dizzying, try panning one microphone toward the center, or move the tracks toward a more centered symmetrical position.
You can use similar two-mic techniques, minus the effects, on a single amp to capture a variety of larger-than-life guitar sounds. One trick that I stumbled upon involves miking a twin-speaker amp with two mics that are close in response, but not matched (see Fig. 1). The first time I tried this, on a session with guitarist Paris Slim, I used an Electro-Voice RE20 and a Sennheiser 441.
Place one mic on each speaker at the same distance and orientation, and check the pair for phase cancellation by panning them to the same spot and listening in mono. The minute differences between the speakers, mics, and mic positions, combined with double-tracking, creates a monstrous presence when the tracks are hard-panned in the mix, and opens up a world of possibilities for separate EQ and effects processing. If you don't need the guitar to dominate the mix, you also can sum these mono-compatible tracks together to a single pan position for a noticeably bigger sound.
To capture aggressive, distorted guitar sounds, my studio partner Bart Thurber likes to use two mics in an XY configuration on a single speaker: a Shure SM57 aimed at the middle of the speaker and a Sennheiser 441 (with the high-end boost switch engaged) pointed at the edge of the cone. The SM57's signal is sent to a compressor, and the two mic signals are then mixed together and recorded to one track. This technique provides some compression for the harshest high frequencies and strong, midrange volume peaks picked up by the SM57, while simultaneously delivering full highs and lows through the 441. Another variation on the two-mic technique involves miking the front and back of an open-backed cabinet.
For this application, be sure to place the mics at an equal distance from the speaker itself and reverse the phase of the rear mic.
To Air is Human
Forget Risky Business (remember the famous scene of Tom Cruise rockin' out in his boxers?); this technique, which I consider real air guitar, is serious business. It entails capturing the airy, percussive sound of the plectrum strumming or picking the electric guitar's strings-either in acoustic isolation or combined with the ambient sound from the amp-and then mixing this sound with the recorded amplifier sound. The addition of just a little percussive plucking can enhance the presence wonderfully for any style of guitar playing. In my opinion, it's the greatest studio-recording innovation since John Bonham's distinctive drum sound.
The blues was my inspiration-specifically, the late-'40s solo recordings of John Lee Hooker. Hobo Blues” is an excellent example of early Hooker on which his violent string slapping-clearly audible in a blend of amp sound, haunting vocals, and trademark foot stomping-creates an indelible realism and engaging intimacy. My recording of Paris Slim's The Day I Met
The Boogie Man” (see the sidebar Selected Discography”) was one of my early experiments with this technique. Since that time, I have used a discrete air-guitar” mic whenever I have had an available track for it. Guitarists may initially be skeptical of such unusual miking, but it's always a treat to watch their faces light up as they listen to the monitors deliver the bright, transient sounds that they have been accustomed to hearing during their years of practicing their instruments.
I have achieved my best results with this technique when miking resonant hollow-body guitars, getting the mic in as close as possible to the guitarist's picking hand. Large-diaphragm condensers, especially the Neumann U 87 and Manley Cardioid Reference tube mic, have proven superlative performers on big-box guitars such as the Gibson ES-175 (see photo on p. 114). The small-diaphragm Oktava MC 012 and medium-diaphragm Shure KSM32 have worked wonders on solid-body instruments, most notably on improvisational-guitarist Ron
Thompson's seven-string custom axe.
Mix magazine columnist Stephen St. Croix recently documented his own variation of this technique. He uses two air” mics-one each on the low and high strings-with the resulting tracks panned hard left and right in the stereo spectrum.
An overdubbing session is ideal for air-guitar miking because there is no leakage from other instruments. I usually prefer to maintain total isolation between the two sources, placing the guitarist and amp in separate rooms. But for some production styles, the acoustic air mic can also do double duty as a distant room mic for the amp, with the ratio of pick sound to ambience determined by mic placement and amp volume. I've recorded some very hefty-sounding rock ‘n' roll power chording this way, as well as a variety of vintage-style solos and rhythm parts. At the board, a low shelving or low-midrange EQ cut, combined with a subtle high-end boost around 4 to 6 kHz, will usually help these tracks jump out of the mix.
The key to capturing any kind of ambient tracks is a good reverberant space, although a narrow or dead room can also work, as long as there is sufficient distance between the guitarist and the amp. I usually put the air mic at least ten feet from the amp, positioned off-axis, or in an omnidirectional pattern to pick up as much reflected sound as possible. Placing a baffle between the guitarist and the amp will increase the apparent room size, as will making the amp sound pass through a doorway or turn a corner into another room.
Should space restrictions or volume levels make these methods impractical, try adding an air-guitar part as an overdub to a conventionally miked guitar track. The principle is similar to vocal doubling, for which the same part is performed twice; you may not be able to do this for an improvised solo, but for rhythm parts or composed lines, it's a snap. In addition, double tracking with a bright acoustic guitar or a smooth-sounding hollow body will add extra richness and some slick, big-budget zing to your mixes.
Multiplication Rock
After you have the hang of mono and stereo miking, room miking, and air guitar, you may be ready for the final frontier of El Gtr exploration. The time-consuming technique that I call multisourcing” combines all the aforementioned methods, multiplied by the infinite possibilities created by splitting the guitar output and sending it simultaneously to different amps (using, for example, a Whirlwind Selector splitter box).
When I first tried multi-sourcing, on a solo project by Club Foot Orchestra guitarist Steve Kirk, I used an air mic, a direct source (Manley tube DI box or speaker emulator output from Kirk's Marshall JMP-1 tube preamp), a close mic on a clean-sounding Fender Princeton amp, and close and distant mics on a cranked-up Marshall cabinet (see Fig. 2). And that was just for the first rhythm track! As you may imagine, mixing was a lot of fun, and after that day there's been no going back to the old SM57 shoved up against the grille cloth. If you dare, you can take it from there. The only limitations are your time, the guitarist's patience, and available tracks. Oh yes-and lots and lots of mics.
The following CDs, engineered by Myles Boisen, are recommended listening for the electric-guitar miking techniques described in this article.
The Dynatones, Shake That Mess (Blue Suit Records, 1999) Bulldog” (tubes on 10) Ace of Spades” (stereo vibrato) Memphis Women” (air guitar) Available from
Steve Kirk, Steve Kirk Pop (SKP Records, 1999) River of the White Lake” (tubes on 10) all tracks (air guitar, multisourcing) Available from skirk@
Ben Marcato and His Mondo Combo Party Mix (Urgent Records, 1999) Too Lazy to Work” and Little Joe from Chicago” (air guitar) Smack Dab in the Middle” (tubes on 10, air guitar)
Available from
Paris Slim, Bleedin' Heart (Globe Records, 1996) The Day I Met the Boogie Man” and The Candle's Burnin' Low” (air guitar) Available from
Ronald Thompson (avant-garde seven-string guitar), Spiritpark, vol. 3, Music for Percussion, Saxophone and Guitar (Spiritpark Records, 1999) and Spiritpark, vol. 1, Music for Solo Guitar (Spiritpark Records, 1999) all tracks (air guitar, multisourcing) Available from Spiritpark@
Thursday 28 July 2016
6 Stereo Miking Techniques You Can Use Today
Twice a month we revisit some of our reader favorite posts from throughout the history of Audiotuts+. This tutorial was first published in August 2008.
Stereo miking is a great way to increase the sense of depth in your recording of an instrument. Here are six stereo miking techniques you can try out today. We'll start with the basics and then move to some more exciting options.
Before You Get Started
One thing to be careful of in stereo recording is phase cancellation. When using a spaced pair this can be a concern. Phase cancellation occurs when two versions of the same sound, which occur at slightly different times, are mixed together. The result is that when one signal is going into positive amplitude and the other is going into negative amplitude they will cancel each other out and when they are both going the same way they will boost each other.
When two signals are out of phase you will notice a warble in your sound or, if the two signals are 180 degrees out of phase, you will get silence. You will not notice this when the two signals are panned hard left and right. So, to avoid any surprises always check in mono.
The way to minimize your chance of running into phase problems is to use coincident pairs (where the two mics are very close together) or to use the 3:1 rule (place the mics 3 times as far from each other as they are from the sound source).
Spaced Pair
Spaced pair miking is exactly what the name implies. Two cardioid microphones are placed apart from each other to produce two different recordings of the same instrument. I suggest trying two places on the instrument that produce different tonalities. For example, on a guitar you may want to have one mic on the bridge and one on the nut.
X-Y
The X-Y configuration takes two cardioid microphones and places them with heads together at 90 degree angles. The result is that the mic on the left will pickup the right side of the room and the mic on the right will pickup the left side of the room.
Blumlein Pair
The Blumlein Pair is much like the X-Y technique with one variation. Two bi-directional mics are used at 90 degree angles. The result of this technique is that one mic will pickup the front left and back right of the room while the other picks up the front right and back left of the room. This technique is best if you have a nice sounding room to record in.
ORTF
The ORTF technique is named after the French television and radio commission who invented it (Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française). This is a binaural mic technique which means it is meant to approximate the response of your two ears. In the ORTF technique two cardioid mics are placed at an angle of 110 degrees with the heads 17cm (7”) apart. The beauty of this technique is that mic placement can be as simple as moving around the room until it sounds good and then placing the mics where your head was.
Mid-side
In this technique a cardioid mic is placed facing the sound source and a bi-directional mic is placed perpendicular to the cardioid mic (so it is picking up the sides of the room). They are each recorded onto one track. The track with the bidirectional microphone is then copied and the phase is inverted on the copy. The two bi-directional tracks are then panned hard left and right while the cardioid mic is panned center. By adjusting the relative volume of the cardioid mic we can control how close or far away the recorded instrument sounds.
Note: This technique only works in stereo. If this is played back in mono the two bi-directional tracks will cancel each other out.
Decca Tree
The Decca Tree is used mainly for recording orchestras and large ensembles. It was developed in the 1950s by engineers at Decca Records. The Decca Tree uses a special T-shaped mic stand suspended above the conductor's head. On the T-shaped stand are 3 cardioid microphones facing left, right and centre which are then panned to match their configuration.
There are no fixed measurements for the distance between the microphones but the standard seems to be around 5-7 feet. The mics are usually placed closer together for smaller orchestras and further apart for larger ones.
Stereo miking is a great way to increase the sense of depth in your recording of an instrument. Here are six stereo miking techniques you can try out today. We'll start with the basics and then move to some more exciting options.
Before You Get Started
One thing to be careful of in stereo recording is phase cancellation. When using a spaced pair this can be a concern. Phase cancellation occurs when two versions of the same sound, which occur at slightly different times, are mixed together. The result is that when one signal is going into positive amplitude and the other is going into negative amplitude they will cancel each other out and when they are both going the same way they will boost each other.
When two signals are out of phase you will notice a warble in your sound or, if the two signals are 180 degrees out of phase, you will get silence. You will not notice this when the two signals are panned hard left and right. So, to avoid any surprises always check in mono.
The way to minimize your chance of running into phase problems is to use coincident pairs (where the two mics are very close together) or to use the 3:1 rule (place the mics 3 times as far from each other as they are from the sound source).
Spaced Pair
Spaced pair miking is exactly what the name implies. Two cardioid microphones are placed apart from each other to produce two different recordings of the same instrument. I suggest trying two places on the instrument that produce different tonalities. For example, on a guitar you may want to have one mic on the bridge and one on the nut.
X-Y
The X-Y configuration takes two cardioid microphones and places them with heads together at 90 degree angles. The result is that the mic on the left will pickup the right side of the room and the mic on the right will pickup the left side of the room.
Blumlein Pair
The Blumlein Pair is much like the X-Y technique with one variation. Two bi-directional mics are used at 90 degree angles. The result of this technique is that one mic will pickup the front left and back right of the room while the other picks up the front right and back left of the room. This technique is best if you have a nice sounding room to record in.
ORTF
The ORTF technique is named after the French television and radio commission who invented it (Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française). This is a binaural mic technique which means it is meant to approximate the response of your two ears. In the ORTF technique two cardioid mics are placed at an angle of 110 degrees with the heads 17cm (7”) apart. The beauty of this technique is that mic placement can be as simple as moving around the room until it sounds good and then placing the mics where your head was.
Mid-side
In this technique a cardioid mic is placed facing the sound source and a bi-directional mic is placed perpendicular to the cardioid mic (so it is picking up the sides of the room). They are each recorded onto one track. The track with the bidirectional microphone is then copied and the phase is inverted on the copy. The two bi-directional tracks are then panned hard left and right while the cardioid mic is panned center. By adjusting the relative volume of the cardioid mic we can control how close or far away the recorded instrument sounds.
Note: This technique only works in stereo. If this is played back in mono the two bi-directional tracks will cancel each other out.
Decca Tree
The Decca Tree is used mainly for recording orchestras and large ensembles. It was developed in the 1950s by engineers at Decca Records. The Decca Tree uses a special T-shaped mic stand suspended above the conductor's head. On the T-shaped stand are 3 cardioid microphones facing left, right and centre which are then panned to match their configuration.
There are no fixed measurements for the distance between the microphones but the standard seems to be around 5-7 feet. The mics are usually placed closer together for smaller orchestras and further apart for larger ones.
Wednesday 27 July 2016
Drum Techniques
Drums are probably the oldest musical instrument in existence, as well as being one of the most popular. Drums are also one of the most basic instruments, having evolved little in concept through the years: at their most basic, drums are anything you strike which makes a sound!
As simple as they are, drums can be difficult to master. The same can be said of properly recording drums. While most folks may recommend that you go to a 'real studio' to record drums, that isn't always a possibility. They will also tell you that drums are difficult to record properly, which is at least partly true. But it's also true that there's a lot you can do, even with a very limited setup - if you know some very basic techniques.
To introduce you to the world of drum recording at home, I've gathered some of my favorite tips and recording techniques in hopes of encouraging you to try your hand at recording some drums in your personal home studio. I'll cover a few different scenarios from the single microphone approach on up to the many options that become available to you when you have multiple microphones.
Drums in 'da House
There are many ways to approach recording drums besides the ‘mic everything that moves' approach, including many time honored 'minimalist' approaches. Sometimes all it takes is a well placed mic or two to capture a perfectly usable drum recording. Luckily, this 'minimal' approach works well in the home studio environment, especially considering the limited resources that are typically available.
It's worth mentioning that there are as many drum 'sounds' as there are musical styles. Certain drum sounds can require certain drums/heads and certain recording gear to accurately reproduce. Other drum sounds are easier to reproduce with limited resources, mainly because that's how they were produced in the first place. Try to keep your expectations within reason regarding the equipment and space you have available!
Issues to be Aware of:
First, let's cover some of the potential issues you may run into when bringing drums into your home studio:
The first issue is that drums (by design) make noise - LOUD noise. Some folks just don't like noise. This is usually the first hurdle to overcome when considering recording drums at home. The best advice may simply to be considerate of others and be prepared to work around their schedules. There is little you can do (outside of spending loads of cash) to totally isolate the drums from the outside world.
While it is unlikely, you may run into a situation where a noise from outside will intrude on your recording. Like already mentioned, there is little you can do about this other than work around the schedules of others. Most home recordists will likely have already run into these issues before, and have learned to work around them!
The second hurdle is usually not having enough microphones to 'do it right'. There are some time-tested ways to get great drum sounds using fewer mics, or even just one good mic.
Rather than looking at this as an obstacle to overcome, I prefer instead to call this the purist approach!
A possible third hurdle is the sound of the room you're recording in. It can be too small (or even too big), too live or too dead, too bright or too dark. Some of these issues can be dealt with by instrument placement or hanging packing blankets, some you try to avoid with close miking! Generally speaking, a smaller/deader/darker room will be easier to deal with than the opposite. The thing to understand here is that the room itself will almost always be a factor, since the farther you move a mic from the source of the sound, the more of the room sound you will pick up.
Finally, you should also be prepared to provide headphones (at least the drummer will want phones, but will often bring their own), and make sure you have all the cables you need and that they are long enough to reach where they have to reach.
Be Prepared
Options are good - multiple cymbal choices, a few different snares to choose from, or alternate drum heads or sticks/mallets, or even different mics are all good options to have on hand (but not absolutely essential).
Ask the drummer to bring a small rug to set the drums on (a common 'accessory'), and be prepared to provide one if they don't have one (assuming you don't already have carpet). Also consider having a few packing blankets on hand to temporarily tame any 'overly live' walls or other surfaces.
One thing before I forget - a drum kit is only as good as the drummer that is tuning and playing it. A drummer should have decent gear (no 'pitted' heads, unexpected rattles, or malfunctioning hardware please), the basic skills to tune the kit, good time/meter, and be able to hit the drums consistently. Many folks overlook this last quality, but the sound of a drum can change drastically with different stick position and velocity. The more consistent a drummer is (both with timing and with dynamics), the more 'solid' the sound will be in the end (and the better it will make you look as well!).
And finally, the actual drum part is important too - not every drummer will share your musical vision and it's up to you to keep the drum part 'musical' (whatever that means to you) and not too 'drummery' (overly busy and showing off). It may be helpful in some circumstances for you to program the drum part ahead of time (either alone or with the drummer) so that you have a reference point and are all on the same page. Let the drummer listen this track to prepare for the session, and let them know how strictly you'll need them to stick to the programmed part.
To Recap: Issues to address prior to a drum session:
Noise Issues
Space is the Place
If this is the first time you're recording drums in your space, you may hear things you never heard before. This is where the packing blankets can come in handy, especially if there is ringing (Flutter Echos) or if the space is just too bright or 'roomy' sounding. If you hear these things, try to cover any large flat spaces, especially glass or mirrors. As with every other aspect of recording, you will have to experiment a bit to see which locations help with your specific issues. You may be able to locate the obvious problems ahead of time by simply clapping (and listening) while walking around your studio space.
The physical placement of the kit in your space may be dictated by available space, but if you do have the option, try moving just the kick around and listen in the room to how it sounds. You will probably find that you prefer one location over another - I suggest choosing the position that produces the most low end, as this is the toughest frequency to add if not present in the original source. Also listen to the snare, but keep in mind you'll have to compromise in placement between the sound of all the drums in the room. You're looking for the place where the entire kit sounds its best. Don't forget to move yourself around with each new kick position. If you find a spot that sounds particularly good, put a mic there!
Once you settle on placement for the kit, let the drummer finish setting it up and fine tuning it before you begin to place microphones. You may have to guess at the placement at first, then tweak it by listening. When recording drums in the same room as your speakers, you can better judge the sound by recording the drums first and then listening to playback to make any decisions. Even when drums are in the next room, the "bleed" you hear through the wall, being mostly low end and coming from outside of the speakers, will give you a false sense of 'largeness'. So be prepared: the first 'playback' can often come as a bit of a disappointment! It may help to have a reference recording of drums that you like as a 'sonic comparison' to refer back to from time to time when getting initial drum sounds.
Now let's move on to discussing where to put the mics, once you get the drums all setup, tuned, and ready to rock. Now may be a good time to tell the drummer to get ready to play the same beat over and over for the foreseeable future!
If you only have one mic:
NOTE: Choosing the Microphone: Any microphone that is a good vocal mic will be a great place to start when miking the drum kit with a single mic.
There are not many options to consider when you only have one microphone to mic an entire drum kit - however, this can actually be a good thing! First off, you don't have to worry about mic selection as the decision has already been made for you. Second, there is no chance in the world for any phasing issues to be a factor! That leaves mic placement as the only concern, and that's where the fun begins.
Sometimes you have limitations in space that prevent certain mic positions (low ceilings, close walls), sometimes there may be one drum or cymbal in the kit that is louder or softer than the rest and may dictate mic position - you never know what you may run into. But if you can find the 'sweet spot', you'd be amazed at how good one mic can sound!
It's best to have a friend help with this next part, have them move the mic around the drum kit as the drummer plays a simple beat. Listen to how the 'perspective' changes. You can learn a lot about how a drum kit sounds (generally and specifically) by listening to a single microphone moving around a kit. You may have to record this first, and then listen on playback - if so, be sure to 'voice annotate' the movement, describing where the mic is as it's moved.
One mic moving from front to back of drum kit
The microphone, a Lawson L-47 (large diaphragm tube condenser) is about four feet off the ground. You can faintly hear me describe my position as I move the mic.
If I had to pick just one microphone position, I'd say my favorite single mic position is just over the drummer's right shoulder (and slightly to their right), pointing down at the kick beater area. Use the drummer's head to block the hi hat if it's too loud. Raise the mic higher if you have the space and want a more distant sound.
For an even more distant sound, position your single mic out in front of the kit and at waist high (to start). Moving the mic up and down can dramatically change the tone of the kit, helping you to find the spot with the best balance between drums and cymbals.
Further options with a single microphone:
Consider recording each drum separately (kick, then snare, then hi hat), one at a time. The "Every Breath You Take" approach. Or at least take samples of the each drum, and program patterns using these sounds.
In fact, if you take the time to bring drums into your home studio, you should at least record a few hits of each drum - you can cut the samples out later if time is a concern. No time like the present to start building or add to your personal drum sample library.
If you only have a few mics:
Two mics:
First Choice: Right Shoulder (RS) position, plus Kick (K) or possibly Snare (S)
Second Choice: Stereo Overheads
Second Choice: Kick, plus Stereo Overheads
Four mics:
Stereo Overheads plus K & S
With four mics you can have stereo overheads plus close mics (spot mics) on Kick and Snare. Having two mics for overheads doesn't mean they have to be exactly the same exact model microphone (but should be as similar as possible). With two mic for overheads, you have many choices of microphone configurations including A-B (spaced pair), X-Y (coincident), ORTF (near coincident), M-S (using one cardioid and one figure 8 mic), the Glyn Johns or "RecorderMan" approach, or you can even try a Blumlein Pair if you have two mics that can do a 'figure 8' pickup pattern.
Beyond Four Mics
Going beyond 4 or so mics means you will begin to mic toms or even hi hats or ride cymbals. You may also opt to record more distant 'room' mics if you have enough microphones, preamps, and inputs to your recorder. The sky's the limit, but don't be too concerned if you try a mic position that ends up being discarded in the end.
Further options with a single microphone:
Obviously, with only one or two microphones to cover an entire drum kit, you can't place the mics very close to any one drum. But when you have more mics at your disposal you may begin to use what are sometimes called 'spot mics', or more commonly 'close mics'.
NOTE: For drums, dynamic mics with cardioid or hyper-cardioid pickup patterns are preferred for close miking, while large and small diaphragm condensers are preferred for overhead and room mics.
With close mics on a drum kit, you are attempting to isolate each drum from the rest of the kit - this is not a precise science, as you will always have a bit of the other drums 'bleeding' into every other close mic. By positioning the mic close to the desired drum, and also paying attention to the pickup pattern of the mic you can achieve a workable amount of isolation.
When considering the position of a microphone, the most important aspect of close miking is the actual position of the mic's diaphragm in the 3D space. The second more important aspect is the pickup pattern of the mic, and how you are 'aiming' it. Most of the time, when considering close miking a drum kit, you are not only aiming the mic AT the desired source but also AWAY from all 'undesired' ones. Every directional mic has a 'null' point where it is the least sensitive, usually at the back of the mic. By aiming this 'null' point at the potential offenders you can reduce the level of the offending instruments. One common example is aiming the back of the snare mic at the hi hats to minimize the amount of hi hat bleed (a common problem with a close snare mic).
Kick Starters:
If there's a hole in the front head of the kick, placing the mic diaphragm just inside this hole is a great place to start. With the mic further inside the drum, you can sometimes find a 'punchier' position. With the mic outside the front head, you can get a bigger/fuller sound.
Snare Position:
The best place to start when miking a snare up close is a few inches above the drum head and just inside of the rim when viewed from above. I usually aim the mic down at the center of the drum, which also helps to aim the 'null' at the hi hat. But remember, it's the position of the diaphragm in the 3D space that contributes most to the sound of the snare when the mic is this close. Moving the entire mic up and down, or in and out will produce a more dramatic change than simply 'aiming' the mic differently.
Overhead Mic Options:
Overhead microphone ‘cluster' for comparing different positions/techniques
Probably the most common miking of overheads is a spaced pair of cardioid condenser mics facing down, and about 6-8 or more feet above the ground (2-4 feet above the drums and cymbals), and as wide as required for the kit (follow the 3:1 rule for better mono compatibility, see below). Also common are an ORTF or X-Y miking configuration, but we will demonstrate all the above approaches so you can hear the differences for yourself.
There are two different general approaches to overhead drum mics: capturing the entire kit or capturing just the cymbals. With the first approach, you go for the best overall drum sound/balance from the overheads. With the second, you only worry about capturing the cymbals and usually filter out much of the low frequencies. The following techniques can be applied to either approach, with varying degrees of success.
If you have fewer overall mics on a drum kit, you will most likely need to capture the entire kit with the overhead mics. In fact, it's often best to begin with just the overhead mics and get the best possible sound there first. Then you add the kick and snare 'close mics' to bring out the missing aspects (attack, closeness) to fill out the sound coming from the overheads. So with fewer total mics, the overhead mics become VERY important.
Here are the various overhead techniques we will explore, with a short description of the technique. Also listed is the gear used to record the examples of each technique. Where possible we used the type of microphone typically used for that miking technique.
X-Y, or Coincident Pair
With this approach you are placing two mics as close together as possible, but aimed at a 90° angle to each other. The mono compatibility is second to none, but the stereo image isn't that wide.
ORTF, or Near Coincident Pair
Rode NT-5s, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
ORTF allows you to combine the best of a spaced pair and an X-Y pair. You get decent mono compatibility, but a wider stereo image. Like X-Y, one advantage is that you can use a 'stereo bar' to mount both mics to the same stand. This saves space and makes setup a breeze as you can 'pre-configure' the mics on the stereo bar before you even put them on the stand.
Rode NT-5s mounted on the Stereo Bar” attachment, set to ORTF A-B, or Spaced Pair
This common miking approach can be use for mainly cymbals or the entire kit. Either way, you may want to be familiar with the 3:1 rule for multiple mics: for every "one" unit of distance from the sound source to the mic, the two mics should be three times this distance from each other. If the mics are one foot above the cymbals, they should be three feet from each other. The main reason for this 'rule' is to help with mono compatibility, so don't sweat it too much if you can't hit these numbers precisely. If you check for mono compatibility (assuming it's important in your work) and you don't hear a problem, you're fine! By the way, in our example the mics are about two feet from the cymbals, three feet from each other, and doesn't seem to be a problem.
Glyn Johns Approach
This is a four mic approach, which using a close mic for kick and snare, and two overheads in a 'non-standard' configuration. The first mic is centered directly over the snare, between three and four feet away. The second mic is aimed across the drums from the floor tom area, and must be exactly the same distance from the snare. Some folks pan the two overhead mics hard left/right, other suggest bringing the 'over snare' mic in half way (or even both mics in half way).
Recorderman Approach
Named after the screen name of the engineer who first suggested this approach, it is similar to the Glyn Johns approach in that you begin with a mic directly over the snare drums. But it diverges from that approach with the second overhead mic, placing it in the "Right Shoulder" position. This can also be considered an extension of the one mic 'over the right shoulder' approach. Fine tuning is achieved by measuring the distance from each mic to both kick and snare, and making each mic equal distance from each drum. This is easily accomplished by using a string, but difficult to describe in writing. For a further explanation of this technique, check out this YouTube video.
Blumlein Pair
Named after Alan Blumlein, a "Blumlein Pair" is configured using two 'figure 8' microphones at 90° to each other and as close together as possible. This approach sounds great for room mics, by the way.
Mid-Side
The Mid-Side technique is the most intriguing mic configuration in this group. In this approach, you use one cardioid (directional) mic and one 'figure 8' (bi-direction) mic for the recording. But you need to use an M-S 'decoder' to properly reproduce the stereo effect. The 'decoder' would allow you to control the level of the mid and the side microphone, allowing you to 'widen' the stereo image by adding more 'side' mic. This technique (along with X-Y and Blumlein) has great mono compatibility. This is because with M-S, to get mono you just drop the 'side' mic all together and you're left with a perfect single microphone recording in glorious mono.
The Session
I invited a few engineer friends to the Annex Studio for a 'drum day' to record the examples for this article. It's always more fun to do this stuff with some friends! It's a good idea to have someone move the mics while you listen - sometimes the mic doesn't end up in a position that 'looks right' (even though it may sound perfect!). We took the time to get each approach setup as precisely as possible, and recorded all of them in a single pass so they could be compared side by side.
The recording space is a large, irregularly shaped room, about 24 by 30 'ish feet with 9 foot ceilings. There are wood floors throughout (carpet under the drums) and we hung one large stage curtain to tame the room a bit for this recording. The overhead mics, for the most part, were about 6-7 feet above the floor (2-3 feet from the ceiling).
The Reason Song File
I've provided the Song File because it's easier to compare between the different miking positions when you can switch as a track plays. I've set it up so that there are "Blocks" with the title of each section. Just click on a block and hit "P" on the keyboard and that section will begin loop playback. As it is currently setup, you must mute and un-mute tracks in the sequencer - you could also do this in the SSL Mixer by un-muting all the sequencer tracks and using the Channel mutes instead.
Single Mic Sweep, front to back
The first track is a single microphone starting from in front of the kit, and slowly moving around to the back and ending up in the "Right Shoulder" position. Listen closely and you'll hear me describing my position as I move.
Compare Overhead Mic Positions
Next you will find a few bars of drums with close mics on Kick and Snare, and the following overhead tracks: X-Y, ORTF, A-B, RecorderMan, Glyn Johns, Blumlein. Playing this clip allows you to explore the different miking techniques, and allow blending of the close mics at will. All the "stereo" overhead tracks are designed to be heard one at a time, although the mics are all in phase so they certainly could be used in combination with each other if you're feeling creative. But the main purpose of this clip is to allow you to hear the difference between the various miking techniques presented.
Moved the Royers to a Room Mic Position
The third clip is a similar drum pattern, with the Royer ribbon microphones (Blumlein Pair) moved to 15 feet in front of the drums. This is our typical 'room mic' position and mic choice, and is the only difference between the previous clip and this clip. In my opinion, the sound of this miking technique combined with the 'color' of a ribbon mic makes the perfect 'room' sound. For a room mic to work, the room must sound great, of course. But also it has to be more diffused and a bit 'out of focus' compared to the close mics, which produces a similar effect as the 'blurry' background of a photo. As in the photo example, having a blurry background can help to put more focus on the foreground (close mics).
Fun with Mid-Side - Adjust M-S in Rack
Finally we have a Mid-Side recording (plus the Kick and Snare close mics) to play with. We didn't have enough mics to include it in the first round, but wanted to present it as an additional track. In addition to drum overheads, the Mid-Side approach also works well with room mics, because you can increase or reduce 'width' after the recording. I've inserted an M-S decoder on the Insert for this channel in the mixer, and by going to 'rack view' you can use the M-S combi to adjust the balance between the Mid and the Sides.
The Microphones
X-Y, ORTF, RecorderMan: Rode NT5s, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
A-B: AKG c3000, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
Blumlein: Royer 122 ribbon mics, Focusrite mic pre
Glyn Johns, Mid-Side: Lawson L-47s, API mic pres
The Drums
Additional Thoughts
There are always other ways to record drums. Here are a few slightly out-of-the-box approaches for your consideration.
The "Every Breath You Take" Approach:
You don't necessarily need to record the entire kit at once - this can help if you only have one mic. Things to plan for: the drummer must know about this in advance. It's not as easy as you would think to only play one instrument at a time! This approach can work especially well if you're building up a rhythm track, much like you'd program a track with a drum machine. Start with the kick, then add snare, then hi hat. Move on to the next beat. Then for fun you can us one of the 'One Mic' approaches.
The Quiet Approach...shhhhh:
Sometimes in the studio, less actually IS more! Case in point, recording drums that are lightly tapped can sometimes produce huge sounds when played back at loud levels. This approach will work best if you can record one drum at a time, and will certainly help with neighbor issues as well! You can also apply this technique to sampling as well. Consistency is the key when playing softly - sampling can help if you can't play softly at a consistent level.
Sampling, Why Not!?: Sometimes you don't have all the ingredients for a full drum session. Don't overlook sampling as a way to get around some of these issues - and why not do it anyway! Don't forget to record multiple hits at multiple levels, even if all you need at first is one good single sample - these additional samples may come in handy later, and you never know when you'll have the drums all tuned and setup again (and it only takes a few minutes)!
Percussion
The 'shaker' family of percussion can be recorded with any mic, depending on the sound you're going for. As a starting point, any mic that's good on vocals or acoustic guitar will work fine for the 'lighter' percussion like shakers and bells etc. For hand drums like Djembes and Dumbeks, or Congas and Bongos, you can approach them like kicks/snares/toms. A good dynamic mic on the top head, and sometimes (for Djembes in particular) a good kick drum mic on the bottom. Watch for clipping - these drums can be VERY dynamic!
By Giles Reaves
As simple as they are, drums can be difficult to master. The same can be said of properly recording drums. While most folks may recommend that you go to a 'real studio' to record drums, that isn't always a possibility. They will also tell you that drums are difficult to record properly, which is at least partly true. But it's also true that there's a lot you can do, even with a very limited setup - if you know some very basic techniques.
To introduce you to the world of drum recording at home, I've gathered some of my favorite tips and recording techniques in hopes of encouraging you to try your hand at recording some drums in your personal home studio. I'll cover a few different scenarios from the single microphone approach on up to the many options that become available to you when you have multiple microphones.
Drums in 'da House
There are many ways to approach recording drums besides the ‘mic everything that moves' approach, including many time honored 'minimalist' approaches. Sometimes all it takes is a well placed mic or two to capture a perfectly usable drum recording. Luckily, this 'minimal' approach works well in the home studio environment, especially considering the limited resources that are typically available.
It's worth mentioning that there are as many drum 'sounds' as there are musical styles. Certain drum sounds can require certain drums/heads and certain recording gear to accurately reproduce. Other drum sounds are easier to reproduce with limited resources, mainly because that's how they were produced in the first place. Try to keep your expectations within reason regarding the equipment and space you have available!
Issues to be Aware of:
First, let's cover some of the potential issues you may run into when bringing drums into your home studio:
The first issue is that drums (by design) make noise - LOUD noise. Some folks just don't like noise. This is usually the first hurdle to overcome when considering recording drums at home. The best advice may simply to be considerate of others and be prepared to work around their schedules. There is little you can do (outside of spending loads of cash) to totally isolate the drums from the outside world.
While it is unlikely, you may run into a situation where a noise from outside will intrude on your recording. Like already mentioned, there is little you can do about this other than work around the schedules of others. Most home recordists will likely have already run into these issues before, and have learned to work around them!
The second hurdle is usually not having enough microphones to 'do it right'. There are some time-tested ways to get great drum sounds using fewer mics, or even just one good mic.
Rather than looking at this as an obstacle to overcome, I prefer instead to call this the purist approach!
A possible third hurdle is the sound of the room you're recording in. It can be too small (or even too big), too live or too dead, too bright or too dark. Some of these issues can be dealt with by instrument placement or hanging packing blankets, some you try to avoid with close miking! Generally speaking, a smaller/deader/darker room will be easier to deal with than the opposite. The thing to understand here is that the room itself will almost always be a factor, since the farther you move a mic from the source of the sound, the more of the room sound you will pick up.
Finally, you should also be prepared to provide headphones (at least the drummer will want phones, but will often bring their own), and make sure you have all the cables you need and that they are long enough to reach where they have to reach.
Be Prepared
Options are good - multiple cymbal choices, a few different snares to choose from, or alternate drum heads or sticks/mallets, or even different mics are all good options to have on hand (but not absolutely essential).
Ask the drummer to bring a small rug to set the drums on (a common 'accessory'), and be prepared to provide one if they don't have one (assuming you don't already have carpet). Also consider having a few packing blankets on hand to temporarily tame any 'overly live' walls or other surfaces.
One thing before I forget - a drum kit is only as good as the drummer that is tuning and playing it. A drummer should have decent gear (no 'pitted' heads, unexpected rattles, or malfunctioning hardware please), the basic skills to tune the kit, good time/meter, and be able to hit the drums consistently. Many folks overlook this last quality, but the sound of a drum can change drastically with different stick position and velocity. The more consistent a drummer is (both with timing and with dynamics), the more 'solid' the sound will be in the end (and the better it will make you look as well!).
And finally, the actual drum part is important too - not every drummer will share your musical vision and it's up to you to keep the drum part 'musical' (whatever that means to you) and not too 'drummery' (overly busy and showing off). It may be helpful in some circumstances for you to program the drum part ahead of time (either alone or with the drummer) so that you have a reference point and are all on the same page. Let the drummer listen this track to prepare for the session, and let them know how strictly you'll need them to stick to the programmed part.
To Recap: Issues to address prior to a drum session:
Noise Issues
Space is the Place
If this is the first time you're recording drums in your space, you may hear things you never heard before. This is where the packing blankets can come in handy, especially if there is ringing (Flutter Echos) or if the space is just too bright or 'roomy' sounding. If you hear these things, try to cover any large flat spaces, especially glass or mirrors. As with every other aspect of recording, you will have to experiment a bit to see which locations help with your specific issues. You may be able to locate the obvious problems ahead of time by simply clapping (and listening) while walking around your studio space.
The physical placement of the kit in your space may be dictated by available space, but if you do have the option, try moving just the kick around and listen in the room to how it sounds. You will probably find that you prefer one location over another - I suggest choosing the position that produces the most low end, as this is the toughest frequency to add if not present in the original source. Also listen to the snare, but keep in mind you'll have to compromise in placement between the sound of all the drums in the room. You're looking for the place where the entire kit sounds its best. Don't forget to move yourself around with each new kick position. If you find a spot that sounds particularly good, put a mic there!
Once you settle on placement for the kit, let the drummer finish setting it up and fine tuning it before you begin to place microphones. You may have to guess at the placement at first, then tweak it by listening. When recording drums in the same room as your speakers, you can better judge the sound by recording the drums first and then listening to playback to make any decisions. Even when drums are in the next room, the "bleed" you hear through the wall, being mostly low end and coming from outside of the speakers, will give you a false sense of 'largeness'. So be prepared: the first 'playback' can often come as a bit of a disappointment! It may help to have a reference recording of drums that you like as a 'sonic comparison' to refer back to from time to time when getting initial drum sounds.
Now let's move on to discussing where to put the mics, once you get the drums all setup, tuned, and ready to rock. Now may be a good time to tell the drummer to get ready to play the same beat over and over for the foreseeable future!
If you only have one mic:
NOTE: Choosing the Microphone: Any microphone that is a good vocal mic will be a great place to start when miking the drum kit with a single mic.
There are not many options to consider when you only have one microphone to mic an entire drum kit - however, this can actually be a good thing! First off, you don't have to worry about mic selection as the decision has already been made for you. Second, there is no chance in the world for any phasing issues to be a factor! That leaves mic placement as the only concern, and that's where the fun begins.
Sometimes you have limitations in space that prevent certain mic positions (low ceilings, close walls), sometimes there may be one drum or cymbal in the kit that is louder or softer than the rest and may dictate mic position - you never know what you may run into. But if you can find the 'sweet spot', you'd be amazed at how good one mic can sound!
It's best to have a friend help with this next part, have them move the mic around the drum kit as the drummer plays a simple beat. Listen to how the 'perspective' changes. You can learn a lot about how a drum kit sounds (generally and specifically) by listening to a single microphone moving around a kit. You may have to record this first, and then listen on playback - if so, be sure to 'voice annotate' the movement, describing where the mic is as it's moved.
One mic moving from front to back of drum kit
The microphone, a Lawson L-47 (large diaphragm tube condenser) is about four feet off the ground. You can faintly hear me describe my position as I move the mic.
If I had to pick just one microphone position, I'd say my favorite single mic position is just over the drummer's right shoulder (and slightly to their right), pointing down at the kick beater area. Use the drummer's head to block the hi hat if it's too loud. Raise the mic higher if you have the space and want a more distant sound.
For an even more distant sound, position your single mic out in front of the kit and at waist high (to start). Moving the mic up and down can dramatically change the tone of the kit, helping you to find the spot with the best balance between drums and cymbals.
Further options with a single microphone:
Consider recording each drum separately (kick, then snare, then hi hat), one at a time. The "Every Breath You Take" approach. Or at least take samples of the each drum, and program patterns using these sounds.
In fact, if you take the time to bring drums into your home studio, you should at least record a few hits of each drum - you can cut the samples out later if time is a concern. No time like the present to start building or add to your personal drum sample library.
If you only have a few mics:
Two mics:
First Choice: Right Shoulder (RS) position, plus Kick (K) or possibly Snare (S)
Second Choice: Stereo Overheads
Second Choice: Kick, plus Stereo Overheads
Four mics:
Stereo Overheads plus K & S
With four mics you can have stereo overheads plus close mics (spot mics) on Kick and Snare. Having two mics for overheads doesn't mean they have to be exactly the same exact model microphone (but should be as similar as possible). With two mic for overheads, you have many choices of microphone configurations including A-B (spaced pair), X-Y (coincident), ORTF (near coincident), M-S (using one cardioid and one figure 8 mic), the Glyn Johns or "RecorderMan" approach, or you can even try a Blumlein Pair if you have two mics that can do a 'figure 8' pickup pattern.
Beyond Four Mics
Going beyond 4 or so mics means you will begin to mic toms or even hi hats or ride cymbals. You may also opt to record more distant 'room' mics if you have enough microphones, preamps, and inputs to your recorder. The sky's the limit, but don't be too concerned if you try a mic position that ends up being discarded in the end.
Further options with a single microphone:
Obviously, with only one or two microphones to cover an entire drum kit, you can't place the mics very close to any one drum. But when you have more mics at your disposal you may begin to use what are sometimes called 'spot mics', or more commonly 'close mics'.
NOTE: For drums, dynamic mics with cardioid or hyper-cardioid pickup patterns are preferred for close miking, while large and small diaphragm condensers are preferred for overhead and room mics.
With close mics on a drum kit, you are attempting to isolate each drum from the rest of the kit - this is not a precise science, as you will always have a bit of the other drums 'bleeding' into every other close mic. By positioning the mic close to the desired drum, and also paying attention to the pickup pattern of the mic you can achieve a workable amount of isolation.
When considering the position of a microphone, the most important aspect of close miking is the actual position of the mic's diaphragm in the 3D space. The second more important aspect is the pickup pattern of the mic, and how you are 'aiming' it. Most of the time, when considering close miking a drum kit, you are not only aiming the mic AT the desired source but also AWAY from all 'undesired' ones. Every directional mic has a 'null' point where it is the least sensitive, usually at the back of the mic. By aiming this 'null' point at the potential offenders you can reduce the level of the offending instruments. One common example is aiming the back of the snare mic at the hi hats to minimize the amount of hi hat bleed (a common problem with a close snare mic).
Kick Starters:
If there's a hole in the front head of the kick, placing the mic diaphragm just inside this hole is a great place to start. With the mic further inside the drum, you can sometimes find a 'punchier' position. With the mic outside the front head, you can get a bigger/fuller sound.
Snare Position:
The best place to start when miking a snare up close is a few inches above the drum head and just inside of the rim when viewed from above. I usually aim the mic down at the center of the drum, which also helps to aim the 'null' at the hi hat. But remember, it's the position of the diaphragm in the 3D space that contributes most to the sound of the snare when the mic is this close. Moving the entire mic up and down, or in and out will produce a more dramatic change than simply 'aiming' the mic differently.
Overhead Mic Options:
Overhead microphone ‘cluster' for comparing different positions/techniques
Probably the most common miking of overheads is a spaced pair of cardioid condenser mics facing down, and about 6-8 or more feet above the ground (2-4 feet above the drums and cymbals), and as wide as required for the kit (follow the 3:1 rule for better mono compatibility, see below). Also common are an ORTF or X-Y miking configuration, but we will demonstrate all the above approaches so you can hear the differences for yourself.
There are two different general approaches to overhead drum mics: capturing the entire kit or capturing just the cymbals. With the first approach, you go for the best overall drum sound/balance from the overheads. With the second, you only worry about capturing the cymbals and usually filter out much of the low frequencies. The following techniques can be applied to either approach, with varying degrees of success.
If you have fewer overall mics on a drum kit, you will most likely need to capture the entire kit with the overhead mics. In fact, it's often best to begin with just the overhead mics and get the best possible sound there first. Then you add the kick and snare 'close mics' to bring out the missing aspects (attack, closeness) to fill out the sound coming from the overheads. So with fewer total mics, the overhead mics become VERY important.
Here are the various overhead techniques we will explore, with a short description of the technique. Also listed is the gear used to record the examples of each technique. Where possible we used the type of microphone typically used for that miking technique.
X-Y, or Coincident Pair
With this approach you are placing two mics as close together as possible, but aimed at a 90° angle to each other. The mono compatibility is second to none, but the stereo image isn't that wide.
ORTF, or Near Coincident Pair
Rode NT-5s, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
ORTF allows you to combine the best of a spaced pair and an X-Y pair. You get decent mono compatibility, but a wider stereo image. Like X-Y, one advantage is that you can use a 'stereo bar' to mount both mics to the same stand. This saves space and makes setup a breeze as you can 'pre-configure' the mics on the stereo bar before you even put them on the stand.
Rode NT-5s mounted on the Stereo Bar” attachment, set to ORTF A-B, or Spaced Pair
This common miking approach can be use for mainly cymbals or the entire kit. Either way, you may want to be familiar with the 3:1 rule for multiple mics: for every "one" unit of distance from the sound source to the mic, the two mics should be three times this distance from each other. If the mics are one foot above the cymbals, they should be three feet from each other. The main reason for this 'rule' is to help with mono compatibility, so don't sweat it too much if you can't hit these numbers precisely. If you check for mono compatibility (assuming it's important in your work) and you don't hear a problem, you're fine! By the way, in our example the mics are about two feet from the cymbals, three feet from each other, and doesn't seem to be a problem.
Glyn Johns Approach
This is a four mic approach, which using a close mic for kick and snare, and two overheads in a 'non-standard' configuration. The first mic is centered directly over the snare, between three and four feet away. The second mic is aimed across the drums from the floor tom area, and must be exactly the same distance from the snare. Some folks pan the two overhead mics hard left/right, other suggest bringing the 'over snare' mic in half way (or even both mics in half way).
Recorderman Approach
Named after the screen name of the engineer who first suggested this approach, it is similar to the Glyn Johns approach in that you begin with a mic directly over the snare drums. But it diverges from that approach with the second overhead mic, placing it in the "Right Shoulder" position. This can also be considered an extension of the one mic 'over the right shoulder' approach. Fine tuning is achieved by measuring the distance from each mic to both kick and snare, and making each mic equal distance from each drum. This is easily accomplished by using a string, but difficult to describe in writing. For a further explanation of this technique, check out this YouTube video.
Blumlein Pair
Named after Alan Blumlein, a "Blumlein Pair" is configured using two 'figure 8' microphones at 90° to each other and as close together as possible. This approach sounds great for room mics, by the way.
Mid-Side
The Mid-Side technique is the most intriguing mic configuration in this group. In this approach, you use one cardioid (directional) mic and one 'figure 8' (bi-direction) mic for the recording. But you need to use an M-S 'decoder' to properly reproduce the stereo effect. The 'decoder' would allow you to control the level of the mid and the side microphone, allowing you to 'widen' the stereo image by adding more 'side' mic. This technique (along with X-Y and Blumlein) has great mono compatibility. This is because with M-S, to get mono you just drop the 'side' mic all together and you're left with a perfect single microphone recording in glorious mono.
The Session
I invited a few engineer friends to the Annex Studio for a 'drum day' to record the examples for this article. It's always more fun to do this stuff with some friends! It's a good idea to have someone move the mics while you listen - sometimes the mic doesn't end up in a position that 'looks right' (even though it may sound perfect!). We took the time to get each approach setup as precisely as possible, and recorded all of them in a single pass so they could be compared side by side.
The recording space is a large, irregularly shaped room, about 24 by 30 'ish feet with 9 foot ceilings. There are wood floors throughout (carpet under the drums) and we hung one large stage curtain to tame the room a bit for this recording. The overhead mics, for the most part, were about 6-7 feet above the floor (2-3 feet from the ceiling).
The Reason Song File
I've provided the Song File because it's easier to compare between the different miking positions when you can switch as a track plays. I've set it up so that there are "Blocks" with the title of each section. Just click on a block and hit "P" on the keyboard and that section will begin loop playback. As it is currently setup, you must mute and un-mute tracks in the sequencer - you could also do this in the SSL Mixer by un-muting all the sequencer tracks and using the Channel mutes instead.
Single Mic Sweep, front to back
The first track is a single microphone starting from in front of the kit, and slowly moving around to the back and ending up in the "Right Shoulder" position. Listen closely and you'll hear me describing my position as I move.
Compare Overhead Mic Positions
Next you will find a few bars of drums with close mics on Kick and Snare, and the following overhead tracks: X-Y, ORTF, A-B, RecorderMan, Glyn Johns, Blumlein. Playing this clip allows you to explore the different miking techniques, and allow blending of the close mics at will. All the "stereo" overhead tracks are designed to be heard one at a time, although the mics are all in phase so they certainly could be used in combination with each other if you're feeling creative. But the main purpose of this clip is to allow you to hear the difference between the various miking techniques presented.
Moved the Royers to a Room Mic Position
The third clip is a similar drum pattern, with the Royer ribbon microphones (Blumlein Pair) moved to 15 feet in front of the drums. This is our typical 'room mic' position and mic choice, and is the only difference between the previous clip and this clip. In my opinion, the sound of this miking technique combined with the 'color' of a ribbon mic makes the perfect 'room' sound. For a room mic to work, the room must sound great, of course. But also it has to be more diffused and a bit 'out of focus' compared to the close mics, which produces a similar effect as the 'blurry' background of a photo. As in the photo example, having a blurry background can help to put more focus on the foreground (close mics).
Fun with Mid-Side - Adjust M-S in Rack
Finally we have a Mid-Side recording (plus the Kick and Snare close mics) to play with. We didn't have enough mics to include it in the first round, but wanted to present it as an additional track. In addition to drum overheads, the Mid-Side approach also works well with room mics, because you can increase or reduce 'width' after the recording. I've inserted an M-S decoder on the Insert for this channel in the mixer, and by going to 'rack view' you can use the M-S combi to adjust the balance between the Mid and the Sides.
The Microphones
X-Y, ORTF, RecorderMan: Rode NT5s, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
A-B: AKG c3000, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
Blumlein: Royer 122 ribbon mics, Focusrite mic pre
Glyn Johns, Mid-Side: Lawson L-47s, API mic pres
The Drums
Additional Thoughts
There are always other ways to record drums. Here are a few slightly out-of-the-box approaches for your consideration.
The "Every Breath You Take" Approach:
You don't necessarily need to record the entire kit at once - this can help if you only have one mic. Things to plan for: the drummer must know about this in advance. It's not as easy as you would think to only play one instrument at a time! This approach can work especially well if you're building up a rhythm track, much like you'd program a track with a drum machine. Start with the kick, then add snare, then hi hat. Move on to the next beat. Then for fun you can us one of the 'One Mic' approaches.
The Quiet Approach...shhhhh:
Sometimes in the studio, less actually IS more! Case in point, recording drums that are lightly tapped can sometimes produce huge sounds when played back at loud levels. This approach will work best if you can record one drum at a time, and will certainly help with neighbor issues as well! You can also apply this technique to sampling as well. Consistency is the key when playing softly - sampling can help if you can't play softly at a consistent level.
Sampling, Why Not!?: Sometimes you don't have all the ingredients for a full drum session. Don't overlook sampling as a way to get around some of these issues - and why not do it anyway! Don't forget to record multiple hits at multiple levels, even if all you need at first is one good single sample - these additional samples may come in handy later, and you never know when you'll have the drums all tuned and setup again (and it only takes a few minutes)!
Percussion
The 'shaker' family of percussion can be recorded with any mic, depending on the sound you're going for. As a starting point, any mic that's good on vocals or acoustic guitar will work fine for the 'lighter' percussion like shakers and bells etc. For hand drums like Djembes and Dumbeks, or Congas and Bongos, you can approach them like kicks/snares/toms. A good dynamic mic on the top head, and sometimes (for Djembes in particular) a good kick drum mic on the bottom. Watch for clipping - these drums can be VERY dynamic!
By Giles Reaves
Tuesday 26 July 2016
Recording Electric Guitars At Home
The electric guitar is a compelling musical instrument with a complex, ear-arresting and immediately recognizable sonic signature that has continuously evolved, on record or in concert, since someone attached an electro-magnetic transducer to a big, hollow archtop acoustic guitar more than 75 years ago, during the Big Band era.
The tonal variations produced by an electric guitar, an amplifier, and a chain of stomp-box or rackmount effects processors are endless, and with the advent of the DAW and its many software-amp, speaker-cabinet and effects-modeling accoutrements, so are the options available for recording it. Since most commercial studio engineering techniques and tricks for recording the electric guitar apply to the project and home studio recording environment, let's turn on the gear, fire up the amp and get going.
Tuning Up
Before recording, make sure that the guitar is in tune, with a fresh set of strings, and that you check the tuning regularly. New strings always produce a brighter sound and better sustain. If the instrument has been properly set up, string and fret buzz should be minimal; while this type of noise is much less obvious when playing through heavily- distorted or overdriven amplifier settings, it can be very distracting when using clean settings or recording directly.
A can or bottle of fretboard lubricant will eliminate most squeaks and other noises related to fingering and sliding along the strings, and offer the player prolonged comfort and navigating ease while performing. Keep some handy in your studio.
Amps Are People, Too
Let's face it: Big, high-powered guitar amplifiers full of sizzling tubes capable of frying an omelet are fun, and the sound of an electric guitar playing through one has been pervasive in popular music since the 1960's. They're sometimes very loud as well, and sustaining the volume levels required whilst attaining those majestic, exotic or extreme guitar tones for any appreciable length of playing time in one's house or apartment without interruption from family, neighbors or the police is generally impossible. Don't fret over it. We'll discuss a variety of solutions for the volume problem later on.
Let's discuss the signal path of a tube amplifier, connected to or built into a speaker cabinet, after it's been turned on and warmed up (1 or 2 minutes minimum), the guitar has been plugged in, and the amp has been switched from Standby mode.
A typical modern guitar tube amp has both a preamp stage and a master power amp output stage. The preamp section will be supplied with a set of smaller tubes (frequently 12AX7 or the lower-gain/lower noise 12AU7), and the power amp section has a set of large tubes (EL34, EL84, 6L6, etc.). The preamp controls input gain and typically provides treble, midrange and bass tone controls.
The tone controls compensate for and complement the somewhat lifeless and mostly midrange-y character of the average guitar pickup. The gain control, often designed with a pull-boost, basically excites and heats the preamp tubes, which along with judicious use of both the amp and the guitar's tone controls will begin to produce much of the sonic seasoning and flavor that guitarists and their fans crave as it flows from the speakers.
Many guitar amplifier preamps are also equipped with a Presence control, which often works in tandem with the treble control, boosting frequencies beyond the treble control range, and reducing or increasing negative feedback from the output transformer in the power amp section.
Negative feedback controls the accuracy of the output stage's reaction to the signal coming from the preamp stage, and reduces distortion at the point where it's fed back into the signal chain. Too much negative feedback causes a sluggish amp response with insufficient attack, while too little negative feedback produces an exaggerated and harsh upper midrange response with an overly aggressive pick-attack sound. The Presence control is thus a useful contributor to the overall tone production of the amp.
The master volume control in the power amp section generally controls the output level of the amp, and it can also affect the sound and apparent frequency response of the amp as well; turning it up to 10 (or 11) won't necessarily produce the best tone.
Remember, all of the operative amplifier controls and principles we've discussed above have been fanatically and lovingly recreated by software plug-in developers, so that programming an amp sound on the computer is just like adjusting the knobs of the real thing, often resulting in uncannily realistic simulations.
Taming the Beast
There is a group of products available today, known collectively as Power Soaks (the name of the original model designed and manufactured by guitarist/inventor Tom Scholz) that help deliver high-gain amplifier tones at low speaker-playback volumes.
Basically, Power Soaks are in-line devices that attenuate the signal from a full-out, saturated tube amplifier, preserving the tone and sustain while vastly reducing the bone-crushing volume. That signal flows from the attenuator to a speaker cabinet, which is then miked, reproducing the sound at a very manageable volume level. A Power Soak is like a second master volume control, absorbing the full power of the amp and converting that power into heat (these units get very hot!) while passing only a small portion of that power to the speaker. While there is an inherent loss of the natural non-linear speaker distortion associated with screaming guitar amps, and the pleasing sizzle and cabinet "thump" that results,
the trade-off is obvious.
Speaker simulators are switchable filter sets designed to reproduce the EQ curves of a variety of speaker cabinet configurations (with varying degrees of success). The subsequent coloration is meant to replicate typical speaker sound and behavior, softening the harsh upper-midrange edges associated with amplifier distortion. Speaker simulator boxes are designed with direct guitar-amp recording in mind, and are intended to remove the speaker cabinet and microphone link from the signal chain.
There is also a large selection of direct recording preamps available for purchasing, which are usually equipped with speaker simulators and varying degrees of tone control. Low-wattage practice or direct-recording amplifiers provide another viable studio alternative, serving up a variety of clean and overdriven tones at manageably low volumes.
Portable speaker chambers represent another viable solution. These units are thick, reinforced wooden boxes outfitted with both interior and exterior insulation, housing a built-in speaker and an adjustable microphone stand, along with speaker and microphone cable connectors. Think of a miniature portable iso-booth. They're used professionally in the studio and on stage, preventing unwanted leakage and greatly diminishing stage noise, with excellent results.
Last and not necessarily least, consider the ever-popular closet and sound blanket trick. This involves a speaker cabinet, a closet or large cupboard, and at least a pair of the thick, padded blankets normally used professionally for sound insulation or by moving companies (quilts and regular bedding blankets are ineffective). You'll lose some speaker "air" and room interaction, but you'll be able to crank the amp and avoid unwanted noise complaints. Assuming the blankets are properly placed, the volume level should seem no louder than that of a distant stereo system blaring at someone's party.
Miking the Cabinet
Guitar speakers typically exhibit a peak frequency response of between 5 and 6kHz, and sound brightest at the center. Because the top end of the speaker's reproduction is limited, the harsh upper harmonics of amplifier distortion are essentially removed, and what's left sounds pleasing and musical. Open-backed cabinets offer both front and rear miking opportunities for a nice blend, with increased low-end "thump" and "chug" emanating from damped low-string rhythm parts.
Good results are usually achieved using a dynamic instrument microphone placed 6-8" from the speaker, off-center. If more low-end is needed, move the microphone closer in (2-5") for increased cardioid proximity effect. Use your ears or a set of headphones to find the "sweet spot" of the speaker. Consider miking the guitar itself with a small-diaphragm condenser in the area of the picking hand aimed toward the bridge, for extra string texture in the track.
Large-diaphragm condenser microphones set to cardioid or omni mode work better for ambient purposes at distances of 2-3' or farther, introducing more room sound and coloration.
Ribbon microphones , which are also (usually) dynamic, have become a popular alternative for guitar-cabinet recording in either close or distant miking situations. They combine good, detailed sonic reproduction with the capacity to withstand intense levels of sound pressure (a characteristic of their dynamic brethren, as well).
Ribbon mics exhibit a figure-of-eight pickup pattern. One useful close-mike application for achieving heavy rock sounds involves a ribbon mic (or large-diaphragm condenser set to a figure-of-eight pattern) aimed toward the center of the speaker, with a cardioid dynamic mic angled next to it at roughly 90°, aimed off-center, with the capsules almost touching.
Record the mics on separate tracks, and with proper balancing the sound should be powerful and frequency-rich.
When using multiple microphones, always remember to check for phase cancellation, and keep in mind that a 2-8kHz boost is probably all that's necessary at mixdown for enhanced electric guitar presence within a track. A small amount of delay (1ms = 12") on an ambient mic track will increase the perceived ambient distance of the microphone without actually moving the mic. This trick works well when blending close and ambient microphone tracks during recording or mixing.
Re-amping is another increasingly common production technique, often used at the mixdown stage. This process involves a dedicated re-amping device, which takes a line-level feed from a mixing console or DAW interface and converts that signal's level and impedance to one that a guitar amplifier is able to accept. That signal is usually a separate "dry" (unamplified and unprocessed) guitar track recorded using an active 500kOhm direct box placed between the guitar and the amp.
Direct boxes (some of which have tubes as well) are generally useful for recording the clean, natural sound of the guitar itself, for use in rhythm or lead tracks, as an alternative to using clean settings on an amp.
Though the guitar is played through an amplifier which is often miked and recorded, the engineer or producer may later decide to use a different amplifier tone that's better suited to the character and timbre of the song, while preserving all the nuance and inflection of the original performance embedded in the direct track.
The re-amp device allows the dry track to be sent to an amplifier again and properly miked and re-recorded for use as the final track.
Many people "re-amp" direct guitar tracks recorded to a DAW using amp-modeling software , with good results. Plug-ins are wonderfully suited to the virtual recording environment, allowing for fast access to a plethora of modeling amplifier and speaker cabinet combinations, hence tones, effectively replacing a roomful of amps, cabs and microphones.
Programming the virtual amplifier is the same as tweaking the knobs on the real thing, and the same is true for programming software dynamics and effects processors in relation to their hardware equivalents. As the realism and sophistication of modeling technology continue to develop, so does the viability of virtual re-amping as a production technique.
One last note concerning the use of compression: Be careful. Compression occurs naturally in overdriven tube amplifiers, and overly-compressed clean settings or direct guitar tracks can sound harsh, with an exaggerated picking sound. We hope that having read this article, you'll approach the process of recording the electric guitar with a new insight and fresh ears, and wish you the best in your quest for the ultimate tone.
The tonal variations produced by an electric guitar, an amplifier, and a chain of stomp-box or rackmount effects processors are endless, and with the advent of the DAW and its many software-amp, speaker-cabinet and effects-modeling accoutrements, so are the options available for recording it. Since most commercial studio engineering techniques and tricks for recording the electric guitar apply to the project and home studio recording environment, let's turn on the gear, fire up the amp and get going.
Tuning Up
Before recording, make sure that the guitar is in tune, with a fresh set of strings, and that you check the tuning regularly. New strings always produce a brighter sound and better sustain. If the instrument has been properly set up, string and fret buzz should be minimal; while this type of noise is much less obvious when playing through heavily- distorted or overdriven amplifier settings, it can be very distracting when using clean settings or recording directly.
A can or bottle of fretboard lubricant will eliminate most squeaks and other noises related to fingering and sliding along the strings, and offer the player prolonged comfort and navigating ease while performing. Keep some handy in your studio.
Amps Are People, Too
Let's face it: Big, high-powered guitar amplifiers full of sizzling tubes capable of frying an omelet are fun, and the sound of an electric guitar playing through one has been pervasive in popular music since the 1960's. They're sometimes very loud as well, and sustaining the volume levels required whilst attaining those majestic, exotic or extreme guitar tones for any appreciable length of playing time in one's house or apartment without interruption from family, neighbors or the police is generally impossible. Don't fret over it. We'll discuss a variety of solutions for the volume problem later on.
Let's discuss the signal path of a tube amplifier, connected to or built into a speaker cabinet, after it's been turned on and warmed up (1 or 2 minutes minimum), the guitar has been plugged in, and the amp has been switched from Standby mode.
A typical modern guitar tube amp has both a preamp stage and a master power amp output stage. The preamp section will be supplied with a set of smaller tubes (frequently 12AX7 or the lower-gain/lower noise 12AU7), and the power amp section has a set of large tubes (EL34, EL84, 6L6, etc.). The preamp controls input gain and typically provides treble, midrange and bass tone controls.
The tone controls compensate for and complement the somewhat lifeless and mostly midrange-y character of the average guitar pickup. The gain control, often designed with a pull-boost, basically excites and heats the preamp tubes, which along with judicious use of both the amp and the guitar's tone controls will begin to produce much of the sonic seasoning and flavor that guitarists and their fans crave as it flows from the speakers.
Many guitar amplifier preamps are also equipped with a Presence control, which often works in tandem with the treble control, boosting frequencies beyond the treble control range, and reducing or increasing negative feedback from the output transformer in the power amp section.
Negative feedback controls the accuracy of the output stage's reaction to the signal coming from the preamp stage, and reduces distortion at the point where it's fed back into the signal chain. Too much negative feedback causes a sluggish amp response with insufficient attack, while too little negative feedback produces an exaggerated and harsh upper midrange response with an overly aggressive pick-attack sound. The Presence control is thus a useful contributor to the overall tone production of the amp.
The master volume control in the power amp section generally controls the output level of the amp, and it can also affect the sound and apparent frequency response of the amp as well; turning it up to 10 (or 11) won't necessarily produce the best tone.
Remember, all of the operative amplifier controls and principles we've discussed above have been fanatically and lovingly recreated by software plug-in developers, so that programming an amp sound on the computer is just like adjusting the knobs of the real thing, often resulting in uncannily realistic simulations.
Taming the Beast
There is a group of products available today, known collectively as Power Soaks (the name of the original model designed and manufactured by guitarist/inventor Tom Scholz) that help deliver high-gain amplifier tones at low speaker-playback volumes.
Basically, Power Soaks are in-line devices that attenuate the signal from a full-out, saturated tube amplifier, preserving the tone and sustain while vastly reducing the bone-crushing volume. That signal flows from the attenuator to a speaker cabinet, which is then miked, reproducing the sound at a very manageable volume level. A Power Soak is like a second master volume control, absorbing the full power of the amp and converting that power into heat (these units get very hot!) while passing only a small portion of that power to the speaker. While there is an inherent loss of the natural non-linear speaker distortion associated with screaming guitar amps, and the pleasing sizzle and cabinet "thump" that results,
the trade-off is obvious.
Speaker simulators are switchable filter sets designed to reproduce the EQ curves of a variety of speaker cabinet configurations (with varying degrees of success). The subsequent coloration is meant to replicate typical speaker sound and behavior, softening the harsh upper-midrange edges associated with amplifier distortion. Speaker simulator boxes are designed with direct guitar-amp recording in mind, and are intended to remove the speaker cabinet and microphone link from the signal chain.
There is also a large selection of direct recording preamps available for purchasing, which are usually equipped with speaker simulators and varying degrees of tone control. Low-wattage practice or direct-recording amplifiers provide another viable studio alternative, serving up a variety of clean and overdriven tones at manageably low volumes.
Portable speaker chambers represent another viable solution. These units are thick, reinforced wooden boxes outfitted with both interior and exterior insulation, housing a built-in speaker and an adjustable microphone stand, along with speaker and microphone cable connectors. Think of a miniature portable iso-booth. They're used professionally in the studio and on stage, preventing unwanted leakage and greatly diminishing stage noise, with excellent results.
Last and not necessarily least, consider the ever-popular closet and sound blanket trick. This involves a speaker cabinet, a closet or large cupboard, and at least a pair of the thick, padded blankets normally used professionally for sound insulation or by moving companies (quilts and regular bedding blankets are ineffective). You'll lose some speaker "air" and room interaction, but you'll be able to crank the amp and avoid unwanted noise complaints. Assuming the blankets are properly placed, the volume level should seem no louder than that of a distant stereo system blaring at someone's party.
Miking the Cabinet
Guitar speakers typically exhibit a peak frequency response of between 5 and 6kHz, and sound brightest at the center. Because the top end of the speaker's reproduction is limited, the harsh upper harmonics of amplifier distortion are essentially removed, and what's left sounds pleasing and musical. Open-backed cabinets offer both front and rear miking opportunities for a nice blend, with increased low-end "thump" and "chug" emanating from damped low-string rhythm parts.
Good results are usually achieved using a dynamic instrument microphone placed 6-8" from the speaker, off-center. If more low-end is needed, move the microphone closer in (2-5") for increased cardioid proximity effect. Use your ears or a set of headphones to find the "sweet spot" of the speaker. Consider miking the guitar itself with a small-diaphragm condenser in the area of the picking hand aimed toward the bridge, for extra string texture in the track.
Large-diaphragm condenser microphones set to cardioid or omni mode work better for ambient purposes at distances of 2-3' or farther, introducing more room sound and coloration.
Ribbon microphones , which are also (usually) dynamic, have become a popular alternative for guitar-cabinet recording in either close or distant miking situations. They combine good, detailed sonic reproduction with the capacity to withstand intense levels of sound pressure (a characteristic of their dynamic brethren, as well).
Ribbon mics exhibit a figure-of-eight pickup pattern. One useful close-mike application for achieving heavy rock sounds involves a ribbon mic (or large-diaphragm condenser set to a figure-of-eight pattern) aimed toward the center of the speaker, with a cardioid dynamic mic angled next to it at roughly 90°, aimed off-center, with the capsules almost touching.
Record the mics on separate tracks, and with proper balancing the sound should be powerful and frequency-rich.
When using multiple microphones, always remember to check for phase cancellation, and keep in mind that a 2-8kHz boost is probably all that's necessary at mixdown for enhanced electric guitar presence within a track. A small amount of delay (1ms = 12") on an ambient mic track will increase the perceived ambient distance of the microphone without actually moving the mic. This trick works well when blending close and ambient microphone tracks during recording or mixing.
Re-amping is another increasingly common production technique, often used at the mixdown stage. This process involves a dedicated re-amping device, which takes a line-level feed from a mixing console or DAW interface and converts that signal's level and impedance to one that a guitar amplifier is able to accept. That signal is usually a separate "dry" (unamplified and unprocessed) guitar track recorded using an active 500kOhm direct box placed between the guitar and the amp.
Direct boxes (some of which have tubes as well) are generally useful for recording the clean, natural sound of the guitar itself, for use in rhythm or lead tracks, as an alternative to using clean settings on an amp.
Though the guitar is played through an amplifier which is often miked and recorded, the engineer or producer may later decide to use a different amplifier tone that's better suited to the character and timbre of the song, while preserving all the nuance and inflection of the original performance embedded in the direct track.
The re-amp device allows the dry track to be sent to an amplifier again and properly miked and re-recorded for use as the final track.
Many people "re-amp" direct guitar tracks recorded to a DAW using amp-modeling software , with good results. Plug-ins are wonderfully suited to the virtual recording environment, allowing for fast access to a plethora of modeling amplifier and speaker cabinet combinations, hence tones, effectively replacing a roomful of amps, cabs and microphones.
Programming the virtual amplifier is the same as tweaking the knobs on the real thing, and the same is true for programming software dynamics and effects processors in relation to their hardware equivalents. As the realism and sophistication of modeling technology continue to develop, so does the viability of virtual re-amping as a production technique.
One last note concerning the use of compression: Be careful. Compression occurs naturally in overdriven tube amplifiers, and overly-compressed clean settings or direct guitar tracks can sound harsh, with an exaggerated picking sound. We hope that having read this article, you'll approach the process of recording the electric guitar with a new insight and fresh ears, and wish you the best in your quest for the ultimate tone.
Monday 25 July 2016
Adding Width And Depth To Your Recordings
Posted by Daniel Keller on November 16, 2012 6:55:42 PM PST
When it comes to discussing the fine art of mixing music, I tend to approach the subject with some trepidation. After all, compared to many of the topics I've written about, this one is rife with subjectivity — one person's idea of a great sounding mix may be another's sonic nightmare. And what works for one genre of music will be decidedly wrong for another.
But all those variables aside, there are at least a few general theories, tips, and tricks that apply to most mix projects. So while the idea here is not to give a step-by-step tutorial on two-track mixing, hopefully we can cover at least a few concepts that are useful for everyone.
In a good stereo mix, each instrument needs clarity, balance, separation,
and its own space in the stereo field.
The Concept
At its most basic, mixing in stereo means mixing for the human brain and physiology. True” stereo mixing involves creating a sonic picture that replicates what our two ears hear — and our brains decode — in the real world. For example, the brain localizes a sound by measuring the time and tonal differences between the sound arriving at one ear and the other.
In a perfect world, a true stereo mix would create a sound that's as close as possible to an organic, live performance.
But in the real world, much of the process of creating a stereo mix is far from organic or natural. Part of this is due to practical considerations. In a live performance, the acoustics of the venue itself play a prominent role in blending the sound sources and masking the localization of any particular instrument. In the studio, tracks tend to be recorded separately, in a relatively dry setting, enabling us to control their perceived ambience with the aid of technology.
In actual practice, modern stereo mixing has less to do with replicating real world conditions than with creating a good sounding balance between the various musical elements in a recording. It's probably safe to say that most modern recordings bear only a passing resemblance to the sound of a band playing live in front of the listener.
What Makes a Good Mix?
As stated earlier, the definition of a good sounding mix is largely in the ears of the listener. But most engineers will agree that a good mix should contain a few common characteristics:
Clarity: Each sound in the mix should be clean and clear — no muddiness or blurring of the sounds or the stereo image, no excess noise or other anomalies.
Separation: Each instrument and part should be easily discernable. Sure, there's nothing wrong with a wall of sound” if that's what you're after, but even within those big, lush guitars, a great mix will be crisp and well-defined enough for the listener to pick out individual sounds.
Balance: The mix should offer a good balance of frequencies. A mix that's too bottom heavy or too shrill will be unpleasant and exhausting to listen to. The mix should also be balanced between left and right channels.
Space: As with balance, this applies on many levels. The music itself should have space - places between the notes where things breathe and dynamics develop. Of course, this will vary depending on the genre of music. There should also be an element of natural ambience to each instrument, and the ambience for these different instruments should blend well with each other.
Needless to say, these characteristics alone do not make for a perfect mix, but a mix that lacks any one of them will very likely end up being at least a little bit problematic.
It Starts at the Source
It should go without saying that achieving the best mix starts with a good recording. Strive to achieve the cleanest tracks you can, with no excess noise or distortion.
Most importantly, don't forget to listen closely while you're recording. Be on the lookout not just for mistakes, but stray noises and other anomalies. It's far more difficult to go back and re-record a part, or fix it in the mix, than it is to get it right the first time.
It's also a good idea to think in terms of the song and the arrangement from the very beginning. Only add what's needed for the arrangement, rather than cluttering it with overdubs.
And try to keep the number of takes of any given part to a minimum; few things are more mentally exhausting than listening through dozens of takes of a vocal or solo to compile a single track.
In fact, planning for your mix while you're tracking is probably the number one most overlooked issue in recording. Particularly with the near limitless tracks offered by today's DAW programs, it's all too easy to just record another take and adopt a fix it in the mix” attitude. The hours you will add to your mixdown time will absolutely come back to bite you in the end.
Mixing at too high a volume will affect your sound perception, as demonstrated by these loudness contours.
Preparing Yourself
Just as with any artistic endeavor, everyone has their own set of tricks and techniques, and what works for me might not do the trick for you. But there are a few points that are pretty much universal. One is to always try and mix with fresh ears. Starting a mix after you've been tracking for eight hours will pretty much assure you'll be starting again the next day.
Second, try and keep the volume at lower levels — too much volume will inevitably begin to affect your perception (for more info, do a web search on Fletcher-Munson Curve ”).
Also, when you're mixing remember to change your perspective often. Your mix may sound great while you're sitting in the sweet spot between the speakers, but the true test will be listening to it from out in the hall, or through a boom box or car stereo.
We've all heard people compare a mix in visual terms, and there are even courses of study that emphasize the concept, creating different colored orbs” to illustrate the placement of parts in a mix. It's an interesting idea, though I personally prefer to leave visuals out of the equation altogether. In fact, my preferred method for mixing involves closing my eyes to listen. I find that removing visual distractions tends to sharpen my focus on what I'm hearing.
The Joys of Mono
It's important to periodically check your mix in mono while building your mix. The main idea behind this is to avoid phase issues with stereo sources like guitars and keyboards.
But checking the mix in mono makes sense for other reasons too. Listening in mono tends to flatten out” the mix, giving you a different perspective on how much natural separation there is between the tracks. Essentially, if it sounds clean and well-defined in mono, it will sound good in stereo too, while the inverse is not necessarily true.
That said, let's draw a distinction between checking your stereo mix in mono versus the practice of building the mix in mono and then spreading it out. While a number of engineers
I've talked with swear by this technique, my own (admittedly subjective) view is that mixing in stereo requires an entirely different approach, much the same way mixing in a surround format differs from stereo.
Drums and Bass — Starting with the Foundation
For the most part, low frequency sounds tend to work best when panned dead center. Because of their lack of directionality, and because they contain most of the energy in a typical mix, it's best to keep these sounds in the middle of your mix.
Create a natural space in the stereo spread for each drum piece.
Typically, in a rock or pop mix, the drums and bass are the first element most people address. Though there are no hard and fast rules, most mixes begin by setting up the stereo image of the drums from an audience perspective. That means that, with a right-handed drummer, the kick and snare will be in the center, the hi-hat will be panned slightly right of that, and the overheads will be panned hard left and right.
Depending on how many toms and other toys the drummer has in his or her kit, it's usually best to create a natural placement for each of them within the stereo spread. For example, if the drummer has three toms, I usually pan the middle one dead center and the other two at around 9 to 10 'clock and 2 to 3 'clock, depending on how wide a spread I'm looking for.
Of course, all this assumes you're miking the drum kit in what has become the standard recording technique, with individual mics on each drum, a pair of overheads, and perhaps even some distant mics to pick up room ambience. For the most part, you will find that the more you mix in the overheads and ambient room mics, the less actual localized” definition your drums will have.
That said, one of the most interesting sessions I ever worked on involved only four mics on the kit — a stereo pair set up a few feet away from the kit, and an ambient pair about 15 feet away in the corners of the room. The producer was a well known old-school studio veteran, and we spent literally hours moving the mics by a half-inch here, and a quarter-turn there.
The resulting drum mix, though it certainly had some natural stereo ambience, was closer to mono in nature. And while you might associate that with a lack of depth, the result was anything but. In fact, less panning and less ambience will result in a bigger, more defined and in your face drum sound.
Stereo Guitars — A Few Tips
Mixing guitars in stereo is a great way to add depth to a mix, particularly in a very busy mix. Spreading out the guitar(s) will open up space for the bass and other center-panned parts. Try dropping out some lower midrange to remove muddiness in the middle — especially on a dreadnaught or other large-body acoustic. Adding high end can also work, but will often accentuate finger noise.
Try recording acoustic guitar with a pair of directional mics with one pointing at the body just below the sound hole and the other at the top of the neck. Panning them at about 9 'clock and 3 'clock should give you a nice wide stereo image. Alternatively, try using a Mid-Side micing technique
A suggested stereo recording setup for guitar.
Doubling guitars is another nice way to add depth. Pan the original part to one side, add a delay (between 5 and 15 ms is a good place to start), and pan the delay return to the opposite side. A slightly different reverb and/or EQ setting will thicken them out even more.
Double-tracking the guitars manually (that is, actually recording the same part twice) can deliver even more interesting results. Try recording the same part using two different guitars. If that's not an option, try recording the same part with a different tuning or a capo. For example, if the song is in G, record the second pass with a capo on the 5th fret, playing in D. Or tune the guitar down a whole step and play the song in A.
Another way to double a guitar part that's been tracked in mono is to send it back through a guitar amp and mic the amp from two different spots in the room with different mics.
Alternatively, run the track through two different amps with different settings.
Blending Lead and Background Vocals
While lead vocals are typically front and center, you can try all sorts of different ideas with backing vocals. Spreading them across the stereo field is great for widening your track, but try not to get too wide - 9 'clock and 3 'clock is enough for most mixes. With most backing vocals, effects can be your friend; a bit of hall and some chorus can do wonders for blending parts with each other and within the mix.
Panning the backing vocals left and right and leaving the lead vocal in the center is a commonly used technique and works well in most cases. But for something just a bit different, try slipping the lead vocal just a hair to one side and the backing vocals to the other side.
A Few More Things to Try
Don't be afraid to be asymmetrical with your mix by placing elements to one side or the other. Particularly with string patches and other heavily chorused pads, panning them very widely can cause them to dominate the mix even when they're not very loud. Instead of panning a part at, for example, 9 'clock and 3 'clock, try a more narrow panning like 1 'clock and 3 'clock. Of course, you'll probably want to introduce some other element on the other side to balance things out, but it's a great way to keep things from getting too swimmy and lacking in focus.
In fact, it's a good idea to make sure at least some elements of your mix stay in mono. While those lush, chorused pads and reverbs may sound great on their own, piling up track after track of them is a great way to turn your mix into an underwater mess. Always keep at least some parts in mono to give them a sense of localization. Using a mono reverb will give them an ambience without destroying their directionality.
One very effective trick is to use delayed reverb instead of just panning for a more natural sounding ambience. Pan the original track to one side at about 9 'clock or 10 'clock, Add a short delay (less than 10 ms) and pan that to the opposite side; then add just a touch of reverb to the delayed signal. The results will be a bit more natural-sounding than just using the pan control. Here's why: our ears and brain perceive a sound source using a number of auditory clues, including differences in timing, level, and even tonality between each ear. A pan pot only addresses the difference in level. Delaying the sound on one side and adding a bit of reflection creates a more natural ambience. Try shaving off just a touch of high end on the delayed sound as well to replicate the effect your head creates as it masks some of the sound.
Another trick for widening a track is to pan it to one side and add a stereo reverb; the result will be a natural ambience with a bit of extra splash” to one side. Or try adding a very gentle mono chorus effect to only one side of a stereo track. The movement between the speakers can add an interesting depth and spaciousness that's particularly nice on strings and other pads.
Of Course, There's More
Even though I've tried to stick with very general concepts, mixing is a subject that can easily fill many hundreds of pages. But let me leave you with two important points.
First — it's always about the song. No matter how many cool technological tricks you introduce into a mix, if it's not right for the song, it's not going to work. Listen to the song, and only give it what it needs - nothing more.
And that, once again, brings me to my second point, a tip I offer in almost every column — your ears are your most important tool. Learning to listen is truly the most important lesson in music, whether playing, recording, mixing, or mastering. Don't be afraid to get in there and try new things. And as always, let your ears be your guide.
When it comes to discussing the fine art of mixing music, I tend to approach the subject with some trepidation. After all, compared to many of the topics I've written about, this one is rife with subjectivity — one person's idea of a great sounding mix may be another's sonic nightmare. And what works for one genre of music will be decidedly wrong for another.
But all those variables aside, there are at least a few general theories, tips, and tricks that apply to most mix projects. So while the idea here is not to give a step-by-step tutorial on two-track mixing, hopefully we can cover at least a few concepts that are useful for everyone.
In a good stereo mix, each instrument needs clarity, balance, separation,
and its own space in the stereo field.
The Concept
At its most basic, mixing in stereo means mixing for the human brain and physiology. True” stereo mixing involves creating a sonic picture that replicates what our two ears hear — and our brains decode — in the real world. For example, the brain localizes a sound by measuring the time and tonal differences between the sound arriving at one ear and the other.
In a perfect world, a true stereo mix would create a sound that's as close as possible to an organic, live performance.
But in the real world, much of the process of creating a stereo mix is far from organic or natural. Part of this is due to practical considerations. In a live performance, the acoustics of the venue itself play a prominent role in blending the sound sources and masking the localization of any particular instrument. In the studio, tracks tend to be recorded separately, in a relatively dry setting, enabling us to control their perceived ambience with the aid of technology.
In actual practice, modern stereo mixing has less to do with replicating real world conditions than with creating a good sounding balance between the various musical elements in a recording. It's probably safe to say that most modern recordings bear only a passing resemblance to the sound of a band playing live in front of the listener.
What Makes a Good Mix?
As stated earlier, the definition of a good sounding mix is largely in the ears of the listener. But most engineers will agree that a good mix should contain a few common characteristics:
Clarity: Each sound in the mix should be clean and clear — no muddiness or blurring of the sounds or the stereo image, no excess noise or other anomalies.
Separation: Each instrument and part should be easily discernable. Sure, there's nothing wrong with a wall of sound” if that's what you're after, but even within those big, lush guitars, a great mix will be crisp and well-defined enough for the listener to pick out individual sounds.
Balance: The mix should offer a good balance of frequencies. A mix that's too bottom heavy or too shrill will be unpleasant and exhausting to listen to. The mix should also be balanced between left and right channels.
Space: As with balance, this applies on many levels. The music itself should have space - places between the notes where things breathe and dynamics develop. Of course, this will vary depending on the genre of music. There should also be an element of natural ambience to each instrument, and the ambience for these different instruments should blend well with each other.
Needless to say, these characteristics alone do not make for a perfect mix, but a mix that lacks any one of them will very likely end up being at least a little bit problematic.
It Starts at the Source
It should go without saying that achieving the best mix starts with a good recording. Strive to achieve the cleanest tracks you can, with no excess noise or distortion.
Most importantly, don't forget to listen closely while you're recording. Be on the lookout not just for mistakes, but stray noises and other anomalies. It's far more difficult to go back and re-record a part, or fix it in the mix, than it is to get it right the first time.
It's also a good idea to think in terms of the song and the arrangement from the very beginning. Only add what's needed for the arrangement, rather than cluttering it with overdubs.
And try to keep the number of takes of any given part to a minimum; few things are more mentally exhausting than listening through dozens of takes of a vocal or solo to compile a single track.
In fact, planning for your mix while you're tracking is probably the number one most overlooked issue in recording. Particularly with the near limitless tracks offered by today's DAW programs, it's all too easy to just record another take and adopt a fix it in the mix” attitude. The hours you will add to your mixdown time will absolutely come back to bite you in the end.
Mixing at too high a volume will affect your sound perception, as demonstrated by these loudness contours.
Preparing Yourself
Just as with any artistic endeavor, everyone has their own set of tricks and techniques, and what works for me might not do the trick for you. But there are a few points that are pretty much universal. One is to always try and mix with fresh ears. Starting a mix after you've been tracking for eight hours will pretty much assure you'll be starting again the next day.
Second, try and keep the volume at lower levels — too much volume will inevitably begin to affect your perception (for more info, do a web search on Fletcher-Munson Curve ”).
Also, when you're mixing remember to change your perspective often. Your mix may sound great while you're sitting in the sweet spot between the speakers, but the true test will be listening to it from out in the hall, or through a boom box or car stereo.
We've all heard people compare a mix in visual terms, and there are even courses of study that emphasize the concept, creating different colored orbs” to illustrate the placement of parts in a mix. It's an interesting idea, though I personally prefer to leave visuals out of the equation altogether. In fact, my preferred method for mixing involves closing my eyes to listen. I find that removing visual distractions tends to sharpen my focus on what I'm hearing.
The Joys of Mono
It's important to periodically check your mix in mono while building your mix. The main idea behind this is to avoid phase issues with stereo sources like guitars and keyboards.
But checking the mix in mono makes sense for other reasons too. Listening in mono tends to flatten out” the mix, giving you a different perspective on how much natural separation there is between the tracks. Essentially, if it sounds clean and well-defined in mono, it will sound good in stereo too, while the inverse is not necessarily true.
That said, let's draw a distinction between checking your stereo mix in mono versus the practice of building the mix in mono and then spreading it out. While a number of engineers
I've talked with swear by this technique, my own (admittedly subjective) view is that mixing in stereo requires an entirely different approach, much the same way mixing in a surround format differs from stereo.
Drums and Bass — Starting with the Foundation
For the most part, low frequency sounds tend to work best when panned dead center. Because of their lack of directionality, and because they contain most of the energy in a typical mix, it's best to keep these sounds in the middle of your mix.
Create a natural space in the stereo spread for each drum piece.
Typically, in a rock or pop mix, the drums and bass are the first element most people address. Though there are no hard and fast rules, most mixes begin by setting up the stereo image of the drums from an audience perspective. That means that, with a right-handed drummer, the kick and snare will be in the center, the hi-hat will be panned slightly right of that, and the overheads will be panned hard left and right.
Depending on how many toms and other toys the drummer has in his or her kit, it's usually best to create a natural placement for each of them within the stereo spread. For example, if the drummer has three toms, I usually pan the middle one dead center and the other two at around 9 to 10 'clock and 2 to 3 'clock, depending on how wide a spread I'm looking for.
Of course, all this assumes you're miking the drum kit in what has become the standard recording technique, with individual mics on each drum, a pair of overheads, and perhaps even some distant mics to pick up room ambience. For the most part, you will find that the more you mix in the overheads and ambient room mics, the less actual localized” definition your drums will have.
That said, one of the most interesting sessions I ever worked on involved only four mics on the kit — a stereo pair set up a few feet away from the kit, and an ambient pair about 15 feet away in the corners of the room. The producer was a well known old-school studio veteran, and we spent literally hours moving the mics by a half-inch here, and a quarter-turn there.
The resulting drum mix, though it certainly had some natural stereo ambience, was closer to mono in nature. And while you might associate that with a lack of depth, the result was anything but. In fact, less panning and less ambience will result in a bigger, more defined and in your face drum sound.
Stereo Guitars — A Few Tips
Mixing guitars in stereo is a great way to add depth to a mix, particularly in a very busy mix. Spreading out the guitar(s) will open up space for the bass and other center-panned parts. Try dropping out some lower midrange to remove muddiness in the middle — especially on a dreadnaught or other large-body acoustic. Adding high end can also work, but will often accentuate finger noise.
Try recording acoustic guitar with a pair of directional mics with one pointing at the body just below the sound hole and the other at the top of the neck. Panning them at about 9 'clock and 3 'clock should give you a nice wide stereo image. Alternatively, try using a Mid-Side micing technique
A suggested stereo recording setup for guitar.
Doubling guitars is another nice way to add depth. Pan the original part to one side, add a delay (between 5 and 15 ms is a good place to start), and pan the delay return to the opposite side. A slightly different reverb and/or EQ setting will thicken them out even more.
Double-tracking the guitars manually (that is, actually recording the same part twice) can deliver even more interesting results. Try recording the same part using two different guitars. If that's not an option, try recording the same part with a different tuning or a capo. For example, if the song is in G, record the second pass with a capo on the 5th fret, playing in D. Or tune the guitar down a whole step and play the song in A.
Another way to double a guitar part that's been tracked in mono is to send it back through a guitar amp and mic the amp from two different spots in the room with different mics.
Alternatively, run the track through two different amps with different settings.
Blending Lead and Background Vocals
While lead vocals are typically front and center, you can try all sorts of different ideas with backing vocals. Spreading them across the stereo field is great for widening your track, but try not to get too wide - 9 'clock and 3 'clock is enough for most mixes. With most backing vocals, effects can be your friend; a bit of hall and some chorus can do wonders for blending parts with each other and within the mix.
Panning the backing vocals left and right and leaving the lead vocal in the center is a commonly used technique and works well in most cases. But for something just a bit different, try slipping the lead vocal just a hair to one side and the backing vocals to the other side.
A Few More Things to Try
Don't be afraid to be asymmetrical with your mix by placing elements to one side or the other. Particularly with string patches and other heavily chorused pads, panning them very widely can cause them to dominate the mix even when they're not very loud. Instead of panning a part at, for example, 9 'clock and 3 'clock, try a more narrow panning like 1 'clock and 3 'clock. Of course, you'll probably want to introduce some other element on the other side to balance things out, but it's a great way to keep things from getting too swimmy and lacking in focus.
In fact, it's a good idea to make sure at least some elements of your mix stay in mono. While those lush, chorused pads and reverbs may sound great on their own, piling up track after track of them is a great way to turn your mix into an underwater mess. Always keep at least some parts in mono to give them a sense of localization. Using a mono reverb will give them an ambience without destroying their directionality.
One very effective trick is to use delayed reverb instead of just panning for a more natural sounding ambience. Pan the original track to one side at about 9 'clock or 10 'clock, Add a short delay (less than 10 ms) and pan that to the opposite side; then add just a touch of reverb to the delayed signal. The results will be a bit more natural-sounding than just using the pan control. Here's why: our ears and brain perceive a sound source using a number of auditory clues, including differences in timing, level, and even tonality between each ear. A pan pot only addresses the difference in level. Delaying the sound on one side and adding a bit of reflection creates a more natural ambience. Try shaving off just a touch of high end on the delayed sound as well to replicate the effect your head creates as it masks some of the sound.
Another trick for widening a track is to pan it to one side and add a stereo reverb; the result will be a natural ambience with a bit of extra splash” to one side. Or try adding a very gentle mono chorus effect to only one side of a stereo track. The movement between the speakers can add an interesting depth and spaciousness that's particularly nice on strings and other pads.
Of Course, There's More
Even though I've tried to stick with very general concepts, mixing is a subject that can easily fill many hundreds of pages. But let me leave you with two important points.
First — it's always about the song. No matter how many cool technological tricks you introduce into a mix, if it's not right for the song, it's not going to work. Listen to the song, and only give it what it needs - nothing more.
And that, once again, brings me to my second point, a tip I offer in almost every column — your ears are your most important tool. Learning to listen is truly the most important lesson in music, whether playing, recording, mixing, or mastering. Don't be afraid to get in there and try new things. And as always, let your ears be your guide.
Sunday 24 July 2016
Top 10 Vocal Mixing Tricks And Techniques Audio Issues
You know the vocals are usually the most important part of every mix.
That's why I thought I'd put together a handy tip sheet for you that you can use the next time you're struggling with mixing vocals.
Here we go:
1. Filter and cut - This is simple but important. Filter the low-end, cut the nasally mids and smooth out the highs if they're too sibilant.
2. Cut guitars between 1 - 3 kHz - It's not the vocal's fault that it doesn't fit in the mix. Sometimes you need to cut the guitars in the high-mids to make room for the voice.
3. In your face but spacious - Increase the early reflections on your reverb to separate it from the vocal. That means you can still have plenty of space without making the reverb clutter up the early phrases of the voice.
4. Separate stereo - You might be tempted to put a doubler or a stereo spread on the main vocal track. Don't. Send your main vocal to a separate bus so you can keep the punchiness of the main vocal track with some extra stereo spread from the bus underneath.
5. Accent phrases - If you have a good single vocal track but want some extra accents for certain phrases, copy the vocal track and use slight pitch-shifting and delay to make only certain phrases sound doubled. They'll cut through the mix and give the voice more dynamics.
6. Side-chain your guitar to the vocal - If the guitar and vocal are fighting you can duck the guitar out of the way every time the voice is singing. Easy automatic automation.
7. Mix up the spaces - Is the verse quiet and the chorus big? Use short delays and hard compression in the verse and spacious reverbs and smoother compression in the choruses to break things up.
8. Make the vocal the priority - Try to get a good vocal sound as soon as possible during the mix. If you've mixed the drums, bass, guitar, synths, percussion and orchestra first there's not a lot of space for the vocal anymore. Save yourself some time and give the vocal the space it needs. Then, add the other instruments.
9. When in doubt, simplify - Is the vocal sounding great with just that one channel strip and a reverb? Great. Your job's done. No need for 5 extra processors to take down the rabbit hole. Focus on the rest of the mix.
10. Double and Pan Wide - Double your vocal(either artificially or using the actual double), pan them hard left and right in the choruses. This makes the chorus stand out more and sound wider.
Use some of those next time you're working on vocals.
That's why I thought I'd put together a handy tip sheet for you that you can use the next time you're struggling with mixing vocals.
Here we go:
1. Filter and cut - This is simple but important. Filter the low-end, cut the nasally mids and smooth out the highs if they're too sibilant.
2. Cut guitars between 1 - 3 kHz - It's not the vocal's fault that it doesn't fit in the mix. Sometimes you need to cut the guitars in the high-mids to make room for the voice.
3. In your face but spacious - Increase the early reflections on your reverb to separate it from the vocal. That means you can still have plenty of space without making the reverb clutter up the early phrases of the voice.
4. Separate stereo - You might be tempted to put a doubler or a stereo spread on the main vocal track. Don't. Send your main vocal to a separate bus so you can keep the punchiness of the main vocal track with some extra stereo spread from the bus underneath.
5. Accent phrases - If you have a good single vocal track but want some extra accents for certain phrases, copy the vocal track and use slight pitch-shifting and delay to make only certain phrases sound doubled. They'll cut through the mix and give the voice more dynamics.
6. Side-chain your guitar to the vocal - If the guitar and vocal are fighting you can duck the guitar out of the way every time the voice is singing. Easy automatic automation.
7. Mix up the spaces - Is the verse quiet and the chorus big? Use short delays and hard compression in the verse and spacious reverbs and smoother compression in the choruses to break things up.
8. Make the vocal the priority - Try to get a good vocal sound as soon as possible during the mix. If you've mixed the drums, bass, guitar, synths, percussion and orchestra first there's not a lot of space for the vocal anymore. Save yourself some time and give the vocal the space it needs. Then, add the other instruments.
9. When in doubt, simplify - Is the vocal sounding great with just that one channel strip and a reverb? Great. Your job's done. No need for 5 extra processors to take down the rabbit hole. Focus on the rest of the mix.
10. Double and Pan Wide - Double your vocal(either artificially or using the actual double), pan them hard left and right in the choruses. This makes the chorus stand out more and sound wider.
Use some of those next time you're working on vocals.
Friday 22 July 2016
Unorthodox Recording Techniques Of Famous Musicians
1. The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys could fill an entire list with all of the unorthodox methods Brian Wilson used while making hits. The man was a songwriting and melody machine, and at one point in the darker days of the musician's life, the other Beach Boys would go and get a bag of cheeseburgers and feed Brian one at his piano every time he wrote a song. That's one damn good ad premise for cheeseburgers and one very sad incentives structure for a musical genius.
One of the ways Brian tried to inspire great work was during the recording sessions for his ambitious concept album Smile, where he would incorporate themes from the music into actual physical forms. During the recording of the Fire” section of the elements suite, Brian tried to capture the chaos, swarming ambulances, and hellish fire onto tape. To do this, maybe most musicians would simply tell everyone to think about an ambulance roar or flames or even just demand that your paid musicians play what you tell them to, but Brian went much further. He not only got firemen helmets for everyone in the studio, but he then lit an actual fire in a trashcan so that everyone could smell the smoke while they played. It would definitely be hard to question the man who just a year before produced Pet Sounds, and why would you want to? Besides getting some ash in your trumpet hole, it sounds pretty nice getting to wear a cool firemen's helmet. It's a good thing R. Kelly doesn't use this technique of incorporating elements of his songs to inspire him in the studio because that would be incredibly gross, or pretty hot if you're into that kind of stuff.
This shouldn't be surprising from the band that thought it would be reasonable to move their entire studio to Holland and record there for a year so that they could maybe stop making horribly-selling records. (Spoiler alert: Holland was an awful album.) There are many other notable Brian Wilson creative practices, like when he put a sandbox around his home piano so he could play with his feet buried in sand, which didn't last long because his pets decided to use it as a giant toilet. This seems like one of those ideas you have as a kid, and think when you grow up you'll have a house with sand everywhere, trampoline floors, and a pool filled with Jell-, and then you grow up and realize you forgot about all those cool things and that all the awesome ideas you had as a kid you haven't followed up on. Then you get sad. Well, Brian Wilson did them, whether they worked out or not, and that's very admirable.
2. The Beatles
The Beatles were obviously amazing in the studio with producer George Martin. They innovated the recording process and rock music in many ways. That's all fine, but they also did some things more for fun in the studio. During the sessions for the orchestral part of A Day in the Life” the Beatles hired 40 orchestral musicians to create the large swell of sound to end the epic piece. These are no nonsense and highly trained musicians and they came to work in fancy evening attire at the Beatles request. But the Beatles needed to loosen them up, and what better way than to make them wear party hats, clown noses, and fake plastic nipples? So the orchestra performed, going from the lowest notes to the highest notes in no specific time, wearing carnival novelties.
3. Brian Eno
Brian Eno is known as much for his music as his producing skills, and he also created a very interesting technique to help deal with writer's block in the studio. His process was called oblique strategies and it is basically like tarot cards mixed with those sex dice you can get that give orders like rub her back” or let's just watch TV instead.” Eno created a deck of cards that you would flip over whenever you were unsure what to do, and they would give you an instruction. Some examples of this were to use an old idea” or work at a different speed” and some more vague ideas like ask your body,” which might just mean that maybe you're hungry and need a snack break.
4. Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is known for being pretty loose in the studio, and not really interested in getting things to sound perfect there, because he just has to make the song in that moment, and maybe it will find its perfect form live on stage somewhere. So Bob Dylan is lazy is what it really sounds like. As Bob Dylan set to work with studio musicians in Nashville on the then untitled Rainy Day Women #12 and 35” he got everyone in the studio high as he passed around weed throughout the room, and then had all of the musicians switch their instruments.
Now, this somehow doesn't seem lazy, it sounds like Bob actually systematically trying to make a bad song. Hey, you. Expert organ player, go grab that guitar.” Yet Bob seemed to know what was going on or got pretty lucky because the song became a hit, reaching #2 on the billboard charts. If you dream high enough, kids, you can get paid to get high and play an instrument you don't know how to play. What a world.
5. Phil Spector
Phil Spector is a maniac and infamous asshole currently in prison for allegedly shooting his wife, and as is expected, he brought that crazy with him into the studio on multiple occasions. He is known for threatening several notable musicians in the studio, and not by telling them he won't come to one of their shows — he used guns. Phil has pulled a gun out to threaten Debbie Harry, the Ramones, and John Lennon. The man actually shot a gun off in the studio near a former Beatle, and held the Ramones hostage. This bozo's guns and his wall of sound” technique failed to make the albums great, so it can easily be said to not start a shootout to make a good record.
-of-fidelity-do-you-need-professional-sounding-tracks/ Questions of Fidelity: Do You Need Professional Sounding Tracks?
… honor the idea of unorthodox recording techniques, we bring you this article from Thought Catalog that takes the idea of unorthodox ideas to crazy …
-creativity/ Holy Creativity! CJW Blogs
The Beach Boys could fill an entire list with all of the unorthodox methods Brian Wilson used while making hits. The man was a songwriting and melody machine, and at one point in the darker days of the musician's life, the other Beach Boys would go and get a bag of cheeseburgers and feed Brian one at his piano every time he wrote a song. That's one damn good ad premise for cheeseburgers and one very sad incentives structure for a musical genius.
One of the ways Brian tried to inspire great work was during the recording sessions for his ambitious concept album Smile, where he would incorporate themes from the music into actual physical forms. During the recording of the Fire” section of the elements suite, Brian tried to capture the chaos, swarming ambulances, and hellish fire onto tape. To do this, maybe most musicians would simply tell everyone to think about an ambulance roar or flames or even just demand that your paid musicians play what you tell them to, but Brian went much further. He not only got firemen helmets for everyone in the studio, but he then lit an actual fire in a trashcan so that everyone could smell the smoke while they played. It would definitely be hard to question the man who just a year before produced Pet Sounds, and why would you want to? Besides getting some ash in your trumpet hole, it sounds pretty nice getting to wear a cool firemen's helmet. It's a good thing R. Kelly doesn't use this technique of incorporating elements of his songs to inspire him in the studio because that would be incredibly gross, or pretty hot if you're into that kind of stuff.
This shouldn't be surprising from the band that thought it would be reasonable to move their entire studio to Holland and record there for a year so that they could maybe stop making horribly-selling records. (Spoiler alert: Holland was an awful album.) There are many other notable Brian Wilson creative practices, like when he put a sandbox around his home piano so he could play with his feet buried in sand, which didn't last long because his pets decided to use it as a giant toilet. This seems like one of those ideas you have as a kid, and think when you grow up you'll have a house with sand everywhere, trampoline floors, and a pool filled with Jell-, and then you grow up and realize you forgot about all those cool things and that all the awesome ideas you had as a kid you haven't followed up on. Then you get sad. Well, Brian Wilson did them, whether they worked out or not, and that's very admirable.
2. The Beatles
The Beatles were obviously amazing in the studio with producer George Martin. They innovated the recording process and rock music in many ways. That's all fine, but they also did some things more for fun in the studio. During the sessions for the orchestral part of A Day in the Life” the Beatles hired 40 orchestral musicians to create the large swell of sound to end the epic piece. These are no nonsense and highly trained musicians and they came to work in fancy evening attire at the Beatles request. But the Beatles needed to loosen them up, and what better way than to make them wear party hats, clown noses, and fake plastic nipples? So the orchestra performed, going from the lowest notes to the highest notes in no specific time, wearing carnival novelties.
3. Brian Eno
Brian Eno is known as much for his music as his producing skills, and he also created a very interesting technique to help deal with writer's block in the studio. His process was called oblique strategies and it is basically like tarot cards mixed with those sex dice you can get that give orders like rub her back” or let's just watch TV instead.” Eno created a deck of cards that you would flip over whenever you were unsure what to do, and they would give you an instruction. Some examples of this were to use an old idea” or work at a different speed” and some more vague ideas like ask your body,” which might just mean that maybe you're hungry and need a snack break.
4. Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is known for being pretty loose in the studio, and not really interested in getting things to sound perfect there, because he just has to make the song in that moment, and maybe it will find its perfect form live on stage somewhere. So Bob Dylan is lazy is what it really sounds like. As Bob Dylan set to work with studio musicians in Nashville on the then untitled Rainy Day Women #12 and 35” he got everyone in the studio high as he passed around weed throughout the room, and then had all of the musicians switch their instruments.
Now, this somehow doesn't seem lazy, it sounds like Bob actually systematically trying to make a bad song. Hey, you. Expert organ player, go grab that guitar.” Yet Bob seemed to know what was going on or got pretty lucky because the song became a hit, reaching #2 on the billboard charts. If you dream high enough, kids, you can get paid to get high and play an instrument you don't know how to play. What a world.
5. Phil Spector
Phil Spector is a maniac and infamous asshole currently in prison for allegedly shooting his wife, and as is expected, he brought that crazy with him into the studio on multiple occasions. He is known for threatening several notable musicians in the studio, and not by telling them he won't come to one of their shows — he used guns. Phil has pulled a gun out to threaten Debbie Harry, the Ramones, and John Lennon. The man actually shot a gun off in the studio near a former Beatle, and held the Ramones hostage. This bozo's guns and his wall of sound” technique failed to make the albums great, so it can easily be said to not start a shootout to make a good record.
-of-fidelity-do-you-need-professional-sounding-tracks/ Questions of Fidelity: Do You Need Professional Sounding Tracks?
… honor the idea of unorthodox recording techniques, we bring you this article from Thought Catalog that takes the idea of unorthodox ideas to crazy …
-creativity/ Holy Creativity! CJW Blogs
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)