Chapter 5 Basic Tracking - Posted on 2016-06-18 by Kristin Staub

I went down to the studio on Wednesday to help record the reggae band, Tales of Joy.  I found it helpful after reading Chapter 5 how to mic a full drum kit and where to exactly place certain mics in the room.  My classmate Darnell and I, helped to transform an entire studio room into a drum room in order to get a tighter and more precise sound.  This was my first true experience in helping to set up for the actual tracking of a song for the band.  We had to make sure that all the mics were placed in the right inputs and channels to make sure we actually had the sound coming through Pro Tools.  I realized before setting up I should have made a line-check list to make my time more efficient in setting up and actually have time to record sufficiently.  It took quite a bit of time to get everything set up like the drums, the mic stands, cables, and then doing sound checks  to make sure everything was in its proper place.  Then we had to set levels in order for the band to produce a quality recording which took a few tries.  The first couple of recordings was to help them warm up and build their confidence.  After about the third of fourth time they were able to lay down the drum, guitar, keys, and bass tracks.  I suspect next week we will focus on vocals and the rest of the percussion parts such as the congas, tambourine, and shaker while also tracking some fills, harmonies, and solos.  Before the band came down to the studio, Darnell and I went into the session for the last couple songs to start mixing, editing, and organizing in order to provide a quality recording.  

I learned a lot from the session and now I understand that sometimes things don't always go according to plan.  This time was different because the band is paying us for their time to record and it was not on a per hour basis.  Essentially, they could come whenever they want because they're paying for the session.  On the other hand it gave Darnell and I some time to plan what we were going to do.  Edwin was very helpful throughout the entire session and knew exactly what to do.  Since we were in a bit of a time crunch, Edwin did most of the detail work while I listened and Darnell focused on recording.  We all enjoyed the process and I felt I was in my element and had a lot of hands on application to help me prepare for the next level.  

I'm currently recruiting a band to help me record a couple songs for my assignments and I had one of the band members come down during this particular session to listen and watch.  I wanted him to get an idea of what the process is going to be like if his band is ready to go to the next level and record an EP.  I've noticed that there are quite a few people whom I have talked that say they do some recording, but when certain bands are getting ready to go to the next level, I feel like it's my responsibility to make sure the band members are know what is entailed in the entire process and I would be the judge of whether or not they are ready or if I think they need more time.  Having already had some performance experience myself and being formally trained as a musician during college, I find that people actually respect my opinion and honesty when it comes to planning for the next step.  Edwin's studio is about as legitimate as they come and if my bands are not prepared, then it's a reflection on me.  Reputation is everything and being able to establish connections and relationships are extremely at this point in time.