View All Students
Kristin Staub
So, in Chapter 7, Edwin and I talked more about micing and which methods he really likes to use. Since he really likes the drum kit and I don't know much about how to mic a drum kit, he gave me some really helpful tips on how to mic a particular drum set. For example placing two mics on a snare, one above the head and one below gives the snare a fuller sound, or stereo sound. I notice that Edwin gives particular attention to how the kick drum gets miced and how it is tracked through Pro Tools to get the sound he wants. We also talked about the importance of auditioning mics and predicting what kind of mic placement will be used for a band vs. vocals or individual instruments.
One of the things that was a bit more challenging to me at first about the plot maps is how to place an instrument that would not only record well, but also making sure that everyone in a band are able to see and hear each other. Since oftentimes keyboards will be recorded through MIDIs, I learned that you can actually put an electronic instrument in the same room as maybe a drum kit, depending on what it is. Electric guitars are a little bit different in the fact that the sound comes through the speaker cab and it needs to be placed in away from louder instruments so that the mics won't pick up bleed or any phasing issues.
In Chapter 8, we are now finally getting into how to set up my computer for Pro Tools. Not only that, I finally had a chance to record a Latin percussion and how to go about actually doing it. Having watched Edwin in other sessions already helped to prepare me for this, so with a little reinforcement from him and a couple repetitions, I picked up the basics pretty quickly. It's interesting how when you're actually in the chair pressing the buttons how attentively you listen to a track being recorded. Apparently, Edwin does not let anybody begin to touch his stuff until after Chapter 10, but the fact that I am already doing it now, means that he trusts me and he knows that I can pick up certain things pretty quickly. So, with that in mind, it was pretty cool to have us both in the studio helping this aspiring Latin percussionist record his claves, maracas, and guiro on top of other tracks that were pre-recorded before I got there. Edwin and I got to vibe off of each other to know when something either sounded really good or when something could use a little improvement. Overall, I think we did good job for my first time recording.
At this point, I can't believe how far I have come in such a short amount of time and with very little recording experience! I have learned so much already and I cannot wait to learn even more. More importantly, I want to challenge myself to do more and work on music projects to get ready for recording some things on my own and with other people. I have some potential prospects on the line and I know somebody who wants me to work with them as he is starting his own music recording company which I am very honored and was not expecting. For the next couple months, I want to get ready for this opportunity on the horizon!
