Artefact Two - This is the life / Amy Macdonald
The second artefact I will include will be a recording we have been doing in HNC. This song was chosen and recorded in a group of 3. This year we learnt to use a second DAW which is pro tools having the ability to use more than one DAW is a massive advantage in studio work. This year’s plan had a lot more detail to it with us explaining which equipment we would be using to record the track including mics and how they would be set up and placed. This was not our original song after week one we had to change our track as the track we chose was too complex and we wouldn’t have been able to reproduce the track to quality needed. We got some of our classmates to lay down instrument tracks, I had a friend come into record lead vocals and I recorded backing vocals. I was involved in organising a plan, set up of mics, communicating and arranging performers and working the desk during recording. I then had a copy of the track but before I started mixing I added an electric rhythm and lead guitar over it for a more thicker and rock inspired track.
Recording
The recording session started by setting up drum mics in a treated room and then recorded. I have enclosed some of the photos of the mic set and uploaded them to the gallery. Next was the acoustic track recording with pencil condenser stereo pair mics. The bass was then put through a D.I box and I put a Audix D6 on the amp. Last to be recorded was both lead and backing vocals. The lead vocal was double tracked to make it richer in sound and could then be directionally panned. The backing vocals were then recorded using SM58. We did a rough mix before the three group members getting a copy each to develop and put their own spin on it. I really wanted to add more layers to my copy of the track. I asked a classmate Jack who done the original guitar if he could do an electric and lead part over it.
Mixing
I started off my by putting kick on solo and adding compression and EQ7 and moved through the whole kit . Vital to isolate each channel whilst working on it before adding it back into the mix. Then the acoustic guitars which I panned as stereo and double tracked adding Pro C2 where you could filter sound and instrument. Bass I also used pro C2 created the bass sound I wanted to achieve adjusting gain etc. Lead and Rhythm guitars were put through compression and Pro C2 I liked using this as you put in instrument and filter till you find your tone and dynamics.
YOUTUBE LINK
Lead vocalist - Fly
