Module 09 - Recording Techniques

Audio Masterclass Music Production and Sound Engineering Course
Module 09: Recording
Module 09
Recording Techniques
In this module you will learn how to record and produce a band in a studio. In addition, there is a
substantial section on recording classical and orchestral music. This knowledge is useful for recording
any kinds of acoustic instruments, in studio or live settings.
Learning outcomes
To understand the procedures of recording and production of a band in a recording studio.
To understand the procedures of recording and production of classical and orchestral music in
studio and live settings.
To have a basic knowledge of the forms, instruments and procedures of classical and orchestral
music that is necessary for the recording engineer to work effectively in this environment.
Assessment
Formative assessment is achieved through the short-answer check questions at the end of this
module.
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Module Contents
Learning outcomes 1
Assessment 1
Recording a band 3
Tracking & overdubbing 3
Basic tracks 3
How many takes? 6
Guide vocal 7
Overdubbing 7
Instrument miking 9
Drums 9
Kick drum 9
Snare drum 10
Double miking the snare 10
Toms 11
Cymbals 11
Drum microphone technique 12
The piano 13
Acoustic guitar 15
Electric guitar 15
DI (direct injection) 16
Live recording 16
Classical and orchestral recording 18
Classical music 18
Film music 19
Popular music 20
The instruments of orchestral music 20
Violin family 20
Woodwind 20
Brass 21
Percussion 21
Other occasional orchestral instruments 21
The voice in classical music 22
Instrumental groupings 23
Orchestra 23
String quartet 23
Soloist and accompaniment 23
Solo instrument 23
The forms of classical music 24
Symphony 24
Concerto 24
Opera 25
Oratorio 25
Sonata 25
String quartet 25
Other musical forms 26
Classical music performance 27
Classical music personnel 28
Classical music recording 28
The role of the producer: 30
Musicians and recording 32
Classical music engineering 33
The role of the engineer 33
Equipment 33
Check questions 36
Recording a band 36
Classical and orchestral music 36
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Recording a Band
Many professional recordings have both a producer
and an engineer, who are two different people. Much
of this text takes the point of view of the producer.
Tracking & overdubbing

In the studio, the recording process will vary according
to the style of music. A guitar band may prepare in
a rehearsal studio, or even on the road, but they will
come into the studio with nothing actually recorded,
other than demos perhaps. A electronically based act
on the other hand will probably have a significant
amount of pre-programmed material which only needs
to be loaded into the studios Pro Tools HD system,
ready for vocals to be added. For the purpose of this
text, well talk about recording a band with a drum kit,
guitars and keyboards, but just about everything here
be applied to other styles of music too.
Basic tracks
Any dictionary will tell you that a band is a group
of musicians who play together. Together is the
operative word here because in a multitrack recording
studio it is quite possible to record each instrument
separately. If you do it this way however you will
probably end up with a recording that has all the
instruments playing all the right notes in all the right
places, but it lacks that indefinable something that
makes it sound like a band. It is usual therefore to
record the basic instruments - drums, bass, rhythm
guitar and perhaps keyboard - all at the same time to
get the feel of a real band playing together, and then
add vocals, solo instruments and embellishments
one by one as overdubs. The basic instruments form
the so-called backing track or basic tracks - often
referred to simply as the track. Tracking is the
process of recording the backing tracks, although
some people use the word to cover overdubs as well
so that it means the entire recording process apart
from the mixing.
Setting up to record the backing track takes some time,

and in the past it has been common to finish recording
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all the backing tracks for an album before starting

on the overdubs. Setting up the drum kit alone, with
however many microphones the engineer chooses to
use, could take the best part of a day depending on
how picky you are going to be about the sound. As
a producer, you obviously want to get a really good
sound on the record, and a skilled engineer will be able
to offer you a good drum sound in an hour or so. But
if you have a particular sound in mind that you want
to achieve, then it may take some time experimenting
with mics and mike positions to achieve precisely what
you want. You are the producer, so youre in charge.
Take as long as you like, but remember that youre
responsible for sticking to the budget too.
If the band is entirely acoustic, and all the instruments

blend together well without amplification, then you
will just mic them up and start recording. However,
once you bring a drum kit and electric instruments
into the studio you have an ensemble that does not
blend well acoustically - in particular the guide vocal
will be too quiet to be heard. Obviously you cant give
the vocalist a PA system, otherwise his or her voice will
spill in abundance into the other mics. The solution is
to give all the band members headphone foldback so
they can hear each other clearly. Often, two channels
of foldback are provided so that there can be two
alternative mixes. The foldback mix is supplied from
pre-fade auxiliary sends on the mixing console - pre-
fade so that the position of the fader has no effect on
the foldback mix. Getting the foldback mix right is a
vital part of the recording process. It is recommended
that the engineer has a pair of headphones of the
same type as the band are using so that he or she can
check out the foldback mix exactly as the band hear it.
Checking the foldback mix on the monitor speakers,
which is easily possible, is not so satisfactory.
It is worth noting that the headphones in a recording

studio commonly use XLR connectors rather than the
common stereo jack. Several pairs of headphones
will be connected to a single amplifier channel in
parallel. If jack connectors were used, then if one
were improperly inserted, it would short out all the
headphones connected to the same amplifier channel.
The pins of XLR connectors are spaced therefore this
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problem cannot occur.
During this part of the set up process, the assistant

engineer will be preparing a track sheet - a sheet
of paper with a grid, one square per track on the
multitrack. Into this will be entered the instrument, or
vocal, for each track. Also, a scribble strip is prepared
for the mixing console to identify the faders. This is
often done on a strip of masking tape so that it can
be removed and replaced by the scribble strip for
another song. The multiple scribble strips that an
album project will generate are often stored - even in
this digitized and computerized age - by sticking them
to the wall!
Setting up the other instruments and the mic for the

guide vocal is straightforward in comparison to the
drums. When everything is ready, then one of the key
moments in the production process has arrived. The
band are going to lay down the backing track for what
will hopefully be their next hit single. This has got to
be right, and the producer is the person who has to
make it so. Let the band play through the song a few
times so that they can get used to the headphones
and check foldback levels with the engineer. You will
be thinking about the sound of each instrument, and
each drum of the drum kit, from both technical and
musical points of view. While realizing that you are not
hearing the final mix, the producer will be considering
how the instruments blend, and whether the tempo is
the same as it was in the rehearsal studio. You may
need to discuss subtle musical points with one or more
of the band. Maybe the bass player is dragging notes
out when they would be better cut short. Perhaps the
guitarist hasnt settled into his rhythm yet and will
need a few more runs through. Maybe they are all just
a little bit nervy because they dont have much studio
experience and they have forgotten that if they make
a mistake, they can simply try it again
How many takes?

How many takes will the band need to get it right? As
many as are necessary, of course. There is no point in
going any further and overdubbing to a backing track
which isnt absolutely right. This is where the producers
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skill comes in. Probably the most important part of the

producers role is to know when something is right,
and this isnt nearly as easy as it seems. Absolute
perfection is unattainable, but many successful records
are less than perfect technically, with wrong or missed
notes and rhythmic inconsistencies. Yet despite this
they sound great! The producer should be able to spot
a great take, even when there could be some musical
errors. If you have captured such a take and recognize
its quality, you then have to decide whether to use it
as it is, or try and fix the problems. You can fix the odd
duff chord in a guitar track with punch ins, where the
engineer jabs the record button just before the section
that needs to be replaced and, by hitting the play or
stop button, punches out afterwards (or the punch-in
and punch-out points can be programmed). Punch ins
in a backing track can be noticeable where the spill
from the other instruments suddenly disappears then
comes back again, so listen carefully, and preferably
have the engineer bounce the original take and the
punch ins onto a new track for safety.
If the band has lost the rhythm at one point in a take,

then this is a bigger problem. The same thing applies
if a take has started really well and has then broken
down. In both of these cases, the solution is to edit the
multitrack master and use sections from two or more
takes joined together. This of course might not work,
but it hardly ever does go wrong however because the
engineer will know from experience whether or not
an edit will work. The main possibility why it might
not work is if the tempo has changed from one take
to another and there is a sudden gear shift. You can
avoid this by getting the band to listen to a metronome
ticking at the correct tempo before each take, or even
getting them to play to a click track. This latter solution
is rather drastic, and it is something that really needs
to have been planned for from the rehearsal stage.
Some producers regard editing as a creative process
in its own right and will actively seek out the best
parts from all the takes the band has done. How many
takes are enough? Some bands have as few as three
takes in them, and if they dont get it within those
three takes, then thirty-three wouldnt be enough
and its best to move onto a different song and have
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another go on another day. Other bands really can

keep going, and once they know that they have one
take in the can that is good enough, they will relax
and keep getting better and better.
Guide vocal
It is usually best to record basic tracks with a guide
vocal. This is so the band members have a reference
to play to, and so they will play better. The guide vocal
is normally recorded just in case it is so good that it
can be used as the final version, but in most cases it
will have to be replaced in an intensive vocal recording
session.
There is a problem however if any spill from the guide

vocal is picked up by any of the other mics - the most
sensitive being the drum overheads. If the finished
vocal is different in any way, perhaps if the melody
or lyrics are changed, or in the worst case a line or a
verse is cut, then the guide vocal will be audible in the
background. This is obviously not desirable.
A good example of this can be heard towards the end

of Led Zeppelins Whole Lotta Love. Another example,
this time of a phantom guitar, can be heard at the
end of The Whos Wont Get Fooled Again - both great
classic recordings, but clearly not technically perfect.
Overdubbing
When the tension of recording the backing track is
over, the overdubbing stage is where the creative
ideas hopefully flow thick and fast. Being creative
is fun as long as the ideas keep coming. Its when
the ideas stop flowing that everyone turns to the
producer. Usually, overdubs get off to a good start
and things seem to be going well. Thats because the
producer and the musicians are using up the stockpile
of ideas that has been built up during pre-production
and the early part of the recording process. There
will come a point however when it is obvious that the
recording needs something, but no-one knows quite
what that something is. Often it is very difficult to be
creative when you know the clock is ticking and you
are effectively flushing hundred dollar bills down the
lavatory, but there are strategies you can use to allow
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creativity to shine through. Here are a few ideas:
If you have recorded all the backing tracks for the

album before starting on the overdubs, then you can
skip backwards and forwards according to which song
you most feel like working on.
The individual band members may have their own

recording equipment. If not, multitrack recorders are
very cheap to buy, and immensely portable. Or they
can use a basic multitrack recording software on their
computers. Copy the backing tracks and send them
away to work on ideas instead of hanging around the
studios pool table. Tell them that you want as many
musical ideas as you can get - the crazier the better.
You can pick and choose later.
Unless you think there might be a clash of egos,

let the musicians swap instruments where possible.
The guitarist might bash out a simple idea on the
keyboard that the keyboard player himself might not
have thought of.
Encourage an attitude of being receptive to trying

things out. It is common for people to jump on an idea
and say that it wont work without giving it more than
a few seconds consideration. This hardly encourages
creativity. Have brainstorming sessions where all you
do is think of ideas, and no-one criticizes them until
later.
You may of course have the opposite problem, where

there are too many ideas and you need to refine
them down into something that is simple, but exactly
right for the song. This is very much more difficult
than it sounds, but if you listen closely to successful
records you will realize that they are often very simply
constructed. Dont underestimate how difficult it is
to achieve that simplicity. A successful producer is
someone who can encourage the generation of many
ideas, and then discard the vast majority of them
leaving only the ones that will blend together to create
the perfect sound.
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Instrument miking
Drums
Of all the acoustic and electric instruments used in
popular music, the engineer needs to know most
about the drum kit, and will have the most influence
over how it is set up and the way it is played. Unless
the drummer is experienced in studio work, most of
his effort will have gone towards getting a good live
sound (or rehearsal sound!). He or she may take some
persuasion that the kit itself needs to be adapted to
the requirements of the studio.
The three requisites for good drum recording:
A good kit
A good kit, well set up
A good drummer (who will be worth his or her
weight in platinum - a band can be a great
band if they have good songs, a good lead
performer and a good drummer. Everything
else is optional.)
Kick drum
As you know, this drum stands on its side and played
with a pedal. As standard, a kick drum comes with
two heads, which results in a boomy sound that lasts
too long. The remedy is to remove the front head
(and preferably the fittings as well as otherwise they
are just more metal bits to rattle) and put damping
material inside. A blanket forms convenient and
adjustable damping. A session drummer will dedicate
a kit to recording, so this will be no problem. Many
drummers however do not like the look of a kick drum
with its front head removed. A compromise is to cut a
hole in the front head. This will generally be sufficient
as long as the damping material can be placed inside
and there is access for adjustment.
The pedal may be fitted with a soft fluffy beater, a

hard leather-like beater or even a wooden beater.
Sometimes the beater has a choice of two surfaces
that can be rotated. Kick drum pedals are sometimes
found to squeak in operation. A drop of motor oil
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normally cures this - in an emergency perhaps even

cooking oil would do the trick.
Snare drum
The snare drum always has two heads, the lower
head having a number of curly snare wires tensioned
against it for added snap to the sound. The tension
of the snares can be adjusted, and they normally
can be released completely if desired, although the
characteristic snare drum sound is lost.
The tension of the top head is critical to the sound of

the snare drum. The drummer will normally have a
drum key, which engages with a number of tensioners
around the rim of the drum. Recording engineers
sometimes buy their own drum keys, just in case. The
head is generally tuned evenly all round to a pitch
that suits the size of the shell of the drum. If the head
is tuned too high or too low, the shell will not resonate
properly.
Just like the kick drum, the snare needs to be

damped. A snare drum may have an internal damping
mechanism but this is rarely as good as do-it-yourself
external damping. Damping can be achieved by
taping the corner of a piece of cloth to a section of
the head away from where the drummer is likely to
hit. Sometimes just a piece of gaffer tape is enough,
made into an omega-shaped loop. The sound of
the drum is affected by the quantity of damping
and positioning. Experimentation is the best guide.
Sometimes the snare wires need a bit of damping to
prevent them rattling in sympathy with other drums
or instruments.
Double miking the snare

The snare drum is considered to be so important
that it is sometimes given two mics. The snare drum
produces an approximately equal sound from both
sides, added to by the snare wires on the bottom
head.
But it is important to consider the relative motion of

the two heads. When the drummer strikes the top
head, it moves downwards. The air inside the drum
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pushes the bottom head down too.
This would cause an outward motion of the diaphragm

of the top mic, and an inward motion of the diaphragm
of the bottom mic. These would be out of phase, and
would cause cancellation when mixed together.
The solution is to press the phase button on the

channel of the bottom mic. This will ensure the two
signals add together constructively as they should
Toms
Toms, sometimes tautologically known as tom toms,
are sometimes double-headed, sometimes single-
headed. Since the toms emit a note that is almost -
but not quite - pitched, the drummer will give a good
deal of attention to their tuning. Normally each tom
is tuned evenly all round, but it is possible to tune it
evenly, then slacken off one key. This gives a sound
that falls in pitch, and is sometimes thought of as the
characteristic sound of the tom tom.
None of the toms should be tuned to the same pitch

as the snare drum. Why? Because every time that tom
is hit, the snare drum will vibrate in sympathy and the
snare wires will rattle. As a point of perfection, the
snare drum should ideally be tuned to a pitch that is
halfway between adjacent notes in the musical scale.
Otherwise it is likely that during the recording of basic
tracks the snare wires will rattle in response to a
certain note played on the bass guitar.
Cymbals
A typical drum kit will have four cymbals: crash, ride,
and a pair of hihat cymbals on a pedal-operated stand.
The crash and ride cymbals sound different and have
different musical functions, but they are normally not
treated any differently. It is important to have good
cymbals since it is impossible to make a bad cymbal
sound good. A recording engineer working in a demo
studio might even have his own pair of hihat cymbals,
which are the most important, just to be sure.
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Drum microphone technique

The smallest number of mics necessary to record a
drum kit is, amazingly, just one. Many fine recordings
from the 1950s and 1960s have been made in this
way. Two can be used for stereo, although by this time
it is probably worth adding a mic specifically for the
kick drum.
The currently conventional way to record a drum is

to use a mic for each drum, one for the hihat and
two overhead mics. So a five drum kit would require
eight mics. It is significant that mic placement for
live work is likely to use lower overhead mics in the
interest of preventing feedback, so observation of live
or broadcast positioning can be misleading.
Microphone recommendations would be for a purpose-

designed kick drum mic, such as the AKG D112, for
the kick drum; dynamic mics for the rest of the drums,
capacitor microphones for the hihat and overheads.
Actual mic positioning is an art that cant easily be
described with precision.
Experimentation will tell you that the closer the mic is

to the head, the more slappy the sound; the further
away it is the more it picks up the vibration of the shell
and the resonance of the air within. This is normally
better, but of course each mic will pick up more spill
from the other drums.
With regard to the hihat, the mic should point down

at the edge of the top cymbal, away from the side on
which it is hit. Go too close to the bell of the cymbal
and you will get a more attacking sound, which is
generally not required. Go too low at the edge and
the mic might receive the puff of air that is squeezed
out each time the pedal is operated.
For recording, the overheads are normally

symmetrically positioned, spaced apart well above
the kit, for an overall wide stereo pickup. You can try
a crossed pair in the center, but this will probably give
a more pinched, less open sound. The overhead
mics should be well above the plane of the cymbals.
Otherwise as the cymbal tips up and down, the sound
will get alternately louder and quieter.
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It is significant is that the mics should be as far

away from each other as possible, to minimize spill.
Spill occurs where the sound of one drum enters a
microphone intended for another drum. Of course
spill is inevitable, but best practice is to minimize it as
much as possible. It is also worth angling mics away
from each other as much as possible.
When mixing the kit, it is quite possible that the tuning

of one of the drums will produce a wavelength which
is twice the distance to another mic. Hence the sound
will reach that mic polarity inverted with respect to
the drums own mic, causing cancellation. This is
not a predictable effect so it is worthwhile trying out
the phase button on each channel in turn, while the
drummer plays the whole kit, to see if any one will
provide a subjectively beneficial effect.
The piano
When it comes to mankinds greatest inventions, the
grand piano is right up there with the bicycle. The
piano is such a versatile instrument that it can be
used in almost any kind of music. The first thing to
recognize is what a grand piano looks like.
You will notice from the photograph that the casing,

and therefore the strings, are horizontal - in contrast
with the upright version of the piano. It is actually
very difficult to get a good recording of an upright
piano, generally because 99% of the upright pianos
you will ever come across are in such bad shape that
they are unrecordable. However, when someone buys
a grand piano and takes the trouble to maintain it, it
is because they want a great sounding piano. If it has
been tuned recently, it will almost certainly be capable
of providing a great recording.
Many engineers approach the piano from the point of

view of, Where are the strings?. Having found where
they are, they put the microphone inside the piano
pointing directly at them. This provides the classic
popular music piano sound. Position a microphone
close-up between the music stand and the stick and
you will get this sound.
The drawback of this is a) that it doesnt sound like
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a piano really sounds, and b) that it is over-bright

and picks up the sound of the mechanical parts of the
piano (the action). You can achieve a much fuller and
weightier sound by positioning the mics about 50 cm
from the end of the piano pointing horizontally towards
the player, seeing the strings at just a glancing angle.
This doesnt sound like a piano really sounds either,
but it sounds great on a recording. If you want to hear
the piano as a member of the audience would at a
classical recital, point the mics at the lid from a height
no higher than the edge of the casing. The sound of
the piano is meant to be heard via reflection from the
lid. No member of the audience would ever see the
strings, except in a large auditorium with a balcony.
It is also worth saying that it is feasible to place a

microphone under a piano, pointing upwards at the
sound board. The sound is better than you would
think, although a heavy footed pianist can create
considerable pedal noise.
A grand piano can also be played with the lid closed,

or supported by a short stick. Neither of these options
allows the piano to sound at its best and should be
avoided. However, the short stick position is tolerable
if there is a pressing reason why it should be used -
such as a live recording of a recital by a classical singer
plus piano accompaniment. When the lid is closed, it
is a question of working out where the best sound is
managing to escape from and recording that.
A question: In the stereo image of the recording,

should the high notes be on the right, or on the left?
One answer is that it depends on whether the recording
is meant to be from the perspective of the pianist, or
the audience. To a pianist, the high notes are on the
right. To the audience however, the low notes extend
all the way to the right of the instrument while the
high notes are created by the very shortest strings
which extend only a few centimeters from the left.
You will find however that if you place the mics close
to the piano, the notes will be somewhat jumbled in
the stereo image. This is because in most pianos the
strings cross over so that they can be longer for a
given casing length.
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Acoustic guitar
The acoustic guitar can be surprisingly difficult
instrument to record. First you need a great guitar,
and be warned that even a designer-label Martin or
Gibson doesnt guarantee that a really good recording
is possible. Its down to individual examples. Given a
great guitar, a good player, and new strings that have
just settled in, then you need to choose and position
the microphone(s) appropriately. Without doubt,
capacitor microphones capture a more accurate sound
but dynamic mics can give the rock and roll acoustic
sound typical of recordings of bands like The Rolling
Stones and The Who (many people who know this
music cant remember hearing an acoustic guitar -
take another listen!).
The obvious mic position is to point the mic directly at

the sound hole. Unfortunately, this tends to result in
a boomy sound. Not just bassy but having excessive
resonance in the bass end. Moving the mic so that it
is not directly in front of the sound hole but points
at it from an angle usually improves matters. Many
engineers consider the sweet spot of the guitar to be
the fret board, halfway between the point where the
neck joins the body and the edge of the sound hole.
This is usually good for a single mic, although you
always have to be prepared to experiment with mic
distance, position and angle.
Often it is good to mic a guitar in stereo. A coincident

crossed pair will give a sound that is nearly always
better than a single mic in mono, and has the
advantage that the sound can be collapsed into mono
perfectly, although then it will then sound no better
than a mono mic. Separating the mics can give a big
stereo sound, but then mono compatibility will suffer.
In short, there is no magic solution to getting a

great recording of an acoustic guitar. These are the
basics, but beyond this its down to individual cases.
Experimentation will provide the answer.
Electric guitar
Obviously, you will be miking the cabinet and not
the guitar! Generally, the sound of a dynamic mic is
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considered to be the electric guitar sound, although

occasionally a dynamic mic might pick up hum from
the mains transformer whereas a capacitor mic will
not. If this happens, consider placing the mic as far
away from the mains transformer as is consistent with
the sound you are looking for (you can filter out most
of the hum).
The choice here is basically between the center of the

cone and the edge of the cone. The center will give
a clean sound, but often the more distorted sound of
the edge is what is required. Guitar loudspeaker drive
units are designed so that the cone bends at the edge
(in fact the design hasnt been improved to eliminate
bending since the 1960s - deliberately).
DI (direct injection)
To DI an electric or electronic instrument means to
connect it to the mixing console without using an
amplifier or microphone. An active DI box boosts the
signal to line level, increases the electrical current drive
capability (an electric guitar has a high impedance
output that can only supply a small current), and
balances the signal to avoid interference being picked
up in the cable from the DI box to the console (which
is of particular relevance in live performance). Some
active DI boxes can be powered from phantom power,
avoiding the need for an internal battery. In this case,
of course, they must be connected to the mic input.
A passive DI box contains only a transformer and is
connected to a mic input. The voltage of the signal is
reduced by the transformer, at the same time reducing
the output impedance and increasing the current
capability.
DI boxes often feature an earth lift switch. The earth

should remain connected unless a hum is heard. This
indicates an earth loop caused by two connections to
earth within the system. Lifting the earth on the DI
box removes one of them and eliminates the earth
loop.
Live recording
In an amplified live performance, the mics and DIs
on stage connect to the stage box. The stage box
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connects to a multitrack cable taking the signals to

the front of house (FOH) console.
To make a multitrack recording of the performance,

it is necessary to use a stage box that incorporates a
splitter for each channel, so that each mic or DI can
feed two destinations. One will be the FOH console,
the other will be the recording console, probably in a
truck outside.
An alternative is to use the insert send of each channel

of the console. Bear in mind that special cables may
be necessary, and if the FOH engineer adjusts the
gain (and on some consoles the EQ), this will affect
the recording.
The FOH consoles channel direct outputs will not be

suitable because they are usually downstream of the
faders.
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Classical and Orchestral

Recording
IMPORTANT: The techniques covered in this section
can be applied to any ensemble of acoustic instruments
or voices, for CD release, film or TV, and orchestral
instruments used in popular music recording.
Classical music
The first thought that comes to mind is that orchestras
play classical music. That is of course so, and classical
music is commonly thought to be a minority activity. In
terms of sales of recordings however, classical music
has a very strong niche and is well worth considering
for its money earning potential.
Classical music has a long history, dating back around

400 years or so. The term Classical in fact only refers
to a relatively short time period, between around
1750 and 1800. Key classical composers are Haydn,
Mozart and the young Beethoven. True classical music
Josef Haydn
is characterized by a simple melody supported by a
functional accompaniment. The orchestra is similar to
todays orchestra only smaller, consisting of perhaps
25-35 musicians rather than 50-60.
Before the Classical period was Baroque music,

which tended to be more decorated and ornate, like
Baroque architecture. The Classical period in fact
was a reaction to what people saw as an excess of
decoration in Baroque music. Baroque composers used
counterpoint, where all the instruments had melodies
to play, and these melodies would be interwoven in a
complex pattern. The key Baroque composers (actually
late Baroque) are Handel and Bach. The orchestra was
not standardized at this stage and composers tended
to write for whatever musicians were available.
Both Baroque and Classical period composers were

professionals doing a job. They composed music
to order, and it wasnt required that they put their
personal feelings and emotions into their music, nor
was it important for each work to be all that different. Ludwig von Beethoven
Any one symphony by Haydn does actually sound
Page 18
rather like any other symphony by Haydn, and he

wrote over a hundred. From the period of Beethoven
(born 1770) onwards, composers started to put their
feelings and emotions into their work, and to make
each piece distinctly different. This period is called
the Romantic period. There isnt a defined end to the
Romantic period, as composers used this style well
into the 20th Century, even as new styles of music
were being developed. Key Romantic composers are
Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Mahler.
In the early 20th Century, some composers started

to feel that all possible music had been written, and
that a major change in style was required. Therefore
the old system of scales and harmonies was thrown
out and a new system, called Twelve Tone, brought
in. Key figures are Schoenberg, Berg and Webern.
We often talk about 20th Century music to mean
music that is found by most people to be intensely
unpleasant to listen to. Only other 20th Century
composers seem to be able to derive any pleasure Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
from it. Other composers in the 20th Century, such
as Debussy and Ravel, became impressionists and
wrote music that captured the essence of a real-world
scene. This music is still very popular.
Film music
Film music as we know it today has been around since
the 1930s when synchronized sound first became
possible. The orchestra was the most versatile
instrument available at the time, hence it was used
for nearly every film until the 1970s when rock music
soundtracks and the use of popular songs became
commonplace. From 1980s, the synthesizer became
versatile enough to be used as a significant contributor
to film music. Nevertheless, much film music today
is written for orchestra, now plus synthesizers and
samplers, simply because it is still the best and most
versatile instrument there is.
Examples of film music composers are Bernard

Herrmann, John Williams and Hans Zimmer
Gustav Mahler
Page 19
Popular music
The orchestra is commonly used, usually in a reduced
form, to accompany popular music. It seems that
every new popular music style starts at the grassroots
or street level and then moves over to mainstream. At
some point, an adventurous producer will say, I think
we should add strings. String sections are most often
used because they add a texture that is impossible
to achieve with guitars, synthesizers and samplers.
Brass sections also add vigor and excitement in a
different way to the usual popular music instruments.
Other wind instruments are not so commonly used.
The instruments of orchestral

music
Violin family
The violin family consists, in order of increasing size,
of violin, viola, cello and double bass. In the orchestra,
the violins are split into two sections: first violins and
second violins, although the instruments themselves Film composer Bernard Herrman
are identical. The first violin section, to take an
example, consists of anything up to ten players. String
instruments sound richer when several are played
together. It is also necessary to use multiple players
to match the sound levels of the wind instruments.
String instruments can be very valuable. It is a golden

rule of professional music making never to touch
anyone elses instrument, or even its case. A basic
professional instrument might cost $10,000 or more.
Many orchestral players will have instruments worth
$30,000 or more. Each individual instrument has
its own character and can never be replaced by an
Violin
identical instrument.
Woodwind
The woodwind section consists of flute, oboe, clarinet
and bassoon. The saxophone is classed as a woodwind
instrument because it is very similar to the clarinet,
although it was developed too recently to become a
regular in the orchestra. There are also other versions
of each main woodwind instrument. The piccolo is a
small, high-pitched flute. The cor anglais (English horn)
Page 20
is a larger, richer sounding oboe. The bass clarinet is

an instrument with a similar function to the bassoon,
but sounding like a clarinet. The contrabassoon is a
large, lower pitched bassoon.
In a modern orchestra, there are normally three players

of each type of instrument. One player will normally
double on the alternative instrument, as above. Each
player has his or her own individual musical part, in
contrast to the string players who all (in each section)
play the same notes.
Brass
The brass section consists of the trumpet, trombone,
tuba and French horn. Actually, in classical music,
the French horn is just called a horn. One interesting
point about the horn is that it points away from the
audience. In recording, special consideration has to Contrabassoon
be given to this - either place a mic behind the horn
section or use reflecting panels to direct the sound
forwards.
Percussion
The percussion section consists primarily of timpani
(formerly known as kettle drums), side drum (similar
to a popular music snare drum), cymbals (played
by crashing two together) and bass drum (much
larger than a popular music kick drum, and never
kicked!). Apart from the timpani which do produce a
vaguely pitched note, these are all known as untuned
percussion. In the untuned category there are also
the triangle, wood blocks, and even the whip.
The tuned percussion instruments are the xylophone,

marimba, glockenspiel and occasionally vibraphone. (French) horn
Other occasional orchestral

instruments
The harp is commonly used starting from the Romantic
period. Sometimes there are two. The piano sometimes
features as an orchestral instrument (as opposed to
solo instrument, where it is common). There are also
the saxophone, celeste, pipe organ and others.
Page 21
The voice in classical music

The classical singing voice comes in several varieties:
Soprano is the highest female voice. Can be

very loud and piercing
Mezzo-soprano is the medium female voice.
Outside of opera, this voice is often called alto
Contralto is a rich, deep female voice, rarely
heard these days
Tenor is the highest pitched normal male voice
Baritone is the medium male voice
Bass is a rich, deep, low-pitched male voice.
There are other voices:
Boy soprano or treble: the voice of a boy

before puberty
Castrato: Until the late 19th Century, a boy
who showed promise as a singer might have
his testicles removed so that his voice would
never break and remain high pitched
Counter Tenor: Since it is no longer acceptable
to convert boy sopranos to castrati, some men
train and specialize in high-pitched singing. It
Castrato Luigi Marchesi
doesnt, however, sound quite the same as a
castrato.
Page 22
Instrumental groupings
Orchestra
The orchestra consists of the instruments listed
previously. For some music, it may be combined
with a chorus of singers. There are many pieces of
classical music written for soloist and orchestra. The
most common solo instruments are the violin, piano,
and the human voice. Other instruments occasionally
appear as soloists.
String quartet
Many composers have written for the string quartet,
which consists of first violin, second violin, viola and
cello. Note that the double bass does not appear.
Other combinations such as string trio, string quintet
etc. are occasionally heard. There are combinations
which include wind instruments, although none are
standard.
Soloist and accompaniment

It is common for a solo voice or instrument to be
accompanied by a piano.
Solo instrument
Instruments that work well as solo instruments include
the piano, classical guitar, organ and harp. Other
instruments are not so suitable as solo instruments
because they can either play only one note at a time
(woodwind and brass), or the possible combinations
of notes are very limited (strings).
Page 23
The forms of classical music

The three-minute pop song is perhaps the most popular
musical form. However, classical music encompasses
a wide variety of forms, songs included.
The examples given below are of highly regarded

pieces of classical music that are approachable by
newcomers to classical music.
Symphony
A substantial work for full orchestra usually lasting
from twenty-five to fifty minutes. The symphony is
generally divided into four movements:
First movement: If the symphony were a meal, the

first movement would be the meat and potatoes. It is
serious, substantial, filling, sometimes a little tough to
digest. You could be satisfied by this alone. In music
however, no animals are harmed other than cats.
Second movement. The second movement is generally

slow and lyrical.
Third movement: This is generally a dance piece, in the

sense of dances that were popular during the golden
age of classical music. In the true Classical period,
the minuet was popular, hence the third movement
of a symphony would be a minuet. Later, the more
energetic scherzo was used. In the Romantic period,
dance music gave way to a generally light and cheerful
style.
Fourth movement or finale: This movement is generally

a fast and furious crowd pleaser. All the heavy stuff
has gone before and engaged every emotion. The third
movement was a lightweight snack (or it would be,
according to the food analogy). The finale is designed
to send people away with smiles on their faces.
Suggested listening example: Beethovens Fifth

Symphony
Concerto
The concerto has many aspects in common with the
symphony. The exceptions are that the concerto is
for solo instrument and orchestra, and the third
Page 24
movement that the symphony has is omitted. The

concerto is designed as a vehicle for the soloist to
show off what they can do. Concertos are generally
more popular with the average member of the public
than are symphonies.
Suggested listening example: Mendelssohns Violin

Concerto
Opera
An opera is a theater drama set to music. It is intended
to be performed in a theater rather than a concert
hall (although it may be given a concert performance
where no acting takes place). The soloists and chorus
are on stage, with the orchestra out of the sight of
much of the audience in the orchestra pit.
An opera may have two or three acts, between which

the curtain is lowered and the audience takes a break.
The total duration is from two to three hours.
Suggested listening example: Turandot, by Puccini Staging of Turandot by Puccini
Oratorio
An oratorio is a substantial piece for vocal soloists,
chorus and orchestra with a religious theme.
Suggested listening example: The Messiah, by

Handel
Sonata
A sonata is a piece for solo piano, or for a solo
instrument and piano accompaniment. In form it is
similar to a symphony, although of shorter duration
and commonly lacking a dance movement.
Suggested listening example: Violin Sonata, by

Franck
String quartet
As well as being one of the standard classical
ensembles, it is also the name of a musical form.
It is similar to a symphony and commonly has four
movements.
Suggested listening example: String Quartet, by
Page 25
Ravel
Other musical forms

Concert overture: A substantial and entertaining one-
movement piece for orchestra of duration five to ten
minutes.
Suggested listening example: The 1812 Overture, by

Tchaikovsky
Tone poem: A narrative piece for orchestra of duration

ten to twenty minutes outlining the plot of a story.
Suggested listening example: Danse Macabre, by

Saint-Saens
Theme and variations: For any instrumental

combination, a simple tune is performed, followed by
a sequence of reworkings of that tune.
Suggested listening example: The Young Persons

Guide to the Orchestra, by Britten
Song: Classical music has songs just like popular

music, sometimes lightweight, sometimes serious.
Suggested listening example: Der Erlkonig, by

Schubert (a knowledge of German or a translation
of the lyrics is required for full enjoyment of this
Cronenberg-esque horror!).
Page 26
Classical music performance

Classical music is performed in a purpose-built concert
hall. It is also performed on a local level in churches,
community centers and schools (for the public after
class). There are two forms:
A concert is given by an orchestra or group of

instruments and voices. A recital is given by a
solo instrument, or solo instrument plus piano
accompaniment. In both cases there are two halves
separated by an interval. At the end of the second
half, there may encores where additional music, not
listed on the program, is played. Encores are more
common at recitals than concerts.
The plan of an orchestral concert is as follows:
30 minutes before the concert is scheduled

to start, the audience will be allowed in and
start to occupy their seats. (Oddly enough,
although the two time periods of the concert
are called halves, this 30-minute period is also
sometimes known as the half, because it is
half an hour).
At the scheduled start time, the orchestra will
assemble on stage minus the leader, the leader
being the person in charge of the first violin
section
The leader will arrive on stage and will receive
applause
The conductor and soloist (if any) will arrive on
stage and will receive applause
The conductor will raise his baton, the
orchestra will prepare to start playing, and the
audience will become silent.
The first piece will start, which could typically
be a concerto or concert overture. If the piece
has more than one movement, there will
usually be no applause between movements
At the end of the first piece, the audience
will applaud and the conductor, after
acknowledging the applause, will temporarily
leave the stage
One more piece of music, followed by an
Page 27
interval
Second half, typically a substantial symphony
If the second half is of a more lightweight
nature, there may be an encore after the final
applause.
Classical music personnel

Composer: Once a humble but talented employee of
a nobleman or rich person, now considered to be a
creative genius to be revered. The ultimate accolade
for a composer is to be known by family name only
Conductor: Assuming a god-like status, the conductor

is worshipped by fans and feared by musicians
Orchestral musicians: People who love to play their

instruments and are paid to do so. Known to complain
a lot, but not as much as opera chorus singers
Opera chorus singers: Like orchestral musicians,

except they cant play an instrument and have to act
(a bit)
Soloists: A dream job if you are good enough. You

get to play your instrument, receive admiration from
the audience, travel the world and get well paid. Of
course, you have to do lots of solitary practice too
Orchestral contractor (fixer): Employment agent for

Conductor Herbert von Karajan
musicians for performances or recordings. Commonly
a musician himself or herself, he or she is known to
carry a notebook containing lots of telephone numbers
in very small writing.
Classical music recording

Classical recording may be done under studio or live
conditions. It is quite rare that an actual studio is
used. Usually, recording under studio conditions is
done on location wherever there happen to be good
acoustics:
Concert hall: The concert hall is the natural

environment for classical music, therefore in theory
it should be suitable. However, concert hall managers
are in the business of performance, and recording will
not often be practical. Of course, live recordings are
Page 28
almost always made in concert halls. Example: Queen

Elizabeth Hall, London
Theater: Theaters, of the traditional design, are quite

unsuitable for classical music recording. If the orchestra
is assembled on the stage, the sound disappears up
into the fly tower and all that is left is a thin, weak
impression of what the music should really be like. The
orchestra pit in a theatre is meant to allow singers on
the stage to dominate, hence the sound would not be
suitable for an orchestral recording. Example: Royal
Opera House, London
Church: Some churches are good for classical

recording, although they are generally in the business
of religious worship so are not always available. Often
though, the stone interior is too reverberant for the
size of the building. It is polite when working in places
of worship to adhere to the code of conduct and dress
of the particular religion concerned (for example, when
working in a synagogue, you may be asked to wear a
skull cap, whether or not you are Jewish). Example:
St. Giles Cripplegate, London
Watford Town Hall (photo courtesy
Town hall: Interestingly, a few town halls sometimes AudioEase, creators of Altiverb)
have the perfect combination of size, shape and wood
paneled interiors and are exactly right for classical
music recording. Example: Watford Town Hall.
All professional classical music recording involves a

producer and an engineer. The role of the producer
is to make sure that the recording is made to a
marketable standard both musically and technically.
He or she liaises with the conductor to make sure the
performance is good, and liaises with the engineer
to make sure that the recording is good, and that
the sound of the orchestra is properly captured in
the recording. The producer probably has a musical
qualification. Either they are a musician who has
studied at a music academy, or they have a university
degree in music. Either way, a deep understanding of
music, and the performance of music, is required.
A classical music recording location is set up very much

like a normal recording studio, albeit temporarily.
The main auditorium is of course the recording
area, but there also has to be a control room that
Page 29
is acoustically separate from the recording area. This

can be anywhere in the building; for broadcast it is
normally a purpose-designed outside-broadcast (OB)
vehicle. But the further away from the recording area
it is, the longer the cable run will be, and there will
be a definite feeling of isolation between musicians
and technicians, despite intercoms and possibly even
a video link.
The role of the producer:

Select a suitable location for the recording
Perhaps have an involvement in the selection
of the orchestra or musicians
Have an involvement in the selection of the
engineer (although the record company might
stipulate which engineer is to be used in order
to maintain consistency among products)
Liaise with the conductor and engineer to plan
the recording in terms of which parts of the
music will be recorded first (it can be edited
into the correct order later), and the placement
of the musicians within the recording space.
Liaise with the conductor on which version
of the score (the written music) will be used.
Often, scores come in slightly different versions
from different publishers (with different errors)
Liaise with the conductor and engineer during
the recording on the quality of the sound and
the quality of the performance
Listen for performance errors - wrong notes etc
Make sure all the music has been recorded -
its easy to miss something when the music is
recorded out of sequence
Log all takes (actually the role of the assistant
producer) with take number, which section of
the piece has been recorded, where on the
tape the take starts and finishes, comment
on the quality of the take. Indicate FS (false
start), NG (no good) etc.
Deliver a marketable product to the record
company.
The session will start with a period of rehearsal during
Page 30
which sound checks can be made. Of course, all the

microphones will have been set out and checked before
the musicians even started to arrive. The conductor
will often check the recorded sound before starting on
the first actual take.
When music that isnt familiar to the musicians is

recorded, often there will be a so-called rehearse-
record procedure, where recording starts at the
beginning of the music - a section is rehearsed, then
recorded. Then the next section is rehearsed, then
recorded. And so on until the recording is complete.
Obviously the producer has to keep track of time.
It generally takes three three-hour sessions to record

a complete CD of music.
After the recording session, the producer will listen to

all the takes and decide which are to be used in the
finished recording.
Editing is important because the finished recorded

performance has to be note-perfect. Although a
misplayed or badly delivered note can be acceptable
in live performance, because it is here one moment
and gone the next, it is irritating to have to listen
repeatedly to the same wrong note, lack of ensemble
(instruments not playing at the same time), or poor
delivery over and over again.
Beyond this, classical music recording is very

competitive - dozens of recordings of Beethovens Fifth
Symphony are available, for example. It is vital to get
the best out of every take recorded at the session.
Some purists reject this notion and say that editing
takes the life out of the performance, but they are
very much in a minority.
Editing is often carried out by someone who specializes

in that task. The producer will advise on which sections
of which takes are to be used, the editor will decide on
exact edit points to ensure that no edit is audible. It is
often difficult to find suitable edit points.
Editing of classical music recordings is extensive. Even

in the days of tape editing, one would expect an edit
on average once every 30 seconds. With hard disk
editing being so much more flexible one would expect
Page 31
edits to be even more frequent. There are still some

limitations in editing:
It is not possible to edit between takes that are at

different tempi
It is not always possible to edit between takes where

the tuning is different. (This might happen, for
instance, in a recording of classical guitar, since the
tuning of the instrument is a subjective rather than
a precise procedure, or of an unaccompanied choir,
where the pitch tends to drop during the course of
the piece)
Care has to be taken over reverb tails. Cutting

through the reverberation can result in a bump where
the reverberation suddenly increases or decreases in
level
It is not feasible to cut through the decay portion of

piano notes. It will sound as though the note is played
again.
Musicians and recording

Classical musicians in the UK are all members of
the Musicians Union and work according to strict
conditions that have been proven to work well for
record companies and musicians alike. Here is a rough
outline (similar rules are common elsewhere in the
world):
Sessions last two hours or three hours. A three hour

session can be extended, with the musicians consent,
by up to half an hour.
Sessions start at exactly the correct time. Musicians

are ready to blow or scrape as necessary. Likewise,
they finish at the correct time too, even halfway
through a take.
There has to be a mid-session break. There are certain

limits on when this break can be taken.
Only twenty-two minutes of recording from each

session can be used on the final CD.
Page 32
Classical music engineering

The role of the engineer
The engineer is more of a technician than musician,
although a respect for classical music is important.
The engineers ears are very much more finely tuned
to the subtleties of sound than are the producers.
Musicians tend to hear what they think they ought
to be hearing. They can hear a wrong note; they can
hear a poor performance, but they cant always hear
poor sound. It is up to the engineer to take complete
control over that aspect of the recording. It should be
the producers job to make sure that a good engineer
has been hired for the job, and then let him or her get
on with it. If the producer does happen to insist that
the engineer does something that he or she would not
have chosen to do, it is generally to the detriment of
the recording.
The engineer decides in advance, in consultation with

the producer, how the orchestra will be set out in the
recording area; how many microphones and which
types, and produces a plot of the microphone layout
so that his or her assistant can set out the mics well
before the session begins. The engineer will often fine
tune the position of the mics himself. The engineer
will also be responsible for specifying the recording
equipment to be used, and arranging its hire if
necessary. The engineer will set recording levels, mix
the signals from the microphones directly into stereo
(unless there is a requirement for extra flexibility after
the session, such as in opera, or a complex piece of
20th Century music, when a multitrack recording may
be made). The engineer will also provide playbacks as
required by the producer, and label tapes/disks and
their storage containers.
Equipment
Microphones are generally small-diaphragm capacitor
microphones, which are favored for their accurate
sound. Manufacturers that are particularly noted
for classical recording are Sennheiser, Schoeps, and
DPA. Microphone stands of up to four meters high are
used.
Page 33
The mixing console is small, portable and commonly

digital. It generally doesnt need to have many
channels. It would be rare to use more than fifteen or
so microphones for an orchestra.
Classical music is recorded onto the highest quality

digital format available, capable of 24-bit resolution,
192 kHz sampling rate. Direct Stream Digital
recording is also used, which is arguably even more
of a purist technique.
Examples include the Genex GX9000. It isnt always

considered important to have large numbers of tracks
available. Classical music recording engineers pride
themselves on their ability to mix and record directly
onto a stereo format. In difficult situations, such as
opera, up to eight tracks may be used. Broadcasters
sometimes use full scale multitrack recording systems
in order to make the process more reliable, and some
of the engineers skill is eliminated. The final result is Genex Audio GX9000 high-quality 8-track
not likely however to be quite as good. (It has to be recorder
said that when multiple tracks are available, despite
the classical tradition of recording to stereo, it is
an easy decision to make to use more tracks, thus
making a separate mixing session necessary. The
problem then is - do you mix all the takes, or do you
decide on edit points before mixing? So many fine
recordings have been made directly to stereo, one
cant help but wonder whether multitrack can really
make an improvement).
Monitor loudspeakers are often large high-end hi-fi

loudspeakers as these produce the most accurate
sound.
Compressors may be used for operatic singers,

particular soprano. Although classical singers train to
even out differences between the high notes, which
tend to be louder, and low notes, which tend to be
quieter, it is still often of benefit to use a compressor
to control dynamic range. This is particularly true
of the soprano voice, which can be very loud in the
higher register. It is advisable to be ready to switch in
a -10 or -20 dB pad in the microphone!
A digital reverb unit might improve the sound of an

acoustically poor venue, although really such a venue
Page 34
should not have been chosen in the first place. A digital

reverberation unit may be used in broadcasting in
order to make setup easier and achieve an acceptable
result more quickly.
There is no requirement for amplification of any kind

for classical music recording. Strangely enough,
this is a common misconception. To resolve another
common misconception (also strange but true) -
there is no audience at a recording made under studio
conditions.
Page 35
Check Questions
Recording a band
What are basic tracks?
What are overdubs?
What is a guide vocal?
What is foldback?
Why is foldback necessary?
From where in the channel modules are the foldback signals derived?
Why should the engineer check the foldback mix on headphones?
Describe the significance of spill from the guide vocal.
What is a track sheet?
What is a scribble strip?
What is the advantage of writing a scribble strip on masking tape?
Comment on the process of editing together various takes of basic tracks.
What is a punch-in (drop in)?
What problem can there be in punching in on an instrument that was recorded amongst the
basic tracks?
Comment on the alternative methods of a) recording and finishing one track at a time, and b)
recording the basic tracks for all the songs on an album before starting to overdub.
In a live recording, where are the signal feeds to the multitrack recording console derived?
Describe the preparation of a kick drum for recording.
Describe the preparation of a snare drum for recording.
Comment on the positioning and phasing of drum mics.
What corrective operation should be performed to the signal from the microphone on the
lower head of a double-miked snare drum?
Describe one of the possible microphone positions for a piano.
Why, according to the text, is it incorrect to position piano mics so that they point directly at
the strings, if a natural sound as heard by an audience is required?
Describe one of the possible microphone positions for an acoustic guitar.
Describe the possible microphone positions for an electric guitar.
What is DI?
Classical and Orchestral Music

Briefly describe the music of the Baroque period.
Briefly describe the music of the Classical period.
Briefly describe the music of the Romantic period.
Briefly describe the music of the 20th Century, other than late Romantic and Impressionist
Page 36
music.
Comment on the role of string instruments in the orchestra.
Comment on the way wind instruments are used in the orchestra.
Describe the classical female singing voices.
Describe the classical male singing voices.
Briefly describe the structure of a symphony.
What instruments are used in a concerto?
Summarize the events that take place during a classical music concert.
Where are classical music recordings generally made (under session conditions)?
Briefly describe two aspects of the role of the producer.
Briefly describe two aspects of the role of the engineer.
Comment on the benefit provided by the discipline of orchestral musicians.
Describe two factors that might prevent an edit being made at a particular point in a recording.
In what situations would it be genuinely useful to record to multitrack?
Page 37

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Audio Masterclass Music Production and Sound Engineering Course

Module 09: Recording

Tracking & overdubbing

Setting up to record the backing track takes some time,

all the backing tracks for an album before starting

If the band is entirely acoustic, and all the instruments

It is worth noting that the headphones in a recording

problem cannot occur.

During this part of the set up process, the assistant

Setting up the other instruments and the mic for the

How many takes?

skill comes in. Probably the most important part of the

If the band has lost the rhythm at one point in a take,

another go on another day. Other bands really can

There is a problem however if any spill from the guide

A good example of this can be heard towards the end

creativity to shine through. Here are a few ideas:

If you have recorded all the backing tracks for the

The individual band members may have their own

Unless you think there might be a clash of egos,

Encourage an attitude of being receptive to trying

You may of course have the opposite problem, where

The three requisites for good drum recording:

The pedal may be fitted with a soft fluffy beater, a

normally cures this - in an emergency perhaps even

The tension of the top head is critical to the sound of

Just like the kick drum, the snare needs to be

Double miking the snare

But it is important to consider the relative motion of

pushes the bottom head down too.

This would cause an outward motion of the diaphragm

The solution is to press the phase button on the

None of the toms should be tuned to the same pitch

Drum microphone technique

The currently conventional way to record a drum is

Microphone recommendations would be for a purpose-

Experimentation will tell you that the closer the mic is

With regard to the hihat, the mic should point down

For recording, the overheads are normally

It is significant is that the mics should be as far

When mixing the kit, it is quite possible that the tuning

You will notice from the photograph that the casing,

Many engineers approach the piano from the point of

The drawback of this is a) that it doesnt sound like

a piano really sounds, and b) that it is over-bright

It is also worth saying that it is feasible to place a

A grand piano can also be played with the lid closed,

A question: In the stereo image of the recording,

The obvious mic position is to point the mic directly at

Often it is good to mic a guitar in stereo. A coincident

In short, there is no magic solution to getting a

considered to be the electric guitar sound, although

The choice here is basically between the center of the

DI boxes often feature an earth lift switch. The earth

connects to a multitrack cable taking the signals to

To make a multitrack recording of the performance,

An alternative is to use the insert send of each channel

The FOH consoles channel direct outputs will not be

Classical and Orchestral

Classical music has a long history, dating back around

Before the Classical period was Baroque music,

Both Baroque and Classical period composers were

rather like any other symphony by Haydn, and he

In the early 20th Century, some composers started