| The
recording session is obviously the most important part
of the whole process and there are a number that you
can do to ensure everything goes according to plan.
Take a look at the page on Preparation on
the website to see first of all how you should approach
the recording session.
The
modern mobile recording studio now comes complete on
a laptop computer with a series of connecting boxes
and a selection of microphones and stands. On the day
of the recording I will arrive in plenty of time to
set up though really all the gear can be set up now
inside an hour unless we need to run really long cable
runs and the musicians can be warming up while this
goes on. Once everything is in place then we will record
a couple of short pieces to check for levels and microphone
placement and when we are all happy then the recording
session will start. I will record the first piece and
then will sit and listen back with the MD and a score
and mark any parts that can be done better. If the piece
is not really that good (nerves etc) then we may do
the whole piece again and then check with the score.
Any edits will then be done a number of times if necessary
to ensure that we have everything covered . Modern Digital
editing enables us to drop in a single
word or even a single note though of course you may
want to go back to the beginning of a phrase to get
the feel of the piece but the days of going over the
whole piece time and time again are long gone.
That
is really how the day will progress and it is hard work
to keep concentration to get the best result. Obviously
regular breaks need to be planned and of course for
brass players there is only a limit to how long they
can blow before their lips begin to go and brass recordings
are always best done over a two day session.
My
aim is to be able to walk away from the session knowing
that for every bar of the score I have a good take on
the system knowing that I can edit it togetherback in
the studio to get a great result
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