Location
sound recording or mobile audio recording has
its own set of rules and problems that set it apart from more
conventional studio recording but fortunately it has one huge
advantage over recording in a studio and that is size. Live
concert recording is always done in a large good sounding
venue and no matter what they say, size does matter and amazingly
things can even be too big!
The
whole point of location
sound recording is to enable a large ensemble
like a choir, orchestra or brass band to create a blend of
the direct sound of the group with the natural ambience or
acoustics of the venue.
With this in mind there are really 3 separate elements that
all contribute to the finished sound of any mobile recording;
the choice of venue, the preparation of the performers
and the skill and equipment of the recording engineer.When
Deutche Gramaphone set out to make a new live concert recording
they only choose between a handful of great sounding venues.
The
choice of location really is a critical factor in determining
what the final recording will sound like. All venues large
and small have their own unique acoustic properties that interact
with the performance of the musicians and some concert halls
become famous for their great sound whilst others achieve
notoriety for theirs’.
However
its not to say that you have to hire a famous concert hall
for a great location sound recording and over the years we
have made some very fine sounding recordings in local Methodist
chapels, old churches, village halls and even school halls
can sound very good. As a rule of thumb you really can say
that if the hall sounds good to sing or play in then chances
are it will also be a good venue for a location sound
recording. Generally with a choir or brass band you
really need a space that will comfortably fit everyone in
4 or 5 times and with a fairly high ceiling. This space then
begins to work for the recording, blending voices and instruments
into an overall sound so that no individual parts stick out.
Of course, sadly people don’t come with a volume control
and occasionally there is someone who gets to be heard above
everyone else and this is where the recording engineer and
the MD have a discreet word!
Some
churches really are too big and can have a massive reverb
that washes over everything though of course some religious
music is written specifically for this type of location. Orchestras
have their own distinct problems with their size and often
a large City Hall is the only viable venue to make a recording
though be aware that many City Halls have pretty poor acoustics.
Try
to find a place that is not on a busy road as traffic noise
is a real problem along with the occasional ambulance or motorbike.
Make sure that you can get facilities for a drink in rest
periods and that there is adequate power. Old churches can
sound ok but they can be very cold places in winter and remember
it gets too dark to read music by 3 pm in winter. Access used
to be a problem for the mobile recording studio but today
we can get a virtual recording studio on a laptop and running
cables to an outside van are pretty much a thing of the past.
Location
sound recording is particularly good for jazz and
swing bands and they can be recorded very successfully in
quite small venues such as clubs or small theatres where there
is a stage. When making the mobile sound recording it is a
better option to record everything fairly dry and add reverb
back in the studio. Remember, if all else fails, schools and
colleges often have good sounding sizable halls that can make
good venue for a local location sound recording.
For
more information on location sound recording or live concert
recording click on this text link:
mobile audio recording |
