 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: GilliganGirl
Date: 2003-09-10 13:45
I'm about make a recording for a contest for the first time. I have a recording studio and accompanist lined up, but is there anything else I should know?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2003-09-10 15:33
There's so much to know:
Here are a few pointers..
1. Make sure they have good mics (clarinet is tricky to record).
2. Find the best spot in the room for sound (don't just assume where they set you up is best).
3. Get the temperature just right (70+ is usually good, studios are often too cold).
4. Check your pitch carefully with the studio piano (they are notoriously sharp).
5. Make sure your headset (cans) are working right in both cannels, but only use the cans on one ear. Leave the other ear open to hear yourself & the piano live in the room.
6. Don't waste time at the studio trying reeds of fooling with equipment (do that at home). Studio time is $$$
7. Be well prepared musically, that's what's most important. Being prepared should save you endless re-takes, which are frustrating and costly.
8. Have fun! Hearing yourself in the playback booth should be a thrill, but also be critical. If you don't like what you hear, do it again or do a patch, don't only rely on what the engineer thinks. You're the clarinetist.
9. Get a few copies of your final mix. Cds are OK, as are DATs, don't get cassette tapes (they don't last, and are bad quality). I've also had pretty good luck with MDs.
10. Get a friend or teacher with a good set of ears to listen to your "takes"
in the booth. It'll help save time, and keep you on track with your time limits.
Lots more, but go for it, and have fun!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: diz
Date: 2003-09-11 22:36
Before you go into the studio - know your work. There's no point wasting the studio's (very expensive) time while you figure out the finer points of style with your accompanist. Trust me, been there, done that. Best of luck, and above all imagin you're performing for a crowd of adoring fans ... try not to be nervous.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: msloss
Date: 2003-09-12 19:38
Kind've an extension of JJM's #8, RELAX! I've seen a lot of people, great musicians mind you, get psyched out when the faders come up. Unless it is a contest requirement for the audition tape, you don't have to play the piece down in one perfect take. Allow yourself the luxury of breaking it into manageable pieces, and remember that a lot of things can be fixed in the booth (except talent).
And... per #6, be prepared and don't waste time, but also take as much as you need to get the job done right. You are spending your own money, so the engineer should be all too willing to let you work things out. If you are working on a budget, let the engineer know what the maximum time you can spend is, and he should be able to help you pace yourself to get the best product in the time allowed.
Finally, make sure you and your accompanist are in perfect sync before you get in there. Don't buy into any "I'll be ready" lines -- you need to rehearse before you get in there so you are confident the pianist is not only note-perfect but understands what you are trying to do with the piece. Then you'll be able to run the session the way you need.
Enjoy the recording magic -- it really is a kick in the pants!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ken
Date: 2003-09-12 20:17
More and varied thoughts:
1) Make sure your horn is mechanically in top shape; extraneous noises such as clicky keys, aged popping or buzzy pads can come through on the recording.
2) Call the studio the day before or at least 4 hours before the session begins and remind or request they turn off or down the A/C. Upon arrival head straight for the recording room and conduct your warm-up routine, reed selection etc there and no where else. Leave your horn(s) in the recording room when bouncing back and forth for playback. Don’t carry them all over the building either …many studios have a maze of rooms and doors that overlap and some of these access ways don’t contain central air or heat; just minimize sudden atmospheric changes.
3) Assuming you’re not recording 100% digital, if your session doesn’t include the purchase/property of the reel(s) I’d highly recommend buying the session tape if you can afford it. Last time I was in the studio (Nov 02) they were running $100 per 2” 60-minute reel. If the studio charges for the reel (or footage of tape used), you own the tape and rights to it, so be certain it’s neatly tucked under your arm when you leave … and I wouldn't take NO for an answer. Additionally, if the studio is reputable and good business people they’ll likely have miles of leftover blank tape on the shelves from previous sessions. Ask the sound engineer if he has any, be accomodating and squeeze you on the end of one or two. If acquiring the actual session tapes isn’t a concern it can’t hurt to ask, all they can say is yes or no and you might save a little coin.
In any case, ask the sound engineer to burn you a complimentary copy of a “data disk” along with a finalized one-time CDR for the contest committee and copies for yourself. If the session is multi-tracked and remains un-mastered a "data disk" is handy to have if for any reason you wish to re-work and edit your session at a later date; always, keep your options open!
4) If it’s your first time, don’t allow yourself to get "hypnotized" by all the faders, buttons and technology at your disposal. All the editing programs and capabilities can make you sound better and cover a thousand sins but if abused, it's a lie. Always remember your purpose and goal when recording, this one's for a “contest”. Like an audition demo, the committee judging your presentation deserves to receive and hear the most “accurate” representative product. For me, I have and believe it's perfectly acceptable to LIGHTLY roll off any highs, midst and lows where desired and conservatively add a slight hall effect (no more than .086 delay); other than that, eq it flat, and keep it simple and honest.
5) Limit multi-tracking, editing and plugging to a minimum. If you’re renting the studio by the hour there won’t be time for getting too picky and overly creative. In the past, when I’ve made demos with clarinet and piano I ran a simple two track set-up, separated up to 10 feet with no divider and well within eye shot. Normally there's a touch of bleed over but nothing that can't be deleted in pro tools or tracked over in the final mixdown.
6) Using cans is a personal choice, try them on both ears as well as just one. If you've never worn them you might take awhile to adjust to or dislkie them entirely. I recommend, (like tuning from the bottom up in ensemble) let the piano play first and establish the level, then fade you in and up to taste. Remember the signal of the piano to your cans will remain the same (save dynamics) but the clarinet will vary depending on how much you move around, the type, and quality of your mic. You can, try drawing an imaginary circle maybe 8-10 inches around the center of the mic and be sure to keep the bell and body of the horn within it.
Also, when playing you naturally emote, rock or sway, pre-position your music and stand(s) back far enough you won't clip your bell against it in the heat of the moment. Remember to eliminate page turns if possible by pre-copying a marked, working copy of your music. Then line it up on as many stands as you need, you can stack them if necessary.
7) And for goodness sake, don’t forget to have fun; you will decidedly emerge a more skilled and mature clarinetist, and the best part is you'll capture a moment in time you can listen to and relish your entire life. v/r Ken
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
