Recording Session - FAQs
Hints and tips on maximizing your recording session
Planning the session? | Set up & sound check on location?
| The recording
session?
Editing & mastering? | Duplication?
Planning the session:
When planning a session you must remember the most important rule of any recording session - our time is your money. Quite simply, the better organized you are at the session the more you will get
done! Below is a few tips on how you can maximize your recording time with us:
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Book your venue as soon as the recording session has been booked - don't let someone get your no.1 choice venue before you! Don't book a venue for recording before you book us, we may be busy working for someone else!
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Get together scores and reference material well before the session - For some sessions we require musical scores and reference material, without these we may not be able to make the most of your session.
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Make sure everyone knows when and where the session is - don't waste your time waiting for people to get there!
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Elect a spokesperson - if you don't already have one, choose someone to liaise with our staff (preferably someone enthusiastic!).
Set up & sound check on location:
Setting up the equipment and doing a good sound check is critical. It allows us to get the best possible sound from your performance. Setup generally takes 1 - 2 hours and is dependant of size of your session. We
do not require any performers to be present during setup, although they will be required for sound check. We do require your elected spokesperson to let us into the venue and provide us with any info we may need. After the equipment has been
set-up and tested we then do a sound check. For this we will require all performers to be present and ready. Sound check generally takes 1 - 2 hours, again dependant on the size of the session. A sound check generally consists of the following steps:
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Warm up (10 - 20 mins) - Any instrument tuning or warming up should be done first. This allows us to set rough recording levels and do any fault finding.
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Sound check of each musical section (20 - 40 mins) - i.e. check levels for strings/brass/drums/guitars sections etc individually.
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Fine tuning of microphone positions (10 - 20 mins) - re-positioning microphones for the best possible sound.
Sound check performers as a whole (10 - 20 mins) - Check levels for the all performers as a whole. We would appreciate it if you could have ready your loudest and quietest pieces for this check.
Test run (10 - 20 mins) - Record a short piece (5 minutes max) so that we can check the recording for quality.
Not all sessions require such a rigorous sound check, sometimes its not possible i.e. live gigs and concerts. In situations such as this we generally use less microphones so any changes are easier to edit after the
session.
The recording session:
Once the sound checks are complete your ready to record!
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Be well practiced - the better you know your performances - the less takes you will need - the more tracks you can record!
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Make your performers comfortable - Its useful to have a quick Q&A session with all parties involved before recording. This makes sure everyone is happy and comfortable before the session proceeds.
All performers should know what tracks are being recorded and in which order - Produce a timetable for the session. If required we can give advice on how long each piece will take to record and if any
musical parts may need to be recorded separately (overdubbed). Please click on the link to see an example timetable:
EXAMPLE TIMETABLE
Editing & mastering:
The editing and mastering process takes place after the recording at our own private mixdown studio. This does not mean that you have no control over how your finished product sounds! Below are a few hints and tips on
how you can be involved with the final product.
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Provide us with good quality reference material - Most performers are after a 'sound' that has been recorded by someone else already! Please provide us with the best possible quality reference material possible. If there is
anything in particular you like within the reference material (i.e. special effects, sound positioning, crowd participation etc) write a list with a description, track & time and include it with the reference material.
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Inform us if you would like to sit-in on the mixdown sessions - We will provide you with dates and times for you to 'sit-in' on mixdown. If you have a specific musical producer, director or engineer it would be wise for
them to be delegated for the sit in session, as their input may of better value. Please note at maximum only two people may sit in at any one session, and it is up to you to arrange transport and accommodation (We will be able to advise on
suitable accommodation near our studio).
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Listen carefully to the rough mix copy with your performers - If you are unhappy with the musical content, sound of instruments or anything else, write down a list of possible edits for us to undertake. It is
very important to give a full description of the query and the precise time within the audio program so that it may be dealt with accurately and swiftly.
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Only use your elected spokesperson to liaise with us - We appreciate it if we only deal with one person during the editing & mastering process. It is up to him/her to resolve any conflicts
within your performers - not us!
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Listen carefully to the production copy with your performers - the production copy is usually the final mix of your performance. If you are unhappy with anything (as with the rough mix) please get you elected
spokesperson to contact us and we will fix any problems.
Duplication:
The duplication process is a fairly simple one. Once a final master has been produced we will send you a production copy of the media to be duplicated along with any artwork proofs for inlays etc. Once approved by you,
duplication of CDs or cassettes usually takes a maximum of two weeks. Your duplicated media will be dispatched to you along with an invoice. Please note that certain duplication jobs may require payment up-front or a deposit - we will advise you of
this before the job is undertaken. Please see the pages entitled 'Audio duplication' for more specific details.
