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The Typical Band Process

We Break down the process into three main categories:

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   1. Recording or Tracking

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   2. Post Production/Mixing

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   3. Mastering

Recording/Tracking

1 

Drums and Percussion Tracking

We place the drummer in the live room and position all the microphones at positions that capture the sound that we wish to achieve. During the setup of the drums we get the guitarist situated in the control room with a basic emulation of his guitar tone to utilize for scratch tracking. He will use this setup to play with the drummer to record his tracks. Each person will get a personal monitor mixer and a set of headphones to dial in their mixes so they both can hear each other well and perform well during this section of the recording process. We WILL be utilizing a click track though out this step as well as the next steps listed. the click track volume level will be available to the musician via the personal monitor mixer. We have the ability to use drum triggers along side our microphones to trigger samples of kicks and snares for consistent results of strikes. we can use this midi information to replace kicks and snares with samples. This information doesn't have to be used but is nice to have available if needed for post production.

2

Guitar Tracking

Once we have the drums all tracked we move onto tracking guitars, Each guitar player tracks his/her parts individually. For this we can either utilize the emulated guitar tone, or we can utilize their amplifier by placing the amplifier in the live room with the microphones placed properly for the sound that we wish to achieve and the guitarist sits within the control room with a personal monitor mixer and a set of headphones. They then record to the drum tracks that were previously laid down by the drummer.

3

Bass Tracking

This is done exactly like the guitars where we can either utilize a emulated bass tone, or we can utilize their amplifier by placing the amplifier in the live room with the microphones placed properly for the sound that we wish to achieve and the bassist sits within the control room with a personal monitor mixer and a set of headphones. They then record to the drum and guitar tracks that were previously laid down by the band members.

4

Piano/Keys/Synth Tracking

This can be done by two different options. Either you may use our grand piano in our live room or you may utilize your own keyboard and record it right in the control room. Either option the pianist gets a personal monitor mixer and a set of headphones to record to the previously laid down tracks by the band members.

5

Woodwind/Brass Instrument Tracking

This is done by placing the instrumentalist in our live room and place the microphones in the positions that give us the sound we wish to achieve. The musician is given a personal monitor mixer and a set of headphones to dial in their mix of themselves with the rest of the groups previously recorded tracks

6

Vocal Tracking

The Final step of the process this is done either by placing the vocalist in our live room or in our ISO booth. They also will get a personal monitor mixer and a set of headphones to dial in their mix of the band.

Post Production/Mixing

1 

Drums and Percussion Post Production

Drums and Percussion tend to be the most labor entensive when it comes to this stage of the process. There is many processes that go into editing mixing and processing drums and percussion some of the typical things we do are:

  • Replacing a specific drum strike with a sample if a inconsistent hit occurs when it is noticeable

  • Phase/Time Alignment of tracks

  • Transient detection and alignment to the time signature grid.

  • EQ

  • Dynamics

  • Parallel processing

  • FX Processing

2

General Instrument Post Production

General instruments outside of the drum and percussion category when more than one mic is used to capture we tend to have to do the following:

  • Phase/Time Alignment of tracks

  • Transient detection and alignment to the time signature grid. (If needed)

  • EQ

  • Dynamics

  • Parallel processing

  • FX Processing

3

Vocal Post Production

Vocal post production when more than one vocal track is recorded, we tend to have to do the following:

  • Phase/Time Alignment of tracks (If doubling vocal parts)

  • Pitch Correction (If needed)

  • EQ

  • Dynamics

  • Parallel processing

  • FX Processing

3

Overall Volume Automation

Th Final step of this step is the mixing automation of all the tracks to blend them together volume wise. Think most people understand what happens in this step but it gets all the credit during this step of the process.

Mastering

1 

Single Track

Polishing the master output of the track and getting it ready to be distributed to world via digital streaming platforms and/or CD

2

Multi Track Album

Everything from above but making sure each track on the album sounds the same tonality wise and volume level wise. We can also add crossfades and FX processing to the tracks individually during this final step. 

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