The recording process: Part 1

By: JnAkers Published: September 1, 2012

The recording process: Part 1 | recording process,recording segment, overdubbing phase, mix-down stage

I’m a twenty year old Writer and Musician who has done both those things for as long as I can remember. I play several instruments including Bass, Guitar and Alto Saxophone. I love good music.

The recording process can be broken down into three main segments: the recording segment, the overdubbing phase and the mix-down stage. Each one of these three phases are all equally crucial and require much skill, effort and patience. The last thing you would want to do is be flawless in the recording phase and then ruin the entire sound file with a rushed mix-down or poorly executed overdub. This week, we shall briefly talk about the recording segment and some of the problems you may face.

The recording segment is the time when all live instruments and vocal parts are laid down. Typically each instrument is recorded to their own track. This is because it is much easier to edit any particular instrument without affecting the sound of the combined instruments in the case that it is needed. Such as sloppy recording, missed notes or feedback from the equipment and even just the natural frequencies of the instrument, such as the bass.

One way to counteract this however is through the technique of isolation. This involves moving the troubled instrument into a special soundproof isolation chamber. This chamber is designed to reduce any possible leaks to a bare minimum which allows the clearest and most reliable sound to be recorded.

This week we have briefly discussed the first phase of the recording process. This phase is vital since this is the moment that the tracks and musical ideas are first put down. However it is important to do a fine job in each phase for without balance the whole project may fall apart.

Next time we will be discussing the second segment of the recording process. The second phase known as the overdubbing is where the musicians go over the recorded tracks with the engineers and edit anything that may need to be changed, as well as helping shape their sound to match their vision.

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The recording process: Part 1