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Phils Audio |
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Multitrack Recording This package is designed to support musicians that require production for original tunes that are headed for release on indie or major record labels. Typically a lot more time and effort will be invested in each track in order to generate a perfect take of each song. We approach this session in three steps. Tracking Session(s): Tracking can be approached many ways. At one extreme, and the express process, tracking is similar to our one-day express demo package. A well rehearsed group tracks the song(s) with each instrument and voice in acoustic isolation from the rest of the instruments. The other extreme is when musicians desire to play one or two instruments to start with and then add others one-at-a-time in sequence. The starting point can be one performer laying down scratch tracks, a loop, another recording, or perhaps your express demo. Our goal in the tracking session is to get all the tracks recorded, sorted and trimmed on the DAW before the mixdown session. Sometimes working stereo CD copies of the rough tracks compiled into a “push mix” can be prepared so the writers and producers can work-up new material or select between takes off-the-clock. This work is not a finished product, but it will help you critique your performance. The finished product will sound much better. Overdubs are the part of the tracking session where we record many takes of a track or a part of a track. The DAW helps select the precise overdub clip that will go in the mix. Once the musicians are satisfied with their performance, and all of the overdub clip selections and placements agreed upon the mixing session can begin. Mixing Session: If this were stir-fry, “tracking” would be the acquisition and preparation of the ingredients and “mixing” would happen when the fire starts under the wok. The exact point where tracking ends and mixing starts is a gray area at best but when more tracking is added the mixing has to somehow begin anew. During mixing the groove of the song is focused, the instruments are placed in the soundstage, sounds are refined with various effects and the overall balance of the song is created. We can create several mixdown versions (vocal-up, vocal-down etc) for mastering engineers, or master the song here. Mastering Session: The focus of mastering is to assemble the songs onto one CD and retain or enhance the audio quality so the song punches through on your medium of choice. Different mastering decisions can be tailored for a target audience. Mastering a grunge recording to be played on the radio would be a different process from mastering a string quartet. We can master production ready CDs targeted for the audiophile, the commuter radio crowd, the boom box generation, or MP3’s that sound great on a laptop or computer speaker all the while assuring that the songs will translate well to sound systems used by other audiences. Prologue – Post processing your demo. Copies of the individual tracks for each song can be purchased to facilitate alternate mixdowns, transfer to DAW, or additional post production. You need to decide to purchase the individual tracks before you leave, or your session will be deleted. |