AA2 Week 1 - Session Management

I know my blog is late. So for everyone who has been dieing to read it…HERE IT IS! Woohoo!

[1]

I actually missed the first week of Audio Arts because I was working. But, I was there in spirit. As I spend eight hours a day binding folders, punching sheets of paper, drilling holes in paper (drilling was actually fun) and enjoying the smell of melted plastic as I shrink wrapped books, I knew that next week I would be back at uni. Although I did enjoy the money even if it is slave labour.

The class however was on recording sessions. I have actually been lucky in the past with my recordings. I have probably done about four band recordings overall and I haven’t yet been in a situation where the band is arguing, yelling names at each other, or blaming me as the sound engineer for their own dodgy performances. We’ll see what happens in the future.

For the exercise this week, I have chosen to do the song Get Back by The Beatles. To be perfectly honest, the main reason why I chose this song was because I knew it would be pretty easy. Also I know The Beatles songs really well because they’re one of my favourite bands.

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RECORDING DETAIL
Artists: The Beatles
Album: Let It Be
Track: Get Back
Style: Rock
Duration: 2’30


RECORDING LOCATION
EMU Space
Adelaide University


BAND MEMBERS / INSTRUMENTS
John Lennon - Lead Guitar
Paul McCartney - Bass Guitar
George Harrison - Rhythm Guitar
Ringo Star - Drums
Billy Preston - Electric Piano

Lead Guitar - Epiphone Casino
Bass Guitar - Hofner Bass
Rhythm - Fender Telecaster
Electric Piano - Fender Rhodes
Drums - Ludwig Drums


MICROPHONE ASSIGNMENT

Vocals - Rode NTV for lead vocals
- Neumann U87 for back up vocals

Lead Guitar - Shure SM-57

Bass Guitar - Shure Beta 52A

Rhythm Guitar - Shure SM-57

Electric Piano - Neuman U89i

Drum - Kick Inner - Sennheiser MD-421
- Kick Outer - Neuman KM-84i
- Snare Top - Rode NT5
- Snare Botm - Rode NT5 (phase inverted)
- Hi-hats - Neuman KM-84i
- Toms (2) - Shure Beta56A
- Overheads - Rode NT5

- Room Mics - 2 x Neuman U87

PROTOOLS TRACK SETUP / MICROPHONE INPUT ORDER
1. Kick Inner
2. Kick Outer
3. Snare Top
4. Snare Bottom
5. Hi-Hats
6. Tom High
7. Tom Mid
8. Overhead L
9. Overhead R
10. Bass Guitar
11. Rhythm Guitar
12. Lead Guitar
13. Electric Piano
14. Backup Vocals
15. Lead Vocals
16. Room Mic L
17. Room Mic R


EFFECTS
Lead Guitar - Reverb, Compressor

Bass Guitar - Compressor

Rhythm - Compressor, Slight Reverb, Slight Delay (small delay time / low feedback)

Electric Piano - Compressor, Reverb

Drums - Kick - Compressor
- Snare - Reverb, Compressor
- Hats - Compressor
- Toms - Compressor
- OHs - Compressor [3] [4]

[1] ‘Thumbs up’ The Fun Times Guide. http://thefuntimesguide.com/images/blogs/thumbs-up-matt.jpg (Accessed 2/3/07)

[2] 'Let It Be (Album)' Wikipedia. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/LetItBe.jpg (Accessed 2/3/07)

[3] David Grice. 'Audio Arts Lecture - EMU Space'. Lecture presented in the EMU Space, Electronic Music Unit, University of Adelaide, 27th February 2007.

[4] 'Let It Be (Album)' Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_It_Be_(album) (Accessed 2/3/07)