recording

  I am going to record Ted and James playing nothing else matters. Ted will be playing the drums, James will be playing the guitar. to record the drum kit i am going to use four mics; two AKG 451 overheads, a AKG D112 on the kick drum and a SM57 on the snare drum. for the guitar i am going to use a single SM57, i might consider using an extra mic on the guitar to create a more dynamic effect. 

research in to the musicians union and the benifits it has for perfomers

The MU "musicians union" is an globally respected organization that aims to help musicians in every aspect of there career. The MU helps thousands of people with issues such as copyright protection and understanding contract details. The MU represents over 30,000 musicians in many different genres on live stages or in studios. The MU is a democratic organization, this means it's governed by it's own members. these members need to be elected into there positions. It set up similar to the UK government. decisions on the movements of the MU are decided at committees. of these the most important is the executive committee. The executive committee (EC) has all the power over the union. The EC have to make very important decisions that can effect many members of the MU. Some examples of this would be negotiating career strategies or employment policies. There are three ways to present a point to union committee. firstly a motion passed at a regional AGM will go straight to a union committee. Secondly if more than five members of a regional committee support a motion it will be passed on to the EC. And finally a motion can be directly given to the EC and if more than 20 members approve the motion will be presented to the executive committee for consideration.

preperation

in preperation for the gig at the acorn on the 16th of december i have to create a list to ensure everybody performs a an aloted time.

making a track on logic

Made a basic piano riff going to elaborate on it and create a bassline. James is going to do vocals over the finished product.


Have done more work on the riff such as adding effects to it to make it sound more dynamic. i have also added a bassline and hi-hat riff, now need to add a few more samples and re-arrange the song to sound as neat as possible. The 8 beat intro needs more work as well I'm not happy with how it sounds at the moment.

comparison of computers

I am going to compare the Imac with the gateway one. The prices for these two are relatively close the gateway one costs around £1200 as does the Imac.  The imac has a higher resolution at 1,680x1,050, gateway one has 1,440x900. Both use the same CPU and motherboard. The gateway one has more memory as standard with 500GB to the Imacs 320GB. For music production programs it depends on personal preference. If you prefer to use logic then the Imac will be the choose for other programs it will be the gateway one. I prefer to logic because it has an easy to navigate interface and can be used for a very wide range of production.

comparison of headphones

The headphones i'm going to compare are the audio technica ATH-M50 and the Beyerdymanic DT 770. The ATH-M50 has a frequency range of 15-28,000 hz which is lower than the DT 770 which has a frequency range of 5-35,000. although this is higher it's very relevant as the average human can only hear up to around 20,000 hz. The ATH-M50 is pretty sensitive but the DT 770 has a better sensitivity and they both have low pressure n the ear to make for comfortable use.

comparison of microphones

Drum mics; The AKG set includes a kick mic, two overheads and three tom mics. one set back would be that there is no snare mic included. however the overheads are condenser mics which are very good for capturing cymbal sounds. The audio technica set includes a kick mic, a snare mic and three tom mics, this set does not include any over heads witch could pose a problem when recording cymbals. For guitar mics i'm going to compare the PG81 and the PG27. The PG81 has a higher frequency response at 40 hz than the PG27 at 20 hz it's also slightly more sensitive so it can picker up softer sounds. The PG27 is also designed to be used for vocals. For vocal mics i'm going to compare the PG42 and the SM27. They both have the same frequency responce at 20 hz. The SM27 has a higher sensitivity but the PG42 can be used on a wider range of other instruments.

comparison of audio interfaces

i am am going to compare two audio interfaces, the first is the Tascam US-800 which has 6 analogue inputs at up to 96 khz. the second is the Lexicon IONIX U82S which has 8 inputs at 96 khz. becuase of the low amount of inputs these two would not be ideal for recording a whole band, they are more suited to recording single instruments. they both have analogue inputs which would mean a mixer would be needed. both have average khz rates at 96khz per sec thats more than double cd quality which is 41 per sec.

set-up

For my computer I am going to choose the imac with the 3.1Ghzquad-core Intel core i5 with 6MB on-chip shared L3 cache. I’m choosing this model for its compatibility with logic pro. I want to use logic pro because it is one of the best for music production and can do everything I need it to.

The audio interface I’m going to have two of is the Audio fire 12. Each has 12 inputs that I will run through a mixing desk. The desk I’m going to use is the Mackie 2404-VlZ3, this mixer is perfect to go with the audio interface as it has plenty of inputs and a lot of range to change specifics in songs.

For my microphones I am going to use the audio technika set, which includes a kick microphone0, snare microphone, and three tom microphones. I am also going to get two AKG C430. For guitar I’m going to get a DM-1B large diaphragm condenser microphone. Finally for vocals I’m going to use a shure PG58 handheld dynamic vocal microphone. I’m also getting two Fostex PM0.4n active nearfield monitors.

The headphones I’m going to use are audio technica ATH-M50S studio monitor headphones. The stands I’m going to use are three DV MIS-1022BK’s and five short kick bass snare stands. I will also need firwire and jack leads.

interveiw on music ensembles

Q. Why is it important for a band member to rehearse on a regular basis?

A. A player of an instrument should strive to play to perfection. If band members do not rehearse regularly they will not be able to play at there full potential which not only hurts there performance as an individual but also the whole band. For example if a member has not put in enough time and effort they may struggle to play the song properly and possibly miss their cues causing others to get confused and end up ruining the dynamic of the set piece. Also if a member does not rehearse it shows a lack of motivation and enthusiasm, which will most likely cause future issues.

Q. Why is it important for members to help each other with things such as set-up/down and rehearsals?

A. If a lot of time is spent on set-up/down then the equipment will become more familiar. It is necessary for a person playing in a band to know how to use the hardware and software around them. A member of a band should also be there for other people, to help if needed with any and all issues. This shows that they are supportive and not just there for there own benefits. You can’t have a band with one member! Also if a member acts this way they will gain respect within the band and they will become be a tighter unit and be able to play without tension.

Q. Is it essential that the members work well as a team?

A. Yes, if a band is not getting along it can put strain on recording sessions and performances and prevent them from playing as well as they can. Also if members are not getting along then they won’t give others constructive criticism. Constructive criticism is essential because if there is a problem or a habit that a particular person doesn’t notice it won’t be resolved unless pointed out.

Q. How important is it for band members to keep their instruments in good condition?

A. It is one of the most important things a member of a band should do. If an instrument is not in good working condition then it won’t sound the way it’s supposed to. And that will ruin whichever song is being played.

roles and responsibilities of band members.

Roles and responsibilities of members in musical ensembles

Every member of a musical ensemble must be able to look after their equipment and make any adjustments to ensure the best sound possible is obtained. As well as this they must be able to keep in time with other members and be able to join song at any point just by going with another music performer. Ultimately everyone in a band relies on the other members to introduce them into the song and to keep time and rhythm.

In most bands there will be a drummer, vocalist, lead guitarist and a bass guitarist. A drummer’s responsibility is to provide a rhythm for the rest of the band, they must be able to listen to all other members to ensure they start and stop at the correct times. As well as keeping their equipment in check they must also ensure that any recording equipment around their kit (if used) is functioning properly and in optimal position so the desired sound is achieved.

The lead guitarists responsibilities are to provide a melody that fits with the tempo and style of the drummer and bass player, they also need to be able to play solo’s that tend to be the highlight of a song. A solo is an improvisation of the current song be played they are used to intensify a section of a song so as to give the listener more entertainment. They must also attend to there own guitar by checking it and ensuring all the strings are in good condition and everything else is in working order.

A bass guitarist is another member that contributes to keeping tempo and rhythm they provide a bass line for other members to play along with. Although it’s not as common as lead guitarist they also perform solo’s to create a more enjoyable experience for the listener. Along with the lead guitarist they are in charge of the well being of their equipment.

A vocalist is often referred to as the “the front man”, this means they are responsible for the image of the band and that they act as a spokesperson to promote the band and participate in interviews. As well as everyone else they must ensure there equipment is in working order and everything is set up correctly and in place.

 Aside from the ensemble members themselves, there are other people that tend to be involved with a band. A manager is in charge of booking gigs and looking after the band and their interests. This includes booking hotels, venues and over all ensuring the band and its aspirations are being fulfilled.

Every member of the band should partake in rehearsal before they perform. This will ensure all members are warmed up and ready to perform as best they can. To sum up, a band can not be successful unless everyone evolved is working properly and to there full potential. 

first recording

09:09:11 band 1 by jsampson

 stereo recording done using two mics. recording chain instrument-mic-audio interface.