Almanac
Answer to Yourself
Googie & The Imaginary Band - Creative Production
In undertaking this project - inquiry has explored the production paradigms given by Geoffrey Hull, in “Malcolm Chisholm: An Evaluation of Traditional Audio Engineering” by Linden P. S. (2013). Hull details the distinction across eras of audio production with the separation between each being technologically defined by the advent and subsequent departure of tape as a recording medium. Set out as : pre-industrial (1897-1925), industrial (1925-1985), post-industrial (>1985). These each contain differing traditional & modern methods to studio productions, notably : single microphone / input source record productions (pre-industrial), live to tape record production (industrial), and in-the-box record production (post-industrial).
NZanZu - B-Sides & Radio Edits - Studio Post-Production
Entering into this mastering production, I received the brief of mastering 10 tracks + 1 B-side of an alternative electro acoustic LP. Receiving reference for levels consisting of - “Search Party” & “Royal Blue Walls“ by Jane Remover, and “The Last High” by The Dandy Warhols.
The Kites “Just Say When” - Studio Production
Being a developmental continuation from the PDS project The Basement Tapes, Jacaranda Records (2024) - I have carried on working with the merseybeat band “The Kites” who I’d brought onto that. In aiming to develop their repertoire with a debut single release, we arranged to work together again in a studio production, for which I planned and produced their debut record as detailed here. Spanning the full scope of production, I was the sole recording / mixing / mastering engineer - and supported them in the afterwork effort of the release stage. This has been a milestone for myself, as it is the production which I would most qualify as a professional undertaking - being that I was hired to work for this client, fully engineering & producing their track.
Mastering Post-Production For LP
Entering into this mastering production, I received the brief of mastering 10 tracks + 1 B-side of an alternative electro acoustic LP. Receiving reference for levels consisting of - “Search Party” & “Royal Blue Walls“ by Jane Remover, and “The Last High” by The Dandy Warhols.
LP Post-Production Rework for Release Project
A personal production project which has been recently initiated consists of back catalogue material originally intended as two separate releases - an EP and an LP - being reworked into one conceptually continuous LP delivered for surround sound playback intended for event showcasing.
Vocal Artist Production Project
Following a short brief of working with a client to record vocals over backing tracks for a performance showreel - a studio recording session was arranged through liaison with the studio owner and client. In preparation for this recording session, the recording setup was familiarised along with the choice of backing tracks for contextual consideration when recording.
VA Mastering Session
Given that the focus of this project’s creative application lands on mixing in the post-production stage of audio production, mastering tracks with incorporation of VA encoding is something that would be beneficial to enquire into as it falls within the same production stage. Mastering full tracks with VA may present some different applications and also investigate whether existing stereo image phase relationships can be taken further into exocentric space.
VA Mixing Implementation in Virtual Acoustic Space
This session aims to further develop understanding of the interactions between receiver positioning relative to audio sources within VAS. For this session, an arrangement of string instruments will be positioned in a theatre model to synthesise the listening experience of orchestral music. Whilst these sources will remain static, the listening position will be moved for the purpose of testing microphone placement and pickup within the VAS.
Steam Audio integration into Unity Engine for recording and mixing in Logic Pro X
As the aim of this project is focused on encoding virtual acoustic properties into PCM stereo, there is a need to bring the encoding processes together within a virtual rendering environment in such a way that allows for generation and recording of virtual acoustic space. Also summarised in the virtual rendering inquiry as the component functions concept involving the encoding / rendering functions :
CD / Mastering Production
During the ASP project I have aimed to produce CDs for promotional material. These have been planned with consideration of presenting an aesthetic branding which reflects our style and flavour as artists. For the production of the CDs, I first had to source the discs themselves [CD-R 52x 700MB] and cases.
Project Post-Production & Mastering Preparation
As the recording and mix stages reach completion for Magic Satin, the final stage of the production comes to the mastering process, including preparing the release for transferability across multiple playback platforms. The playback mediums I will be focusing on will be CD and Spotify Streaming, as these two distribution channels have different technical delivery requirements I will have to produce masters specifically for each.
Remix Reflection
For the electronic music production module we were tasked to create a remix from recordings which we got during a live lounge session. I feel this project went very successfully, as we went through all the stages of recording the audio to the final remix mixdown and performance with professionalism and cohesion as a production team.
Sociodelic Live Lounge Post-Production
Following our live lounge recording session with project artist Euan, accompanied in session by Nzanzu also doing an acoustic live lounge set, there is a process of post-production needing to be undertaken to reach the final result.
With the live-lounge recording session going to plan smoothly with the help of business liaison Tioma and film team Dan & Darris, we finished with 3 tracks (1 by Euan , 2 by Nzanzu) worth of audio and video stems.
The Stamp Mixing Session Planning and Preparation
After our successful recording session last week with The Stamp, next we are to go forward with the mixing session alongside the band to finalise the track we recorded. During the recording session we did a fresh take on their previously released track How we Livin, this was an indie rock reggae influenced track with drums, bass, acoustic guitar and electric lead.
Mastering with Mike Cave
During this module we have spent a number of sessions with award-winning mixing and mastering engineer Mike Cave, including spending a day session shadowing alongside him as he completed a mastering job for a pop track. During these sessions we have learnt comprehensive workflows across the mastering process in both digital and analogue formats.
Brandon Tew Mixing Sessions
In our lectures over the last two weeks we have been working on two tracks by the local artist Brandon Tew, doing some mixing practice and research with Jon Withnall, Coldplay / Rihanna. In these sessions Jon has been teaching us his approach to mixing from his experience as a recording and mixing engineer, working with his skillset accumulated from years of working alongside other established pros.
Remix Production - Burden
During the module, we received stems from a live lounge session to use in practice for our remix production project, these were provided from The Jacaranda Basement Tapes and contained tracks by the local artist Lois Levin. There were a number of tracks in this session and we were tasked to take our pick and produce a remix, for this I went with the track Burden.
Remix Planning - Sapphire
For my production of the remix Sapphire by Mike Blue, I undertook it with the aim to bring the dazed and wispy neon tendrils of nightlife and the atmosphere of busy and detached moods to this track, which itself brings into proximity with it’s mellow jam of jazzy drums, smooth bass and expressive saxophone, along with lyrical context.
Sound Capture & Design For Animation
Within the projects I have produced there have been techniques undertaken to record and process the audio present. Sound design has been a focus for me with this module, so much of the audio processing done falls into this category, however it goes alongside the audio capturing sessions which is required to get the audio samples in the first place.
Multi-Track Editing And Tempo Mapping
Within Pro Tools I have tempo mapped a track which we have been given to convert into a radio edit. The track required multi-track editing with the drum stems taking up a total of 10 tracks, the remaining 6 tracks were allocated to other instrumentation. As the drums were needing tightening up in this project, I had to set a tempo map to them as they were not exactly in time and required the mapping to ensure that the tempo slip overtime did not occur, as we found with a fixed tempo throughout the audio the drums still would slip.