Being a recording engineer

Acoustic Guitar

Roles of Personnel:

Ryan Hobin- Ryan will be in the control room. He will be using Cubase and the Mackie 1640i desk in order to record the guitar. It will be Ryan’s job to give constructive criticism and decide whether or not retakes are required. Ryan will communicate with the performer and set up man via the talkback device. The skills required are good listening skills in order to assess the sound quality and other factors of recording. He must also have good communication skills in order to properly explain and identify what he wants the performer/set up man to change and how.

Hayden Bridgen- Hayden will be setting up mics and other equipment in the recording space. He will be in charge of deciding which microphones are best suited for the sound being recorded give the current environment. He will also be in charge of connecting the equipment in the performance area to the control room. He will also guide the performer in hoe they should position themselves and their instrument. Hayden must have good knowledge of microphone theory in order to be able to effectively decide which microphones should be used and how. He must know where mics should be positioned.

Lewis Jones-Lewis will be playing the guitar for our recordings. His responsibilities are mainly to ensure that the recording displays each note potently and that they are of a good sonic quality. Lewis will have to have a good knowledge of mic/guitar relations and how they should be used and set up together in order to achieve a professional sound quality.

We will use 2 AKG C100S microphones to record the guitar, as they are condenser microphones. We will use these as they have a much better high frequency response when compare to dynamic mics such as the SM58. High frequencies are vital to making a good quality acoustic guitar recording.

Some problems that may occur include equipment failure such as a cable or microphone breaking. There may also be problems with the Cubase software can computers can sometimes be unreliable. We may also have to do many recordings, which may cause us to become stressed. We have to stay focused and calm in order to achieve the best results possible. Time restrictions are also a problem so we will have to be time efficient with our recordings.

Electric Guitar

Roles of Personnel:

Ryan Hobin- Ryan will be in the control room. He will be using Cubase and the Mackie 1640i desk in order to record the guitar. It will be Ryan’s job to give constructive criticism and decide whether or not retakes are required. Ryan will communicate with the performer and set up man via the talkback device. The skills required are good listening skills in order to assess the sound quality and other factors of recording. He must also have good communication skills in order to properly explain and identify what he wants the performer/set up man to change and how.

Hayden Bridgen- Hayden will be setting up mics and other equipment in the recording space. He will be in charge of deciding which microphones are best suited for the sound being recorded give the current environment. He will also be in charge of connecting the equipment in the performance area to the control room. He will also alter the positioning of the amplifier if necessary. Hayden must have good knowledge of microphone theory in order to be able to effectively decide which microphones should be used and how. He must know where mics should be positioned.

Lewis Jones-Lewis will be playing the guitar for our recordings. His responsibilities are mainly to ensure that the recording displays each note potently and that they are of a good sonic quality. Lewis will have to have a good knowledge of mic/guitar/amp relations and how they should be used and set up together in order to achieve a professional sound quality.

We will use 1 SHURESM58 dynamic microphone in order to record the amp as it can handle a much higher SPL than a condenser mic, this will be needed as a highly distorted electric guitar has a much higher SPL than an acoustic guitar

Some problems that may occur include equipment failure such as a cable or microphone breaking. Also amps can be unreliable at times and so we may have issues with that equipment too. There may also be problems with the Cubase software can computers can sometimes be unreliable. We may also have to do many recordings, which may cause us to become stressed. We have to stay focused and calm in order to achieve the best results possible. Time restrictions are also a problem so we will have to be time efficient with our recordings.

Glockenspiel

Roles of Personnel:

Ryan Hobin- Ryan will be in the control room. He will be using Cubase and the Mackie 1640i desk in order to record the guitar. It will be Ryan’s job to give constructive criticism and decide whether or not retakes are required. Ryan will communicate with the performer and set up man via the talkback device. The skills required are good listening skills in order to assess the sound quality and other factors of recording. He must also have good communication skills in order to properly explain and identify what he wants the performer/set up man to change and how.

Lewis Jones- Lewis will be setting up mics and other equipment in the recording space. He will be in charge of deciding which microphones are best suited for the sound being recorded give the current environment. He will also be in charge of connecting the equipment in the performance area to the control room. He will also guide the performer in hoe they should position themselves and their instrument. Lewis must have good knowledge of microphone theory in order to be able to effectively decide which microphones should be used and how. He must know where mics should be positioned.

Hayden Bridgen-Hayden will be playing the glockenspiel for our recordings. His responsibilities are mainly to ensure that the recording displays each note potently and that they are of a good sonic quality. Hayden will have to have a good knowledge of mic/percussion relations and how they should be used and set up together in order to achieve a professional sound quality.

We will use a SHURESM58 mic in order to record the glockenspiel as it has can handle the higher SPL levels of the glockenspiel well and create a more delicate sounding recording in comparison to the harsh sound condenser microphone recordings. The shure can also handle higher pitches unlike the deep range D112 mic, this makes it the ideal choice for recording the glockenspiel.

Some problems that may occur include equipment failure such as a cable or microphone breaking. There may also be problems with the Cubase software can computers can sometimes be unreliable. We may also have to do many recordings, which may cause us to become stressed. We have to stay focused and calm in order to achieve the best results possible. Time restrictions are also a problem so we will have to be time efficient with our recordings.

Recording Evaluations
One of the first tasks in my music BTEC was to find out the definitions of certain key terms that are important in sound recording.

Transducer

A device that converts variations in a physical quantity such as pressure or brightness, into an electrical signal, or vice versa - e.g a microphone.

Diaphragm
A thin disk in a microphone or telephone receiver that vibrates to produce electric signals

Electromagnetic Induction
The Production of an electromotive force across a conductor when it is exposed to a time varying magnetic field

Capacitor Plate
An electronic component that stores an electric charge and releases it when required

Pre-amp
An electronic device that amplifies a weak signal

Sound pressure levels
A measurement of Sound Pressure, measured in dB 

Condenser Mic
These mics let sound waves vibrate the diaphragm. In this mic they are in front of an electrically charged plate. These mics are used with instruments that have a lower sound pressure level such as acoustic guitar.

Dynamic Mic

These mics work by letting sound waves vibrate a diaphragm. The voice coil wire on the back of the diaphragm then moves through a magnetic field created by a magnet inside the mic in order to create voltage. These are usually used to record higher SPL instruments such as electric guitar/drums.

We recorded a gockenspiele first to show how percussion intrusments could be recorded with different microphones. We first recorded using the SHURESM58 dynamic microphone. This is not only a popular choice for live vocalists, but also for instruments in and out of the studio. Dynamic microphones are often used for percussive instruments due to heir loud nature and high SPL. We recorded the glockenspiele from about 30cm away from the mic and using the MACKIE1640I we controlled the levels to create a sound we felt comfortable with. This was done in a sound proofed recording studio to minimise back noise and create a good quality clean sound. The mic was pointed directly at the glockenspiel as the SHURESM58 has a cardioid polar pattern which means that the sound is picked up most strongly from directly in front of the mic.
https://soundcloud.com/user-401119215/glock-task-0004-audio-shure

After doing this we recorded it in the same location with a condenser mic, the AKGC100S. We did this to see how the different mics would change the way the recordings sounded. On this recording in comparison to the SHURESM58 the sound is a lot harsher and more brash. This may be due to the performer perhaps playing the glockenspiel louder, however it could also be due to the fact that it is a condenser mic which is not designed to record high SPL sound such as a glockenspiel. The AKGC1000S  The AKG also uses a cardioid polar pattern which meant that we set it up by pointing it directly at the glockenspiel keys to make sure the sound is picked up strongly, The mic was once again set up at a 30cm distance from the glockenspiel as to create a good quality recording, however despite this the sound is still very tinny due to the high pitch of the instrument. When compared to the SHURESM58 recording the sound has much more sonic power and is a lot less gentle.

https://soundcloud.com/user-401119215/glock-task-0006-audio-akg-jth

We also used the AKGD112 in the soundproofed studio. This is another dynamic mic, and as such appears to be able to handle the high SPL of the glockspiel well. This one again gives it a much more gentle, soft sound. We set up the mic in the exact same way as the other mics as the polar pattern was once again cardioid meaning that the mic was pointed directly at the glockenspiel keys at a distance of 30cm. This caused the sound to be very similar to the SHURESM58 recording as they are both dynamic mics meaning they use a voice coil and a magnet to create voltage. However as the D112 is designed as a bass drum mic it is meant for picking up deep bassy sounds and so some of the higher notes on the recording can seem strained at times as the sound is already very tinny. Whereas some of the lower notes are a little more potent as the D112 gives its signature punchy effect to the notes.
https://soundcloud.com/user-401119215/glock-task-0005-audio-egg-jth
We found that the main flaws in these recordings were created by the performers and set up people in the room, this is why after we recorded some with mistakes in caused by people accidentally creating noise, the set up people left the room when recording in the future.

After doing these three recordings we then went outside to see how recording outside would affect the mics and the sound quality. We used the H2HANDYRECORDER to do our open air recordings as it has many different settings which change the current polar pattern. This allowed us to review different sound whilst using the same mic. At first we put it on the 120 degree setting, this gave a strong sound however it could not handle the high SPL of the glockenspiel and this combined with the background noise from the wind and other factors created a very distorted sound.
https://soundcloud.com/user-401119215/120-degree-jth
We then put in on the 2ch setting. This was even more distorted than the previous setting and picked up even more wind noise. This is because once again the SPL was way too high for the H2HANDYRECORDER to handle effectively. However in this recording the mic did give a much larger feel to the sound as there were no walls for the sound waves to bounce off, this is why the notes seemed to ring out for longer on this recording, despite the fact they were heavily covered at times by the distorted notes being played.
https://soundcloud.com/user-401119215/jth-2ch
After this we put it on the 4ch setting and went inside a class room. This setting was once again very distorted, and very similar to the 2ch recording in many ways. It gave a decent amount of reverb due to the enclosed, small space. However, in this recording there was much less background noise and virtually no audible wind noise affecting the mic for a majority of the recording.
https://soundcloud.com/user-401119215/4-ch-jth

We found that the main flaws in these recordings were for one the mic itself. The H2HANDYRECORDER could not handle SPL of the glockenspiel which is what gave it the dirty robotic style distortion. Another major issue was the background noise generated from being outside, such as engine noise from the road and wind noise. If I were to do open air recordings again I would do them in a much more isolated area to minimise man made noise, and perhaps do it on a less windy day, perhaps using something as a wind breaker to minimise air noise. However I am aware that by doing that I risk losing the open air sound I desire from open air as sound waves may bounce off the wind breaker.

We were then tasked with recording an acoustic guitar to try and effectively create a good quality sound recording. An acoustic guitar has a reasonably low SPL and also quite a high sound frequency, this lead us to believe that a condenser mic would be best suited for the task of recording the guitar. The guitar we used was interesting as it was a twelve string. This meant that the strings were doubled up similar to a mandolin which creates a much more delicate yet full
sounding acoustic noise, the frequency is also higher. We set up an AKGC1000S 30cm away pointing directly into the noise hole of the guitar in order to record the strongest and most clean sound as this is where the noise is released from. I believe that the choice of mic allowed for such a good recording as the notes are clearly distinguishable and somewhat sonically elegant. This was recorded in a sound proofed studio and run through a MACKIE1640I mixing desk so that we could control sound levels such as gain and mid range.
https://soundcloud.com/user-401119215/guitar-studio-0006-audio-audio

Some of the problems we found with the recording were that due to the fact we only used one microphone the sound was very flat and lacked some depth.  Also, the levels could have been set up better as the guitar sounds almost as though it is a little too far away. One of the other problems is that the mic is picking up the clacking sound of the pick hitting the strings of the guitar, we planned to solve these problems for final recording in order to achieve a higher sonic quality.
The reason the AKGC100S worked much better for this instrument than it did for the glockenspiel is that the guitar had a much lower SPL than a glockenspiel which makes it a much more suitable recording subject for a small diaphragm condenser microphone such as the AKGC1000S. Which is why it sounds so much more clear and gentle than the glockenspiel recording of the same mic. (See second link from the top)

When we did our final recordings we decided what we would change for the acoustic guitar set up. We stayed recording in the sound proofed studio, but changed quite a lot of other factors. On the MACKIE1640I we raised the mid level and high range level. We also decided to use two mics instead of one, on pointed directly at the sound hole and one at the fretboard to pick up any vibrations further up the guitar, and then layer the two recordings over each other in order to create more depth of sound with a much higher sonic quality, we also moved the mics slightly closer to the guitar to try and remove the sound of distance we had previously. I believe that we succeeded in this as the quality of the recording is much clearer. Also the sound of the pick clacking against the strings is much less noticeable and seems to blend into the sound much more, however we did have an issue with the buttons of the guitarists clothes banging against the wood of the guitar, as can be heard in the recordings. However despite this i believe the sound quality is much higher.
Sound Hole
Fret Board

We also decided to record an electric guitar in the studio as well. Using what I had learned from my research into the early and modern recordings of Black Sabbath and AC/DC, whose music prominently features electric guitar as an essential component, i was able to try and recreate some of the methods they used in order to try and create a thick heavy sound similar to the styles of heavy metal and hard rock. I did this by setting up one dynamic mic against the amp with large amounts of gain and distorsion to create the crunchy coarse sound of a metal guitar. In order to make the sound darker and more deep,  pointed the mic at and angle towards the wall of the speaker cone in the amp, as pointing it directly towards the cone can create a brighter feel, an undesirable effect in the genre. We also set up a mic around 20ft away as an ambient mic, a technique used by the sound engineer Tom Allom when recording Black Sabbath's first album. This created a larger room effect and also created a more reverberated sound. It also picked up any acoustic reflecting from surfaces in the room. We used a condenser mic for this as the SPL the mic was receiving was much lower than that of the dynamic amp mic. One problem we encountered was that as the guitarist was in the same room as the amp being recorded, there was some background noise of the pick hitting the strings. If we had access to the facilities we would hook the guitar up to an amp in a separate sound proofed room with only the mics in order to create a pure sound with zero background noise corruption.
Amp
Ambient

The Production Characteristics of Black Sabath and AC/DC

Black Sabbath are renowned for being the fathers of Heavy Metal, effectively creating the genre with their first album of the same name, Black Sabbath. Original lead singer Ozzy Osbourne even went so far as to say "We decided to write horror music.". The dark yet bluesy tones of the band were a result of many factors which resulted in the generation of what we now know to be heavy metal. The founder and lead guitarist of the band Tony Iommi had an accident in his youth at a sheet metal factor which caused his fretting fingers to get slit at the tips. In order to overcome this he de-tuned his guitar to make it easier for him to play, this created the deep guttural guitar tone that is a staple in the heavy metal genre. Black Sabbath also house some of the first uses of the dibolous in musica titrone in modern music; a musical feature once banned by the church for being 'evil'. Ozzy Osbourne also switches between a very ominous style of vocals and a very heavy style in order to add to the demoniacally themed music. This is shown in the first song of the album, also called Black Sabbath, when he often breaks vocals to scream 'please no' at the mic. Geezer Butler, the bassist instead of playing the wild melodic bass stylings of a lot of music from the time of the albums release, plays heavy striking notes along with Iommi to add to the massive sound. On drums, ward shows his jazz origins by holding the rhythm section together and giving Black Sabbath some of the structure that it needed. Bill Wards style is shown to be what is essentially jazz drumming being performed in hard rock suit.

All of this can be potently heard in their first ever album, Black Sabbath. This album effectively pioneered the genre of heavy metal, and one of the most amazing things about the album was that it was recorded in only one day. Often they would not run through a song more than once for each instrument, and had Ozzy sing along in a separate booth. They also did minimal overdubbing to save time, adding only some extra guitar parts and some special effects such as thunder cracking.

Tom Allom, the man who ran Regent Sound in London where the album was recorded said that the album was recorded using a basic equaliser and an EMT140 Reverb Plate using a resonating metal plate to create a smooth and lush tone when compared to the spring reverb systems. It also gives the album a more ambient sound when compared to more recent albums as they tend to use reverb plug ins rather than actual plates.  According to Allom he used two mics per amp cabinet and an ambient mic where possible abour 20 ft away to try and capture the raw sound. Tony Iommi has also revealed that he used a Laney Guitar Amp but was unhappy with the sound and so started using a Treble Booster to give a good amount of overdrive to add to the already thick sound of Black Sabbath.

One of the main appealing factors of this album is the sheer raw sonic force that Black Sabbath brings to the table in a way that had never been heard before. As time progressed however, technology began to become more advanced and pristine music became more a more sought after in all genres. In their newest album '13', producer Rick Rubin asked the band to revisit the sound of their original album to try and recreate the bluesy origins a the Sabbath sound. Andrew Scheps the man in charge of mixing the album said that he immediately understood the idea behind the album, but that making the album sound sonically similar to the first Black Sabbath albums would have been a mistake as due to technology advancing so much, the album would not have been popular. He said "They work because they're classic albums of their time, but it simply is not what records sound like today." Implying that the main reason the Black Sabbath album is so popular because it as revolutionary and influential, and that trying to recreate the exact sound would make '13' pointless and stagnant. With this combination of the original Black Sabbath sound (complete for the first time since 1979 with Ozzy Osbourne), and new technology to bring out the best in the high and low ends of the band,'13' as received very positive reviews. One of the main ways in which they tried to keep the same tones of the original album was to record and mix entirely on analogue with a Neve 8068, this gave it a very rich sound according to Scheps.

In their 2008 album 'Black Ice' AC/DC used some similar techniques to Black Sabbath's first album. The EMT 140 was used on drums and guitar. Mike Fraser the man in charge of mixing the album said that although the band wanted the drums as unaltered as possible, he felt they would benefit from using the EMT140 to add some decay to the sound. He also used it on guitar when lead guitarist Angus Young was playing by himself in order to fill out the sound, however the rhythm and bass guitars had no effects on them once again in order to retain the organic sound the band wanted from the album. In that sense there are even more similarities as 'Black Sabbath' also had minimal effects on their tracks. However as 'Black Sabbath' was recorded in a single day, this may have been due to time constraints rather than by choice. Mike Fraiser also used a Neve desk as he said he enjoyed the immaculate sound it gave. These factors contribute to how AC/DC and Black Sabbath both achieved the new/classic feel.

In our own recordings for our BTEC course we decided to try and recreate the way in which the guitars were recorded for the first Sabbath Album. We did this by using an electric guitar, with a heavy distortion and reverb on it in order to create a nice crunchy sound. We used a dynamic mic (SHURESM58) on the amp, positioned at an angle towards the side of the cone in order to create a thiker darker sound. We also placed and ambient mic around 20ft away as Tom Allom did in the original album recording in order to create a nice big room effect as well as add some extra reverb to the sound. We used a condenser mic for this as the SPL were much lower at that distance and we found that it gave a better sound. We did not have access to a Neve desk such as that which was used in the recording of 13/Black Ice, so instead we substituted it for a MACKIE1640I desk which we ran through straight into cubase which we used to save the recording. I have uploaded both mic tracks separately to show how each mic picked up the sound differently.
                                                                                                                                    

In order to find out more about my chosen artist and album I skimmed and scanned three secondary sources to find out more about the technical aspects of the recording style used on the album, and how that compared to other albums of a similar style. I annotated these sources to find key information that I could use to make my article more comprehensive and detailed on the subject matter. I found out not only the equipment set up of my chosen album, but also why that particular set up was chosen and how it affected the recording. I also found out about the inspiration behind the unique style of the album, and how that has affected other bands over time. I also discovered how the album I chose affected their other albums due to how heavily influential it was.

The purpose of my research was to allow me to accurately report how the album was recorded and why it was recorded in that way. This also allowed me to customise my own recordings in accordance to what I found.

Source	Relevance
Sound On Sound Inside Track: Black Sabbath 13	This source helped me to compare the way in which black Sabbath have evolved their recording style over their years of success. This article was particularly helpful as it allowed me to see the real technical ins and outs of the album. This source was particularly helpful as Black Sabbath were trying to recreate their original sound in this album. This was good as the main focus of the article was the first Black Sabbath album.
Ultimate Guitar Tom Allom: “The Sounds On First Sabbath Albums Could Have Been Heavier”	This source was useful as it allowed me to get some decent knowledge on how the first Black Sabbath album was actually recorded; this allowed me to then recreate this in my own recordings by using the same mic techniques. It also gave some information on the equipment used to record and create effects in the album.
Popular Music The Key Concepts Second Edition (Book)	This book allowed me to read about some of the factors that really make heavy metal, as well as how it relates to other genres. It also inspired me to compare Black Sabbath to AC/DC.
Sound On Sound Inside Track: AC/DC Black Ice	This album help me to see how AC/DC record in a technical sense, it also helped me to compare their style with Black Sabbaths recording styles; old and new. It also helped me to see which pieces of equipment they both use.
Music Radar Tony Iommi Interview	This interview with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi helped me to understand how the band achieved their signature doom like guitar sound. And also what pieces of equipment he used to make a sound that was original to him. It was interesting to see how they used the same techniques and equipment for a long time.
Louder Than Hell (Book)	This book allowed me to see some of the inspiration behind the Black Sabbath Origins, and what led to them creating the sound that we now know as heavy metal.
Guitar World	This Source allowed me to see where Black Sabbath recorded their first album and also some interesting facts about some of the unique ways in which the band used to record and create a unique sound.