Getting Closer With My Big Plan.

[László]

I’m pretty close to getting the old Craptastic studio ready for the orchestral instrument recording project to augment my electronic tracks, having acquired several new mics, adding another acoustic panel/bass trap to a side wall by the amps, and getting a little more diffusion happening by scattering some of the furnishings, like the shelving, a bit.

The walls are properly treated. All of the corners have proper bass traps (the non-matching black ASC trap is movable; that corner consists of the electrical box access and I can’t hang a panel there).

I did walk around the room listening to pink noise with an SPL meter, and it's pretty darn good. The panels I have are the type they offer that are both bass traps, and they diffuse the sound a bit. They also offer panels that only absorb sound, but I didn't want to have a room that sounds dead.

By the way, the guitar amps benefit from being placed in front of the RealTraps bass traps, so that’s a little bonus, even though I won’t be using them on this project.

I have the mic pre question solved, and will soon add headphone distribution amps so the musicians can set their own headphone levels.

Still on the list are a couple more sets of closed back cans. I have enough sets here, but a couple need to be replaced. And in the “stuff I didn’t think about dept.” I have to add some headphone extension cables. For the ad stuff, it’s usually one instrument at a time, so only a couple were needed. Not so now.

More stuff will be three additional music stands.

A few more weeks installing/testing the remaining gear, and I’ll start preparing scores, which is really the difficult and most time consuming part. I might have to bring in an orchestrator if I get stuck.

This is [edit: no longer, for safety reasons] the current state of the room's live recording area. It's only half the space, the other side of the room has my workstation, keyboards, etc.

The plan is to record three or four instruments at a time. The ideal setup is the one used at Abbey Road for the quintet in the picture below. However, because my room only has an 8 foot ceiling, I won’t be adding the higher outriggers pictured. It’d be pointless.

I’ll have to add a bit of reverb instead.

As unappetizing as my studio looks, it’s a good sounding room, and it’s not much worse for wear in appearance than the old Abbey Road scoring stage (I would kill to record there, peeling paint notwithstanding)!

I figure the results count for more than the decor. Onward!

 

[bodia]

Sounds exciting!

 

[veinbuster]

This is going to be fun.
I’d kind of like to watch.

 

[Black Plaid]

Good call on the music stands, I think that Abbey Road shot is pure glamour. I assume you have chairs as well? You might think about some headphone hangers that fit on the stands as well.

Perhaps a bit of colour full, or warm-tone art on the walls to break up some of the wall and trap color?

I'm not certain that will be enough space for a 4 peice without moving some amps around, but it's hard to tell without being there. Remember there needs to be enough space to set the instruments down when they are taking a break.

Looks great, excited to hear the results!

 

[László]

This is going to be fun.
I’d kind of like to watch.

The first time I recorded a real-deal orchestral ensemble it was pretty embarrassing.

My session was for a Budweiser ad for the Olympics. I hired a small ensemble composed of musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, booked a world-class studio, and the clients flew in from St. Louis.

It was a big deal.

There were two violins, a viola, 2 horns, bass. I had already recorded the piano track, and I provided a mock-up of what they'd be playing with electronic instruments so they could get a feel for it. The clients didn't want the sound of a full orchestra, they wanted a smaller ensemble.

Sadly, I simply didn't know what to expect and discovered I hadn't prepared properly.

There wasn't time for a rehearsal, because of scheduling problems, but I figured professionals wouldn't need to rehearse a 30 second ad very much. The parts were SO simple! In any case, I met the musicians for the first time at the session.

Huge mistake, especially with clients present.

Right off the bat they told me my chart wasn't quite right, so I had to make corrections on the spot. I thought I'd done it correctly - evidently not. I was sweating bullets!

Finally, I got the score corrected and told them we'd do a one bar click count-in. We rolled tape.

Click, click, click, click. Aaaaand...Nothing.

They sat there looking puzzled and didn't play a note after the one bar click.

So I had the engineer roll tape again (we used actual tape). Again, nothing. They sat there. I got on the talkback and asked what was wrong. They looked around at each other, then one of the horn players said, "We need a conductor." As if I had a conductor handy.

They wouldn't just start with a click track count-in the way pop musicians do. I was like, "Whaaaat?" I mean, it isn't that difficult! But that's not the way they wanted to work.

So I went into the booth and moved my arm with my pointer finger straight out as though it was a baton and asked, "If I do this, can you play?"

They looked around at each other again. "Sure," they said. So I stood there, pretended to conduct, and they of course played it perfectly. They got it done in one take, though we did a second take just as insurance. But we used the first take. They were fantastic.

Fortunately for client relations, I had tickets to a B-Ball game for after the session to take the clients out (the Pistons were good that year), and they were entertained and left very happy with finished tracks.

Turned out to be fun. But it was touch and go for a while!

 

[László]

Perhaps a bit of colour full, or warm-tone art on the walls to break up some of the wall and trap

They’ll be facing the front of the room, in this direction. Hopefully enough decent color and decor? A couple of paintings, the vase, etc. Probably OK for now. I have plenty more colorful nicknacks and pieces of art I can bring into the room as needed.

EDIT: The solution was to move the large red/tan vase by the keyboard to the bookshelf under the window. Brightened it right up, distracts the eye from the boring quality of white panels on white walls.

Thanks for pointing that out! I'll post a pic of the new view shortly.

Plus they have the privilege of gazing at my exceedingly handsome mug!

I have Stedman headphone hangers for all the mic stands. That should work; alternatively I can attach them to the music stands. I’ll play that by ear.

I'm not certain that will be enough space for a 4 peice without moving some amps around,

For a sense of the scale, the rug is 8x10, and that part of the room is 15’ wide and about 17 feet deep. The entire studio is a single room, 33' long. It feels spacious to me on some days, and on others I get claustrophobic. I'll put out a bowl of Ativans if they feel too closed-in.



[That was a joke, I'd never do that]

The room I used for the ensemble at the fancy studio was smaller, their big room was booked.

Should be enough room for 3-4 players. The rug in the Abbey road shot looks similar in size, 9x12 at most. I do have some sturdy padded chairs I’ll set up as well. But you’re right, I can always move some amps.

But there's room between the workstation area and the part of the room in the first pic for them to spread out.

 

[dmatthews]

The first time I recorded a real-deal orchestral ensemble it was pretty embarrassing.

My session was for a Budweiser ad for the Olympics. I hired a small ensemble composed of musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, booked a world-class studio, and the clients flew in from St. Louis.

It was a big deal.

There were two violins, a viola, 2 horns, bass. I had already recorded the piano track, and I provided a mock-up of what they'd be playing with electronic instruments so they could get a feel for it. The clients didn't want the sound of a full orchestra, they wanted a smaller ensemble.

Sadly, I simply didn't know what to expect and discovered I hadn't prepared properly.

There wasn't time for a rehearsal, because of scheduling problems, but I figured professionals wouldn't need to rehearse a 30 second ad very much. The parts were SO simple! In any case, I met the musicians for the first time at the session.

Huge mistake, especially with clients present.

Right off the bat they told me my chart wasn't quite right, so I had to make corrections on the spot. I thought I'd done it correctly - evidently not. I was sweating bullets!

Finally, I got the score corrected and told them we'd do a one bar click count-in. We rolled tape.

Click, click, click, click. Aaaaand...Nothing.

They sat there looking puzzled and didn't play a note after the one bar click.

So I had the engineer roll tape again (we used actual tape). Again, nothing. They sat there. I got on the talkback and asked what was wrong. They looked around at each other, then one of the horn players said, "We need a conductor." As if I had a conductor handy.

They wouldn't just start with a click track count-in the way pop musicians do. I was like, "Whaaaat?" I mean, it isn't that difficult! But that's not the way they wanted to work.

So I went into the booth and moved my arm with my pointer finger straight out as though it was a baton and asked, "If I do this, can you play?"

They looked around at each other again. "Sure," they said. So I stood there, pretended to conduct, and they of course played it perfectly. They got it done in one take, though we did a second take just as insurance. But we used the first take. They were fantastic.

Fortunately for client relations, I had tickets to a B-Ball game for after the session to take the clients out (the Pistons were good that year), and they were entertained and left very happy with finished tracks.

Turned out to be fun. But it was touch and go for a while!

That's HILARIOUS that they couldn't play without some rando waving his arms!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Hell yeah!

 

[TonyT]

Looks fantastic and best of luck with the session.

 

[László]

Thanks guys!

That's HILARIOUS that they couldn't play without some rando waving his arms!

Right? I learned everything I know about conducting from Bugs Bunny.

 

[dmatthews]

Thanks guys!


Right? I learned everything I know about conducting from Bugs Bunny.

They just don't make 'em like that any more...

 

[mixmkr]

You could have flown me in to conduct!
Gimme dat drum stick. 4/4... right?

 

[Alnus Rubra]

They’ll be facing the front of the room, in this direction. Hopefully enough decent color and decor? A couple of paintings, the vase, etc. Probably OK for now. I have plenty more colorful nicknacks and pieces of art I can bring into the room as needed.

In fact, I have another oxblood color vase I might stick on top of one of the bookshelves just to add a bit more color, probably will get to that tonight.

Plus they have the privilege of gazing at my exceedingly handsome mug!

I have Stedman headphone hangers for all the mic stands. That should work; alternatively I can attach them to the music stands. I’ll play that by ear.



For a sense of the scale, the rug is 8x10, and that part of the room is 15’ wide and about 17 feet deep. The entire studio is a single room, 33' long. It feels spacious to me on some days, and on others I get claustrophobic. I'll put out a bowl of Ativans if they feel too closed-in.



[That was a joke, I'd never do that]

The room I used for the ensemble at the fancy studio was smaller, their big room was booked.

Should be enough room for 3-4 players. The rug in the Abbey road shot looks similar in size, 9x12 at most. I do have some sturdy padded chairs I’ll set up as well. But you’re right, I can always move some amps.

But there's room between the workstation area and the part of the room in the first pic for them to spread out.

But have you got a conductor?

 

[László]

But have you got a conductor?

No, but I have a semiconductor!

[cymbal crash]

Seriously, I'm planning to conduct. After much study, I feel I'm ready to conduct something complicated, like opera.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Thanks guys!


Right? I learned everything I know about conducting from Bugs Bunny.

Same, but cross dressing.

 

[bodia]

Same, but cross dressing.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Red shoes and a green umbrella with a blue and pink ensemble is just crazy.

 

[László]

@Black Plaid, the simple color fix was to swap the red/tan large vase for the smaller one in the other pic. Spruces up the color balance a bit, so thank you for mentioning that it looked like it needed something.

I moved the black tube trap out of the way for this craptabulous beauty shot!

 

[Black Plaid]

At the end of the day (actually, all day long), it's your space. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy the aesthetic. Everyone here would probably do things slightly differently.

I do miss the Roman Helmet, but I'll stop kibbitzing now!

 

[DISTORT6]

@Black Plaid, the simple color fix was to swap the red/tan large vase for the smaller one in the other pic. Spruces up the color balance a bit, so thank you for mentioning that it looked like it needed something.

I moved the black tube trap out of the way for this craptabulous beauty shot!

Lamp