Recording my first band on Sunday....

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Music Afficionado
Member Since: Aug 12, 2008

Really looking forward to this. I usually record vocalists and one-off instruments only (accoustic guitar, congas, etc.) so this is really going to be a challenge for me but something I've wanted to do for a while.

I have an accoustically treated control room (which I think even MM would give partial blessing too) as well as an accoustically treated Mic room.

I have read so many different approaches and was planning on doing a click track with one artist at a time - there are drums, bass, electric and a sax - but its a reggae band so its not that simple.

So, any ideas? I'm assuming I can record the drums in the control room and the bass in the mic room. Then go back and record the others one at a time over top. Will the bass just take a 1/4" into the board or will it need a DI box and/or amp? If amp, doesnt the amp need to be in a seperate room? I guess that would be the same question for the electroc guitar. If it is a direct feed could I have a guitar record in the same room as the drums since there would be minimal bleed? I unfortunately no longer have a headphone splitter but they assured me that they really dont care b/c playing all together is how they practice anyway.

The band is bringing plenty of mics, cords, 2 DI boxes and 2 amps, so I think we have all the components - just need to figure out my best approach. Any advice is always appreciated.

On a side note, everyone is a aware of the learning curve and is looking forward to giving it the old college try. Plus, some if not all members have recorded in previous lifes so I'm sure there will be plenty of ideas floating around.

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www.TheLondonProject.ca
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2005


Feb 25, 2011 05:53 pm

Bass - use the DI box. You can record DI if active pickups but I would still use the DI box assuming it is decent like a Sansamp or something and use the amp (blend to taste).

Mic up the amp for the guitar.

Why are you recording drums in the control room?

I would approach this like any other session.

Have the drummer record to a click while the band is playing. Isolate the drums from the rest of the band. Re-record all of the other instruments after you get a good drum track.

Music Afficionado
Member
Since: Aug 12, 2008


Feb 27, 2011 09:45 am

Sorry - should have said - my mic room is not big enough for a drum set. So, I think the plan now is to have the drums and bass player in the control room and the amp in the mic room.

But we are also going to try and do the run through when you record the drums only as well. Thanks for the advice. We are going to document the whole thing and hopefully I'll be able to post some things up on here down the road....

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