Lessons
Class Introduction
01:56 2Avast! Studio Overview & Walkthrough
07:26 3Sylvia's Recording Philosophy
10:07 4Introduce the Band, Thunderpussy
07:53 5Drum Setup & Tuning
18:21 6Drum Mic Placement
09:21 7Drum Micing - Mid-Side Overhead Technique
04:11 8Drum Micing - Room Mics
41:25Drum Micing - Toms
22:10 10Drum Micing - Kick and Snare Final Tuning
10:59 11Bass Setup
20:20 12Guitar Setup
36:13 13Vocal Setup
17:32 14Band Mic Check
26:05 15How Sylvia Plans a Lesson
07:29 16Budgets, Time and Planning a Session
13:17 17Recap and Intro
04:17 18Recording the Band, Thunderpussy
32:32 19Mixing the Recording of the Band
09:08 20Re-Recording Chorus
13:46 21Process for Editing
18:42 22Guitar Solo and Overdubs
52:35 23Vocal Overdubs
32:12 24Creative Studio Techniques
1:00:11 25How to Mix: Drums
43:56 26How to Mix: Add Bass & Guitar
13:34 27How to Mix: Add Vocals
36:24Lesson Info
Recap and Intro
Yesterday we had a great day. We started out by meeting the band. The band is Thunderpussy. And we talked about the songs to record. We found a song that we all really like. It's called Speed Queen. And then I started strategizing on how to record it. We chose the microphones for the recording of the band with my friend here, my assistant, Scott, who's been essential in making this thing happen. So we set up the drums, we mic'd up the drums. We set up the base, and mic'd up the base. And we set up a quite an elaborate guitar rig with a splitter box going into four different guitar rigs, I guess. There's two Marshalls, there's a weird projector amp, and then we have a BLACK+DECKER jigsaw being triggered from the guitar also. And we'll do scratch vocals while we're recording. And we'll be doing overdubs later on today. We haven't even started recording yet. All this yesterday was just in anticipation of what we'll be doing today. It's going to be a lot of fun. I've got some surprises in ...
store too. We like adventure recording and we'll be doing some of that. So I think we'll talk to the band now and let them know that we're getting ready to record. Awesome. Okay, I'm gonna go out to the room and talk to the band now. How are ya? Feeling good? Feelin' good. Headphones are happening? Feelin' good, feelin' great. Everyone in the mood? (Thunderpussy cheers) We've got sounds happening. We got the guitar set up. We got the base over there in that room. We've got everyone mic'd up. The drums sound great. We've checked everything and I think we're gonna start recording. Now here's a question. We've given you all click track. And we found a tempo for the song. Now, the song starts with a tempo and then it goes to a double-time. So can we use the same click for the entire song? Yes, we're gonna do that for this take. And if, I don't know, if we feel like it's too slow, maybe we could try the double-time a little faster, if that's okay? Okay, why don't we start with the click, let's see, how have we set this up now? We have a click, can we double-time the click? No problem. Okay. Do you want to start with the double-time? We'll start with the-- It's a hard break. If we had to, could we record it as two sections? Well, what I'd like to do is start with a, with recording the complete song as it is and we'll see if the click works. We'll use a double-time click and we'll see how far we get with it. If we can get through the whole song, great. Yeah. I'd like to, if we need to adjust the tempo, we'll take just separate pieces of the end where it goes to double-time. Sounds good. In case there's any problems. Yeah. How ya doin, Molly? I feel great. Okay, we're going to do scratch vocals. So as you're doing these vocals, it's just for guide so that everyone knows where they are in the song. And so I can learn the song, because I don't, I'm not as intimate with the song as you guys are. So it'll help me. But you don't have to give me like a stellar performance, because we will be rerecording you, for sure. Now if you get a great guitar solo, we're gonna keep it. But in case you don't, we'll be doing overdubs. So we'll have another chance to fix that. And I know that you play a fuzz pedal usually towards the end of the song. When it goes to double time. Right, so let's just not do the fuzz pedal now. It's something that we could do as an overdub or a punch-in. Okay, all right. I think we have a plan. Cool. Let's get started.
Ratings and Reviews
Jimmy Foot
This Studio Pass episode with Sylvia Massey covers a lot of ground. From fundamentals like correct mic placement and phase to experimentation with amps, cell phone delay and a few extra parts, Sylvia makes it fun! I have been lucky enough in my career to work with a number of great engineers and producers. I haven't had the opportunity to work with her, but Sylvia is certainly in that category, and anyone who gets a chance to work with her would be a lucky person. This broadcast is the next best thing. Great job there at Avast Studio and fantastic camera work! And as for Thunderpussy; you guys rock!
Marc Felish
Wow, that was such a blast. Thanks so much Sylvia and everyone else for making this such a fun experience. I picked up so many new ideas that I can't wait to try out! Sylvia is such a creative producer, it was so much fun to be a fly on the wall watching everything. Loved it!!
Marcus Soares
Awesome! A great opportunity to pick into the creative mind of one of the greatest and get that kind of knowledge that you can't acquire otherwise. Highly recommended!
Student Work
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