Episode 049: Quick and Dirty Demos (Part 2)

Episode 049: Quick and Dirty Demos (Part 2)

Practical Bass
Practical Bass
Episode 049: Quick and Dirty Demos (Part 2)
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Here’s how to get fancy recording demos — and also tips for good sound regardless of your approach.

Show notes

Multitrack

  • This is the big time… the only that separates you from the experts is how expensive your gear is and how much experience you have doing good recordings
  • Typical tracks:
    • One mic per vocalist (maybe dynamic due to bleed?)
    • Usually at least one mic on each guitar amp (could be more)
    • At least a DI line from the bass player
    • Anywhere from one to MANY mics for drums
    • Lines from keyboards
    • Room mic for ambience (optional but cool for thickening, esp. drums)
    • (Some folks will wait and do the vocals later)
  • Need an interface that will handle all those mics! (sometimes an interface + an add-on with more inputs)
  • Get a good signal on each input (avg about -15 dB, don’t ever hit the red)
  • Cut down on the bad echoes and other junk by hanging blankets or other dampening materials
    • At lower volumes or in some spaces this may be less of an issue… just a demo
    • We are going to have a whole show on this down the road, for more than demos
  • Worry about mixing it later!
    • But leave plenty of time for this step 😉
  • Using a real DAW for this is a good idea…
  • Congratulations, you’re practically making an album now. Seriously.

Photo by Gritte on Unsplash. Music: JahzzarPlease Listen CarefullyspinningmerkabaUrbana-Metronica (wooh-yeah mix).

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