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Record second verse/ bridge

Adjust bassline.

Add harmonic layers.

Mix.

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The risk assessment carried out for working in my home studio set-up.

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Using my same simple bedroom set up as for my formative demo, with my mic and headphones running through my interface into my MacBook, I set out to re-record most of the tracked vocal parts and some of the instrumentals. I did this to ensure the track was as clean as possible ready for mixing.

1. Firstly I re-recorded the main vocal, with the developed top-line melody. I did this in the same way I had originally for my formative; sat at my desk with my microphone in my hands. As mentioned, for me this feels much more comfortable than standing in front of a pop-shield or vocal booth - it feels more relaxed and personally I think it allows for a more intimate sound. In getting the exact sound I wanted I took a few takes and spliced the best bits of each together - a process known as 'Comping' where (Medium, 2021). Through re-recording the main vox track, I also recorded the second verse and bridge. I added EQ to cut out some of the bass from my voice. I added compression to soften the peaks in volume and level it out, also adding some dry reverb with a very slight distance/ decay so that my vocals sounded crisp and clean but slightly dreamy and spacey.

2. Next I re-recorded the Rhodes keys using the onscreen keys in Logic and adjusted the sound, adjusting the levels on the plug-in to add slight decay/ release to for a slight reverb effect, adding a bit of tine bell to them so that they ring out almost like a bell. I played with the tuning so that they sounded very slightly out to give them a kind of eery vibe. I then added EQ and reverb to cut out some of the top end and to add distance/ decay to give them an ambient feeling. I purposefully didn't adjust the velocity or quantise them to add to this feeling of being slightly out and strange-sounding.

3. I then cleaned up the drums, having them come in with the bass. I added moments of drop out, for example right before the verse comes in, to add an element of anticipation. I left the EQ levels as they were, with some of the top end cut out so they sounded subby and lofi.

4. Next I cleaned up the vocal motifs in the outro, adjusting the timing so that the song ended cleanly on one final 'di-didehdeh'. After EQ-ing them, I gave them some compression and reverb. Then, using a distortion plug in, I upped the gain and the tone to get them sounding fuzzy - as if being sung down the phone. I was again inspired by the track 'Easily I Forget' by Alfa Mist/ Emmavie and how they used a similar technique on the vocals (Alfa Mist, 2020).

5. When re-recording the harmonic breakdown I altered the harmonies as I felt there were some slight clashes. I feel it could have been a case of simply having too many playing and decided to simplify it down to just 4. I added EQ and reverb with distance/ decay so they sounded wet and almost bled into each other. I wanted them to sound euphoric, acting as this moment of release.

6. Lastly, with the assistance of my friend Adham, we re-recorded the bass with a new bass line. We felt as though the original bassline wasn't quite the right vibe for the track. With the song basically being a loop for the most part we felt there needed to be more going on in the bass line to add interest and momentum and so we altered it to be more funky. After recording, we added EQ and compression to cut out some of the low end and get it sounding clean.

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The mixing desk after adjusting the levels.

Because I was mixing as I went, there wasn't a whole lot I had to do post-recording aside from listen back to the track and alter the levels in places; tweaking EQ, compression and reverb e.g on the vocal motifs as they weren't quite coming through enough. I then added some automation on the drums and vocal motifs to emphasise the points of beat drop out and allow space for the main vocal to shine through. I also did this on the harmonies so that they faded out smoothly to allow the vocals to come back in for the second verse.

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Finally, I pitch shifted the whole track up by 10 cents. A barely noticeable alteration however, an important one. I did this to further add to the slightly 'off' energy of the song. After seeing an interview online, I was inspired by the band Massive Attack, who used the same technique on their song 'Black Milk' - where they pitch shifted the whole track by roughly 50 cents sharp, or half a semi tone (Massive Attack, 1998).

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A snippet of the finished track ready for submission.

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A run through during a rehearsal with my band at SmallPond studios in preparation for my summative live recorded assessment.

Through this rehearsal we altered the song slightly in order to differentiate it from the DAW version of the track. I liked the idea of it being longer and lazier, with there being a longer intro/ outro and more harmonic sections. We did this by having a longer count-in in the intro, with the bass coming in after 2 bars and the vocals after 4. Similarly in the outro, we allowed space for the instrumentals to 'noodle' a little, fading out after 8 bars. We added sections after the choruses for vocal motifs and harmonies, either hummed or on an 'ooh'. I really like how this turned out.

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[1] Medium., 2021. 5 tips for comping vocals. [online] Available at: <https://uxdesign.cc/5-tips-for-comping-vocals-ebdd39fc30ea> [Accessed 10 December 2021].
[2] Alfa Mist., 2020. Easily I Forget. Available at: <https://open.spotify.com/track/5rERYuoG0D2vsgxwB5gsZ4?si=e16c89f0b7934b53> [Accessed 8 December 2021].
[3] Massive Attack., 1998. Black Milk. Available at: <https://open.spotify.com/track/1Rezzt36ybaT2ZbDZpv83D?si=ff3922c9596f417d> [Accessed 10 December 2021].

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Things I'm happy with:

The completed track.

Rehearsals.

My progress.

Still to do:

Live Summative Assessment.

My reflection.

Submit!