So now I start to get a little more technical. Though I'm not fluent in "recording" language, I still have a lot of jargon up my sleeves.
After acquiring the studio set from a good friend of mine, I sat down to do a little bit of research. I spent the next couple of days learning about the correct body posture of when to record, how to set up a microphone correctly, the do's and don'ts of a recording, and what to tweak when editing.
When a person records, they must have an aligned body posture; the point of recording is to capture the sound made by the human (in this particular case). If the body is cramped up or the head is compressing the vocal chords, those chords will not be able to vibrate as freely as they would if the body position was correct. As demonstrated here, the body must be aligned to a perpendicular line to the floor. While practicing a couple of my songs, I remembered how the author specified that my chin must be parallel to the floor. This allows my vocal chords to vibrate in their natural position without being stretched by lifting my head up or being compressed by tilting my head down (according to my voice teacher).
Another thing that I kept in mind when I started to record was the usage of diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing correctly controls the amount of air used which then results to what most singers call "controlled breathing". Most people breath by lifting up their shoulders and putting them down; however, educated musicians who utilize their lungs often know that using the diaphragm to breathe is way more useful. The diaphragm expands the lungs down and out instead of up, which creates more space. I found this source to be extremely helpful since the author writes the anatomy of diaphragmatic breathing (second to last paragraph) . Here's another article I found on diaphragmatic breathing and I was actually surprised! I've read through a couple of science-y type articles on the benefits of this way of breathing and I was quite surprised (Some examples here) Not only did I learn about how to use diaphragmatic breathing but I also got sweet info on some other effects of diaphragmatic breathing. As I delved deeper into the topic (I know I sort of led myself off tangent a little) I found out how diaphragmatic breathing actually helps to clear my throat. According to the "normalbreathing" website, the negative pressure that is created from drawing the diaphragm down helps to pull all the gunk away from the vocal chords.
With all the anatomy behind me, I sat down to do some technical work.
Whenever a person wants to record in professional quality you need a couple materials:
1.) Microphone (with XLR chords and Filter)
3.) A Recording Program
I had to learn the importance of a good microphone. There are many types of microphones and I had to sift through all of them to pick which one would suit me the best. I had a stage microphone that I used to use on my Youtube videos, but I quickly realized how little it would help. Stage microphones, or dynamic microphones, are built to be resilient and resistant to moisture (according to here and here [these two provided easier to understand information then other sources]). Condensers, however, pick up more details and clarity.
So I picked up this:
This is an Audio Technica AT2020 Condenser microphone that my dear friend lent to me. There is an outside screen that protects the inside diaphragm (not the body part but the circular apparatus that catches sound) from damage. The filter helps to keep out a lot of moisture.
As you may see, I am not in a professional studio editing. As time drew closer to the recording dates, it became apparent to me how expensive it was for me to go to Morning Stars Studios and actually record. Therefore, I concluded that I would be able to use similar tools and still get close to the same quality by just borrowing the equipment. In addition, borrowing the equipment would give me a more hands-on experience with the whole situation; if I had gone to the studio there would be someone on the other side of the glass working the mixer for me... I wouldn't have been able to learn anything.
As you may see, these are just images of what I look like when recording. And no, I am not touching the filter with my mouth.
Eat Sleep Chill.
You seem to be making a lot of progress on your EP. I like that this product will feature multiple genres, so that everyone's tastes will be accounted for. I read that you are playing around with guitar chords to find melodies, so I would assume that is one of your instruments. I might have missed it, but I was wondering, what is the other, or have you not decided yet? The guitar is a good choice; it's very versatile and can be applied to many different kinds of songs. Maybe you could choose something that complements the sound of a guitar and fits the goal of the Calmbone Experience, like a piano or synth. Can't wait to listen to your work!
ReplyDeleteYo Eric! I really admire the fact that you went as far to research the correct posture for recording. Such extended research shows how passionate you are for music and recording this EP. It stinks that I am not in your block because I really wanted to hear your music. Hopefully you put it up on soundcloud for all to hear. Over the past year I have seen you grown as an artist, and I think that this year you are hitting your stride. Last year I felt that you were stressed a bit when singing, but this year you seem to be more "in the zone" and just enjoying it more. I can't wait to hear what you have done! Good luck on the TED talk
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you are learning a lot about recording! It seems like you are meeting the goals that yous set for yourself!
ReplyDeleteAfter using the professional microphone and incorporating the breathing and posture techniques that you learned, can you hear a difference in your recordings? What areas are you still looking to improve in?
Good luck recording your songs! I cannot wait to hear them!