Addition Studio Visitor, Andy Gorton
Tracking live in the studio, Andy Gorton and David Hughes recorded an EP to help promote their group, The Pitch Benders. The talented duo hail from Ticonderoga, NY and Rutland, VT, where they frequent regional music venues, weddings and private functions.
The duo chose a nice simple production, with Andy on acoustic guitar and David on bass. The example below features Andy solo with his guitar.
The second example is with David on bass and harmony vocals.
David Hughes
Do you usually record vocals and instruments at the same time or have them sing over a track they lay first
It can go either way and it is usually up to the artists and how prepared they might be. Recording a song “live” puts more pressure on the performers. Often a take needs to be pretty close to perfect since there will be audio bleed from all performers to all open microphones in the room.
A mistake into one microphone can often carry over to another close by, therefore the error is not isolated to that one track and difficult to edit without effecting other tracks as well.
Some artists find it difficult to track each part, primarily due to timing issues and some also feel tracking each part separately leads to a more manufactured sound. From an engineers stand point, recording live is more work for sure, especially when it comes to mixing the tracks together, for reasons stated above.
Having isolated,separate tracks, makes for a lot of control in the mixing stage. However, a lot of the success of separate tracking falls on the shoulders of the engineer. He needs to give the performer a great monitor mix in his/her headphones in order to feel comfortable recording the current track along what they are hearing in the headphones from previously recorded tracks, so it sounds like a natural, whole, “live” recording. Tricky stuff!
I recorded in this studio in 2011 and played on one track and sang on another track for a formal wedding and the results were fabulous. For this recording I wanted to go live as it is how we play at most venues. Fortunately, we did alright without too many glitches all of which were mine. Skip encouraged and directed at the right moments without interfering with the artistic intent, or sound. On the other hand, he has a musicians ear and if he asks if you are in tune…better check. You won’t regret it.
Also, remember where you are! Be ready with your arrangements and be rehearsed. Otherwise, even Skip can’t help you. As for me, I can’t wait to return for more! Skip is the Bomb!! It’s Studio made for recording and making music and memories! And more important, the obvious love and warmth for everything about the music pervades the studio. A visit to The Addition Studio should be on the Adirondack music, or any other music trail, if it even exists anymore…
Sounds great looks like nice setup
WOW This is awesome! The sound is amazing. Andy you have done a great job!