Audio Studies B – Creative Project

Good Riddance
Daniel Trembath
Minutes ‘ Seconds (Italic 11pt Arial)

For my final assignment, I decided to do Green Day – Good Riddance. I decided to do this for my final because I am very familiar with the song, having been the first song I ever learned on guitar.
I recorded electric guitar via Pro Tools in Studio 1. I also recorded Bass Guitar via the Avalon. I used a click track whilst recorded to save time shifting regions.
I recorded the picking start of the song first, then simple chords. After recording, I edited using Pro Tools in the Mac lab. I cut out certain parts of the recording and arranged them so sound like the actual song. I used a few plug ins on the guitars, especially on the bass to bring it up in volume.
Volume automation was used on the bass guitar, and panning was used on the electric guitar.
I routed Reason to Pro Tools and used a MIDI track for the drum track. Simple drums were played on the Novation and the mix was complete.

MP3 File: coming soon..

MIDI Studies B – Creative Project

A Reason For My Day
Daniel Trembath
03‘04

I had the idea of remaking a song one of my friends has made, called ‘A Reason For My. I decided to make this song for my MIDI mix because I know how to play and compose it + there’s a broad range of techniques I could use in the song.
A Reason For My Day consists mainly of piano, which I used some velocity changes in notes for it to sound real.
Strings were added; using the technique of keeping them a bit off the beat for added realism.
Bass was added using the techniques we have been taught.
Percussion was used in the form of drums. These drums have different velocities in each hit to sound like a real drummer playing.
A nylon string guitar was used and I incorporated a few pitch bends, giving the feel of the guitar player bending the strings as notes are played.
The song starts off with improvisation of piano with strings and a choir. As the strings build up, the main tune settles in. As the song progresses the bass comes in, giving a catchy feel to the mix.
A small build up occurs and the guitar comes in using pitch bends.
After a few more beats a huge build of the drums will occur and the whole song comes together with an added piano solo.
As the song progresses, it slowly dies down til the finish.
I have used automation for the build-ups. Strings have been automated and gradually gain volume until it hits the peak. Panning has been used in a few fill ins on the strings, choir and drum kit.

MIDI File: http://files-upload.com/files/611957/MIDI FINAL ASSIGNMENT.lso
MP3 File: http://files-upload.com/files/611980/Reason Fro MY Dayaysfua.mp3

Sound Engineering - Foley Artist

A Foley Artist is part of the creation of a film/video. Their role is to create most of the sound effects in a film to highlight key sounds to bring out the wholeness of whats being portrayed.

Some examples are:
Insects being squashed - Squeezing the inside of a lemon
Two people kissing - Kissing the back of your hand
Horses running - Clapping two coconut shells together

Some times the Foley Artist will try and mimic what is happening on screen. For 'rustling clothes', they will record a Foley Artist mimicking the same moves for added realism. This can also be explained with 'footsteps'.

Specific skills would be having the skill to recreate such sounds. Also, thinking outside of the square. Knowing what random objects would be useful in creating Foley.

:)

Oral Presentation

I believe my oral presentation on my Portfolio was rather successful. The information spoken had all the necessary components mentioned in the criteria. The powerpoint worked very well with the talk. It helped interact with the listeners. It also helped to bring out certain information being said.
The sample track demonstrated my talent in the field of Sound Engineering, although most of it was MIDI based samples.

In terms of experience with Sound Engineering, I’d say the list is very small. In Year 11, we had a subject called Performance Tech which was all about learning how to use the Mixing Desk, lights, recording and all stuff related to this course. I was pretty interested in that subject which lead me to further study this course. I also started making music on Fruity Loops. This gave me knowledge on MIDI programming, as well as music composition.

For my portfolio, I will include a CV and a Mini CV.
I will also include 5 tracks in my CD.

These will include: A song a friend and I had created in Year 12 using Fruity Loops 5
A remix of Alice Deejay – Better Off Alone using Logic Pro
A remix of a friend’s song titled “A Reason For My Day”
A world music remix using Pro Tools
An original techno song composed in Logic Pro

The CD face will hopefully include some awesome logo with some details on it. The CD case will be a sweet picture of some sort which will grab the attention of anyone who looks at it. The back of the CD will include the track list, what will be found on the CD like CV, Mini CV and so on, and any other details like how to contact me, phone number. All the basic information.

My strong points as a Sound Engineer would be the use of MIDI. I have been using MIDI prior to this course, so I found it easy to produce songs using Logic Pro. All the aspects of Music Technology Forum I found very interesting, which motivated me to do the best work possible. I found that subject to be another one of my strong points.

My weak points would definitely be recording. I find all aspects of recording difficult, including using Pro Tools. Also music theory, which I have never done in my life, is also another weak point. I will definitely be studying music theory after this course has finished.

As for next year, I will be getting membership at Fresh FM. Fresh will take me onboard and train me in all aspects of Radio, broadcast and technical equipment from professionals with years of industry experience. Fresh is a voluntary Radio Station so I wouldn’t get paid, but Nova are always looking to recruit people from Fresh to take them on board for a paid job.

References:
David Gryce - University of Adelaide 2007
My Uni

Music Technology Forum: Week 12 - Oral Presentations

This week in Music Technology Forum, the remaining members of the class showcased their oral presentations on their Portfolios thus far. This portfolio consisted of: A CV, a mini CV, full tracks, a sample track, CD's with a cover and label, any additional features such as a website, multimedia etc.

Simon:
Simon's presentation consisted of a talk, powerpoint display and sample track. Simon started guitar at a very young age and has been playing it his whole life. After he finished high school he tried out for a bachelor in Jazz but didn't make it in, so he decided to give Sound Engineering a go.

Lisa:
Lisa, or "Sound Techie Sam", has been immersed in music from a very young age. She leared multiple instruments: piano, clarinet, guitar/bass, tin whistle, kazoo and vocals. She has skills in recording, mastering, live mixing and theatre sound, as well as composition using MIDI.

Ken:
Ken has decided to add some comical essence with his Portfolio to show more of his personality. His porfolio will include MIDI songs he has created using various different programs. These songs are mostly in the Aphex Twin type genre.

Scott Philp:
Scott's portfolio will include nine tracks. These nine tracks will showcase his difference styles of production. He will be showing his skills in: full band mixing and recording, full MIDI based compositing and production, use of video in Pro Tools, remixing tracks and smaller based production and composition.

Music Technology Forum: Week 11 - Oral Presentations

This week in Music Technology Forum, half the class had to present their orals on their Portfolio. This portfolio consisted of: A CV, a mini CV, full tracks, a sample track, CD's with a cover and label, any additional features such as a website, multimedia etc. The oral presentation would show how much the individual has done to date.

Lauren:
Lauren used a great concept of a logo and a name for herself. The logo stands out, and when people see it they will know exactly what it is referring to. Lauren has worked in schools, bands, local artists and soloists. All of her work is going towards her EP.

Brendan:
Brendan is showcasing 8 songs with his portfolio. Each song reflects his skills and knowledge. Songs to: show different styles of recordings; in composition and playing; show skills in MIDI composition and skills in remixing. Brendan is keen on making a website showing his portfolio.

Ben:
Ben started off his presentation by explaining his background in Music. Starting out at a young age, he progressed with guitar. He joined a band which each member had their own influences and tastes in music. He chose to do Sound Engineering to record bands and live the life of a studio owner.

Scott:
Scott explained the profile he had written about himself. He was employed in a Music store mainly tuning guitars. He has communication skills, volunteering at a Primary School for work experience, and guitar skills as he has played his whole life. His songs comprise of recordings for bands, MIDI songs and recordings for Audio Studies.

Josh:
Josh decided to do Sound Engineering to gain experience in MIDI studies. His future is to make video games and music for video games. He has had experience in working for an accountant. His sample track consists of remixes of video game music and foley work which was rather interesting.

Overall, the presentations were well presented. I quite enjoyed them and cant wait to do my presentation.

Music Technology Forum - Week 10: Jingle Studio

This week for Music Technology Forum, we visited a local Jingle Studio called "Timms Tunes". The address of this Studio is '15 Sydenham Road Norwood SA 5067'. As we arrived at the Studio/Church, we seemed to be fascinated by the bowls of lollies in every room. We were taken into the main section of the Studio where we were told about what Timms Tunes is all about. They specialize in making Jingles for TV/Film. We were shown a very emotional video which Timms Tunes composed the song playing in the background. This song comprised of very slow Piano at the start to capture the emotion and devastation. As the images become more intense, the drums comes and strings come in to capture the extreme emotion being presented. Some thought this song sounded similar to Coldplay. I couldn't hear any obvious similarities between the two. We later listened to a Jingle that was made for a Winnie The Pooh Video Game. This jingle was a very happy, cheery song which basically made you smile when you heard it. The contrast between the two jingles was huge.
Timms Tunes uses the same programs we use at Uni. They use Logic for creating and Pro Tools for editing. As we progressed through the Studio, we met a few people who work at Timms Tunes. They told us about what they do at the Jingle Studio, their background and some experiences they've had working at Timms Tunes. This gave us an insider about what would happen if we applied for a job there.
After meeting the workers, it was back in the Studio where we talked about our background and what we wanted to do as a career. Many of us were undecided about exactly what we wanted to do, but we had an understanding of where we were heading.
The field trip to Timms Tunes was a great one. I learned all about the jingle process and it sounds like a very rewarding career.

Sound Engineering: Week 8 - Automation

Auto Off: Whilst running Pro Tools in manual mode. Ignores all automation
Auto Write: Write automation such as: Volume, pan, mute, plug in, send volume, send panning, send mute. Auto Write is destructive! Can turn on/off what you want to automate.
Auto Read: Reads the automation you have written
Auto Touch: Only writes while your touching, slowly goes down to 0 when unclicked.
Auto Latch: Stays at the level you leave it at.
Auto Trim: Keeps your previous automation, but can bring it up or down in volume.
Offline Trim: Trims while its not playing. Write 2 points and drag everything in the middle up or down.
Null Indicators: Indicate what direction you need to move the fader.

Uses
Auto Off: When you want to hear the finish product vs no automation
Auto Write: When you want to automate various drum hits left or right
Auto Read: When you have finished automation and you want to listen to it
Auto Touch: When you want a huge build up, with a slow fade down immediately after
Auto Latch: When you want a huge build up which stays at that high level
Auto Trim: When you want a voice level to be boosted while its playing
Offline Trim: When you want a voice level to be boosted while its not playing

Music Technology Forum - Week 8: Film Corporation

This week in Music Technology Forum, we went on a Field Trip to the Film Corporation located in Paradise. After some fun times in the park, it was time to enter the Film Corporation building. Once we had signed in our names and stuck our "Visitors" stickers on ourselves, a man, who we thought was Stephen Curry's brother walked past us. Much to our surprise, the field trip must go on.
We were first taken in the Foley room. We were told it was messy, but I don't think any of us were ready for the clutter that was in that small room. Shopping trolleys, pay phones, sand, rocks; you name it, it was in that little room.
After much talk about the Foley room itself, we were taken into the recording room. We watched a television series which the Film Corporation recorded their own Foley for. They used Foley for footsteps, bags with clanging metal, rustling clothes, and a police officer patting down two young boys. These scenes were watched on TV in the Foley room, while creating the sounds as they appear on the screen. This is a lengthy process, but needed to be done as some countries strictly want Foley in TV shows.
Next we headed into the film room where there was a huge theatre screen with a huge mixing desk. We watched snippets of a movie without Foley, and listened to it when Foley was added. The movie sounded fuller and more realistic with the Foley added.
Our next stop was the 'white room'. This room had a space painted completely of white with the edges curved inwards. This gave the deception that the wall is larger than it is. This room is where car commercials and other joyous commercials are filmed. With car commercials, they dump sand on the floor and have the car drive over it. On the commercial, they edit the sand to harsh scenery to give the effect that the car can withstand to these types of obstacles.
In conclusion, I believe the field trip to the Film Corporation was a very useful one. I enjoyed learning about Foley. I think its a clever idea and would like to understand more about the topic. Thanks to the guys at the Film Corporation for letting us into their domain.

Music Technology Forum - Week 7: Assignment

This week in Music Technology Forum, we spent a majority of the lesson viewing the upcoming major assignment. The assignment involves creating a portfolio in the form of a CD. Along with the portfolio we must include many things. A number of songs, which is entirely up to us how many songs we include, though we must take into account quality over quantity. A snippet of the songs we choose, which comprises of the best sections of the songs. The snippets must be no longer than 2 and a half minutes.

The portfolio must also include a CV. This CV should clearly note past achievements (relevant or irrelevant) that will demonstrate your willingness to the career at hand. A mini CV should also be included.

We split up into two groups to discuss more indepth about the portfolio. As a small group, we came to an agreement that 3 to 4 songs would be best. The number isn't small enough for the listener to think they aren't serious about the portfolio, but not high enough for the listener to lose interest. We thought a name for yourself + a logo would be useful.
For example - Don Patterson > D.P > ₯

Alot of detail and thought must be put into the portfolio, as we may be using them in our career. Its best to catch the viewers attention, maybe with a colourful CD, or a unique concept. We were told about one band who used the concept of inserting their CD inside a balloon and placed it in a box. The balloon was clearly labelled "*band name* are about to burst". I thought this was a clever idea, as it grabs your attention straight away whilst being unique.

Next week we will be visiting the Film Corporation near Paradise Studios. Ashley Close will be taking us through the building. I'm rather excited about this field trip, as it veering into the career I'm rather interested in.

Music Technology Forum: Week 6 - Ashley Close

This week in Music Technology Forum, we had a guest speaker by the name of Ashley Close. Ashley was recently overseas where he won 2 awards at the APRA awards, one of them being the national award for film & television. He began to talk about other countries, and which ones are the best for a film & television career. Some countries mentioned were: America, Japan, China, India; but the "film capital of the world", he says, is Los Angeles.
He goes on to say if you are looking to make it big in the film & television industry, the best place to visit is Los Angeles as there is so many opportunities. Many movies are shot in Los Angeles. Some movies have been thought of in another country, and then transported to Los Angeles to bring the script to life.
Ashley then talked about the role of "foley". A Foley artist on a film crew is the person who creates many of the natural, everyday sound effects in a film, which are recorded during a session with a recording engineer*.
To 'foley' a scene with a person walking with keys in their hands, you would have to mic from ear level the footsteps of the person. You would also need to capture the sound of clothes rustling as the person moves. The clinging sounds of keys would have to be recorded, and not overdone to make it sound as real as possible. Sometimes dirt is placed on the ground to add to the footsteps effect.

Ashley showed us a video he foley'd for, which included a trains, motorbikes, guns, slow moving actions etc. Real motorbikes were recorded, sometimes recreating the scenes in the video. Fight scenes were also recorded while actors recreated them, giving that extra element of realism.

Lastly we were giving the opportunity to share some of our own music with Ashley for some feedback. Lauren's song was played, and was given some feedback on the vocals to maybe double track it and pan both left and right, whilst adding reverb to the centre vocals.

In conclusion I found this lesson incredibly interesting, and might be the direction I head for after this Sound Engineering course. Thanks to Ashley for giving his time for our class.

* Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foley_artist

Music Technology Forum: Week 5 - Disc Edits

This week in Music Technology Forum, we visited a local studio called "Disc Edits". Upon arrival, we were taken into the main editing room. We had a brief discussion about what Disc Edits has to offer in the music industry, including the history and the future for Disc Edits. They have many Disc Edit buildings which have different roles, including manufacturing CD's, editing mixes, mastering etc. We were told about the room itself, and how it was specially built. The whole room itself was seperate from the actual building to limit the amount of noise coming from outside, eg. cars, noise inside the building etc. There were 2 speakers on the wall, with carpet fitted in a certain place which the boomyness of the sound is limited. The walls were built with many angles so sound can be bounced around. The wall which separates the mixing room with the recording room has been built with: wall-space-glass-space-wall-space-glass-space-wall-space-glass. Ridiculous as it may seem, it works incredibly well to limit a lot of noise. After a long talk we walked around Disc Edits, checking out the various rooms. Finally, some members of the class brought along pieces they have mixed for advice on how to make certain areas sound better. We also looked at a external EQ device where lazy people can edit from their couch; and how CD's progressed from the early years til now. Very interesting stuff.
Overall I quite enjoyed Disc Edits.

Quote of the field trip:
Simon: "I wanna steal that sign [Gibson St] and put it on my guitar."
Group: "Ahahah!"

Music Technology Forum: Week 4 - Band Recordings

This week in Music Technology Forum, we talked about the next field trip we were going to have. This field trip will show us all about CD production. This field trip will show us how CD's are manufactured; different techniques they use to feature a CD, and all the necessary ingredients in the recipe of CD making. I am looking forward to this excursion to learn more about CD manufacturing.

We then listened to a few class members' band recordings. We first listened to Lisa's recordings. I quite liked the end product. The band had rather quirky vocals, which worked well with the grungey/punk style they had going. The guitars were at a good level for the style being played. Everything sounded clean and well mic'd.

We heard Simon's mix. The bass did sound rather boomy, but I reckon it worked well. The acoustic guitar sounded very flowy and clean; very relaxing. The voice was smooth and clean. The mic'ing techniques for Simon's mix worked well for the type of music being played.

We listened to Jake's mix. The songs being played were very vocal driven songs, and the vocals were left out, so I believed that was the main thing lacking in the mix. The electric guitar's were sounding very clean. Could easily tell what the song was by the guitars straight away. Drum's were close mic'd, giving some good impact shots, although the drummer was intoxicated and maybe missed the drums on some hits. Was a good sounding mix.

We finally listened to my mix. I noticed straight away that all instruments sounded very far away. Piano was sounding ok, and the micing on the snare drum was rather delicious. In essence, my mix lacked impact, but the piano player gave it that extra edge.

Music Technology Forum - Semester 2, Week 2: Field Trip

This week in Music Technology Forum, we went on a Field Trip to a nearby house studio called 'MixMasters'. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the owner of the studio who took us in and talked about our Diploma of Sound Engineering course. Once David had arrived, we soon talked about the equipment used in the MixMasters studio; many of which we use in our University. We were told about the ways of the past in the field of recording and editing, where Sound Engineers recorded on tape, and had to cut specific areas of the tape if an error was made during recording. The tape was played back multiple times to find the correct area where the mistake was made. A lead pencil line was drawn on the tape. The tape was secured on a wooden block and cut with a knife. Finally, the tape was stuck back together with sticky tape. This was a lengthy process, but with modern technology and the endless possibilities with editing recording, it could be argued that recording on tape could take less time than recording straight to Pro Tools. We had a look at the recording area. We were shown a collection of vintage guitars and microphones and how some microphones from the past match up to the ones we have today. We were told about the materials used to build the studio, and which ones were the best. This studio was layered with large amount of carpet and covered with mud bricks for extra sound proof. We listened to a surf song that had been recorded and ways to manually EQ different tracks. At the end of the field trip, some members of the class played songs they have recorded themselves and were given some advice on how to possibly make them better.
In conclusion, I think this was a very useful field trip. I learnt alot about what it takes to actually build a home studio, and the ways engineers had to record in the past. I'm looking forward to next weeks field trip. :)

Sound Engineering (Studio) - Signal Flow

SIGNAL FLOW:

SOUND...
..........
............
...MICROPHONES
................
..................
.........MIXING DESK
......................
........................
...............PC-PROTOOLS
............................
..............................
....................AMP/SPEAKERS

Music Technology Forum - Semester 2, Week 1: Band Recordings

This week for Music Technology Forum, we talked about the field trip we are taking next week to a high class studio. We were suggested to bring along any work that students need help with, or have any queries about their projects. This field trip will be taken on the 2nd of August.

We then talked about our exam marks and how we could improve our overall grades. For example, time management was a big issue with everyone's assignments, which made revising for exams more difficult.

After discussing our exam results, we talked about our major assignment for last semester - Recording a 4 instrument band. We talked about the positive aspects of the assignment, but also ways we could have done better. We listen to a few class members' band recordings.

Stuart:
I heard a lot of bottom end, especially with the bass. Everything else sounded excellent. Good micing technique, and the song sounded great.

Scott:
This mix sounded very grunge. The guitar were very interesting, and it worked well with the song. I quite enjoyed this mix and I believe Scott did a great job.

Ben:
Ben's choice of genre was very good. The song was catchy and sung very well. The great singing would emphasise Ben's recording skills. Drums sounded a bit dim at times, but I quite enjoyed this mix.

Josh:
Josh's mix was very good. Jake's singing was extreme. I believe he chose a good song to do his recording for. The guitars sounded pretty grungey, and the other instruments sounded clean.

Lauren:
I believe Lauren's recording was the best in the class. Every instrument sounded clean. The vocals were very smooth and the whole project sounded great.

Overall, I believe everyone did a great job with their recordings. I was very pleased to hear how everybody did and I wish them the best for this semester.

Sound Engineering (Studio) A - Creative Project

EMU :: Preproduction Sheet for Sound Recording
Fields that are not filled out must be left blank.
Item Description
Your Name Daniel Trembath
Contact Details (Phone & Address) 0433716193 – 459 McMurtrie Rd McLaren Vale

Location of technical rehearsal
Technical Rehearsal (Dates & Times)
Location of Recording Studio 2 – Level 5
Recording (Dates & Times)

Name of Group / Band
Website
Genre of Music Blues/Jazz
Number of Musicians
Name of Musicians
Instruments Piano, Drums, Guitar, Bass

Song List and Durations
Total Duration

Proposed Micing Configurations Individual
Sound Engineer Daniel Trembath
Designated Producer
Recording Type Demo

Budget Free
Record Company
Distribution Company

Provide Storage for Project FireWire Drive
Provide CDs for Master Copies
Other Specifications
Any Other Requirements

Audio Studies A - Creative Project

The Anthem
Daniel Trembath
03‘09

Description:
Instruments used in song:
• Drums: Kick, Snare, Toms, Crash.
• Guitars: Acoustic, Electric and Wah Wah
• Piano: Verse notes played
• Percussion: Claps, Stick Hits

Influences:
Since this song is a Punk song, the main influences would be other Punk bands such as: Blink 182, The Living End, The Offspring, Fall Out Boy etc.

Ideas:
Main ideas were to record the guitar parts for the song with drums. If the drums sounded terrible, the samples were then cut up to individual hits and placed carefully to match the song. Piano line was played in place of the vocals.

Processes:
After taking those ideas into action, I recorded all the instruments needed for this song. After recording, I used to Mac Labs to then edit these samples. I started the song off with a count in, which sound rather cool in my opinion. After the guitar’s had a come in, a 4x4 kick comes in soon after. I used automation by fading in a Wah Wah Guitar, which then builds up to the verse. The drums come in which consists of Kick’s, Snare’s and Crashes. I used panning on the guitars. Acoustic guitar panned to the left, and Wah Wah guitar panned to the right. As the song progresses, both the guitars slowly pan to the other side, giving a warpy feel when you listen to it on headphones. The evolution of the song comes to the Chorus, then the verse again, and ending in a techno kind of way with repeats halved and a crash at the end. I used EQ on the percussive sounds since they didn’t sound how I wanted them to. I used some reverb on the crash to make it sound a bit abstract. Also used Amplitube on the guitars to make an electric guitar which is present at the end of the song.

Audio Studies A - Creative Project

The Anthem
Daniel Trembath
03‘09

Description:
Instruments used in song:
• Drums: Kick, Snare, Toms, Crash.
• Guitars: Acoustic, Electric and Wah Wah
• Piano: Verse notes played
• Percussion: Claps, Stick Hits

Influences:
Since this song is a Punk song, the main influences would be other Punk bands such as: Blink 182, The Living End, The Offspring, Fall Out Boy etc.

Ideas:
Main ideas were to record the guitar parts for the song with drums. If the drums sounded terrible, the samples were then cut up to individual hits and placed carefully to match the song. Piano line was played in place of the vocals.

Processes:
After taking those ideas into action, I recorded all the instruments needed for this song. After recording, I used to Mac Labs to then edit these samples. I started the song off with a count in, which sound rather cool in my opinion. After the guitar’s had a come in, a 4x4 kick comes in soon after. I used automation by fading in a Wah Wah Guitar, which then builds up to the verse. The drums come in which consists of Kick’s, Snare’s and Crashes. I used panning on the guitars. Acoustic guitar panned to the left, and Wah Wah guitar panned to the right. As the song progresses, both the guitars slowly pan to the other side, giving a warpy feel when you listen to it on headphones. The evolution of the song comes to the Chorus, then the verse again, and ending in a techno kind of way with repeats halved and a crash at the end. I used EQ on the percussive sounds since they didn’t sound how I wanted them to. I used some reverb on the crash to make it sound a bit abstract. Also used Amplitube on the guitars to make an electric guitar which is present at the end of the song.

MIDI Studies A - Creative Project

Frikkin Insane
Daniel Trembath
03‘12

Description:
Instruments used in song:
Drums: Kick, Snare, HiHats (open/closed), Toms, Crash. Ride.
Synthesizer Leads: Flange Wave
Bass: Deep Synth Bass, Dry Synth Bass
Pads: Sweep Pads, Euro Pads.
Strings: Trance Strings
Abstract sounds: Rain, Falling Stars, ‘Crackle Dive & Scream’

Influences:
The song has been filled with layers, like The Prodigy used. It sounds like Cosmic Gate, Blank And Jones, even a little Groove Coverage in there somewhere.

Ideas:
I had the idea of remaking a song one of my friends has made, while incorporating my own ideas with it. The beginning tune is the remake and the second tune is unique.

Methods:
Beginning: The start of my techno song would be a catchy bassline. When the tune fades in, there will be a build up and all instruments will be played together (bass, drums, tune).
Breakdown: Consist of Drum and Bass, with added percussion every 4 beats. This will build up to a new tune.
Middle: Catchy tune with drum and bass, strings to work with the bass.
Ending: The ending will have a fade out of the new tune, and a fade in of the old tune, which will sound rather awesome. The ending will be pretty basic, with a fade out and a crash at the end.

Processes:
After coming up with all my ideas and methods, I put those thought into action. I constructed the song with all the required instruments. After finishing the song, I started to use some automation. I used fade in’s and fade out’s of instruments. I panned two of the instruments so they go from left–right-left-right, giving a very abstract feel. I EQ’d the Flanged Wave to emphasise it above the other instruments.
I had trouble with the overall volume of the mix. When mixed with headphones the song would sound rather great, but when played on speakers, it lacked something. Also, to make other instruments heard, I automated them to be louder. This caused me to automate a number of tracks to be louder, which produced peaks in the mix that I couldn’t get rid of without it sounding bad. The overall tempo of the song was slow, so I changed the tempo to 125BPM. Other than that, there were no troubles at all.

Link to MP3:
http://www.wikiupload.com/download_page.php?id=158817

Music Technology Forum – Week 12: Final Presentations

This week in Music Technology Forum, the remaining students in the class presented their production, consisting of their mix, analysis, research and notes.

Ken Mossman did his presentation on ‘What You Are’ by Joi, which is a World/Dance song. Ken approached this project as a remix, rather than as a mix. He chose to avoid listening to the original song so all his ideas were unique. He had done most of his work in another program – Ableton Live. After creating the song, he found out that the original tempo, 110 BPM was, as he put it, ‘a little too pedestrian’. He upped the tempo to 124BPM and it sounded a lot better and didn’t show any obvious errors. He moved all the loops into Pro Tools and bounced his final mix with a compressor. I believe Ken’s mix was of high-quality, sounding completely different from the original.

Josh Bevan presented his mix on the song ‘Shock The Monkey’. He believed some of the recorded audio didn’t have good sound quality to it. He didn’t like the vocals either, but decided to use them to maintain the overall feel of the song. Josh went for a laid back sound with his mix. He has taken out a lot of samples, but kept a few that he thought would be useful in his mix. He has emphasised the bass, as it has a very rich sound to it. Overall, I believe Josh’s mix was a bit too long, but he constructed a great mix.

Lisa Lane Collins presented her mix on the song ‘ Afro Celt Sound System. Lisa used a large range of effects, including EQ, reverb, echo, flanges, phase inversions and vocode’s. She turned this dance song into a cliché ‘doof doof’ techno mix. After importing all the audio files, she sampled a few of the percussive sounds and decided to go for the bodhran/percussive sounds. She didn’t like the vocal sounds, but used them in a minor way. She had used the vocals in a very smooth way. Her overall song sounded techno and industrial. I believe her mix was the best in the class.

I had missed the remainder of the class because I had to catch the train home. Sorry :(

References:
Steve Fieldhouse - University of Adelaide (2007)
Ken Mossman - University of Adelaide (2007)
Joshua Bevan - University of Adelaide (2007)
Lisa Lane Collins - University of Adelaide (2007)

MTF - Studio Presentation (Mix)

Analysis:
After hearing the song on the website, the song sounded a lot slower compared to my version, although they were the same speed. The start showed a mix of drums, bass and vocals, while my version only had drums and bass. The vocal performance was incredible, with the use of vocal overlapping gives the song a whole lot of abstractness. As the whistle comes in, the song sounds almost psychedelic.

Band: Afro Celt Sound System
Song Name: My Secret Bliss
Duration: 7:04
Musical Genre: World Music
Style: Abstract – Dark Sounding
Key: Unknown
Time Signature: 83.98bpm
Instrumentation: drum track, percussion, keyboards, both solo vocals
Performers: Iarla O Lionaird, Sevara and James Mcnally
Sound Quality: Excellent
Performance Issues: None

Research and Produce:

1)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prodigy
The Prodigy has the technique of adding a new layer of samples every now and then, so I incorporated that technique into my mix.

2)
http://www.videomaker.com/article/10021/
I used this site for panning techniques, which I used the in abstract keys sample.

3)
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun05/articles/protoolsnotes.htm
There was an abstract ‘robot’ kind of sound, which I EQ’d with a 7 Band EQ, making it sound different and more distinct.

4)
http://www2.digidesign.com/digizine/archive/digizine_april02/protechniques/ianblanch/index.cfm
To bring out the drums, I chose 2 drum samples and played them both at the same time. The first drum sample didn’t have a crash at the start, and that’s what was lacking in the mix. So I chose another drum sample with a crash and mix them both at the same time.

5) http://www.gamasutra.com/features/sound_and_music/111497/interaudio_sb1.htm
This website shows repeat techniques. I cut a section of the whistle sample and repeated them during the catchy drum beat section.



Notes:
The process of remixing a song was a difficult, frustrating yet rewarding task. I had always wanted to learn how to remix a song, and now I understand how the process is done. I firstly imported the audio from the file into the Pro Tools Session and made a region list. I picked out a few samples and listened to them, considering whether to use them or not. I started out using a simple drum sample and looped it. I added bass, then some abstract keys. I took the use of layering a new sample from The Prodigy. I double tracked the bass, used a reverse cymbal and double tracked the drums. I then panned the abstract keys and added a panflute/whistle sample. I muted every sample except for the whistle and drums, which produces a catchy beat. I added the double tracked bass, along with the guitar sample. The end shows the drum beat being played with the guitars. To finish the song in style, a smooth vocal sound is played to capture the whole songs essence.
A lot of my influences and tastes in music went into mixing this song. Most of the music I listen to have no vocals, so I took that into account. In songs, I like it when there’s a bar of no drums, a reverse cymbal build up, and the drums come back in. I used this technique in the middle of the song, and I believe it’s the best part of the whole mix. I EQ’d these robotic sounding abstract keys to make it sound different to its original sound, also to elevate it more into the track. The smooth vocal sound at the end of the song, I cut out of a backing vocal sample and carefully placed it into the mix.
The major issue I had with this assignment was the samples weren’t in time with the key signature. As I didn’t know how to change the BPM, I slipped every single sample carefully, using the magnifying glass to get the single sample as close together. With close inspection, some samples have a small gap in between them, but are undetectable to the human ear.


Mix Window


Edit Window

Music Technology Forum: Week 11 - Student Mix Prestations

This week in Music Technology Forum, a select few members of the class presented a mix on their chosen song. The process of this mix started by choosing a ‘real world’ recording session from the EMU server. The sound files were put into a regions list, and a few of these samples were used to create a mix of the song. The use of automation and equalisation must be present in the mix.

Scott Philp chose the song ‘What You Are’ by Joi, which is an Alternate Dub/Dance song. He found the original song rather boring and repetitive, so he tried to create a shorter, more interesting version of the song. The biggest problem Scott faced was in the middle and end section of his song; he had trouble stopping he audio from clipping. He resolved this issue by removing some instruments from the mix.

Scott Herriman chose the song ‘If I Had My Way’ by Little Axe, which is a Country/Rock song. He listened to each sample, choosing which one would sound the best at the start of the mix. He chose to start the song with a drum intro and bass line. Once he had finish creating his mix, he looked at using Automation and Equalisation.

Stuart Johnston chose the song ‘My Secret Bliss’ by Afro Celts Sound System, which is a World Music song. He started by listening to each sample and gaining an analysis of which regions would go well with others. Stuart pretty much used all instruments in his mix, including Vocals, Guitars, Drums, Abstract Piano sounds and Whistle sounds.

Simon Kuchel chose the song ‘What You Are’ by Joi. He found the original mix very long, being nearly 6 minutes in length. He firstly imported all the tracks into Pro Tools. He slightly equalised some of the tracks being used in his mix, and added some normalisation and compression to the tracks needed. Simon copied and pasted each track to keep the repetitiveness of the song without the length.

Jake Taylor chose the song ‘My Secret Bliss’ by Afro Celts Sound System. Jake began the song with percussive sounds, as he thought the drums were an important part of the song. After importing most of the tracks he wanted, he began to utilise plugins, double tracking, eq, compression and reverb to bring out the fullness of the song.

References:
Steve Fieldhouse – University of Adelaide (2007)
Scott Philp – University of Adelaide (2007)
Scott Herriman – University of Adelaide (2007)
Stuart Johnston – University of Adelaide (2007)
Simon Kuchel – University of Adelaide (2007)
Jake Taylor – University of Adelaide (2007)

Music Technology Forum: Week 10 – Genre Production

This week in Music Technology Forum, we looked at some more genre’s and how they are produced. We dived into the world of grunge music, aswell as some Punk and music from all around England.

Grunge:
Grunge can be described as raw, unpolished music. Grunge surprisingly existed in Adelaide, with the most well know grunge label – Greasy Pop Records. The idea of grunge music is to add mistakes into the recording so it sounds ‘real’, or as if you are watching them live. As grunge music progressed, it became more polished from record labels; less mistakes were added into recordings.

Nirvana:
Nirvana were recorded in a weekend for $6:00. By listening to the finish product, it was under produced. In later recordings, their music could be described as stylised grunge. They purposely added ,istakes.

Mudhoney:
Used out of tune guitars for effect. Sounded weak.

Sound Garden:
Sounds like grunge meets metal. More bottom end; sounds fuller; vocals a lot cleaner; they used distorted vocals. As they progressed you heard less mistakes.

Wolfmother:
Wolfmother has 2 versions of their song ‘Mother’. The first version was more grungey. Slow drums, unclear vocals, sounded murky. The second version showed clear, bright drums, quicker tempo, louder and a lot more compressed.

Punk:
Punk is a hard genre to describe. It consists of catchy guitar chords along with catchy drums.

Sex Pistols:
Low production, catchy guitars and catchy drums. I noticed that all of songs played by Sex Pistols sounded the same.

Greenday:
Later Punk – Catchy songs, produced with high fidelity. The abrasive midrange feels like the sound is forced in your face.


England:


Bristol:
Portishead: Lots of bass. Clicks. Freaky sounding vocals.
Massive Attack: Dark sounding. Haunting vocals. Lots of bottom end. They match density and intensity between different sound samples. Loops of drums. Odd drum fills. Added layers like Prodigy

Manchester:
The Stone Roses: Lots of layers. Airy quality. Can detect English accent.

South Central England:
Radiohead: Slightly left of field sounding guitars. Fidelity changes between songs

South West England:
Muse: Almost Emo vocals. Very compressed. Over compression on cymbols.

Liverpool:
The Beatles: Reverse guitar solo. Reverb vocal effect.



References:
Steve Fieldhouse - Adelaide University (2007)

Music Technology Forum – Week 9: Genre Based Production

This week in Music Tech Forum, we looked at the production of a range of genres, including: Funk, Acid Jazz, Reggae, Blues, Jazz and Hard Rock. We listened to audio clips from these genres and pieced together different assumptions from the variety of songs.

Funk:
The genre ‘Funk’ is biggest in America. There are many factors that make up Funk. Firstly, Funk is not often song based; it’s more groove based. The beat is generally 4x4 with the guitars even on each speaker. The early days of Funk showed very dry sounds. The low budget produced a distorted production. In the 90’s, there was a huge movement of Funk and Acid Jazz. Acts such as Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Harry Connick Jnr produced clean funk, using reverb on the drums and room mics for recording.

Blues:
Blues, when recorded properly, can be a very clean sounding genre. The use of closed mic’s, upright pianos, and over driven vocal sounds are fundamental when it comes to Blues. The lyrics in Blues usually come from times of struggle, where people’s lives have turned for the worst. In a clip played by Stevie Ray Vaughn, I noticed very clean guitar with reverb + a very noticeable rim shot.

Jazz:
Jazz is recorded a lot different to Rock & Roll. There is no compression and no thumping kick drum to overdrive the song. In the 50’s, the recording quality of Jazz improved immensely. Clean trumpets and guitars we’re heard. With Jazz music, the solos during songs loved to be heard, so saxophone players will play at their limit to put on a great show.

Hard Rock:
In the early days of Hard Rock, the production had only a bit of brightness. Hard Rock sounded very ‘low’ and not enough bite. In the later days, Hard Rock started to use very big sounds. The use of the proximity effect on drums and bass, together with the endless guitar solos formed a huge sounding production. With Hard Rock, there are only three words you should remember: Size Does Matter!


Reference:
Steve Fieldhouse - Adelaide University (2007)

Music Technology Forum – Week 8: Oral Write Up

My oral presentation comprised of a Powerpoint presentation, with information outlining Groove Terminator’s history, influences, people he’s worked with, studio’s he’s worked in, when he was selected, what makes up his style and what he brings to the field of music production. I played pieces of audio from three of Groove Terminator’s songs, outlining his style and trademarks.

Groove Terminator, real name Simon Lewici, is a DJ / Recording Artist / Producer / Performer / Mixer / Remixer / Principal Song Writer / Programmer / Vocals.

History:
He was born on the 21st of January, 1982 in Poland. Groove Terminator started DJ’ing professionally at the age of 13. Originally a Hip Hop DJ, his work progressed into House music. Groove Terminator has played alongside internationally well known acts such as: Carl Cox, The Prodigy, Sasha, Paul Okenfold, Jungle Bros., The Beastie Boys & Moby. Throughout his career, he has produced many types of genres including: Punk, Hip Hop, Rock, Pop, Jazz and Electro.

Influences:
Groove Terminator has a large list of influences. Some common ones include: Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Rick Rubin, Kiss, Beastie Boys, Oasis, Rolling Stones, INXS, AC/DC, Guns N Roses, David Bowie and Duran Duran.

People they’ve worked with:
Most people would think Groove Terminator as a Dance/Electro based producer, but he’s worked with a huge number of recording artists from many different types of genres. He has worked with the likes of Grinspoon, Dead or Alive, Groove Armada, Gorillaz and even the Multi-Platinum act; Savage Garden. His work progresses to TV & Radio commercials, having composed and produced for big name corporations such as: Coca Cola, Nike, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile, Quiksilver, Sunsilk shampoo and many others. His music advances to television campaigns such as ESPN, EA Sports, the NHL and Prudential Insurance. After making a big name for himself, Groove Terminator’s work has been licensed for such television series as: Malcolm In The Middle, Queer As Folk & Big Brother, aswell as producing and recording the theme song for the TV show “The Block”, which was Australia’s highest ever rating reality show. His music has been exploited in many films and trailers through well-known studios such as Universal, Buena Vista and Paramount Pictures. His work has also been included in campaigns for movies including: “Lara Croft – Tomb Raider 2”, “Danny Deckchair” and “The Cut.” What’s amazing is that he had worked with all these groups while still maintaining his career as a recording artist/DJ.

Studio’s he has worked in:
Groove Terminator has his own studio based in Sydney where he produces his own recordings and does all his mixing.

When he was selected:
Groove Terminator started DJ’ing in the 80’s. He turned professional at the age of 13. In 1997, he signed to Virgin/EMI. During his time with these 2 record labels, he has released 2 full length albums and has had endless sold out concerts all around Australia.


What makes up his style:
There are many factors that make up Groove Terminator’s style. His style mostly consists of Electro and Dance, but had drifted off into other styles such as Pop, Rock and Hip Hop
● Catchy start to songs
● Uses a large number of hook during his songs, with squeals, breakdowns in drums, builds ups etc.
● Uses a large amount of reverb, especially in vocals
● Has that catchy tune that gets stuck in peoples head

What do they bring to the field of music production and recording:
Groove Terminator has always been someone who likes to surprise his listeners and confound expectations, whether as a DJ of producer. He has been recognized as a ‘tastemaker’. He is strongly influenced by abstract music, and he brings a whole new level of abstraction with the music he produces.

Achievements:
• Best Producer - 2000 Dance Music Award Winners
• Several ARIA nominations - including best male artist along the way.
• Several times - been nominated for Best National DJ.
• First single ‘is it love?’ – scoring a billboard #1 in 2001

Songs played during Oral Presentation:

Sunshine Song:
Warpy start to song – Grabs listeners’ attention straight away.
Hooks:
Bass line.
Man yelling: “Say what”.
Squeal: Sounds like Cypress Hill squeal.
Trumpet sounds.
Man yelling out “Techno”.
Man screaming + Crowd yelling.

Here Comes Another One:
Catchy bassline at the start - Grabs listeners’ attention straight away.
Hooks:
Slow fade, then excessive fade in.
Reverb in voice.
Three claps
Yells and voices during chorus.
Catchy “la la la’s”.

Love Song (This Is Not A)
Catchy tune at the start - Grabs listeners’ attention straight away.
Hooks:
Reverb in voice.
Huge build up.
Heaps of warpy effects



In conclusion, I believe my oral presentation was a success. The use of a powerpoint helped deliver information more effectively. The visual aspects of a powerpoint makes people hear and see the information, instead of just hearing it, so I believe using a powerpoint was an ideal choice. The information was up to date and interesting, giving a lot of insight into Groove Terminator’s life and career. Also, by having the information type out letter by letter on powerpoint made people follow the text and read it, instead of putting the whole information down and having the audience read it all. The songs played we’re catchy which attracted the listeners and made them follow the key points to Groove Terminator’s style.

As for the assignment, I believe it was a very rewarding task. I learnt a lot about my chosen producer, and producers that my classmates had chosen. I learnt all about new styles and techniques producers use to capture the songs being recorded. I also learnt a lot about whom Groove Terminator has worked with, and was amazed that he’s worked with such upper class bands such as Grinspoon, Gorillaz and Savage Garden.

Reference:
Steve Fieldhouse – Adelaide University (2007)

Bibliography:
www.myspace.com/grooveterminator
www.discogs.com/artist/Groove+Terminator
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groove_Terminator
www.gtworld.com.au/
www.residentadvisor.net/dj-page.aspx?id=334

Music Tech Forum - Week 8: Final Oral Presentations

This week in Music Technology Forum, the last remaining class members presented their orals.

Seb’s presentation was on the producer Steven Wilson. Steven was born on the 3rd of November 1967 in England. He is famously known for his position with the band Porcupine Tree. Steven taught himself everything he knows to do with music production. At the age of 15, Steven produced his first band. His trademark is using telephone vocals to give a creepy effect to voice.

Lisa did her oral on Trent Reznorr. Trent has worked with the likes of Marilyn Manson and Natural Born Killers. He has also created the background music for ‘Quake’. He is an industrial music producer, using a lot of distortion and effects on voice and guitar. He is greatly known for using Drum Machines in songs and effects on Bass Guitar.

Simon’s talk was on Phil Spector. Phil was born on the 26th of December 1940 in New York. High School was the basis of his interest in music, learning Piano, Guitar, Drums, Bass and French Horn. After coming out of retirement, he produced the controversial album ‘Let It Be’ for The Beatles. He also produced John Lennon and George Harrison’s first albums. His trademark, the wall of sound, made him hugely successful. His use of double and triple tracks created a fuller sound.

Finally, Josh’s oral presentation was on the producer Phil Ramone. At the age of 3, Phil was already learning Piano and Violin. Phil has worked with the likes of Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra and Paul Simon. His studio was the first to record on CD’s. Throughout Phil’s career, he has won 14 grammy’s. Phil uses clear vocals in his tracks, and changes his style to coincide with the ever-changing music fashion.

Throughout these few weeks, I have learnt about many different styles within different producers. I found this to be an interesting and enjoyable assignment. I believe these oral presentations were a very rewarding task.

References:
1. Steve Fieldhouse (2007) - University of Adelaide.
2. Sebastian Hudson (2007) - University of Adelaide.
3. Lisa-Lane Collins (2007) - University of Adelaide.
4. Simon Kuchel (2007) - University of Adelaide.
5. Josh Bevan (2007) - University of Adelaide.

Music Technology Forum – Week 8: Oral Presentations

This week in Music Technology Forum, five members of the class did their oral presentations on their chosen producer. Each oral went for 10 minutes, with 5 of those 10 minutes being used on audio.

Jake was the first member of the class to do his talk. His oral consisted of a colourful and informative powerpoint presentation on Kevin “the Caveman” Shirley. Kevin was born on the 29th of June in Johannesburg, South Africa. He came into the field of producing in the early 60’s. A distinctive technique he uses is panning the High Tom panned right, and the Low Tom panned left on a drum kit.

Stuart’s presentation was on Dave Fridmann. Dave did his first recording as a sound engineer in 1989. He hanged out with rockstars to gain knowledge and understanding of recording. Dave has his own studio in Cassadonia, located 10 minutes from his house. He has a technique of using many different intro’s to songs with effects on many different instruments, mainly guitar. He has a tendency to use a big ambience sound in a number of his songs.

Rowan talked about the life of Ross Robinson. Ross familiarised himself with audio equipment while picking up knowledge from recording with his band. His first job was an assistant engineer and from there he has made himself a name in the field of music production. His very unique style of producing is using a large number of tribal sounds, using tribal drums and even an intro of tribal singing.

Scott’s talk was on the producer Jason Suecof. Jason started playing guitar at the age of 8, and started producing at the age of 17. His Dad was the biggest influence in his life, along with Frank Zepper and Jimi Hendrix. His studio is based in Stamford, Florida where he produces a number of Rock acts. Two of his production styles are: He uses a click sound in the bass drum and has a very ‘picky’ sound to the guitar strings.

Ben was the last to do his oral presentation. His talk was on Eddy Kramer. He was born in Capetown, South Africa in 1941. He began playing classical piano, and drifted into 50’s music, changing his genre from classical to jazz. He set up his own studio for local jazz bands. In 1965, he made his way into the KPS studio, where he gained an excellent reputation. From there, he has produced huge name acts such as the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. His famous style is panning guitar solo’s left to right.

References:
1. Steve Fieldhouse (2007) - University of Adelaide.
2. Jake Taylor (2007) - University of Adelaide.
3. Stuart Johnston (2007) - University of Adelaide.
4. Rowan Bunning (2007) - University of Adelaide.
5. Scott Herriman (2007) - University of Adelaide.
5. Benjamin Hawkins (2007) - University of Adelaide.

Music Technology Forum – Week 6: Oral Talks/Classical Music

This week in Music Technology Forum, a select few of us did oral talks on their chosen producer. Each oral comprised of information on the chosen producer, including: the history and background, their influences, people they have worked with, studio’s they have worked in, when the producer was selected, what makes up their style and what do they bring to the field of music production. Audio samples were also played to show off their style and techniques the producer uses. Each oral presentation went up to 10 minutes, and 5 of those 10 minutes could be used on audio.

Alyssa used a PowerPoint presentation in her oral, which in my opinion helped deliver the message across a lot better. Her chosen Producer, Barry Gibb is the second most successful producer after George Martin. Born on the 1^st of September 1946, Barry started his producing career in 1965. He worked with a number of celebrities including: Barbra Steisand, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Dionne Warwick and many others.

Lauren’s presentation consisted of a talk on Nigel Godrick, plus samples of his work. His main area of production is alternative rock acts such as Radiohead, Travis and Beck. Nigel Godrick has also worked with the world known band U2. Nigel’s biggest influence – his father, is a music technician working in England.

Scott chose to do Bob Ezrin for his oral presention. Bob Ezrin was born in 1949. Known for being a very demanding producer, he has worked with artists such as Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd and The Deftones. He loves writing credits on some of the albums he has produced, pretty much making it his trademark.

Brendan’s oral was on the producer Matt Bayles. As displayed with the audio samples, Matt Bayles is primarily a metal producer. He has produced bands such including: Pearl Jam, Mastodon, Buried Inside and other metal acts.

After the oral presentations, Stephen focused on the aspects of classical music. The classical music genre can be quite complex, using up to hundreds of instruments at a time. A common technique to record classical music is to hang three microphones above the conductor. Not a lot of tweaking is done with classical music so the listener feels he is listening to a live production.

References:
1. Steve Fieldhouse (2007) - University of Adelaide.
2. Alyssa Wong (2007) - University of Adelaide.
3. Lauren McMahon (2007) - University of Adelaide.
4. Scott Philp (2007) - University of Adelaide.
5. Brendan Godfrey (2007) - University of Adelaide.

Music Technology Forum – Week 4: Right producer for artist.

This week in Music Tech Forum, we addressed two key issues: right producer for artist, and matching production style with genre. We also increased our hearing memory by listening to many styles of songs and picking out unique characteristics.

Picking the right producer for an artist is a critical decision. By choosing the right producer, an artist is ensuring himself or herself the best mix possible. A techno artist wouldn’t choose someone who would produce a song with a boring tune and a simple drum beat. They would choose someone who can produce a catchy tune that gets stuck in people’s heads with many breakdowns to keep listeners interested, which brings up the point: ‘matching production style with genre.’

A production style is important when producing an artist. To have the right style that is different to other styles is essential. For example, last week we heard Rick Rubin’s style of the bass drum having a click sound. This method is different to other producer’s style.
Benny Benassi uses a very unique ‘instrument’, which is noticeable in many of his songs. He also uses the same fade out ending in a number of his songs aswell. This production style work with the chosen genre, and by listening to his songs, you can recognise it as the work of Benny Benassi.
Although some artists choose producers who work with their chosen genre, other artists run the risk of choosing a completely different producer who can bring a whole level of uniqueness to the track.

Unique characteristics heard during playback:
Cypress Hill – Their songs start off with a low waveform and dramatically increase to a much larger waveform.
Prodigy – Gradual build up with a new layer of instruments every four or eight bars.
Enigma – Very unique panflute noise that could only be recognised as Enigma.
Hip-hop – Catchy drum beat to grab your attention with breakdown to keep you interested.
Live drummers – The use of live drummers over loops.

Music Technology Forum - Week 3: The Producer

In Music Technology Forum, we focused on producers and their role in Music Production. There are five main categories which distinguish the ‘good’ producers from the ‘elite’ producers.
1. Sound
2. Performance that’s captured
3. Song arrangement
4. Budget distribution
5. Communication skills

Sound:
Sound and sound quality is the most important factor when it comes to the production of music. Some producers spend hours, even days to come up with the perfect sound; whether it is a perfect harmony between singers, or a ‘click’ sound coming out of the bass drum – Rick Rubin trademark. Producers commonly find unique ways to differentiate themselves from each other.

Performance that’s captured:
It is important for the producer to capture the right performance for distinctive bands. There’s no point producing a heavy metal band which sounds weak. By using ideas from the band and own trademark skills, a Producer can capture the right performance that sounds appealing to the audience.

Song arrangement:
The arrangement of songs is an essential part of Music Production. Placement of certain sounds and audio should be arranged to give the song its full potential. With song arrangements also comes song choice, order of songs on an album and even producers co-writing songs.

Budget distribution:
The distribution of money can determine whether a producer keeps his job or not. A fair distribution of money between band members, sound labels, studios etc. and of course the producer will cause the least amount of conflict possible.

Communication skills:
Communication skills are a major factor for producers. Without great communication skills, there is no band to produce. These communication skills can be phone skills, skills of persuasion, and even to relax or possibly resolve issues between band members.

In conclusion, producers are vital to the music industry. Although they make their job look easy, it takes multiple years of training to reach their level. To be an elite producer, you would have to excel in these 5 categories, otherwise there’s no room for you in the field of producing.


Reference:
Steve Fieldhouse (2007). The Producer - Adelaide University.