Blue Groove
New member
This is mostly for new guys, but some of the other members could use a refresher. Learn to use one, I don't think enough people learn how outside of noodling with one live or in a session. A console is like a musical instrument, the eq is your friend.
Would you tell a trombonist to play louder if the Trumpets were too loud? No, you'd tell the trumpets to cool it down. The same goes with eq, sometimes the lows don't need a boost, scoop the highmids a little and you're there. It's all about practice.
The next time you have an hour or two, take some time, mess with it. Set up a snare drum with your favorite mic (sm57, i5, whatever you like) and have someone play it, then adjust everything, mess around, find sweet spots, bad spots, and the most important thing...LOG IT. Write it down, remember the settings, then do it with a different snare. About 20-30 minutes per instrument. Then try it with other instruments, vocals, MICS etc... It will be worth your time.
Try 3 band, 4 band, 7 band, etc. Use cheap, expensive, old, new, whatever you can get your hands on. Use yours, if you don't have one, get a few. If you can't afford a nice one, find a studio that will let you use their equipment, for a little cash, during down time. The $25-$100 of cash will be worth it.
The reason I am talking about this, is because musicians practice hours, days, weeks, a month. Some practice as much as twelve hours a day. We should be able to capture that time spent, not spend alot on eqing that ugly ring out of the snare (without putting a pound of moon gel/tape on it)
This is one industry that combines art and science to make...art. We should give the artists time to do their thing, without worring about the clock and money. If we can do this, then a better performance will happen, and the band will use you over and over for more great art (not recordings)to happen. Your work should be transparent.
Practice makes perfect...take the time.
Good Luck Guys and Gals.
Would you tell a trombonist to play louder if the Trumpets were too loud? No, you'd tell the trumpets to cool it down. The same goes with eq, sometimes the lows don't need a boost, scoop the highmids a little and you're there. It's all about practice.
The next time you have an hour or two, take some time, mess with it. Set up a snare drum with your favorite mic (sm57, i5, whatever you like) and have someone play it, then adjust everything, mess around, find sweet spots, bad spots, and the most important thing...LOG IT. Write it down, remember the settings, then do it with a different snare. About 20-30 minutes per instrument. Then try it with other instruments, vocals, MICS etc... It will be worth your time.
Try 3 band, 4 band, 7 band, etc. Use cheap, expensive, old, new, whatever you can get your hands on. Use yours, if you don't have one, get a few. If you can't afford a nice one, find a studio that will let you use their equipment, for a little cash, during down time. The $25-$100 of cash will be worth it.
The reason I am talking about this, is because musicians practice hours, days, weeks, a month. Some practice as much as twelve hours a day. We should be able to capture that time spent, not spend alot on eqing that ugly ring out of the snare (without putting a pound of moon gel/tape on it)
This is one industry that combines art and science to make...art. We should give the artists time to do their thing, without worring about the clock and money. If we can do this, then a better performance will happen, and the band will use you over and over for more great art (not recordings)to happen. Your work should be transparent.
Practice makes perfect...take the time.
Good Luck Guys and Gals.
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