Multitracking

Recording

In my mix, I've recorded three tracks which act as the instrumentals for the cover. I named them Soprano, Alto, and Bass. Because of the repetitive nature of the instrumentals, I only recorded four different audio files for each track totaling 12 different audio files.

I recorded the tracks in my bedroom whose walls nearest to my microphone were treated with absorbers. Where I live, there is a relatively short window of silence I can record in with little to no background noise. In the mornings, birds chirping and dogs barking could be heard, and in the hours approaching evening, insects frogs would make this constant chirping and buzzing sound. So, I only recorded between 2pm and 5pm.

As for my equipment, I used the FIFINE T669 with a windscreen and pop filter. My distance from the microphone during recording depended on the pitch of the tracks. For the tracks that were higher in pitch, I distanced myself around six inches away from the microphone. For the tracks that were lower in pitch, I moved closer at around four inches because I'm not that great at projecting lower pitches and so that they could be captured by the microphone.

Post-Production

After recording the tracks, I adjusted the timing of the notes across all tracks by slicing and repositioning them to achieve a more polished and tighter sound.

For the Bass track, I wanted to highlight the lower frequencies so I boosted frequencies around 50-300 Hz. Then, I cut the frequencies below 50 Hz and the frequencies beyond 20k Hz because they were unnecessary.

For the Alto track, I cut the frequencies below approximately 100 Hz to prevent the track from sounding muddy. Then, I boosted the frequencies around 200-500 Hz to increase warmth and body, and I slightly reduced the frequencies around 2 kHz and above to avoid competing with the frequencies from the Soprano track.

For the Bass track, I set the attack to around a medium level to maintain the initial punch of the notes. I set the release to 0 to give the vocals a more immediate presence.

For one of the first few things I mixed, I think I did a decent job, and I think it's a good foundation to start from. The tracks sound distinct from each other. The Soprano track is able to cut through the mix, while the Alto track complements it without overpowering it. Even though the Bass track is somewhat more noticeable because it has a lower pitch than the other tracks, I think it still supports the overall sound without overwhelming the mix.

I attempted to record the actual singing part and put it in there to hear what it would sound like. The recording is terrible since, at the time, it was approaching evening and that was the time the insects and frogs outside were active. I tried to save it with noise reduction, but that removed some of the frequencies of the vocals too. Fortunately, this recording isn't what I’ll be submitting, so it’s not a major concern.