Assignment 2

For the Final Project, I will be producing a song cover from start to finish (arranging the song structure, recording, mixing, and mastering). It took me a while to choose a song but I landed with a classic that, hopefully, most know—"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by The Beatles. For this song cover, I plan on singing the melody and stacking harmonies with it. To accompany my vocals, I will also make minimal instrumentation by playing software instruments using musical typing in Logic Pro (mainly classical electric piano).

I have always been interested in creating music since I was a kid because I grew up in a musical family. I chose this project because I have a background in making song covers, especially stacking harmonies, having been influenced by my chorale background. I did not choose an original song this time due to time restraints. Although I have been doing song covers since 2018, I want to see my improvement having been taught in this class. I also bought a new recording setup (I will go into details more later) which I want to try out for this project to see if my recording quality will improve compared to when I started in 2018.

HARDWARE

For my microphone, I have always been using my Zoom H1 field recorder for previous activities, however, starting now, I will be using the Neat King Bee II. It is a cardioid large-diaphragm true condenser microphone with a shock mount and a pop filter. The cardioid pattern minimizes room noise, while the shock mount and pop filter improve audio quality. For my audio interface, I have the Behringer UMC22 U-PHORIA. This interface provides phantom power needed for my condenser microphone and preamps to boost the signal if necessary. For my output, I will continue to use my Kingston HyperX CloudX headset. 

SOFTWARE

I will be recording using my laptop, MacBook Air M1. As for the software, I will be using Logic Pro as my main software. This is where I will be recording my vocals (melody and harmonies) and instruments (through musical typings). This is also where I will be mixing and mastering the final recording. 

SIGNAL FLOW

Inflow

1. Sound Source (Vocals): The sound I want to record originates from my own vocals.

2. Microphone (Neat King Bee II): The cardioid pattern of the microphone picks up sound primarily from the front, minimizing noise from the sides and back of the mic. The shock mount isolates the microphone from vibrations, and the pop filter reduces plosives (sharp "p" and "b" sounds).

3. Microphone Cable (XLR to XLR): Connects the microphone to the audio interface.

4. Audio Interface (Behringer UMC22 U-PHORIA): This device converts the analog audio signal from the microphone into a digital signal that my computer can understand. Preamps within the interface can boost the microphone signal if needed.

5. USB Cable: Connects the audio interface to my computer's USB port (MacBook Air M1).

6. Recording Software (Logic Pro): This audio software records the digital audio signal from the interface. I can edit, process, and mix my recordings within the DAW.

Outflow

1. Recording Software (Logic Pro): Where I record and edit my recordings

2. USB Cable: Connects my computer (MacBook Air M1) to the audio interface

3. Audio Interface (Behringer UMC22 U-PHORIA)

4. Headset (Kingston HyperX CloudX): I will monitor the recording through this headset while singing.

5. Ears

LOCATION

I will be recording and mixing in my own room which is fairly quiet throughout the day because I live in the province. My room has many things present in it so hopefully it does a great job at sound absorption and reducing echo. I also have curtains at both ends of my room and a rug at the bottom which could hopefully reduce reflections. When recording, I will be reducing external noise by closing windows and doors. I will also turn off any air conditioners or fans to avoid unnecessary noise. 

Here are some of the recording techniques I will apply for this project:

• Microphone Placement: I will experiment with my microphone placement to find the best position that captures my voice clearly while minimizing room reflections and noise.

• Gain Setting: I will set the gain on my audio interface so that the signal from the microphone is strong enough without clipping, noting that I will also avoid setting the gain too high, as it can introduce noise.

• Monitoring: I will be using my HyperX CloudX headset for monitoring during recording. 

• Room Acoustics: I will address room acoustics by using curtains/blankets or other DIY solutions to minimize reflections and improve the clarity of my recordings.

• Post-Processing: After recording, I will use software tools to further enhance and refine my recordings, adjusting levels, and EQ, and adding effects as needed.

Pre-Production: This phase involves preparing the equipment since I have a new microphone and this is my first time using an audio interface. I will learn how to use this hardware first. This phase also involves practicing the musical typings in Logic Pro. Most importantly, it involves deciding on the overall sound and style, arranging the song structure, finalizing the harmonies, and creating a demo. 

Recording: This phase involves recording the melody vocals and harmony vocals, and creating the software instruments. 

Post-Production: This phase is divided into two: Mixing and Mastering. For the mixing part, I will be combining all the recorded tracks together and balancing them to make them feel like a solid, cohesive song. This is through the use of tools such as EQ, compression, panning, and reverb. For the mastering part, I will be adjusting the overall sound and ensuring that it sounds consistent across different playback systems.

Publishing: I will be uploading the final project in soundcloud. The target date for submission of my final project is on August 27, 2024.