Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

MMS 172: Final Project

The Recording

Preface

As stated in my Assignment 2, I will be producing a stripped-down version of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by The Beatles for this final project. Since I chose not to do this partially for my Assignment 3, I did the whole production solely for this project—meaning from arranging the song structure to mixing and mastering my recording.

In this project, I wanted to rely heavily on harmonies to make my version sound fuller since I will have minimal instrumentation. Unfortunately, I left all my instruments in the Philippines and only brought my Zoom H1 microphone with me; however, that recording setup is not really ideal since it picks up a lot of noise. Between buying a new instrument and upgrading my recording set-up, I prioritized getting a better condenser microphone and audio interface. That said, it definitely limited my options for producing a song. Hopefully, I was able to make do with what I had.

While doing this project, I encountered a couple of challenges which I’ll delve into shortly. Despite some of the challenges I had to face, I am quite proud of what I was able to accomplish here. I know that I was able to effectively apply the theoretical and practical knowledge I have learned in this course. Now, without further ado, I present to you my final project.

The early start and the long pause

In my original timeline, the supposed recording duration is 15 days. In reality, due to some circumstances, I finished my recording in just 2 days. This was because my whole family got COVID-19. Having been infected by the virus 3 times at this point, I know how it usually affects my body—I would have a fever and then a bad cough that would last for at least 3 months and I usually lose my voice. Knowing this, when my mother got her positive result, I immediately started my recording and finished it in 2 days while I still had no symptoms/cough and while I still had my voice.

As soon as I finished my recording, my symptoms started to show and it was quite bad so I had a long pause from this project. I left all my recordings in my DAW file and haven’t touched it for mixing and mastering until the latter part of August. As much as I would have wanted my recording process to be smooth, I had to be flexible and adjust my timeline accordingly.

Original Timeline

New Timeline

Logistics

HARDWARE

Microphone: Neat King Bee II
Audio Interface: Behringer UMC22 U-PHORIA
Headset: Kingston HyperX CloudX
Laptop: MacBook Air M1

SOFTWARE

DAW: Logic Pro

LOCATION

I did both the 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 did a great job at sound absorption and reducing echo. As seen in the photo above, I also have curtains at both ends of my room and a rug at the bottom which hopefully reduces reflections. When I was recording, I reduced external noise by closing windows and doors. I also turned off any air conditioners or fans to avoid unnecessary noise.

RECORDING SETUP

For my microphone, I used 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 used my Kingston HyperX CloudX headset and the built-in speaker of my MacBook Air M1.

For my software, I used Logic Pro. This is where I recorded my vocals (melody and harmonies) and instruments (through musical typings). This is also where I did my mixing and mastering of the final recording.

Signal Inflow

Signal Outflow

Recording

My microphone arrived on July 24 so I immediately started my recording the next day. Day 1 (July 25) was for the instrumental and the main melody, while Day 2 (July 26) was for all the harmonies.

Day 1

(July 25)

I recorded the instrumental using Musical Typings in Logic Pro. I had to transpose the original song and manually type each key in my DAW. After recording the whole thing, I choose “Steel String Acoustic” and “Muted Clank Keys” as my main sounds. Once I was satisfied with the instrumental, I proceeded to record the main melody. I did 3 takes for the melody. I then cut and chose the parts that I liked from those 3 takes—seamlessly combining them to make it sound like it was from 1 take. I ended the day once I was satisfied with my melody.

Musical Typings in Logic Pro

Day 2

(July 26)

I recorded all the harmonies that day. I had to make a new track per harmony which is why I ended up with 16 tracks just for the harmonies. I expected this much tracks for a more fuller and complex sound.

Behind the scenes of my audio recording

Post-production

Project Timeline in Logic Pro

Effects Tab

Starting with the main melody, I wanted it to be clearer, more apparent, and obviously, louder than the stacks of harmonies. I added some custom Channel Equalizer to alter the volume of some frequencies. I added a high-pass filter to cut the lower (bass) frequencies and boosted some of the middle frequencies since I wanted it to sound brighter. I also added a Vintage Opto Compressor which is known to add tube warmth and saturation to the audio. Since I added a compression, I balanced it out with a little bit of gain. Finally, I added a DeEsser to reduce some sibilant sounds (“s” sounds).

Custom Channel Equalizer

Vintage Opto Compressor

Gain

DeEsser

As for the harmonies, it pretty much had the same settings and effects as the main melody, except, I didn’t need to add any gain to it. On the contrary, each track has a -15 audio gain since I had to stack a lot of the same harmonies together.

Prof. Librero mentioned in one of my assignments that the bass frequencies might be too pronounced with my specific headset, so I tried listening to my output from different speakers to check if my mixing was balanced. After my first edit, I also asked my musically inclined friends (singers and musicians) to listen to what I made and heard their feedback. Some of their feedbacks were: (1) the instrumental’s volume was too low, and (2) some of the harmonies were too loud. I had to adjust the gain of some recordings based on their feedback. This process of feedback and critique happened a couple of times until I was satisfied with the outcome.

Dissection of audio recordings

Main Melody with no effects

Main Melody with effects

Main Melody + Harmonies with effects

Final Thoughts

Overall, working on my cover of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by The Beatles was a transformative journey into the realm of audio production. This project allowed me to dive into the creative and technical aspects of music recording, an area in my current artistic endeavors that was just a hobby. I found the process both enlightening and challenging, providing me with a deeper appreciation for the intricacies involved in producing a polished audio track.

One of the most significant learning points was understanding the role of each element in the production process. From capturing clean vocals to mixing and mastering, I realized that each stage contributes critically to the final output. The production phase, in particular, highlighted the importance of quality recording equipment and the meticulous attention to detail required to achieve a professional sound. It became evident that while software and techniques are essential, the foundation of a great recording starts with high-quality audio capture.

This project, while immensely rewarding, also came with its own set of challenges. As someone who is still an amateur in audio production, the task of recreating a classic song was both daunting and exhilarating. The pressure to meet my own high expectations sometimes overshadowed the enjoyment of the process. However, this endeavor also pushed me to expand my skill set and explore new creative avenues.

Reflecting on my initial hesitation and comparing it to the final result, I am proud of the progress I made. This experience has not only enhanced my confidence in handling audio projects but has also inspired me to continue learning and refining my skills in music production. As a multimedia student and creative, this project has opened up new possibilities for integrating audio elements into my work, and I look forward to applying these insights to future projects.

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