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Recording Tips

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Recording Tips
From: will connelly <willc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 10:59:59 -0400
Priority: low
References: <122443@smsltd.demon.co.uk>
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1. Unless your band employs lead, rhythm and bass guitars, a keyboard,
drums, several megawatts of amplifiers and players who can dance, scream
and generally operate at a level well beyond the threshold of acoustical
pain, do not engage a recording engineer who has long hair, dark
glasses, beads, sandals, a compelling aroma and a Sex Pistols tee shirt.

2.  Even if you are very well rehearsed and can get through nearly every
cut without a retake, it's a good idea to do the album in two or more
sessions. No matter how good you are, you're going to lose your edge
after you've laid down eight or nine 4 - 5 minute songs.

3.    The less electronic  there is between you and your listeners,
the better.  Depending on where you record and who records you, you may
be recorded with stereo mikes high overhead or section mikes. Either
way, if you can record direct to an ancient Ampex 352 two track tape
recorder and have the CD mastered from that tape, and if your engineer
can read scores so that he  can do as little "gain riding " (knob
twisting) as possible to avoid overloads and to boost solos  3 db
without resorting to limiters/compressor/expanders, you will have a
better sounding end product than otherwise.

4.  Ideally, you'll record in an acoustically friendly hall or studio
where this will not be an issue.  Shoot at sight any engineer who
employs reverb that you can actually hear (as distinguished from
'sense') for a brass band.

5.    Decide up front what the first three tunes on your finished album
will be and record these early in the session while everyone is fresh.
Remember that in your final CD you do not want consecutive tunes in the
same key or tempo.

6.     If you plan to get your recording out in time for Christmas,
listowner Nigel Horne has done a nice brass band arrangement of my
"Christmas Blues" that you might want to consider.  (Blatant plug!)

Kindly

Will Connelly
(Producer and author of the long out of print "Musicians Guide to
Independent Record Production"


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