ZACaudio: Recording

Fly Covered Candy

Six tracks of original material from the band Fly Covered Candy were recorded, produced, and mixed as part of my Recording class project at Michigan Technological University. Fly Covered Candy is a group of Michigan Tech students who wanted to record an EP before disbanding to pursue other side projects and their careers. Make sure to friend them on Facebook!

Fly Covered Candy is:
Vocals: Jon Graves, Joe Webb

Lead Guitar: Joe Webb

Rhythm Guitar: Zach Carlson

Drums: Eben Mannes

Bass: Spencer Karlovits

Mixer/Producer: Russell Goddard

The following four tracks were recorded prior to this project. The six track EP will be posted when it is completed. In the meantime, here is something to listen to.

Silhouettes

The Artist and the Choice

And If It's Not You

Leaving The Harbour

Our Recording Approach

This project was partially experimental, as we tried various techniques in both microphone placement and tracking. Originally, drums were recorded to scratch tracks. All other parts were then going to be over-dubbed for maximum sound quality and precision. However, due to tempo variations, time changes, and other complex portions in the song construction, this proved to be beyond the capabilities of the band. Therefore, a live recording session was devised, focusing on capturing the "live energy" feel. Vocals were then over-dubbed at a later time. In order to minimize bleed-through, all instruments were isolated and the band members recorded live listening through headphones. The following sections describe microphone selection and placement.

Tracking Drums:

For the drum microphone set-up, we used the Glyn John's method. This consists of right and left overheads in that are in phase, a top and bottom snare for variety, a tom microphone, and a kick microphone. The microphones chosen were the DPA 4010s with the big ball attachments for the overheads, the Beta 52 for the kick, SM57s for the top and bottom snare, and the MD421 for the tom. The drums were placed in the Michigan Tech Rozsa band room and were surrounded by acoustic padding.

Beta 52 on Kick Drum

MD421 on Floor Tom

DPA 4010 for Left and Right Overheads

Full Drum Set

Tracking Lead Guitar:

For the lead guitar, we placed Joe's Fender Twin Reverb in the hallway for both isolation and natural reverb. A Beta 57 and an e609 were placed pointed at the guitar drivers both straight on and at a 45 degree angle. A DPA 4011 was placed at a bend in the hallway facing the opposite direct of the amplifier at a distance of about 30 feet. This was simply an experimental microphone position and resulted in a unique reverb for the lead guitar.

Beta 57 and e609

Another view

Experimental microphone positioning

Tracking Rhythm Guitar:

For the rhythm guitar, both a Vox and a Carvin amplifier were placed in an isolated and acoustically damped sound booth. This was done in order to minimize any bleed through from the lead guitar. An ATM31R and a Beta 57 were used to record the rhythm guitar in the same set-up as the lead guitar.

Front view of Vox microphone placement

Front view of Carvin microphone placement

Tracking Bass Guitar:

For the bass guitar, Spencer's Hartke bass amplifier was placed in the another isolated room adjacent to the main band room. A DI and Blue Mouse were used to record the bass.

Blue Mouse microphone placement

DI out on bass amp

Tracking Vocals:

The vocals were over-dubbed over the recorded instrument tracks. Vocals were recorded in a sound isolated vocal booth using a KSM44. Back-up vocals were also recorded at a later date using the same set-up.

Pictures:
Here are a few pictures documenting the recording process.