Unit 2 brief 1 - Extracting information from written sources.

Extracting information from written sources.

AMY WINEHOUSE

Album Name -  'Back To Black'

Producer - 'Mark Ronson + Salaam Remi'

Artist - 'Amy Winehouse

Year/Date - '2006'

Genre - 'Soul / Rhythm and Blues / Contemporary R&B

why is it revolutionary?

In my opinion i think this Album is revolutionary because it is unique and talks about her life and how shes had fall backs and is still willing to get through life without getting hurt and i think it connects with the audience as it shows Amy had passion and willing to strive though anything even if she shows her emotions through her lyrics, which i think is inspirational as people should never give up and show what they are capable of even being pushed and shoved through life, things can still be accomplished and then hit world wide. Amy to me is revolutionary as she is a strong girl and expresses feelings of hurt and bitterness for a boyfriend who left her, her lyrics mirrors the wounds that her boyfriend left un-healed, in her opening song 'Rehab' she talks about him leaving and her not showing how she feels about him going, and she keeps her pride up.
Overall she shows how by combining misdemeanor with melody, scandal with soul her lyrics have meaning and even though she seems a sadly distant from hope she had a strife of a collapsing relationship etched across it. she sang with an authentic soul voice, and spoke a street-smart noughties language.
Back to Black overall is a musical equivalent, spilling gin-soaked tales of heart-break and drugs and depression as if they were going out of fashion.

How was it created?
Amy Winehouse was influenced by Jazz and contemporary music as she thought it was relaxing and soothing to the mind she had thoughts of producing her own style of music, which later came along, she produced her own song. Amy's focus then shifted to girl groups in the 1950's-1960's then hired a singer called Sharon Jones who helped Amy on tour and in the studio, Amy's dad, Mitch Winehouse said she is fascinating watching her process, her perfectionism in the studio and how she would put what she had sung on CD and play it in a taxi outside to know how most people would hear her music. May 2006 her demo track had been created and appeared on the New York's radio. Tom Elmhirst remixed the sing 'You Know I'm No Good' then Ronson received the track and described it as radical. The majority of the songs produced by Ronson were done within the studio with the band Dap-Kings, within the production of the songs, the drums, piano, guitar and bass were done in one room then with the drums being recorded with the microphone and a spill of different instruments. After all the hard work between Ronson and Elmhirst the songs were on the go and selling quickly as people said they were able to connect with the lyrics and her inspiration to music. When mixing Elmhirst added a contemporary feel to it whit Ronson wanted to keep the mix sparse and not overproduced.

What techniques were used in pre/post production?
The techniques that were used in the pre production was a lot of mixing and syncing, recording in the studio was a big thing. Amy Winehouse changes her posture depending on the way she wants to perform, she is very unique with her performances. the only trouble with Amys choices to do drugs,


THE BEATLES 

Album Name - 'Abbey Road'
Producer - 'George Martin'
Artist - 'The Beatles'
Year/Date - '1969'
Genre - 'Rock'

Why is it Revolutionary?
In my opinion i think this Album is revolutionary because i think that the Beatles are inspirational though most of there songs were produced on drugs, they were still able to overcome themselves and produce an all-time best album in 1969, i think that overall Abbey Road is a shimmering, never-predictable array of songs and song fragments, which is a ray of emotional twist and turns, the Beatles may of been high around the time of their production of songs but actually most of the audience connected as they thought the songs had a odd sense of meaning but some where able to notice the real meaning behind the lyrics. Overall the Beatles were a legendary rock group formed in Liverpool, then they went on to perform and transform music as a creative commercial art, they then became the most popular bands of all time. The Beatles would have such an impact on the audience especially in the 60's as they were a popular culture that were hard to overstate.

How was it Created?
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, are the members of the Beatles.
Paul McCartney was one for discipline and he said that the group 'actually performed like musicians again' after a fall out. On the 20th August 1969 the final sequence occurred and all 4 members appeared in the studio, they described the medley as 'junk' as if the sons were just thrown together last minute, Lennon then expressed a desire to have his songs separate to McCartney's as he didn't like his songs with McCartney's, so the producer (George Martin) decided that the Album was to have 2 sides, the 1st side to be McCartney and the other side to be Lennon, however then later to find out that Lennon had the greatest love song ever made 'Here comes the sun', and then McCartney had the most inspirational song 'Trip to India' which then caused tension between the Band, then when the next song was in line of production both Lennon and McCartney thought over the lead vocal.
Starr and Harrison composed most of their lyrics alone, Starr was given the chance to be a lead vocalist as he is originally the drummer, the song had a melodic structure, which was created in the studio by George Harrison. Overall The Beatles encouraged all of the members to get together to complete the album which was a success then they released the album getting so many views which was amazing for George Martin to hear as he was proud to be the producer of The Beatles.

What techniques were used in the pre/post production?

The techniques that were used were a lot of studio recording, and within the production there was a few equiptment to look at which were, gramophone, circa 1925, and the collection progressed chronologically through a series of tape recorders, effects, and microphones before arriving at mixing desks used into the 1980s. If you included the modern mixer across the room being used to run the PA system, the gear present provided a fairly complete historical timeline of the last 90 years of recording science.

RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS

Album Name - 'Californication'
Producer - 'Rick Rublin'
Artist - 'Red Hot Chilli Pepper'
Year/Date - '1999'
Genre - 'Funk Rock'

Why is it Revolutionary?
In my opinion i think the red hot chilli peppers are revolutionary because they have a lot of popping basses, and crisp notes, however they were a bit all over the place with all their craze of choosing how to produce the songs. However overall they are inspirational as i think there lyrics are unique but they may cause the audience a bit of confusion as there lyrics are different from others.
This is an example of the lyrics that are used,
Psychic spies from China
Try to steal your mind's elation
And little girls from Sweden
Dreams of silver screen quotation
And if you want these kind of dreams
It's Californication


How was it Created?
A lot of the album was written in the band member's homes in the summer of 1998.
The band members Kiedis and Frusciante often spent their days together discussing the song progression and the creation of the songs, a lot of the talking was about the guitar riffs and lyrical content and the aspects of the recording section was mainly bass and percussion and were constructed through jam sessions. Most of the material and lyrics came from the 'personal and professional turmoil' that the different members of the band that went through at the time (Larkin). this then ended in a 'sensitive approach that one might not expect from a band whose followers are skate-punk and fraternity boys'.
The albums lyrics were delivered from Anthony Kiedis ideas, outlooks and perception of life and its meaning.

What techniques were used in the pre/post production?
The techniques used in the pre production of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, a lot of outboard gear is used and a few plug-ins, its sectioned into 2 parts so basically half of the plug-ins are used for repair purposes for example EQing and things like that where as the other section are used for specific things and sonic output. The plug-ins were used a lot  from UAD is the EMT® 250 Classic Electronic Reverb Plug-In. The reverb was used as it was a specific sound that the plug-in does grasp overall.





References:

1. Robert Dimery, 2013, 1001: Albums you must hear Before You Die. Edition. Cassell Illustrated

2. Amy Winehouse Forum. 2016. Amy's Vocal Technique - Anything Amy - Amy Winehouse Forum. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.amywinehouseforum.co.uk/forum/topic/18118-amys-vocal-technique/. [Accessed 06 October 2016].

3.Wikipedia. 2016. Abbey Road - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_Road. [Accessed 06 October 2016].

4. Wikipedia. 2016. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hot_Chili_Peppers. [Accessed 06 October 2016].

Unit 49 brief 1 - Setting up sound production equipment

Setting up the equipment for a live performance

Process/steps taken
To set up and test the studio for recording of a band, which isn’t as simple as it seems, this here is a list of equipment is and how to use it:

·         Microphones- microphones are used to take audio and convert into the mixing desks, the sound waves are converted into electrical sound through the Xlr cable, they can also be known as transducers

·         Mixers- mixers are an electrical device which can be used to change the volume of either a musician or a singer, it can also add effects to the vocals/music, they are also able to control signals that are submitted between the equipment

·         Speakers/monitors- speakers are able to balance the sound out and make it louder, speakers are also transducers that convert electromagnetic waves into sound waves, and also they produce a stereo sound/panning. The speakers are connected to the desk by using powered cables as it transfers the flowing current, the base bins are set up first along with the pillars at the same height for balanced sound and then the main speakers are attached, the speakon cables are plugged into both speakers then into the back of the amplifiers below the mixing desk

·         Amplification- The amplifier boosts the audio/sound to enable all personnel to hear the audio/sound as the sound needs to be panned

·         Recording/playing back chain- When recording the audio it is important to make sure no feedback loop, when played back it should be the same as the input that was given

·         Connections- The connections between the equipment varies as there is many leads that go in different places, for example the jack lead, is a ¼ inch/3.5mm cable which is used for instruments such as, guitar and piano, it is put in the SToutL and put in the STinL, L and R stand for left and right if they are in opposite then the sound/ audio wouldn’t be produced

The way the equipment is set up is:

1.  First the boxes are to be taken apart, making sure the lids are kept to one side of the area, lock the mixing desk in place
2.  Move the base bins to corners of the room to make sure the panning is equal and a stereo sound
3.  Next is to add the main speakers on top of the pillars which are screwed onto the base bins making sure that the pillars are of the same height
4.  Then connect the speakon cables to the power supply below the desk
5. Connect the jack leads to the amps and desks
6. Add Xlr cable to mic, put the mic behind the speakers to stop feedback
7. Turn desk on, turn speakers on and level testing                                                                       
8. The microphone goes into the desk which produces a signal and amplifies the audio sound through the speaker.

Risk Assessment 

Risk	How to prevent/avoid
Exposed to live wire	Ensure that all wires are highly maintained and are safe to use and are not broken in any sate of form
Plug socket	Make sure when the plugs aren’t in use that they are turned off at all times
Broken cable	If a cable is broke then do not try to use It, get another cable to use
Water near electric	Keep food/drink away from the area however if water is required then ensure that is in a sealed bottle to avoid spillages
Lift with your knees	Lift with the knees to prevent any injury happening as when lifting with your back can cause issues
Tripping over wires	Make sure all wires are moved to the sides away from the performance area to stop a tripping hazard
Things falling over	Make sure that all the equipment is maintained and all stable
Safe handling/storage	Be careful when handling the equipment as it needs two people to carry as it is too heavy alone
Keep lids out of may	By moving the lids it can prevent any tripping that can cause injuries
Tape up wires at end	To ensure that no one trips as this can cause damage
Leave it as found	By doing this it will stop dangers from happening
Noise levels	Make sure the noise levels are balanced and not too loud as it can be harmful to others
Don’t go over 120dB	If you go over 120dB then it can deafen people as people can average between 110dB
Feedback	Don’t put the mic near the speak as the connections interfere with each other causing a feedback loop which can be really irritating
Mic behind speakers	By doing this it stops the feedback loop from happening

Using Microphones and Effects

Term	Description
Transducer	Converts types of energy such as electrical to sound.
Diaphragm	The diaphragm is attached to the coil, in order to work vibrations are sent through in response to the incoming sound waves. The diaphragm is within the capsule, also electromagnetic induction which is where the coil wrapped around the magnet causes a current.
Capacitor plate	(AKA C1000s) 2 plates with voltage between Front plate (diaphragm) made of light material Sound waves Create a charged current (phantom power-48 volts)
Sound pressure levels	How loud the audio/sound is: Loud – diaphragm (high frequency) Quite – condenser (low frequency)
Pre – amp	Used to boost the original sound before amplification to prevent defending

                                                                                                                            

Shure sm58

Used mainly for vocals, to give an overall sound throughout the performances, even in extreme conditions it can be used to tailor the main source of sound while minimizing the background noise. It can also be popular with dj’s and presenters as it projects the sound, even when the sound waves being converted is are low frequency.

Shure sm57

Used mainly for instruments as it is a consender and picks up all types of frequency’s and sets them to an overall audio level enabling the audio to be balanced and not be over 120dB as it can then deathen people.

Rode NT2-A multi pattern

This is mainly used for vocals in studios in a sound proof room so therefore the sound waves not only travel through and into the mic they also are converted though the room to enable the sound to bounce to and from the walls around the room.

AKA C1000S condenser

This is mainly used for singing also but however this type enables the sound to be quite and loud as it can vary depending on the sound waves that are being converted.

Equipment list:

• ·        Mixing desk, Yamaha EMX 5016 CF
• ·        Power Amp, ASX 18 dB Technology for mixing desk, the t.amp A1400 for main speaker, the t.amp A 2400 for the sub speakers
• ·        Sub speakers (dBs)
• ·        Main speakers (dBs)
• ·        Support pillars
• ·        Xlr cable
• ·        Speakon cables
• ·        Jack leads
• ·        Masking tape
• ·        Power leads
• ·        Shure sm58 microphone

Effects, how they work and the different types

Equalisers

Equalisers manage the high/low frequency of audio/sounds, they do this by changing the wavelength which changes the pitch, humans can hear up to 20kHz but nothing below 20Hz. They boost the different frequency’s to get an overall sound.

On the mixing desk there is a series of green dials, these are the dials to use to change the frequency from low to high, or high to low, when you turn all to low the it stops frequency we call this the low pass filter.

Reverb

Reverbs simulate off the space of the room.

There are 3 different sections to the reverb overall section.

1.     Reverb time means that the audio continues for longer (dry & wet sounds)

2.     Size is where it alters depending on the size of the room.

3.     Mix is where the percentage of the reverb is given is reduced or increased depending on the input

Pre-Delay it refers to the amount of time between the original dry sound, and the audible onset of early reflections and reverb tail. Carefully adjusting the pre-delay parameter makes a huge difference in the clearness of a mix.

Compression

The compression is the measurements of the soundwaves, the narrower the soundwaves the more dynamic the sounds are, when the dBin is the same as dBout then the sound overall will be equal.

There are 2 sections within the compression system,

1.     Threshold which is where the point of compression begins.

2.     Ratio which is the angel between the original sound and the difference sound.

Noise gate

The noise gate also has a threshold like the compression but the noise gate only allows certain sounds through depending on the pressure of the audio sound.

Setting up a recording studio

When setting up a recording studio, you must follow the steps to ensure that when recording the studio is ready to use and set up to go;

• first you must log onto a mac and open Cubase 7(NOT 6)
• Close any applications that come up in the process of opening the system
• Click file and go to 'New project'
• Select empty from the top tab
• When the desk is set up, you need to check the following;
• Devices - Device set up and check that the audio driver (ASIO) is connected to the Onyx Firewire
• Devices - VST connections, under the inputs and outputs the preset should be on ONYX
• Next go to the project and 'add track' making sure its on mono, where then you can add as many tracks as you want. 

When setting up a recording studio, you must follow the steps to ensure that when recording the studio is ready to use and set up to go;

• First you must log onto a mac and open Cubase 7(NOT 6 because Cubase 7 has more features),
• I will then close any applications that come up in the process of opening the system otherwise the application wouldn't run fully,
• Then click file and go to 'New project' this will bring up a new empty score where the recording will show up,
• Select empty from the tab at the top but on the right which is 'more',
• When the desk is set up, you need to check the following;

• Devices - Device set up and check that the audio driver (ASIO) is connected to the Onyx Firewire
• Devices - VST connections, under the inputs and outputs the preset should be on ONYX
• Next go to the project and 'add track' making sure its on mono, where then you can add as many tracks as you want,
• Then the input is needed to be changed for each of the tracks using the bar on the right where 'mono' is stated, when the input is set up then the input put in will respond to the input in the desk,
• To test that the audio works I will click monitor on the track which has a 'speaker icon'
• After the microphone needs to be connected through the wall using a VST connection