Today was a very relaxed shortened day at the studio. It was a little bit sad to leave the studio and it’s wonderful people behind, but I will surely visit them again in the near future. I learned many things most of which just by watching and seeing. The experience was priceless. Music is often the type of world where it things are easier said than done, so it is not unusual for explanations to be fruitless. This work experience has taught me so much by showing me, rather than telling me. I feel like I have become much more capable as a recording engineer, music entrepreneur, and business person. I am very thankful for this opportunity.
Tag: JackW- Music Production
Day 7 at osceola
Today we recorded a drummer, which taught me a lot about microphone selection. When recording high frequencies it is best to use a ribbon microphone because they have a very clear high-end. They however are very fragile so you cannot drop them or use them with low sounds like a kick drum because they will break. For the snare drum we used a condenser mic which can be modified to change the field and shape of the recording area. Condenser mics have a good high-end but they also have a good low and making them a generic mic. dynamic mics are use for kick drums. This is because they are very durable and have a great low end. In concert, a singer will often use a dynamic mic because the singer doesn’t need a perfect high end in a concert.
Day 6 at Osceola
Today was all about the beat makers. That was especially exciting for me because that is my field of interest.
The other intern at the studio is a beat maker with considerable numbers on his publications and he was giving me some tips. His best song so far has 350k views on soundcloud. He was telling me all about how to reach out to people, what he uses to make his stuff, and what he suggests as a beat maker.
I learned that a good way to make a standing is to fit into a niche. People in a niche will eat up anything they can get, so your music will be taken well. Also, he suggested buying several pieces of equipment (audio interface, maschine, sub) to improve production. He also suggested making happy or chill songs that make the listener feel good and to put the hook of the song very early so that they will stay interested. Mr. Hodgin calls this “the ride” and listeners either opt in or opt out within the first 30 seconds. We played lots of historical hit songs and they all had this element.
Day 5 at Osceola Studios
Today I learned about pitch correction.
I was intimidated when Mr. Hodgin told me that he uses $5000 dollar microphones with a $400 dollar plugin in a $1000 dollar software, but the theory applies to all levels of music production.
When an artist records vocals or harmony vocals, no matter their skill level (yes, even Beyonce…) they always have some level of variation off of the perfect pitch. When there are five harmonies behind a main vocal, even the slightest missed notes can mess up the sound. So, engineers use a program called Melodyne to correct the pitches. This software writes out the notes that are being sung on a keyboard screen and has a line that follows the exact path of the singer’s voice. Mr. Hodgin can then pull the variation closer to the correct note, or even move the note to another note on the scale if he wants. After he does this process carefully to all of the harmonies, the result is a sweet, soft, and perfect-but-not-robotic sound.
Day 4 at Osceola
“Featuring Jack Werner”
Today was probably the most fun day so far. A country artist was in the studio recording an old-timey singalong type country song that is extremely catchy called “Take My Keys”. I had heard the song during the week while Mr. Hodgin was editing it but I hadn’t met the artist until today. The artist, Andrew, was accompanied by a studio cat named Chad. Studio Cats are like talented musicians who come in to add certain instruments to a song that the artist/band can’t add themselves. Its like a feature with no credit.
After the studio cat had finished adding some harmonies to the vocals, Mr. Hodgin decided that the track needed to add a “drunk bar full of guys poorly singing the chorus” to the end of the song. So, Andrew, Chad the Cat, Mr. Hodgin and I went into the studio, stood around a mic, and sang the chorus of the song together several times. It sounded awesome.
This was a really fun experience, but it also was relieving to see that even in the industry, they are still allowed to have creative fun when they make professional records. In fact, the idea to add this scenic element to the song adds creativity, distinction, and memorability to the record. In the future, this fun idea (and my horrible singing) might be what takesthis record to the Top 40.
Day 3 at Osceola Studios
“Sometimes Things Get Boring”
This was the gentle advice that Mr. Hodgin gave the other intern and me after a three hour (or three year?) long session with a pianist. The pianist came in and recorded three songs, which were all eerie, atmospheric, soundscape kind of songs that followed classical music patterns and keys. It was the type of music you’d expect to hear in the background of a medieval role-playing video game.
Mr. Hodgin, who (like us interns), is a fan of hip hop, rock, and anything with some energy to it, revealed to us after the pianist left that he was bored out of his mind. But he sat us down and explained to us that this is part of his job. While the experience might have been dull to us, the pianist was loving it. So, as the engineer, Mr. Hodgin has to find a way to get as “into it” as the artist is. He warned us that sometimes this is a lot easier said than done, remembering how easily entertained we were by the youthful rapper from wednesday. 
Day 2 at Osceola Studios
Today began with a novice singer recording a cover of a Chris Brown song. Honestly, it sounded pretty bad. What interested me was that Mr. Hodgin (as the engineer) has the responsibility to communicate his opinions about the track– good or bad– to the artist. I listened closely because this is a very valuable skill to have. Whenever I do my own recording sessions with my friends, I usually do not have very much trouble communicating my opinions because my friends trust my musical opinion, and they have a close, strong relationship with me, so they will not get offended. However, in the industry, the artist often does not have any prior relationship with the engineer, and could potentially become offended with criticism.
In this case, Mr. Hodgin told the artist that Chris Brown is a very talented artist, and it would take a lot more practice to perfect his singing style. The artist was demoralized but determined to get it right the next time he came in.
Day 1 at Osceola Studios
Today I walked into a studio full of people. There was a very good young rap group called Simplicity who had just finished recording their newest album. Their music sounded positive and jovial. It was very unique. Me. Hodgin was editing certain parts of several songs, and everyone was joking around with him. It was very cool to watch an actual song be made and feel what the atmosphere is like.
Jack is Excited
I am excited to start!!