NotesontheAbbeyRoadmictestsessionsofJune2,2008

Thesearejustbriefnotestomakecertainpointsclear.Fullnotesandanalysiswillbeavailableinthe AudioMasterclassMusicProductionandSoundEngineeringCourse. Relevanceoftests Nomicrophonetestcaneverbedefinitive.Thereisnoonebestmicrophone.Selectionof microphonesshouldbemadeonthebasisofwhatsoundsbestontheactualsession.However,pre selectionofcandidatemicrophonesisusuallydoneonthebasisofexperience.Usingasmany microphonesaspossibleandlisteningtotestssuchastheseisessentialtogainthenecessary experienceforeffectivemicrophoneselection. Studio AllrecordingsweremadeinAbbeyRoadStudio3onJune2,2008.TheseareAudioMasterclass recordingsmadeusingAbbeyRoadsfacility.Allengineeringdecisionsweremadeorapprovedby AudioMasterclass. Microphonetests Prioritywasgiventodoingthetestsquicklysothatthevocalscouldbeasconsistentaspossible.It wasfoundbyexperimentthatthebestwaytodothiswastolineupthemicrophonesandhavethe vocalistmovefromonetoanother.Thisprecludedtheuseofavocalboothoracousticscreens.You willhearairconditioningnoiseinthebackgroundofthesefiles,atalevelthatistypicalforthis studio. Backingtracks Thebackingtracksareallskeletontracks,madespecificallyforthepurposeofcarryingoutthese testsefficiently.Theyarenotintendedtorepresentfullyarrangedproductions. Levels Onafewoccasionsyoumayhearchangesinlevelsduringfiles.Thisisduetofaderridingbythe AbbeyRoadassistantengineer.Atnopointdideitherthemicrophonepreamplifiers(intheSSLJ Seriesconsole)ortheconvertors(Prism)clip.Anydistortionorelectronicallygeneratednoisethat youhearisanartefactofthemicrophonesandpreamplifiersundertest. Errorinthebackingtrack Thereisanerrorintheeditingofoneofthebackingtracks.Thiswasnotcorrectedasitwouldhave slowedthesessiondown.Itdidnotaffectthevocalperformance. Videos Thevideosareinrealitystylesoasnottoaffectanyaspectoftheaudiorecording.Whenthe singersperform,youwillhearthesignalsfromthemicrophonesyousee.Whenthesingersarenot activelyperforming,youwillhearthesoundtrackfromoneofthecameras.

Inthepreamptest,thetwopreampsfeedtheleftandrightchannelsofthestereosoundtrackofthe video.TheAvalonM5isalwaysontheleftchannel.Youwillhearsomeinstabilityinstereoimageas thesingermoves.Thiswouldnotbenormalusageofmicrophonesforavideosoundtrackbutitwas madethiswayinthisinstanceasitprovidesmoreinformationaboutthesession. AACencoding IfyouhavedownloadedtheaudiofilesinAACformat,youwillneedthecapabilitytoplayAACaudio withthefileextension.m4a.AppleiTunescandothis,andconvertto.wavifyouwish.Thereisa pluginforWindowsMediaPlayeravailableathttp://www.orban.com/plugin/