Article: Mixing Basics - Live Recording
Mixing Basics: Live Recording
The goal of this article is to assist independent artists with recording and mixing a live performance, with the intention of publishing on a do-it-yourself platform like YouTube. Live performances usually include banter with the audience, noise, and several instruments, so the process differs from recording and mixing one instrument in the studio. There are many opinions on best workflow. This article will show you how to produce a recording to get decent results with minimal knowledge and effort.
You will need the following items:
• Smart phone
• Computer
• Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
• Speakers or headphones
• Tripod for smart phone (optional)
A DAW is software that you can use to manipulate digital audio. Your operating system may come with a DAW like Garageband. If not, Audacity is free software available for download. You will need to familiarize yourself with the basics of using the DAW before moving forward. Some items to look for are how to import audio, add plugins, adjust the faders (volume controls), and render a file.
I. Recording
You can use something as simple as a budget smart phone and still get a decent recording. Make sure to edit the settings in the camera app, so that it records using Full High Definition (FHD), which will generally record at 1080p (1,920 pixels horizontally and 1,080 pixels vertically) and 30 frames per second. Having this set correctly at the outset will ensure the best possible quality, and make a huge difference when rendering later. Make sure to turn off any special features like “focus audio in center of picture”. This can result in undesirable audio effects that are not balanced in stereo.
If possible, use a tripod to record. It will improve the stability of the video. You can also use the stabilizer feature on the smart phone to make the video more consistent.
II. DAW Setup
Import the video file to your computer, then insert it as a stereo track in your DAW. Adjust the volume of the recording. You can do this using a volume adjustment plugin, or adjusting the faders. Set the stereo track with the video to -6dB. This will prepare the track to receive plugins on the Mix Bus (the track with all the instruments). In this case, the mix bus will be the track with the video, since it has all the elements of the song.
III. Equalizer (EQ)
Add an equalizer (EQ) plugin to the track. An equalizer acts as a volume knob for specific frequencies. Start with the low and high pass filters. These are also referred to as low and high cut. The high pass eliminates all frequencies before a specific frequency; the low pass eliminates all frequencies after a specific frequency. They are like bookends for the frequency graph. Adjust the pass filters to your preference.
Next, use a low or high shelf bandwidth, to lower undesirable frequencies. A low shelf will lower anything before a specific frequency, while a high shelf will lower anything after a specific frequency. This will enhance the quality of the audio by focusing the listener on the most important sonic elements. You can raise the shelf if needed, but starting by lowering the shelf can result in more natural sounding audio.
IV. Compressor
The next plugin is a compressor. The compressor adjusts the volume of the quiet parts of the audio to match the loud parts. Too much compression can squeeze the life out of the audio by normalizing desirable variations in volume. Some advocate for the compressor before the equalizer. You will need to experiment to see which order you prefer.
Set the ratio to 2.0, the attack to 10.0 milliseconds (ms), and the release to 0.6 seconds (s), to start. Adjust the threshold until you see activity in the gain reduction meter (the meter in the plugin that shows how much audio is being compressed). Make sure the gain reduction meter does not exceed 4dB. Adjust the threshold in increments of 1dB to get the gain reduction to your preference. You will need to make this decision based on how it sounds, rather than just looking at the meter.
V. Limiter
The mix bus volume likely will have changed as a result of the plugins. Adjust the mix bus volume using a volume plugin or the fader, so the mix bus peaks around -6dB.
Add a limiter plugin as the last plugin. Set the ceiling to -.5dB. This will prevent the audio from clipping, or distorting as a result of too much volume. Lower the threshold until the gain reduction meter touches the ceiling, then adjust to your preference in increments of 1dB.
VI. Rendering
Set the rendering output type to an MP4 file, the video bitrate to 10,000kbps, the audio bitrate to 384kbps, and the channels to stereo. These settings are the recommended settings for a YouTube video in high definition at 30 frames per second. Render the video as an MP4 file.
If you do not plan on using video output, render the audio as an MP3 file at 320kbps.