Recording Live in the Studio

When it comes to efficiency and safety, it's hard to beat the overdub approach to recording. That is, when working at it piece by piece, you can easily go in and fix mistakes and correct the individual sounds without mucking with the entire project. But what about recording a band rehearsal, or for that matter, recording some actual live tracks? Yes, the process requires a bit more prep and planning, and there are plenty of things that can go wrong along the way-however when done properly it can also be a very rewarding experience.

Here we revisit some of the key strategies for cutting tracks as a band, rather than one bandmember at a time-among them basic microphone and instrument placement, types of mics to use, direct-connecting bass and keyboards, ways to reduce leakage, and other thoughts.

Pretend It's a Practice
Comfort is everything when it comes to live tracking, so start by treating the session as if it's a regular band rehearsal, setting up the instruments accordingly, including a wedge monitor or PA for vocalists (more on recording live singers in just a bit). As far as space goes, theoretically the larger the better, since you'll have more physical separation in a bigger room; however good sounds are attainable even in a smaller space, assuming you use good placement and mic selection.

Dynamic Mics are Your Friend
Why are microphones like the Shure SM57 or SM58 so ubiquitous in live settings? Because by and large dynamic mics only capture what's directly in front of them, rejecting sounds coming from other parts of the stage. That's exactly what you want when attempting to record live in the studio-place an SM57, Sennheiser e602 or other dynamic directly in front of a guitar cabinet, for example, and you're unlikely to hear almost anything else but guitar on that track. In short, when going live, the more directional the mic, the better off you'll be. (And be sure to situate the band in a semi-circle or any other arrangement that promotes eye contact between the players while recording.)

Be Careful with Condensers
Which is not to say that you should avoid higher-gain condenser mics altogether, however when using them be sure to set the mic to cardioid mode (making it as directional as possible), while at the same time carefully rotating the mic so that it's aimed straight at the source, such as when used as a drum overhead, for instance. Setting the mic's volume pad to a reduced level is also recommended in order to quell excess room leakage and prevent distortion.

Controlling Leakage
Some bleed is unavoidable when working side-by-side with bandmates, but with a little set-up skill you can make any remaining leakage acceptable. Place amplifiers as far back from the drum position as possible; if you're in a smaller room, position the amps at an angle to the drums to keep the instruments out of the drum mics and vice versa. Since amped bass (and low-end sounds in general) can be mighty intrusive, usually it's best to take the bass signal directly to the recorder using a direct-injection (DI) transformer box; you can do the same for piano, synth or other digital instruments as well. Unless you're planning on using headphones, be sure to give the bass and keyboard player some amped volume so they can hear themselves during the takes.

User Separators Between the Sources
The other way to keep leakage at bay is to use some kind of physical separators, placed around the various instruments or their amplifiers. Professional studios use special baffling, or gobos, which are large framed panels composed of absorbent material to wick up excess soundwaves at the source. You can replicate the gobo principle at home by placing any kind of soft materials around the players-packing blankets or quilts slung over a pair of boom mic stands works for drums, amps or even a vocalist; in a pinch a few pieces of upholstered furniture often does the trick as well. There's no need to go overboard, however, as you'll want some mingling of sounds in order to give the recording its sense of space.

Live Vocal Tips
Admittedly the toughest part is getting a good live vocal sound down, which is why many groups will just go for a "scratch" or "guide" vocal when cutting live, and overdub the actual part later on. There's no harm in trying for a keeper vocal while recording the band, however, you'll just need to work at it a little harder, particularly if it's an all-electric ensemble. Put the vocalist in one corner of the room, opposite the amps and drums; as mentioned above, use a dynamic mic instead of a condenser for recording, and also place separators around the vocalist and microphone to deflect as much leakage as possible. Some engineers like to put the vocal signal through a PA the same as you would during a band rehearsal, which not only allows singers to hear themselves but also adds to the live vibe of the recording. If it's real separation your after, consider putting the vocalist in the control room or other adjoining space, if available.