Depending on which set up you’re in, live or studio, you’re going to have quite a few differences. To start with, the acoustics. When in a studio, you generally set up the studio one time and then everything stays the same, so you won’t need to be adjusting anything according to the venue because the venue doesn’t change. However, when performing live, you’re going to be playing in many different places and constantly moving, therefore, the acoustics will constantly be changing. For example, if you’re playing in an intimate room with lots of furniture in, like chairs, one night and then in an arena the next, there will be drastic changes in the acoustics, because arena’s are larger and have more reverb, in comparison to the intimate setting. Back to studio settings, the acoustics will generally sound much deader, because there’s more stuff in that room so there’s less reverb, but this makes it easier to mix, and you can just add reverb when mixing any. There’s a lot less chance of feedback in a studio too because you usually have all the levels all set, however, live sound needs sound checks to fix these levels according to the venue. Studio sounds are so much easier to control too because you can get dry sounds, instead of a lot of reverb, which is better than having a lot of reverb from the start because you can easily add reverb, and have the vocals match the dry sounds on the instruments, but it’s really hard to get all of the reverb off a take that had been recorded with a bunch of reverb.
According to health and safety, there aren’t that many differences, between live and studio care. When in a studio, you typically keep the same set up, so all the wires tend to be tucked away and out of the way, so nobody can fall over them, there are clear entry’s and exits, and there are usually pop shields, to protect the mics, etc. However, sometimes you may get a little carried away, whilst creating, so you need to keep the volume to a minimum and then just turn the final mix up at the end, so you can fully check everything’s well and good. During live sound, you’ll constantly be setting up at different venues so you need to make sure you have tape, to tape down the wires on stage, you understand the stage floor plan, so you don’t fall off stage and you’re away of where to exit quickly, and you need to make sure that there’s no feedback. Feedback can cause a lot of hearing problems so during soundcheck, it’s best to play something that you’ll be playing that night, so they can adjust it perfectly, and try playing as loud as you’d be playing that night, so they can adjust the levels accordingly. Also, whenever you’re in a studio, it’s best to turn the speakers on last, because there is a little pop that the mixing desk can do and it’ll blow your speakers. Lastly, there is, of course, the typical health and safety stuff, like no water near electricity and watch for any special effects on the stage etc.
The equipment is typically the same, instruments, mixing desk, speakers, cables etc, but live sound will need different types of certain things. For example, dynamic mics are the typical ones that people use for live sound, because they’re good for mid range, can with stand a lot of damage and they’re also cardioid, meaning they only pick up the sound that it’s pointed at and it cancels out anything behind it. In a studio, you’d also need monitors, headphones and different speakers, whereas live, you just need more cables and larger speakers. Sometimes, people also use loopers on stage, so they create their own sound track using the looper to layer, but these can also be used in studios too.
Again, studios are typically set up one time and then not really changed after that, however, live sound is constantly moving, and they don’t typically have long to set up. Usually, live sound is given a day to set up, safety check and sound check, before performing on the night. This means, they’ll have to be working quite fast, if they want to be ready in time. Although studio time is usually a one time set up, you usually have a lot more retakes, because people tend to put studio takes out into the world and want it to be perfect, but live sound, you only get one chance and that’s in the moment.
Recording styles
Recording all the band at once, in the same room:
Good: Not very time consuming, timing is typically better because they can all bounce of each other, and it usually has a feeling of unity.
Bad: There’ll be a lot of spill so when you’re mixing, it’s very difficult to get a decent mix because you’ll have to try to take the background noise out of the others take.
Recording the band all at once, in different rooms:
Good: Clear takes and no spill, making it easier to mix.
Bad: Very hard to keep in time because they don’t have anyone to rely on and it typically loses the feeling of unity.
Recording most of the band, but adding additional overdubs:
Good: The overdubs can be retaken as many times as is needed.
Bad: You’ll have to add reverb to make the overdubs fit the same atmosphere/scene as the instruments, which can be quite difficult.
Recording all the parts separately:
Good: Very easy to mix because there are no spills.
Bad: Very time consuming.
Acoustics
Whether you’re recording live or in a studio, you never want completely dry sounds, as it can deaden the instrument and make it lose its feel, it can sound very dull if it’s too dry. However, too much reverberant surfaces, like bathroom tiles etc, can cause reverb, which can make the sound too wet and hard to mix. For these reasons, most studios tend to use reflective and absorbent surfaces, like wood and carpet. They also use gobo’s etc to help change the acoustics of the room. Studio’s are specifically designed for which type of sounds they’re expecting to be recording, i.e. rock bands, orchestra’s and ADR (for film).
ADR = Automated Dialogue Replacement – basically overdubs in film, they need to perfectly align the speech to the film and then add effects to make the atmosphere sound like what is being portrayed on the screen.
Dynamic VS Condenser Microphones
Dynamic microphones are typically cheaper and more durable, making them perfect for live sound. They’re great at picking up mid range and bass, however, they aren’t great with higher frequencies. However, dynamic mics like the AKG112, can pick up better sounds, depending on how close you move the mic to the user.
In comparison, condenser microphones are way better at picking up higher frequency sounds, but less great at those bass sounds.
Microphone pick ups
Omnidirectional: 360 degree pick up angle – this mic picks up sound from all around it, perfect for orchestral performances.
Cardioid: 131 degree pick up angle – typically the dynamic mic used on stage, picks up sound from right in front of it and cancels out the noise from behind it.
Super cardioid: 115 degree pick up angle – Very popular in film, very sensitive to side sounds.
Hyper cardioid: 105 degree pick up angle – Less sensitive on their sides but it does pick up some sound from behind it.
Bi-directional: 90 degree pick up angle – Picks up sounds from in front and behind the mic, which is great for a duo singing or can be used on podcasts etc.
Multi-micing
To capture all the different frequencies and tones, you set up different mics on the instruments, so you can get a really nice mix later on. For example, a guitar amp can have 1-5 mics around it, to capture the full sound. However, in live sound, it’s usually just 1 sound because it’d be harder to mix all of that live so you just get the overall sound with that 1 mic.
Signal Chain
Memorising this chain is important in live sound because it works like a series circuit, if 1 doesn’t work, then the rest won’t. For example, if you wasn’t getting sound out of the speakers, then you follow the chain, from the start, to see what’s working and what isn’t, then fix that in the chain and it should work, unless the equipment is broke or something.
Starting off with acoustic energy, convert it into an electrical energy, then amplify it, turn it into binary code so the computers can understand it, then back into electrical (from digital) energy so the speakers can play it out, and then back into acoustic energy.
Phase:
Phase is basically the sound waves. If they’re out of phase, you’ll have no noise at all coming through but if they’re slightly out of phase, you’ll get like a hollow effect.
Micing up Pianos/keys:
Keys need to have a DI box because it stops the buzzing sounds, and it makes it easier to mix on the desk. To connect the DI box to the keys, you’ll need a jack lead, which just plugs into the DI box and then into the keys. Once the DI box is connected, you’ll need an XLR to jack lead to connect the DI box to the stage box, so we can control it at the mixing desk. You’ll also, of course, need the power cable for the keys to actually be able to turn on. For an actual piano, you’ll need 2 overhead mics, the same distance apart, and the connect the mics to the stage box, using XLR cables. However, most of the time, we just use a keyboard or synth, so we use the DI box instead. You’ll then need a jack to xlr lead, from the DI box to the stage box, and plug it into outputs 10.
Micing up Guitars/bass:
Guitar is just a jack lead into the speakers, to the guitar and then mic up the amp. However, bass needs to be DI’ed, like the keys. For bass, you need to get a jack lead from the speaker into the DI box and then another jack lead from the DI box into the bass. The DI box just helps with the low frequencies when we’re checking levels. Then you need an xlr from the speakers into the stage box, outputs 8 and 9, bass is 8 and guitar is 9.
Micing up Amps:
To mic up an amp, you’ll need a condenser mic and point it slightly to the side of the amp, at the front. You point it slightly at the side because speakers have a middle part that isn’t actually a speaker, so you’ll get the best sound if you point it to the side. You’ll, of course, need to have a power lead to actually set up the amps first though.
Micing up Drums:
All of these mics need an xlr lead into the stage box. Starting with the kick, you’ll need a bass mic, on a little stand, and you need to put the mic basically in the drum, to get the best sound. For the snare, and all the toms, you’ll need to use dynamic mics, pointed into the middle area, but make sure they’re not in the way of where the drummer will hit. To get an overall sound, you’ll need to have 2 overhead mics, pointing at the crash and high-hat but they have to be the same level. The overhead mics are AKG condenser pencil mics. The drums got in 1-7 into the stage box, in this order:
Micing up the singer(s):
These mics are the easiest to set up. You just need a dynamic mic and the an XLR lead from the mic into the stage box, outputs 11 and 12.
Mixing desk:
The mixing desk need have a power cable connected too it and then you need to connect it to the stage box, using another xlr. You can also connect your phone, using a jack lead, if you need to play music between acts, and you can also have headphones, if you want to hear it more clearly. Listening with headphones can help with the accuracy of seeing up the mics. too.
Monitors and speakers:
For the speakers, you’ll need an XLR to power lead will go into the bottom speaker, in power input. Then, XLR from power output into, the top speaker’s, blue input. Then, you need a silver XLR balanced input, on the top speaker, into the Xover output. Lastly, you connect signal input into the stage box, through input 1 or 2. For the monitors, you’ll get an XLR to power lead. Then, you can connect the rest of the monitors to the one with the power cable, using XLR leads. Then you’ll need silver XLR’s to connect to monitors to the stage box, input 3-7. Also, the drummer will need their own monitor, so they’ll also have need an XLR to power lead and then a silver XLR to connect into input 4.
Levels:
Setting levels basically is getting them to play and then moving the volumes on the mixing desk, slowly, and adjusting the gain so the audience can hear everything and so there’s no feedback. We start by running through the drums, then bass, then guitar, then keys, and then the singers. Whilst checking the levels you need to add phantom power to over heads, on the drums, and all DI’ied instruments, keys, bass and acoustic guitars. Phantom power gives them 48 volts, which is what they need to be powered. After checking the levels through the speakers, you need to ask each performer what they want through their monitor and then adjust those levels.