Recording
The Sidrat live room
It's a small room, generously coated in acoustic treatment, preventing echoes and reflections, which provides full control of the audio environment. The room is of a non-standard shape, which also helps with the acoustics, ensuring that the audio I record in the live room is neutral and uncoloured by unwanted ambience. This is a great starting point for mixing, allowing for complete control over the sound, which enables me to adapt the music's tone and shape with total freedom.
I've chosen a few tracks to illustrate the range of music I've worked on, so please have a listen, as they should give you an idea of the recording quality I'm capable of producing in my little studio - and there are some very nice tunes to enjoy, too...
Want to book a recording session?
Please get in touch and we'll work out all the details. If you're having trouble working out what you need, please take a look through my packages - you may find some inspiration and you'll be able to see the rates I charge for my services.
Recording vocals
Singers and rappers
Vocals are the key element of any song and, as such, they deserve special attention. Whether you're performing to pre-recorded backing music or as part of a larger group, I have the experience to make sure your voice shines through.
When you get behind the mic, you're the sole focus. As well as monitoring the recording levels, I'll be paying close attention to your performance, listening to your tone and delivery. I've worked with a wide range of vocalists, from local pop singers to Rat Pack crooners, cruise-liner entertainers to West End performers, R'n'B Soul vocalists to old-school Hip-hop rappers, Rock and Indie front men to grime artists.
All these artists have a very different approach, but they do have one thing in common - they're performers - and it's my job to help you achieve the best possible performance.
Spoken word
I also work with spoken word artists, some leading their listeners in meditation, while others narrate stories to be released as audio books, and a few producing audio snippets for corporate marketing videos. Spoken word recording requires a slightly different set-up, but a large proportion of the work involved in creating the finished item comes down to accurate audio editing in post-production, which you can read more about on my Mixing page.
Next steps...
After recording is completed, the next stage is to mix your vocal with its backing music, which will involve adjusting EQ settings, adding compression and other dynamic effects, maybe some modulation and a bit of reverb or delay. Then if we're getting creative there's room for a host of other plug-ins, too. See my Mixing page for more info.
If you're using someone else's instrumental to perform your vocals over, that's absolutely fine - I'm happy to use whatever audio you supply. But if you'd like your own original music instead, I can also produce custom backing tracks for any genre - check out my Sequencing page for more information and examples of my previous sequencing work.
If you're using someone else's instrumental to perform your vocals over, that's absolutely fine - I'm happy to use whatever audio you supply. But if you'd like your own original music instead, I can also produce custom backing tracks for any genre - check out my Sequencing page for more information and examples of my previous sequencing work.
Example vocal recording tracks:
Instrument recording
Audio capture
I use a wide range of microphones in any number of set-ups, often using 2 or more microphones to capture the sound of various instruments. From basic percussion such as tambourines and hand drums, to brass and woodwind instruments, including saxophone, trumpet, flute, clarinet, etc.
Then there are the more complex acoustic instruments like acoustic guitar, violin, cello, double-bass, banjo and other stringed instruments, all of which benefit from extended mic-ing techniques, as do acoustic drum kits, requiring anything from 8 to 16 simultaneous channels.
Amplified instruments like electric guitar and bass, as well as some keyboards, are usually less involved, but they can still use several mixer channels at once. Of course, keyboards and other electronic instruments that have a mono or stereo output socket can go directly to the mixer's recording input without the need for a microphone at all.
I also offer MIDI recording via keyboard or 4x4 pads and other hardware controllers and sequencers, accessing sounds in-the-box from software samplers, synthesizers, drum machines and more, as well as various hardware alternatives. You can even use your own breath controller with my hardware synths, sound modules and samplers, should you wish.
I also offer MIDI recording via keyboard or 4x4 pads and other hardware controllers and sequencers, accessing sounds in-the-box from software samplers, synthesizers, drum machines and more, as well as various hardware alternatives. You can even use your own breath controller with my hardware synths, sound modules and samplers, should you wish.
In the Studio... ...and out of it!
If you're a solo artist or a singer working with a second musician, then we have several recording solutions for you to choose from. We can record almost anything you can imagine in our cosy garden studio, whether simultaneously or step-recorded (see 'Your recording options' below).
My small studio is ideally suited to recording solo artists and duo projects as well as bands who are happy to take turns at step-recording their parts to build up their tracks in layers. I can also cater for small ensembles and groups performing live simultaneously, when acoustic separation isn't required.
I do have a portable recording system, which can be set up in almost any environment. So, if you would prefer to record in a specific location, just let me know and I'll be happy to discuss the details.
I feel that the quality of the music I produce speaks for itself - wherever I record it - so please take some time to listen to a few tracks.
My small studio is ideally suited to recording solo artists and duo projects as well as bands who are happy to take turns at step-recording their parts to build up their tracks in layers. I can also cater for small ensembles and groups performing live simultaneously, when acoustic separation isn't required.
I do have a portable recording system, which can be set up in almost any environment. So, if you would prefer to record in a specific location, just let me know and I'll be happy to discuss the details.
I feel that the quality of the music I produce speaks for itself - wherever I record it - so please take some time to listen to a few tracks.
Example instrument recording tracks:
Recording options
Live Recording
Recording your vocals at the same time at the instrument you're playing can often feel more real for a singer-songwriter, because that's how the track was written in the first place, and that's how it's performed, too. This approach can often result in a much more expressive recording, capturing the true essence of your performance, so if it's an option, I would recommend you consider it. It also saves quite a bit of time during the recording process, especially if your instrument doesn't require any microphones, such as an electronic keyboard with a stereo line-out - or even better; MIDI.
On the other hand, if your instrument is acoustic, necessitating the use of microphones, it will take a little longer to set up and, due to the issues arising from microphone bleed, where the vocal mic unavoidably picks up audio from the instrument (and vice-versa) it can make mixing a little trickier, too. But if you're laying down multiple tracks - and if you know them all by heart - you can get a lot done in a surprisingly short amount of time... and save yourself a bit of cash, too!
On the other hand, if your instrument is acoustic, necessitating the use of microphones, it will take a little longer to set up and, due to the issues arising from microphone bleed, where the vocal mic unavoidably picks up audio from the instrument (and vice-versa) it can make mixing a little trickier, too. But if you're laying down multiple tracks - and if you know them all by heart - you can get a lot done in a surprisingly short amount of time... and save yourself a bit of cash, too!
Step Recording
This is the method you'll want to use if you intend on adding more than just the one instrument and a vocal line. Step recording involves the recording of each instrument and vocal layer one at a time, gradually adding all the track's different elements. This, of course, results in longer recording times than that of live recording and can have less of a live feel (which is sometimes exactly what you're looking for...), although that's not always the case - with another band member playing along in your cans, you can still get into the groove quite comfortably.
However, step-recording also allows for much more flexibility in the mixing process, opening up further options with totally independent control of each layer, facilitating level, pan, dynamic and effect changes. All of these additional techniques being available make it possible to alter the sound of each element dramatically, should it become necessary, as well as making it more effective when applying more subtle changes.
However, step-recording also allows for much more flexibility in the mixing process, opening up further options with totally independent control of each layer, facilitating level, pan, dynamic and effect changes. All of these additional techniques being available make it possible to alter the sound of each element dramatically, should it become necessary, as well as making it more effective when applying more subtle changes.
The choice is yours...