The Overlooked Aspects of Recording: Beyond the Gear

Hey y’all!

A big goal of mine this year has been to improve my recording chops and strengthen the muscle of translating the sounds I hear in my head into actionable recording decisions. Whether it’s micing an amp with something as simple as an SM57, it’s been about getting really locked in on how different distances and positions to the sound source shape the tone, and how that, in turn, affects the emotion and energy of the performance. I’ve been focused on making more intentional choices so I can reach the end result from a more informed place, capturing the emotions of the performance and making sure they translate and are maintained in the mix. Going back to the basics has got me thinking about the often overlooked aspects of recording and inspired me to dedicate a blog to this topic.

Chatting with Omar Loya

I had a blast getting to chat with Grammy Award-winning engineer Omar Loya (Omixedit) to hear his take.

I asked him: "What do you think is the most misunderstood/overlooked aspect of recording?"

He said: “I think the most misunderstood/overlooked aspects of recording are the basics. The fundamentals and science of sound and the importance of getting the recording right at the source. We're living in an age of instant gratification and short attention spans and more often than not I am seeing creatives rely too heavily on plug-ins to fix what could've been captured better at the source. I am not saying that noise correction and pitch correction tools aren't helpful and even a staple in my workflow but, I do feel that recordings where I use them less have a certain emotion to them that isn't there in heavily processed tracks.  

Music is energy and in my humble opinion, there is something that happens when we alter that energy too much. It no longer ‘feels' the same. It loses something. Something human and special about it.  Understanding mic placement, room acoustics and the importance of a good performance are the foundations of any recording. A great performance on an inexpensive microphone that is recorded well is always better than a shitty performance on a $30,000 vocal chain in a non-treated room.  

The rise in popularity of audio engineering in the last decade has introduced an influx of plugins and gear.  Every week there's a new plugin or new piece of gear being released. It's overwhelming, to be honest.  How many compressors and Eq's do we really need in our tool box? My advice to any up and coming audio engineer is to spend more time experimenting and learning the basics as opposed to focusing on the latest plug-ins. That way you can make the best of every recording no matter the gear or space.”

Beyond the Gear

Omar’s perspective really resonated with me. It reinforced that the magic of a recording isn’t in the plugin or the gear. While both are great and there is a time and place to dive deep into them, it’s really about the performance and capturing that energy, the spark of human creativity and artistry. Keeping that as an anchor becomes a natural way to approach gear and tools, rather than letting them drive the process. He is very right that in today’s landscape of constant new tools and endless information online, it can be overwhelming, and reading this was a really grounding reminder to appreciate and hone in on the basics and what deeply matters.

Lessons from Ella Fitzgerald 

I was recently listening to Ella Fitzgerald’s live performance of Love Me or Leave Me at Mister Kelly’s. 

There is so much magic in this recording and performance that I’ve been coming back to it ever since I was a music student in high school. I never once thought about the mics or how it was recorded- I just fell into the daydream of the song. To me, that echoes exactly what Omar shared, and I know I’ll keep referring back to his answer. 

Thank you Omar for sharing your insights!

Catch y’all next blog!