One of the most often asked question in music production is when to apply effects? Is it perfect to apply it during recording? Or record everything as dry as possible then put effects during mixing? Which of the two is most recommended in terms of recording quality?
This is a slightly complicated topic and there is no short answer. You really need to learn the basic concepts about this so that you won’t be unnecessarily scrapping your recordings because you think it’s not good enough.
Effects Applied during Recording – Get it right at the source!
In the ideal world of recording, applying effects DURING recording would be the best thing to do to get optimum recording quality. This would make your recordings sound great at the source while the audio mixing would be very simple because all it needs to do is summing up the tracks and then you have the complete mix down. No effects applied during mixing means that the recorded audio is perfectly identical to its analog source; it always sounds great if the recording is not subjected to digital processing (such as effects applied on the mix).
However, there are some serious limitations why not anyone can do this, let me illustrate in detail:
1.) Recording a drum kit sounds BEST when recorded in a live room specifically designed to naturally produce the right reverberations needed by the song. For example the drum tracks of Nirvana album “Nevermind” has been recorded in Sound City Studios where they have that nice big room to capture Dave Grohl drum tracks. See photo below:
Nirvana Dave Grohl setting up drums in Sound City
Photo credits: Butch Vig
But 90% of home recording studios cannot follow the set of room specifications designed to record drums very well. So the only way is to record the drums as dry as possible and then apply reverb and other effects later on the mix. It still sounds good but not as great and legendary as those recorded in nice rooms.
2.) Guitar distortion also sounds best if effects are applied during recording. It is why in big rock albums, producers would opt to record the guitar amplifier cabinet sound using microphones more often than DI method.
The primary reason is that analog tube distortion or distortion coming from a real pedal or amp effects sounds many times better than many guitar emulation plugins.
To record the best possible sound of guitar before recording and mixing, producers would use the best amplifiers, guitar effects pedal and a well sounding live room designed for recording guitars.
But again 90% of home recording producers cannot have this luxury in their rooms. So it makes sense to directly record guitars as dry as possible and then apply effects later on the mix.
Effects Applied during the mixing
When you are going to apply effects during the mixing session, the best thing you can do is to record the tracks as dry as possible then apply appropriate effects later on the mix.
The following are the tracks that can be recorded as dry as possible then applying effects on the mix:
1.) Vocals – even big projects are recording vocals are dry as possible. Although in some takes particularly with inexperienced singers, compression and slight EQ are applied during recording. But the standard is always to record vocals as dry as possible. The primary reason is that the vocal effects particularly reverb, compression and EQ can be added on the mix very easily and yet still sounds great (depending on the quality of plugins you are using).
2.) DI guitars – in some recording techniques like reamping, guitars are recorded dry so that the producers and engineers can decide which effects would sound best during mixing.
3.) Violins, bass, other instruments – in general most instruments can be recorded as dry as possible especially if the main intent to record its original sound.
Recommendations
1.) For recording drums – record the drum kit in a well sounding room and find a great drummer that can play with dynamics. Tune the drums in advance and get the sound right at the source. This makes it unnecessary for you to apply compression, EQ and reverb on the mix.
But if you don’t have that room; you will be simulating those effects during mixing.
2.) The mud in the live band can best be fixed before recording. Applying EQ, etc. to sort out the mud before doing the recording session can make the mixing process relatively simple. Some record producers want to capture the best sound as possible by applying fewer effects so they make sure the band when playing together has that clarity sound before hitting the record button.
If you directly record a live band without these things in mind, you will be over-EQ’ing the tracks during mixing to fix those mud issues.
3.) It depends on what sounds good to you. Experiment with recording that includes the effects and compare it with the one recorded dry but applying effects on the mix.
Content last updated on August 5, 2012