THE BIG BRISTAL BLOG
A PLACE TO LEARN, ADVANCE, AND INSPIRE ARTISTS AND ENGINEERS.
I/O Template Goodness
Always plan ahead. Even if 99.9% of the time you are running vocal sessions, you never know when a vocalist is going to show up for a writing camp and now you have to run 3 laptops, 4 synths, 3 handhelds, and whatever else is needed for your one vocalist.
What I always carried with me in my drive, on the cloud, and in my email was a copy of this I/O template. This was something my buddies and I RELIED on in grad school. Whether it was small quartets or large jazz bands, this kept us organized and on point. Below is both a sample and a blank copy of this template. Make your own or use this as a guideline. Organization is key!
Recommended Reading List
From a fellow book worm to you, I’ve put together a reading list of books that have impacted my career both technically and personally. Share your favorite books in the comments as well!
Recording
Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording Techniques (Music Pro Guides)
by Sylvia Massy
She Knows Tech 2021 Summit Winner
CONGRATULATIONS TO…
@itsnamesake for winning a free ticket to the She Knows Tech Summit! Check out his amazing work here and read a little about himself below.
I’m Namesake., a producer from the Midwest and I’m looking forward to attending the @sheknowstechofficial summit. I’m most excited about the keynote from @emilylazarlodge to learn more about engineering in the industry and hearing from @andrewhuang on the panel!
The Artist's Guide To: Making a Song
The process of going from an idea to a final song can be broken down into a few simple steps. The steps below are just guidelines that can be modified to fit your needs. My biggest piece of advice is don’t rush the process. Give each engineer as much time as they need. Nothing *needs* to come out tomorrow. No one rushed you while writing the song, so don’t rush the engineer while they are doing their important work on your song. Every step counts.
She Knows Tech 2021 Summit Giveaway
I absolutely admire the numerous events that are focused on music technology and inclusivity in the music industry. I wish they were around when I was growing up (pre-YouTube) and wanted to learn more about the industry. Especially as a first-generation American growing up lower middle class, certain niche topics were inaccessible. But now with the internet and the rise of virtual events, anyone can learn just about anything from the comfort of their homes. Again, I wish these events were around when I was first starting out so I always love to do a giveaway when I can.
I’m happy to announce that I can offer one “Hot” level ticket ($132 value) to the She Knows Tech 2021 Summit. Below is a brief overview about their organization taken from their website:
“She Knows Tech has been dedicated to highlighting female professionals in the music tech industry. From sound engineers to AV performers to sound designers, we have been devoting our events and platform to showcase and celebrate the badass women who have been blazing the trail.
Continuing the narration from our It's Time video, there is no better way to celebrate Women's Day other than an all-female line up music tech conference, because it is time.”
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is be a subscriber to this newsletter and comment on this instagram post.
Entries close at 11:59pm on Friday, February 19th. Winner will be announced the following week. Good luck!
*Disclaimer* I have no involvement with the event or organization.
A Vocal Session Routine
It’s always the little details that make a difference. You can go from being an engineer at xyz studio to being an artist’s exclusive engineer. It’s like a date. You need to swoon somebody over with your skills and preparedness. So how do you win over a vocalist? Again, its the little things:
Recording Template
Im sure you’ve heard this plenty about having a template, but it’s important. Keep it simple with plug-ins. Make sure your plug-ins can be accessed from most studios. Even if you most often work out of one studio or your own computer, you never know when you’ll get a call to work with an artist elsewhere.
Your template is your toolbox. It should have your FX auxes already bused and routed so when the artist asks for a hall reverb and 1/4 delay, all you have to do is turn up a fader or two. Make your recording template simple, powerful, and ready to go.
Vocal Chain Ready
Everything is about your sonic stamp, your vocal chain included! Aside from the equipment that is integral to the studio your working out of (A/Ds, computer, etc.), you are able to make choices that impact your recordings. This includes your microphones, preamps, compressors, and even headphones!
Listen to the tone of your artist (think about your microphone choice). Do they sound nasally (think about your microphone choice)? Do they sing in a lower range (think about your microphone choice)? Do they move around a lot while singing or are they able to control their movement while singing (think about your microphone choice)? All these questions apply to the preamps, compressors, eqs, and everything else that you use that you are recording through.
Once you have decided all these factors, make sure everything works *cleanly*. Nothing ruins the flow of the session more than when you have to stop and troubleshoot. Is your mic on and warmed up? Is your preamp clean? The compressor engaged and not bypassed. Is signal coming into your DAW without any glitches.
Headphones
And an often overlooked aspect are the headphones. Don’t just assume that your DAW output just magically appears into your headphone input. It’s embarrassing when the artist heads into the booth ready to record, they put on their headphones, but then they can’t hear themselves, the music or you! Awkwarddd.
Avoid this by getting up and checking the headphones before your artist gets in the booth. Make sure the volume is set at a comfortable level. If its your first time working with that artist, have your assistant or yourself show them how to use the studio’s headphone box. Make them as comfortable as possible.
Hospitality
Speaking of making the artist as comfortable as possible - Don’t overlook the little details.
Lighting, candles, water, tea, notepads, etc.
Make note of how the artist likes the lights: low lighting, dark, green LEDs. That way, the next time they come, its already a vibe from the second they walk in,
Light a candles or use the fake candles just to give the illusion of a calm setting. Think luxury spa vibes.
Have water available in the room. Room temperature and iced water options are both great. Especially because cold water isn’t great right before singing.
Tea is nice to have. Highly recommend having Throat Coat and honey.
Notepads and pens are important to have around in case your artist needs to write lyrics or just any ideas down.
Cater to the vocalist and what they need. Be observant and make adjustments as needed to make it the best recording experience possible.
Videos for Recording and Mixing Inspo!
Ever feel like you’re in a creative rut? Sick of your same old chain? SAMESIES.
Below are some videos that I have turned to when I want to try new tricks or even when I just need to remember how cool engineering is. If you have any videos you’d like to share, drop it in the comments!
Recording Nirvana's In Bloom
2. Show Us Your Junk! Ep. 25 - Sylvia Massy
3. Rock Your Body -
Justin Timberlake x Pharrell
4. "Funky Monks" Uncut Full Documentary
Getting Started or Advancing Your Skills?
Whether you’re a novice or just trying to find new ways to improve your sound, below is a simple list of tips to become improve your skills. Print it, share it, reference it anytime you feel like hit an engineers sonic block. Stay tuned for a recommended reading list, video watch list, and more. Time to study!
Introductions
Learn, Advance, Inspire
As an LA native, the words of Kobe Bryant are bible. One particular set of words by him that mean a lot to me are:
The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.
So here I am, hoping to inspire those who want to pursue or advance their engineering but can’t necessarily relate to the usual stories that are highlighted. Let’s change the narrative together and rebrand the image and stories of today’s audio engineer.
Who is Bristal?!
Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup…and Bristal! That’s me…if I were a Powerpuff Girl.
For those that don’t know me personally, here is a little about myself. I’m a successful independent engineer that believes in female empowerment. I value knowledge, hard work, and dedication to one’s craft. Whatever your art is, it takes discipline to become great. For me, I’m still on my journey, but I do have year’s of experience in a variety of ways. I’m a versatile engineer that applies both my educational and professional experience to the music I work on everyday. Whether it be recording a string quartet or working closely with a vocalist, I customize my talents to fit the music and artist as best as possible. I’ve studied music at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, recorded orchestras in Europe, worked at large commercial studios in New York City, and have served as a mix assistant to one of the most respected engineers in hip-hop. I don’t say this to brag about myself, although I am proud! I share this because I want you to tap in and let me know what you want to know more about. Submit your suggestions below.