Music producers / mix engineering question

RaggedEdge · Mar 7, 2016

I have some questions about a scene in which a singer will be in a room to practice singing a song she's previously recorded professionally with her band. The band is absent in the scene and (preferably) the room is not a recording studio, although there is a studio in the same building, so equipment could be brought in. There's no audience, no recording going on, so it does not have to sound great. Questions:

What basic equipment would likely be required to play back just the instrument tracks (no voice track). Is it believable to just use a computer and speakers for this? Would a technician with engineering knowledge be needed? I guess I just need a list of the minimal equipment and an idea of how much knowledge would be required. I think I can work just about any answer into the scene.

Thanks for any help you can give!

Williebee · Mar 7, 2016

If this is just about rehearsing the song, or practicing it to learn it, a laptop is fine. An ipod and a set of earbuds would do. If the artist doesn't need to hear the exact performance music -- like to harmonize or match some rhythm specifics, a guitar or keyboard would work.

Most of the time, when I'm trying to learn new songs, I do it accapella while walking the dog.

RaggedEdge · Mar 7, 2016

Thanks, Williebee. Here's a few more details in case it changes your answer or anyone else wants to weigh in: She's just practicing a series of her songs for a few people, but it should sound good enough for her to believe to a fair degree that her band is basically on stage with her (not to fool her into thinking they're there--she knows they're not--but to give her courage in the case of stage fright issues).

Williebee · Mar 7, 2016

Okay, then a laptop or ipod touch or her cell phone and a really GOOD speaker/speakers, like a Bose Soundlink III (portable, bluetooth, chargeable so no cords necessary) or Bose SoundWave (not so portable) would do it. Something that will fill the room with as a natural a version of the sound as possible. I've used one to provide music for a dance party on a hotel rooftop a few times. (These things are freakin' amazing.)

RaggedEdge · Mar 7, 2016

Thanks. I'm glad to hear it can be simple. I love good speakers too.

I've already written the computer into the scene, so that's the route I'll go. How are professionally-produced tracks/demos transferred nowadays (and are they still called demos?)? Flash drive? CD? Download from a website? I have no clue...

onesecondglance · Mar 8, 2016

FTP is commonplace for file transfers.

I would also note that Bose are a consumer brand, so you would be unlikely to find them in the studio itself, but your singer may well have brought them in to listen on, and tbh that would be the simplest solution for your character. Professional speakers ("monitors") typically use XLR connectors and may require a separate amplifier. Either way you'd be looking at running a line off a mixer that's connected to the monitors, and hooking up a laptop to a mixer is not always a trivial thing.

Long story short, have her bring in some speakers or borrow some headphones. Any decent studio will have dozens of spare headphones lying around.

RaggedEdge · Mar 14, 2016

onesecondglance, thank you.

Music producers / mix engineering question

RaggedEdge

I can do this

Williebee

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

RaggedEdge

I can do this

Williebee

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

RaggedEdge

I can do this

onesecondglance

pretending to be awake

RaggedEdge

I can do this