Examples of projects we've recorded and/or mixed and mastered for our clients
Recordings from Live Performances We tracked these recordings “live” in conjunction with providing sound reinforcement, with mix-down, “sweetening”, and mastering, performed later, in our ProTools LE equipped studio. One example was recorded to multi-track tape, then imported to the DAW, one was recorded using the subgroups of a multi-buss mixer, where it was not possible to have each instrument on its own channel, and in other examples up to 24 tracks were recorded live at the venue.
“Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season” Phins
Written by everybody’s favorite beach bum, “Jimmy Buffett”, in 1974, this version is by the St. Louis based “trop-rock” band, “Phins”. It was recorded on February 12, 2005 in Roseville, MI, at the “Caribbean Blue & Friends” fundraising event for victims of hurricane Katrina and of the tsunami that devastated our friends around the globe in December of 2004.
This tune and others by Phins, Caribbean Blue, and other artists went into a compilation CD of that event, the proceeds of which went to help the victims of these disasters. More info and complete CD available at: http://www.caribbeanblueband.com/store.php
Recorded to 8-track audio tape, using the sub-groups of an 8-buss mixer, and then imported into ProTools for mixing and mastering, this is an example of what can be done when budget or other constraints preclude recording each instrument directly to its own individual track.
While such limitations seem primitive by today's standards, consider that most of the great hits of the 1950’s and early ‘60s were recorded to three track tape machines, using “sound on sound” and other techniques developed by the late inventor, musician, and innovator, “Les Paul”.
Written by the late Merle Watson, son of bluegrass and folk legend, “Doc” Watson, and performed by local bluegrass band, “Fox Creek” at the Great Pacific Coffee Company in Pacific, MO on 5/29/2009.
This recording was made using an Allen & Heath Mixwizard 16:2 that was running the PA system, tracking each instrument and vocal individually to an Alesis HD24XR hard disk recorder, then imported into Protools LE for mixing and mastering. This was part of a project to produce short song samples for use on the band’s website.
“Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel” Paul kampen & Friends
Originally written in Latin text in the 12th Century by an unknown composer, this is Paul Kampen’s version of a Peter Mayer arrangement. It was recorded December 21, 2007, at Paul’s annual “Paul Kampen & Friends” Christmas concert and benefit.
A former member of Phins, Paul is a talented singer/songwriter/guitarist, who assembles a small orchestra of volunteers each year to perform a combination of his own original Christmas songs and of his arrangements of traditional ones. Sound On Site has been privileged to be a part of this event each year since 2006.
As I was mixing the show, in the magic of the moment, this number made the hair stand up on the back of my neck - a truly emotional performance by a group of talented young musicians who volunteer each year to help out for this worthwhile event that raises thousands of dollars each year for various charities.
Tracked directly off the Allen & Heath GL3300 that handled the sound reinforcement for the concert, to the Alesis HD24XR., mixed and mastered in ProTools.
This soul song, written in1971 by songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong originally as a single for Motown act, “The Undisputed Truth “, was later a number one hit for the “Temptations” in 1972.
This version was recorded live in Roseville, MI at the second “Caribbean Blue & Friends” charitable fund-raising event in February, 2006, by a local Motown group, “The Prolifics”.
These fellows (pictured on the slide show on our “home” page”) not only nailed the unique vocal styles of the Temptations, but also had the moves and the outfits to take you back to the time when Motown ruled the airwaves. Good stuff!
Recorded from the GL3300 to the HD24XR; mixed,
mastered in ProTools LE.
Written back in the 1960’s by Allen Reynolds, who, oddly enough, later produced nearly every album that country icon, Garth Brooks, ever made, this song was made popular by the Vogues in 1965.
I first heard this tune in High School, and it still takes me back to those days every time I hear it.
Even stranger, it’s performed here by Jim Lanier, an old friend with whom I played bluegrass and folk music back in 1967, during the “Hootenanny” era.
I hadn’t seen Jim in over 35 years, when he showed up one day at a “Phins” gig. Now, a few short years later, he’s become a staple of the “Parrothead” music circuit, with this tune being more or less his theme song. It’s performed here by Jim and some friends from the Phins band. Recorded on April 1, 2006 at the original “Flipperstock” (don’t ask – it’s a long story) at the Savoy Banquet Center in Ferguson, MO.
Tracked directly to the Alesis HD recorder off the GL3300. Mixed and mastered in ProTools LE.
Here are some examples of projects where Sound On Site recorded and/or mixed and mastered complete CD’s for clients:
“So Here’s To You”
by Jessica Haynes & Mark Kaiser
An assortment of 17 Celtic and American folk music tunes, featuring the vocal talents of Jessica Haynes, backed by Mark Kaiser on guitar, along with guests playing Dobro, violin, upright bass, bodrhan, and doumbek.
Tracked, produced, mixed, mastered at Sound On Site’s facilities.
Jessica wanted her father, a classical violinist, to play on this project, but geographical and logistical issues arose, as he lived and worked in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Thanks to the Internet, we were able to send a rough mix of several tunes to a studio in Cedar Rapids, where he was able to record his violin parts, which were then downloaded and imported into the project, thus obviating the need for him to make the trek to St. Louis. Listen to more samples and or purchase this CD at: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/haineskaiser2
Eleven original tunes and two others, ranging from “bluesy” to “tropical” to “Country” to “Rock
‘n' Roll”.
Tracked, edited, and arranged at Sound On Site’s facility, then sent to an unbiased, outside studio for final mixing and mastering. (When the tracking and editing engineer is also part of the band, it helps to get some outside “ears” on the project.)
Written by Marvin Fisher, and recorded by everyone from Johnny Mathis to Nancy Wilson, to Steve Miller (yes, that Steve Miller), this sultry version is performed by the lovely and talented Karen Sharp, vocalist and lead trombonist for the Gateway City Big Band, recorded live at the Missouri Botanical Gardens on June 3, 2005.
When you’re this talented, it takes virtually no work to make a good recording. This 17-piece ensemble has hundreds of years of combined musical experience, and it shows in the fact that this recording has almost no post-processing, such as EQ, compression, or fader automation.
This is pretty much a “set and forget” mix of the raw tracks, representing one of our first exercises in using the GL3300/HD24XR combination. The results were nothing short of incredible, especially when considering that this is what they sound like right “out of the box”.
I hate these guys for making it seem so effortless! But I love their music, and really enjoyed the opportunity to work with them on a couple of occasions.
“So Here’s To You” 
