Recording “Useza”

When recording Sekuru Chawasarira’s album, we simulated the interaction of two matepe players by Sekuru playing two different matepe. He was already familiar with the overdubbing process, and to playing on top of himself on headphones, from our Combining Parts tutorials.

He very much disliked switching between instruments though, as it always takes some time to adjust to the slightly differing key positions. The second mbira was also not yet “broken in” and sounded less smooth, which would give us quite a headache later on during the mixing process.

Nevertheless, it was a good decision, because the many interwoven lines in matepe music lose some character when the “same” notes merge acoustically, while they retain their identity played with multiple keys that are never exactly equally pitched, and have an individual timbre.

In fact, this is why I often find mbira music on marimba or guitar a bit monotonous: what was originally the result of an interlocking key pattern becomes a simple tremolo on the same note.

Another deliberate decision was to record the matepe in the deze gourd resonator, though we knew it would make our lives harder. Individual tones are often overemphasised, others almost swallowed up, and the buzzers attached to the outside easily dominate the microphone sound. Samora and Sekuru conducted a whole series of tests to get this effect under control.

Setup

We used the same audio equipment as during the documentation work, and recorded both matepe with three channels each, for a maximum of sound options: pickup, close mic, and room mic.

Some best practices for mbira “field” recordings

This is a good opportunity to write down a few things I’ve learned from this and other occasions. I will certainly add more things over time. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments, and I will add them to the list and eventually put it on a dedicated page.

Preparation

• Plan what will happen the next day and discuss it with the musicians. Make it clear what it takes to achieve a good result.
• Ask the musicians to tune up their instruments, fix loose keys etc., and to bring everything they need, if possible even a backup (keys and gourds may break etc.).
• Think of the best time of day for the recordings (ambient noise, interruptions – Andrew Tracey used to say how much he hates crickets…)
• Minimise distractions and noise: Have as few people on site as possible. If people don’t want to leave, give them a job. E.g. to fetch or supervise something (meters, clock, mic distances, …), or to prevent disturbance from others.
• It’s best to go to a separate location altogether, rather than people’s homes.
• Discuss what will and will not be done during recording (e.g. no spontaneous clapping, …)
• Microphones of the world, stay away from Hosho! If there is Hosho (shakers) involved, use the smallest ones available, place them as far away as feasible and outside the directional characteristics of the mics.
• Keep buzzing under control. It’s essential to the mbira sound, but often getsdisproportionally emphasised by mics, covering the tonal components. Make test recordings. Tape the buzzers on the deze that face the mics.
• Turn off mobile phones, household appliances etc.

Mindset

• Create a positive common spirit. Remind yourselves that you are going to present the world something beautiful and unique that is worth giving your best for, and that represents culture and tradition.
• Mics first:
  • Make it clear that what we hear on the spot is often very different from what the microphones pick up.
  • Ask the musicians to move as little as possible and to pay attention to the distances to the microphones.

Recording

• Utilise everything you have. Recording mbiras in parallel with close/room mics and pickups opens up a wide range of sound options later on. Pickups rarely sound good on their own, but they can also help smooth out short noises in microphone recordings.
• If there’s a choice between different instruments, use the best-sounding ones for the most musically exciting parts.
• Make a playlist. Determine approximate song lengths, if necessary.
• Make test recordings. Check them on the spot.
  • Arrange multiple mics to minimise mic bleed. Pay attention to room reflections, resonances, and sympathetic noises. Improvise shields and absorbers.
• Ask the musicians to play as loud as possible to set the recording levels. Still leave plenty of headroom for unplanned events.
• Do NOT change the levels while recording, especially if there’s no real problem. Otherwise you have to repeat the take anyway. If you absolutely can’t avoid changing a level, one quick adjustment is usually easier to handle in the DAW than a slow manual transition.
• Agree on cues for the beginning and end of the recording, during which no noise will be made. Leave a moment of silence at both ends of the recordings.
  • A bit of recorded “silence” also helps to create a noise profile for noise reduction tools.
• Push for the best possible takes. Fix things right away, not later. Carpe diem. Even if you’re worried about straining the artists’ patience, or think that something can be fixed in the mix, insist on another attempt if something is not optimal yet.

Documentation

• Document the recording setup. Make a drawing or photos which microphone where, etc.
• Take notes about each recorded take as well as on the fly about events, thoughts, or anything else that may later help with the mixing process.
• If possible, say out loud which song is being played, which take is being made.
• When recording with multiple devices, e.g. parallel mobile video, make several claps or sharp noises to make it easier to sync later.
• Always assume that you will also have to present the music[ians] in a visually appealing way later. Take some good artist photos. (Re-)record songs as videos.