I'll try to keep this page updated as we work with and modify our recording process. I'll also try to keep specific info like submit-by dates and file names accurate for the projects we're working on. Choristers, please bookmark this page for reference; if there are any questions or clarifications you have, drop me an email.

Instructions for seeders
Instructions for non-seeders

Recording instructions for seeders

  1. Lay out your marked-up score in front of you, in such a way that you don't have to handle it too much while singing. The idea is to minimize paper shuffling, since your mike will pick that up when you record.

  2. Set up your microphone and headphones. Make sure that your speakers aren't producing any sound that the mike could pick up.

  3. Log on to our FTP site and download the zipped project file for your voice part.

  4. Unzip the project file and open up the .aup file in Audacity.

  5. Slide the mike volume slider all the way to the right (1). Test to make sure everything's set up and working by clicking the record button (2) and speaking a few words into your mike. You should hear the click track playing in the background while you record, and the sound waveform should show up on screen in a new track (3). You can rewind (4) and playback (5) to double check. Once you're satisfied Audacity is recording, x out the test track (6).

  6. Get your body and voice warmed up. Stand up or sit with your back off the back of your chair, shoulders back and chest up. Practice deep breathing exercises. Remember:
    • suck the air in through a straw, envision it collecting between your legs, feel the bottom portion of your lungs and then your chest expand
    • exhale through the straw, feel your diaphragm pushing it out from below.
    Practice yawning to get the throat open and tall; wiggle your lower jaw to get those muscles loose and relaxed. Practice lip trills (remember: teeth apart, deep breathing, let those lips flap!) in five-note patterns up and down the scale. From lip trills, open up into full voiced sound and pay attention to the vibrations in your head and face, especially in the mask. The most important thing to remember: breathe deeply and relax!

  7. Go over concert-specific warmups, if any. I will sometimes put together some quick warmups that help you to sing through difficult parts in the songs we perform. Please give these a chance! They are located in the Warmups folder on our FTP site; start in the middle of your range and go as high or as low as you can, drop out when you reach your limit. For our February 10 concert, there are 4 warmups:
    • 1-359.MID - try to sing each one in a single breath (helps with long phrases in De Jour and Ploures)
    • 2-SLUR.MID - sing each one with a single breath without ever stopping the outward flow of air (helps with slurs in Ploures)
    • 3-7THS.MID - sing each one in a single breath, singing high on the note (helps with intonation of difficult intervals in all)
    • 4-MINOR5.MID - crescendo/decrescendo on each (helps with phrasing in De Jour)

  8. When you feel nice and warmed up, hit the Playback button in Audacity and sing through your part a couple times. It is always best if you memorize your part. Remember, RHYTHM is the most important thing for us, so pay special attention to your rhythmic accuracy! Be sure you're pronunciation is correct, that your consonants fall on the right notes, and that your releases are metrical and crisp. Do your best to follow dynamics and expression markings, especially in pieces that are dynamically varied. If you have any questions that can't be answered by looking back to rehearsal notes or by listening to Domahreh's seed track, get in touch with Domahreh.

  9. When you're ready, hit the Record button in Audacity and sing along with the click track. Don't worry if you mess up; you can x out and re-record your track as many times as you want until you're satisfied!

    If you're feeling brave, you may also want to break your part up into smaller chunks that you record bit by bit. To do this, record the first chunk as above, and hit the Stop button (1). Review and re-record if you wish. Then, click with the I cursor on the track you've just recorded a few seconds before it ends; your cursor turns into a finger pointing to a vertical line (2), which marks your starting place when you next hit the Record button. Record your next chunk as above; listen quietly as you hear your own voice sing the last bit of the previous chunk, and come in when the next chunk begins. This new chunk will appear in a new audio track, which you can x out and re-record as before. Repeat until you've recorded the entire song. Detailed instructions on how to record in chunks are on a separate page. This can be an effective way to record without page turns getting picked up.

  10. Once you've got a good recording, make sure the Sample Format for your new track(s) is 16-bit. This reduces file size by half, which makes for much quicker uploading! To do this, click on the "Audio Track" bar next to the x of your new track(s) (1). Click on "Set Sample Format" from the drop down menu, and select 16-bit (2).

  11. Save Project As... (under the File menu) and replace the section name with your name, i.e., DeJourBaritone.aup becomes DeJourDomahreh.aup.

  12. Exit Audacity and using Winzip or other compression software, zip both project file and source directory together. Be sure to include BOTH project file and source directory in the zip file.

  13. Upload the zipped recording to our FTP space. Remember, we're in folder 2163, and you want to upload the zip file to the folder for that song. CCN has been hugely generous to lend us this space, so let's be exemplary users: please keep this FTP site secure (don't pass around login info) and only upload Cavern Choir recordings here.

  14. Once you've uploaded your recording, drop Domahreh an email, and you're all done!

Recording instructions for non-seeders

  1. Lay out your marked-up score in front of you, in such a way that you don't have to handle it too much while singing. The idea is to minimize paper shuffling, since your mike will pick that up when you record.

  2. Set up your microphone and headphones. Make sure that your speakers aren't producing any sound that the mike could pick up.

  3. Log on to our FTP site and download the zipped seed file for your voice part. Check to see who the seeder for your part is; the file name should consist of the name of the song plus the seeder's name, .zip

  4. Unzip the project file and open up the .aup file in Audacity.

  5. Slide the mike volume slider all the way to the right (1). Test to make sure everything's set up and working by clicking the record button (2) and speaking a few words into your mike. You should hear the click track and the seeder's track playing in the background while you record, and the sound waveform should show up on screen in a new track (3). You can rewind (4) and playback (5) to double check. Once you're satisfied Audacity is recording, x out the test track (6).

  6. Get your body and voice warmed up. Stand up or sit with your back off the back of your chair, shoulders back and chest up. Practice deep breathing exercises. Remember:
    • suck the air in through a straw, envision it collecting between your legs, feel the bottom portion of your lungs and then your chest expand
    • exhale through the straw, feel your diaphragm pushing it out from below.
    Practice yawning to get the throat open and tall; wiggle your lower jaw to get those muscles loose and relaxed. Practice lip trills (remember: teeth apart, deep breathing, let those lips flap!) in five-note patterns up and down the scale. From lip trills, open up into full voiced sound and pay attention to the vibrations in your head and face, especially in the mask. The most important thing to remember: breathe deeply and relax!

  7. Go over concert-specific warmups, if any. I will sometimes put together some quick warmups that help you to sing through difficult parts in the songs we perform. Please give these a chance! They are located in the Warmups folder on our FTP site; start in the middle of your range and go as high or as low as you can, drop out when you reach your limit. For our February 10 concert, there are 4 warmups:
    • 1-359.MID - try to sing each one in a single breath (helps with long phrases in De Jour and Ploures)
    • 2-SLUR.MID - sing each one with a single breath without ever stopping the outward flow of air (helps with slurs in Ploures)
    • 3-7THS.MID - sing each one in a single breath, singing high on the note (helps with intonation of difficult intervals in all)
    • 4-MINOR5.MID - crescendo/decrescendo on each (helps with phrasing in De Jour)

  8. When you feel nice and warmed up, hit the Playback button in Audacity and sing through your part a couple times. It is always best if you memorize your part. Remember, RHYTHM is the most important thing for us, so pay special attention to your rhythmic accuracy! Be sure you're pronunciation is correct, that your consonants fall on the right notes, and that your releases are metrical and crisp. Do your best to follow dynamics and expression markings, especially in pieces that are dynamically varied. If you have any questions, listen to your seeder and follow their lead.

  9. When you're ready, hit the Record button in Audacity and sing along with the click track. Don't worry if you mess up; you can x out and re-record your track as many times as you want until you're satisfied!

    If you're feeling brave, you may also want to break your part up into smaller chunks that you record bit by bit. To do this, record the first chunk as above, and hit the Stop button (1). Review and re-record if you wish. Then, click with the I cursor on the track you've just recorded a few seconds before it ends; your cursor turns into a finger pointing to a vertical line (2), which marks your starting place when you next hit the Record button. Record your next chunk as above; listen quietly as you hear your own voice sing the last bit of the previous chunk, and come in when the next chunk begins. This new chunk will appear in a new audio track, which you can x out and re-record as before. Repeat until you've recorded the entire song. Detailed instructions on how to record in chunks are on a separate page. This can be an effective way to record without page turns getting picked up.

  10. Once you've got a good recording, make sure the Sample Format for your new track(s) is 16-bit. This reduces file size by half, which makes for much quicker uploading! To do this, click on the "Audio Track" bar next to the x of your new track(s) (1). Click on "Set Sample Format" from the drop down menu, and select 16-bit (2).

  11. X-out the click track and the seeder's track.

  12. Save Project As... (under the File menu) and replace the seeder's name with your name, i.e., DeJourDomahreh.aup becomes DeJourAchenar.aup.

  13. Exit Audacity and using Winzip or other compression software, zip both project file and source directory together. Be sure to include BOTH project file and source directory in the zip file.

  14. Upload the zipped recording to our FTP space. Remember, we're in folder 2163, and you want to upload the zip file to the folder for that song. CCN has been hugely generous to lend us this space, so let's be exemplary users: please keep this FTP site secure (don't pass around login info) and only upload Cavern Choir recordings here.

  15. Once you've uploaded your recording, drop Domahreh an email, and you're all done!