Please pick up the music files and materials from [Click HERE]
***Submission due at Friday night before Sunday***
Here’s what you need:
–Device for playing the hymns = cell phone, mp3 player (ipod), or your computer or tablet
–Headphones (or earbuds or airpods)
–OTHER device for recording your singing. If it’s a cell phone, for example, there will be a voice or memo recorder. There are many ways to record so if you’re interested in more advanced techniques, let us know. If you have any type of digital recorder that saves recordings as electronic files, that will will work.
Here’s how it works:
1. We’ll give you access to the music and recordings of the hymns (most likely in google drive or dropbox. We’ll tell you which.)
2. Listen to the hymn and read along with the music to learn it if you don’t already know it. When you feel ready to sing the whole thing, go to next step.
3. Open the recording app on the recording device. If you are given an option of what type of file you want to create, pick mp3. If no option is given, don’t worry about it.
4. While listening to the hymn through your headphones, hit RECORD on your recording device and sing along with the hymn. The goal here is to produce a recording that only includes your voice. When hit stop when you’re done.
5. Sing the entire hymn, then hit STOP. Save your recording(s) if prompted. On an iphone, hitting stop is good enough.
6. Name your recording. On an iphone, click on the name of the recording (default is “New Recording 1”) and rename.
7. Send your recording(s) to us by email or upload it to the appropriate folder in google drive or dropbox. (On an iphone, click on the 3 dots under the recording and you’ll see a drop down menu. Click “Share” and choose email.)
I’ll then add a little studio magic to blend all the recordings together.
RECORDING TIPS:
Try to place the microphone pretty close to your mouth. While putting your phone on the coffee table while you’re sitting on the couch will work, it will likely result in a thin, distant tone. Try to place the device or microphone between a few inches and a foot away from your mouth (or just hold it like a microphone). If you are not that loud a singer, get it as close as possible to your mouth. Unless you are a tremendously strong singer, don’t worry about being too loud on the recording – voice recorders have automatic level control.
When recording, you might find it difficult to sing your best with headphones on because it makes it harder to hear yourself. If you were in a recording studio, you would hear both the music AND your own voice through the headphones. The closest most of you can get to that is to listen to the hymn with just one of the earbuds or headphones, leaving your other ear partially or completely uncovered. If you feel you can hear yourself well with both ears covered, go for it.
The built-in microphones on cell phones and tablets are perfectly acceptable. However, if you happen to have an external microphone and need any help with it, let us know. If you’re feeling ambitious and would like to consider purchasing a good external mic, we’re happy to assist.
For a more “real” recording experience, if you have an Apple product you have an app called Garageband. This is a multi-track recording program that can allow you to hear everything at once while recording, and it also gives the ability to put together different “takes” to make one track. So using a program like this, you can sing the first verse, stop, then sing the second verse, etc. Masayo can give you tips on using Garageband.
NOTE ABOUT DIVIDING UP A HYMN INTO MULTIPLE RECORDINGS:
Let’s say you sing half of a hymn, but then sing the wrong words for verse 3. You can re-record the whole thing, but you could instead start a new recording where you just start at verse 3. I can edit everything together no problem. Just be sure to LABEL EACH RECORDING APPROPRIATELY. For example:
For All Our Saints v1-2
For All Our Saints v 3-4
Please send file to Jeff and Masayo (E-mails are in the folder)
+++Suggestion +++
You can use GarageBand App if you have iPad or iPhone. Tutorial is in folder – check it out! (It is easier than you think and fun to learn)
If you need help please contact Masayo.
If you create music files in .mp4a, DON’T WORRY! Jeff will be able to convert them. You can just send as is (You don’t need to convert to .mp3 files. )