Adrian Hannan

Adrian mentors in many areas of production including

Production and engineering
• How to put tracks together
• Making the production fit the Genre, Lyric, song and strengths of the Artist
• Coming up with an angle or approach. Relevant verses creative
• Getting a track to groove correctly, syncing parts
• How to Coach a singer or instrumentalist to get the best out of them. The psychology of production communication. Do they know what the song is about. Including lyric, emotion, mood, vibe, energy and are they performing with that in mind.
• Tracking parts. Many varied Engineering approaches. Mono or stereo, layered tracks or single parts, How many parts? What microphone and equipment and their settings to use on what instrument or singer for what effect. Gain staging (How hot is too Hot recording level and equipment gain), Dead room or dry room or ambient space (Or artificially enhanced)
• Using your ears to make decisions.
• Backing vocal arrangements, harmony and various approaches.
• Processing and cleaning up parts to give the desired effect. Editing, Comping, Clean up techniques and software
• Melodyne, Auto tune etc. and how to creative brilliant natural sounding vocals and also many heavily tuned techniques.
• Voice over and Audio books/podcast scenarios
• Midi programming, Quantizing, input methods, Working the velocities, Midi Automation, Dynamics, other techniques
• Software Instruments and how to use.
• Synthesis. What does it all mean and how do make it do what I’m hearing.
• Remix and dance mix techniques, Side chaining, filtering, stutter editing, the build and drop, Vocal sampling, using different Samper audio engines, re-pitching, vocoders, layering,

Mixing
• All things mixing and processing for all genres. Tricks from the best.
• Subtractive or additive
• Gain staging
• Reference tracks and analytical tools
• Sub grouping, VCA sub groups, Mix buss
• The ice sculpting method
• Having your listening environment set up right and know how music translates in that environment. Check other monitoring scenarios, Headphone, ear buds, Laptops, ipad, iphone, car, monitors you are very familiar with and what the job is likely going to be listened on.

Mastering
• Mastering. How to get the right dynamic and required sonic. How loud is too loud. Digital v Analog. EQ, Compression, Multiband, side chain, Mid/Side processing, limiting, Problem solving, Transient designers, tape/valve gear simulators, distortion and soft clipping. The many varied processes, equipment and software. Reference tracks. Listening environments. Stem Mastering
• Alt Mix Masters, Mastered Stems & Mastering formats for very different releases & applications

Vocal tips for the Studio World
• How to prepare for the recording day. What to practice. Bring your lyrics printed out and digital copy (word doc)
• Knowing your strengths and weaknesses
• Giving 110% emotional commitment and the necessary energy to the track
• Getting outside your comfort zone
• How to make the audience “Connect” with your performance
• Many and varied Tips and Tricks for getting your voice to sound the most captivating and engaging and relevant to the emotion of the song.
I. Including Breathing for support and the sound of your breath.
II. Posture and working the mic.
III. Monitoring Tricks. Not all headphones are the same, nor are peoples ears. Wet v dry
IV. Vowel placements for best sound and range
V. Dynamics. Tone more than volume
VI. Finessing Consonants for emotional intent
VII. Word emphasis
VIII. The balloon principal
IX. Stepping tricks
X. Belting and support to increase range
XI. Visual projection. “Big and Soft”
XII. Genre specific techniques.
XIII. Harmony, backing vocal approaches

Instrumental tips for the Studio World
• How to prepare for the recording day. What to practice.
• Is your instrument and gear in great condition or right for the job. Discuss with producer
• What is the Role of your part in the track. Is it the main accompaniment part. ie Piano, Guitar, Ukelele, String Section etc. or is it a secondary or color part and what is it’s function: To add size, energy, Rhythm, Bottom end, 3 dimensional space and ambience, Stereo Spread, enhance the tessiture (Range of pitches), add modal note or enhance harmony, add counterpoint (secondary melody)
• Working your part to the energy and vibe of the arrangement
• Techniques for painting different emotions with your sound including: Hi-fi/Lo-fi, Vintage, Modern, Quirky, Highly charactered, Blending in, What type of instrument to use, Playing techniques
• How to get your sound to transfer.
• The spot Light technique. Staying out of the way till needed. Accompanying the vocal or front line
• Developing a part to keep it dynamic and interesting.
• What not to play and when not to play it.

Writing for specific Briefs or Genres
• First step to qualify exactly what the brief or Artist is looking for
• Ask for specific examples of tracks they love, what’s been done/used before.
• If for an Artist what are their biggest hits and why.
• Are there common themes. Who wrote them and what techniques did they use.
• What will make them shine the best.
• Subject matter, Song Concept, Style of language, age of audience, The cool school, want to be seen as the latest thing, trend setter, Edgy, Dark, enlightening, Uplifting, Love, sexy, suggestive, word-play, double meaning, simile and metaphors, angst, cheeky, humorous, clever, punch line
• Understand the genre and its instrumentation and production or discuss with your chosen producer to see if they can do something like the ref. and so you know how to go about writing it.

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