With four simple goals in mind, his project aimed at capturing a band in one take, without edits, without overdubs but sound as balanced as a conventional multi-track recording. After years of recording with this method, John wanted to try engineering in a way he hadn’t before, with one microphone, harkening back to the style of old. But the sound and feeling captured by the original method of single-mic recording was largely lost–until now.Įngineer John Cuniberti, known for his work with guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani, had recorded many timeless records in the modern way–miking up every instrumental individually, sometimes with multiple mics, blending them all together to create a unique mix. As technology evolved and recording studios grew, more and more instruments were recorded with more and more microphones.
Recording a live band had a purpose - to document a live performance for consumer playback. Back then, microphones were expensive, tape machines were just starting to allow for more than one or two channels, and bands were used to performing in the same space all together at the same time.
It was done this way for practical purposes from a technological, financial, and even sonic standpoint.
Starting in the 1930s and all the way through the 1950s, methods for capturing ensembles involved gathering several vocalists and instrumentalists around one mic - normally a ribbon.
