House music has always been about bringing people together and creating a sense of unity on the dance floor.
One of the most exciting ways to make your house music stand out is by incorporating field recordings into your tracks.
I have always used field recordings in my House music tracks. It just gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling when listening to it.
In this blog post, I will tell why you also might wanna include field recordings in your own House tracks.
Ready? Let's go!
It gives a unique character and vibe
Let’s start with the most beneficial thing about field recordings: it adds character!
Using sounds like city noise textures in the background of the track or percussive sound hits from found sounds like pans and pots in the drum loop gives a cool vibe.
It makes music sound “organic” and more accidental in my opinion.
Try to throw in a field recording of a restaurant visit in the background of your drum loop. Use an EQ to remove some Low-end and top-end so it sounds more “tucked” in the back.
Mix it in with a subtle touch of volume. We don't want it to dominate the song. Just enhance it.
If you need some cool and different field recording, go check out my Canary Islands Ambience sample pack 👈
When you use field recordings you get a lot of unexpected audio bits which contribute to the song sounding unique and “vibey”.
Whether it's the sound of waves crashing on a beach, the hustle and bustle of a busy city, or the gentle sound of rain falling, these recordings can create an immersive experience that sets your tracks apart from the rest.
Make tracks sound less “clean” or digital
You might have heard a lot of audio engineers and artists state that music sounds better when made with analogue hardware or real instruments.
I kinda agree with them. And mostly because using analogue sound sources can yield audio results that sound less “clean”.
Something that virtual soft synths, sometimes, have a hard time re-creating. However, you can get there by layering your digital synths or instruments with field recordings.
It could be a Classic crackling sound from a vinyl mixed together with a synth pad. Remove the lows and low mids with a high pass cut at around 300 Hz. Mix it at low volume.
Listen to how the digital and cold synth pad starts to sound warmer. Lovely.
You could also record some room ambience in a Church and mix it with your synth Lead.
Use an envelope follower to just make the church room recording play when the synth Lead plays. Use an EQ again to remove any low-end frequencies.
This will make the Lead sound so awesome and less “clean”.
If you want a cool Church field recording, you can get one from my Copenhagen Ambience sample pack 👈
It evokes emotions and memories
The use of field recordings in house music can evoke powerful emotions and memories in your audience.
The sound of children playing in a park, for example, might remind someone of their own childhood, while the sound of a busy train station might bring back memories of a long-lost journey.
By incorporating these sounds into your tracks, you can create a deeply personal and emotional connection with your listeners.
Myself, I like to include field recordings from my holiday trips in my house music songs. I think it adds a personal and unique vibe. It’s also pretty cool to say: “Hey, I used a bird recording from the Canary Islands in this UK Garage song.”
It encourages creativity and experimentation
Incorporating field recordings in your house music productions can help you break out of your comfort zone and encourage creativity and experimentation.
By using unconventional sounds, you can push the boundaries of what house music can be and create something truly unique and innovative.
How to start using Field Recordings
So by now, you might be wondering: “How do I get started using Field Recordings?”
Well, the entry barriers are not that high. Everyone can collect texture-rich field recordings.
Here are 4 steps to get you going in no time!
Step 1: Gear Up
First things first, you'll need some equipment to capture your field recordings.
A portable recorder like the Zoom H4n or Tascam DR-40x is perfect for on-the-go recording. Don't forget a good pair of headphones for monitoring, and a windscreen to protect your recordings from wind noise.
However, If your budget is low, use the recording function on your phone. It can actually capture sounds of decent quality.
Apogee has made a great app called MetaRecorder, which can record in 24-bit WAV. You can name your files and organize everything neatly before sending them to your DAW.
I use this app and I have to say, it's pretty smart!
Step 2: Explore and Record
Now that you're geared up, it's time to explore your surroundings and start recording!
Keep an open mind and let your curiosity guide you. Record anything that catches your ear, from the rhythmic patterns of a construction site to the melodic chirping of birds.
The possibilities are endless, and the more you record, the more unique material you'll have to work with.
Capture field recordings that can help aid in telling a story in your House music tracks.
I’m a huge fan of tropical sounds like waves on the beach, birds chatting in a park or people socializing in a Spanish restaurant.
Go out on an adventure and capture the cool field recordings you discover.
Step 3: Edit and Organize
After your recording session, import your sounds into your favourite DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and start editing.
Trim the recordings, remove any unwanted noise, and enhance the sounds with EQ and compression if needed.
Don't forget to organize your recordings into folders, making it easy to find the perfect sound later on.
TIP: If you want to take your field recordings to the next level, clean up the files in an audio repair plugin like iZotope RX.
Use it to remove any unwanted wind noises from the recordings.
It will make them sound more high-quality when you import them into your DAW and do the final edits and tweaks.
iZotope RX is great at fixing bad field recordings
Also read: Best Export Settings in FL Studio 21
Step 4: Get Creative
Now comes the fun part - incorporating your field recordings into your House music productions! Use your recordings as:
- Rhythmic elements: Layer your field recordings with drums to create unique and organic grooves.
- Ambient textures: Enhance the atmosphere of your tracks by adding field recordings as background elements.
- Melodic samples: Process your recordings with effects like pitch shifting, time stretching, and granular synthesis to create one-of-a-kind melodic samples.
Don’t be afraid to add creative FX plugins to the field recordings. It can yield really unique and creative results. Use FXs like:
- Distortion - to emphasize the harmonies in the recordings (there might be some cool harmonies hiding)
- Auto-planning - to add movement to the stereo-field
- Transient shaping - to increase the attack of percussive field recordings
- Delay - to add an extra layer of rhythm to the recordings
Guitar Rig 6 is great for adding different FXs to your field recordings
There are tons of different FX plugins that you can apply to your captured field recordings. These plugins will for sure add awesome texture and character that you can imbue into your House music tracks.
Just start capturing field recordings and use them in your House music projects. In no time you will discover the difference it makes to rather generic House music songs.
Also read: How to find your signature sound
Wrapping up
I hope this blog post has inspired you to get started using field recordings in your House music songs. It’s all a matter of just trying out different sounds and finding your own unique style and taste.
Stand out from the rest with your own personal field recording!
