19AES-RP16: Hybrid Audio: Mixing Virtual and Acoustic Instruments for Media Presentations

Presenters:
Brandie Lane, West Point Band - West Point, NY, USA; New York University - Steinhardt - New York, NY, USA
Noah Taylor, Staff Sergeant, United States Military Academy Band - West Point, NY, USA

An increasing amount of recordings are starting to use a mixture of virtual (MIDI) and acoustic instruments. This is especially prevalent in media and film scores. Over the past 4 years, The West Point Band has implemented recording and mixing techniques that marry virtual instruments with live acoustic elements to create soundtracks for media presentations seen on television and web platforms. Clients have included NBC, CBS, Army West Point Sports, The United States Military Academy Public Affairs Office, and the Department of Defense. This workshop will break down the recording and mixing techniques used to create these soundtracks.