KMR Studios AB

Field Recordings in Dolby Atmos

Something we do several times a year here at KMR Studios is to go out for recordings outside the studio. This is both exciting and educational, not to mention a pleasant way to make the music production profession a bit more physically active! By doing various types of field recordings, we also get to know the artists we work with in new environments. This almost always leads to new perspectives that can only benefit the music being created.

Stillhetens Chapel in Dolby Atmos

At the beginning of 2024, it became clear that the artist Simon Forslund would record and release his new single “Hälften av han” in collaboration with KMR Studios. All of us here in the team were, of course, very excited about this! Simon also decided that the song would be produced in Dolby Atmos, which made the whole project even more exciting. As the song developed, the idea of recording a choir live emerged. The only thing left to decide was which choir would contribute the vocals. The women’s choir Bella Donna felt perfect for this recording, so after a choir arrangement was written, the only thing left was the actual field recording!

How the Recording Went

With Filip Killander as the main technician, the entire KMR team went out to Stillhetens Chapel in Gamla Uppsala. There, we set up microphones at strategic places in the room. This included everything from small diaphragm microphone pairs to an Ambisonic mic selected to best capture the feeling of being in the room and listening to the choir. All of this, of course, also needed to be adapted for an Atmos production, which the song was to become. Once we were all satisfied with how the sound was captured, the process of guiding the choir through the recording began. This was handled by the choir’s conductor, our main technician Filip Killander, and Simon Forslund together. There’s a lot to think about in a recording situation like this, but none of the obstacles are insurmountable – you have to start somewhere! If you’re curious to learn more, you can read more here in our articles about Atmos and Ambisonic.

A Different Way to Work

We at KMR Studios always find it super exciting to go out into the field and record music. As a complement to studio work, there are almost only advantages to it. You get to meet the artist in a different environment, gain a new perspective on music you’ve previously worked on, and stretch your legs after many hours sitting in the studio – yes, the list goes on! If you’re curious about doing a field or studio recording with us at KMR Studios, feel free to get in touch by clicking the contact button below.

Music Studio Contact