I asked Daniel “Mbutch” Muhuni, responsible for the sound being recorded in the best way possible, so that it is easier for the team in Stockhom to run and sample it in the Samplebar.
This is his answer:
Hi,
Recce Tour is the Planning and preparations of the main field trip recording. The planning is done by two sides of the project management. Recce tour is very vital in planning ahead on how the trip will be before the field recording dates are set.
During the Recce tour we meet musicians or the practitioners in order to get familiarized with rhythms,melodies and tempos of that region, the suitable recording location and the challenges to be faced in that location e.g. Electricity availability, environment of the area if its suitable for recording and preparing the musicians on how the recording process will be and done.
Normally the Recce team number differs from time to time depending which region we are visiting and how many tribes are found in a region. The Sound Designer of the project and Team leader representing Bomas of Kenya are most vital people during recce tour in terms of communication that takes place during the meeting with the Musicians and the community.
The number of musicians we meet depends on the region and how the communication was received by the contact person and how he/she shared the news to the community. In some villages we end up meeting 30 or 40 musicians but only a few are chosen to participate in recording.
How to choose who will participate in the recording depends on musician playing experience, if one has experienced studio recording feeling that’s an advantage of being selected, uniqueness of an instrument that is not played by many musicians is an advantage that maybe is being played by one player in the whole village.
During recce we give every musician an opportunity of showcasing their talent of playing all the instruments that one knows and practiced to a professional standard.
During recce by recording short samples audio using Tascam recorder and video using phone going through them later after coming back from recce tour will help in selecting musicians who will participate in recording.
Love and Light
Daniel
