Attachment 1 - SOW_USAFA Band Recording Engineer_v7.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

1 October 2024

Recording Engineer, Producer, Mix/Master The United States Air Force (USAF) Academy Band

2024 Falconaires CD Project

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES: Non-personal services to include services for all recording, producing, mixing, and mastering of the USAF Academy Band Falconaires’ CD recording project on the dates specified below. Contractor will provide all associated services as outlined in this SOW. On Location Dates required: 31 October – 8 November. The band ensemble consists of 19 musicians. There will be 3-4 isolation rooms that will have the drums, piano, guitar, and vocalist. All of the horns will play in one large room together. There will be some tracking/overdubbing after the fact, but the goal is to have the majority captured live. If the contractor does not have the specified equipment, they may rent the equipment to be used for the recording session. The provided interface for recording is Rednet DANTE Interface. The contractor will team with the government representatives to facilitate set-up on 30 October and 31 October to start recording on 1 November. The expected duration of the musical performance will be 74 minutes of music for a maximum of 14 songs. The recording session will be performed at McCormick Hall. See Attachment A for the McCormick Hall map.

Services Locations: For Recording session (31 October – 8 November 2024):

McCormick Hall 520 Otis St Peterson AFB, CO 80914 POC: MSgt Jaime Parker, (321) 945-5629 Email: jaime.parker.3@us.af.mil

Hours Required:

31 OCT 24: 1000 Load in, set up, line/gear checks 1-8 NOV 24: 0900–1800 Record full band, vocals, soloists

This requirement will be performed in four (4) phases: recording, editing, mixing, and mastering.

Phase 1: Recording The recording phase involves capturing the sound of musical instruments, vocals, and other audio sources using microphones, preamps, and other recording equipment. The Recording Engineer will work with the artist(s) and producer(s) to determine the appropriate recording techniques and the equipment identified herein to use for each instrument and vocal track. The goal of the recording phase is to capture high-quality sound that accurately represents the artist's vision and musical style. The recording phase starts on the effective date of the contract and ends when the USAFA Band has completed their portion of the edits and has turned it over to the contractor for the editing phase. The on location recording dates are 31 October 2024 to 8 November 2024 as mentioned in the “Hours Required” section.

Phase 2: Editing The editing phase involves refining the recorded audio tracks by removing unwanted sounds, correcting timing errors, and adjusting the levels of individual tracks. The Recording Engineer will use editing software to make precise cuts, crossfades, and other adjustments to create a cohesive and polished final product. During this phase, the Recording Engineer will also communicate with the artist(s) and producer(s) to ensure that the editing decisions align with their creative vision. The editing phase starts when the USAFA Band has completed their portion of the edits and turned it over to the contractor for the editing phase, no later than 11 December 2024. The editing phase is concluded when the contractor notifies the USAFA Band that all edits, including any revisions based on initial feedback from the USAFA Band, have been completed and when the USAFA Band has reviewed and approved those edits. USAFA band will provide feedback within 3 duty days of each submission. The duration of this phase shall not exceed 60 calendar days.

Phase 3: Mixing The mixing phase involves balancing the levels of all the individual tracks to create a cohesive and balanced sound. The Recording Engineer will use equalization, compression, and other processing techniques to shape the sound of each track and bring out the desired qualities. The goal of the mixing phase is to create a final mix that is well-balanced, dynamic, and engaging.

The Recording Engineer will communicate with the artist(s) and producer(s) throughout this phase to ensure that the mix accurately represents their creative vision. The mixing phase begins when the USAFA Band approves of the edited tracks and at the conclusion of the editing phase.

The mixing phase concludes when the contractor provides a final mixdown of all tracks for approval by the USAFA Band and when USAFA Band approves of the mixing results. The duration of this phase shall not exceed 60 calendar days.

Phase 4: Mastering The mastering phase involves preparing the final mix for distribution. The Recording Engineer will use mastering software to apply final touches to the mix, to include equalization, compression, and limiting, to ensure that the sound is optimized for each platform. The goal of the mastering phase is to create a final product that is consistent in sound quality and loudness across all platforms. The mastering phase begins when the USAFA Band approves of the mixing results and at the conclusion of the mixing phase. The mastering phase concludes when the contractor provides the USAFA Band with a Glass Master copy (the physical copy used for replication) and a Reproduction copy (a physical CD/DVD copy) of the performance and when USAFA Band approves of and accepts the final product within 3 duty days of receiving. If the final product is unacceptable, the contractor will have 1 week to resubmit the refined product for approval. The duration of this phase shall not exceed 60 calendar days. The final deliverables for this project shall be 2 each CDs and 2 each DVDs of the finished product.

Approval Process: The USAFA Band will communicate their approval of each phase's results via email. The contractor is allowed to make up to four (4) rounds of revisions if the initial results are not approved. Unless otherwise specified, USAFA Band will have up to 3 duty days to approve each phase’s completion. In the event of a disagreement on the results, the USAFA Band and the contractor will engage in a collaborative discussion to reach a resolution.

1 Description of Equipment Specifications: The contractor shall provide the following:

1.1 For the recording session, the project requires eight (8) large-diaphragm condenser microphones that meet industry standards and feature multiple polar patterns, making them well-suited for recording brass instruments. Examples of such microphones include the Neumann U87 (not U87Ai), Telefunken TF51, and Brauner VM1. The aim is to represent the Air Force in the most professional manner possible, necessitating the use of top-quality products. To achieve this, the use of high-quality recording equipment is essential. Given that the USAFA Band will be recording multiple brass instruments simultaneously, the provision of four such microphones is a requirement.

1.2 The project necessitates six (6) Neumann KM84 microphones, which are particularly suitable for recording saxophones. Given that the USAFA band will be recording multiple saxophones at the same time, the provision of four such microphones is a requirement.

1.3 The project requires ten (10) API microphone preamps. This project aims to create a professional and industry-standard big band jazz CD. To achieve the specific sound quality targeted for this project, the use of API microphone preamps, in conjunction with the specified microphones, is necessary.

1.4 During the mastering session, industrial grade equalizers, compressors, and converters will be utilized for all analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversions to produce the final product.

2 Description of Additional Services: The contractor shall provide the following

2.1 A Recording Engineer who specializes in big band jazz CD recordings and is recognized in the industry for their expertise and contributions based on the qualifications in paragraph 2.1.1, 2.1.2, and 2.1.3. The engineer will be needed on-site for recording sessions from October 31 to November 8 at Peterson SFB, CO. To ensure the highest level of professionalism representing the US Air Force, the engineer must meet the following qualifications:

2.1.1 A minimum of 15 years of professional experience in the audio recording industry.

2.1.2 Credited as the primary engineer on at least 50 projects involving big band jazz recordings (consisting of 18 or more musicians).

2.1.3 Has received a nomination for a Grammy Award in a category that pertains to jazz recording

2.2 Record all instruments, musical selections, soloists, and vocals during the 31 October – 8 November 2024 recording session at Peterson SFB, CO using Pro Tools equipment.

2.3 Provide between 5 and 10 days for mixing services of recorded product using Pro Tools in addition to mastering services using software for recorded product at contractor provided studio.

2.4 All services must be completed no later than August 31st, 2025.

3 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY AND SERVICES: The Government will provide microphones, microphone stands, audio cables, XLR cables, and racks for all instruments not identified above. They will also provide the audio monitoring system, and other recording equipment. The only equipment required of the contractor to provide is identified above. The Government will ensure that all provided equipment is in working order at the start of the project. Additionally, the government will provide multiple government audio engineers to assist the contracted primary audio engineer.