Auditoria carries Sami Yusuf’s concert mix into the studio
Auditoria carries Sami Yusuf’s concert mix into the studio
More than 100 audio inputs, redundant recording systems and a temporary hotel studio enabled Auditoria to move Sami Yusuf’s Rooted in Concert performances in Türkiye from the live stage into postproduction, with mixing beginning the morning after the final show.
Held in Ankara and Istanbul, the concerts featured British composer and vocalist Sami Yusuf alongside the Fons Sophiae Collective. Auditoria provided live audio design and mixing, as well as a recording workflow developed with client Astiana and Yusuf’s music production team to prepare selected songs for release within a two-day postproduction window.
The recording setup used two redundant Pro Tools Ultimate systems to capture more than 100 inputs. A DiGiCo Quantum112 provided a live stereo mix from FOH stems and audience microphones, alongside connectivity to the recording systems.
During the Istanbul performances, Auditoria began transferring FOH mix engineer Richard Sharratt’s DiGiCo and Fourier Audio processing into comparable Pro Tools plug-ins. The session layout mirrored his live console setup, with SSL fader and plug-in controllers providing a familiar mixing environment.
“Richard had already developed the live mix throughout the concerts, so it made sense to carry as much of that work into postproduction as possible,” explained Ethan Curry, audio project manager at Auditoria. “We prepared the Pro Tools sessions around his FOH setup, giving us a familiar starting point for the two days of mixing with Vishnu. It also meant the sessions could be handed over to allow further work by the music production team after our initial two-day mixing session.”
A temporary postproduction studio was established in a hotel conference room, using Neumann KH310 monitoring loudspeakers and a KH750 subwoofer. The monitoring system was installed and tuned on the morning of the final concert, ready for the recording equipment to be transferred from the venue after the performance.
The following morning, Curry joined Sharratt and Yusuf’s musical director and studio mix engineer, Vishnu Raaj, to refine the transferred FOH mix and develop detailed mixes and automation for selected songs.
For the live shows, Quantum338 consoles with Fourier Audio processing handled FOH and monitor duties. In Ankara, the venue’s Meyer Sound PANTHER system was adjusted to achieve the required audience coverage, while a d&b audiotechnik KSL system was deployed in Istanbul.
The workflow also accounted for the traditional instruments featured in Yusuf’s music, with microphone selection and placement intended to preserve their character both live and in the studio.
