Post by Karen on Sept 17, 2006 3:34:39 GMT 10
RECORDING Pre-Production Tips:
Pre-production before entering the studio ensures smooth project sessions, saving you time, money, and results in better recordings. Pre-production involves working out all musical and vocal parts to each song prior to tracking (know your solos).
Pre-production suggestions:
1. Understand your goals for the recording. What is the recording for?
- Personal Enjoyment
- Demo for Promoting, Booking Live Gigs/Clubs
- Demo for Shopping Label Interest.
- CD Single for Radio Play
- Album Project for Independent Release
2. Record your songs at rehearsal. Even a simple cassette recording on a boom box may reveal weaker parts of a song in need of improvement. Record and review all your songs. Practice time is free. Practice the songs over & over until everyone can play their parts backwards in their sleep!
3. Rehearse more songs than you plan on recording. It is often hard to know which songs will sound strong on the final mix. (If you plan to have a four song EP, prepare six songs just in case). Record the songs in the order of importance.
4. Record your best songs. Record songs that are fun to play and
consider a variety of songs.
5. Choose your method of recording:
Recording live in the studio: Some bands prefer to track live in the studio and this helps capture the interplay of musicianship better, but makes for longer set up time and many takes of each song to get a great performance from everyone.
Most artists choose multi-tracking. The most important track is the Drum Track (the foundation for all overdubs), so it is imperative that it be flawless. All other instruments are done as a build-up (adding bass, guitars, vocals and percussion) to the recording. Each instrument is given individual attention and detail to ensuring the highest quality recording.
6. Determine your budget. Think “quality” not “quantity”. Let the
engineer know in advance how much time you’ve allotted for each session. He or she can help keep the pace going to meet that deadline. Remember to budget time for Mixdown and Mastering. A general rule of thumb: Mixing & Mastering of each song takes approximately the same amount of time as the tracking of each song.
7. Pre-session Consultation with the Studio Engineer. Make sure he/she knows and understands your vision before the session starts. Know what you want to sound like. Bring in reference CDs and let the engineer know by example the sound you are looking for.
_________________
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PONY MUSIC Pty Ltd - www.ponymusic.com.au
PONY myspace - www.myspace.com/pony_music
Pre-production before entering the studio ensures smooth project sessions, saving you time, money, and results in better recordings. Pre-production involves working out all musical and vocal parts to each song prior to tracking (know your solos).
Pre-production suggestions:
1. Understand your goals for the recording. What is the recording for?
- Personal Enjoyment
- Demo for Promoting, Booking Live Gigs/Clubs
- Demo for Shopping Label Interest.
- CD Single for Radio Play
- Album Project for Independent Release
2. Record your songs at rehearsal. Even a simple cassette recording on a boom box may reveal weaker parts of a song in need of improvement. Record and review all your songs. Practice time is free. Practice the songs over & over until everyone can play their parts backwards in their sleep!
3. Rehearse more songs than you plan on recording. It is often hard to know which songs will sound strong on the final mix. (If you plan to have a four song EP, prepare six songs just in case). Record the songs in the order of importance.
4. Record your best songs. Record songs that are fun to play and
consider a variety of songs.
5. Choose your method of recording:
Recording live in the studio: Some bands prefer to track live in the studio and this helps capture the interplay of musicianship better, but makes for longer set up time and many takes of each song to get a great performance from everyone.
Most artists choose multi-tracking. The most important track is the Drum Track (the foundation for all overdubs), so it is imperative that it be flawless. All other instruments are done as a build-up (adding bass, guitars, vocals and percussion) to the recording. Each instrument is given individual attention and detail to ensuring the highest quality recording.
6. Determine your budget. Think “quality” not “quantity”. Let the
engineer know in advance how much time you’ve allotted for each session. He or she can help keep the pace going to meet that deadline. Remember to budget time for Mixdown and Mastering. A general rule of thumb: Mixing & Mastering of each song takes approximately the same amount of time as the tracking of each song.
7. Pre-session Consultation with the Studio Engineer. Make sure he/she knows and understands your vision before the session starts. Know what you want to sound like. Bring in reference CDs and let the engineer know by example the sound you are looking for.
_________________
---------------------------------------------
PONY MUSIC Pty Ltd - www.ponymusic.com.au
PONY myspace - www.myspace.com/pony_music
