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37 Recording Tips

Recording Tips

Uploaded by

Irwin B. Galino
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© © All Rights Reserved
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1K views

37 Recording Tips

Recording Tips

Uploaded by

Irwin B. Galino
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DISC MAKERS STUdIO PARTNER PROGRAm pRESENTS:

These valuable tips and techniques were collected from some of the countrys top studio and mastering engineers to help you get the most out of the recording and mixing process.

B EFORE YOU GO IN 1
Record your songs during live gigs and pre-production rehearsals. Even a simple single track recording may reveal weak parts of songs. Have all the musical and vocal parts worked out. (Know your guitar solos!) Using a computer or sequencer? Prepare all sequenced material before the session. If you plan to use a click track, make sure your drummer is comfortable playing to it. (To get tight, practice to a click track at a very slow tempo.) Rehearse more songs than you plan to record. You never know which songs will sound strong on the nal tape. (If you plan to have a four-song EP, prepare six songs just in case.) Take care of your body before and during your recording sessions. Eat well, get enough sleep, and keep your ears rested and clear.

SEttiNg UP 7
Be early! At some studios, the clock starts running whether youre there or not. Find out about their cancellation policy as well. Make the studio a comfortable and relaxed place. If its not, it will show in your nished product. Make sure you and the engineer have the same vision go over your songs with him/her before recording. Before booking your studio time, ask to hear other material the engineer recorded. Depending on whether your studio has 8, 16, 24, or 48 track capability, plan out how you will leave room for all of the essential parts. This should simplify the mix and eliminate the need for bouncing tracks later. Use new strings, cords, drum sticks and heads and bring spares! Find out the hours of the local music store just in case Dont use new gear or different equipment that you havent used before, even if its better than what you have. Surprises can cause problems.

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THE RECOR DiNg PROCEss 14


Remember, its emotion and feeling that make the best song, not necessarily the best technical rendition. If you mess up a part while recording, dont stop and start over. That can easily cause you to burn out. Instead, check to see if the engineer can punch in the correction. You dont have to ll all the tracks on the tape dont try to force something that wont t. Always keep in mind the focus of your music. If its the vocals, plan to spend the most time on them. Dont waste time on things that dont highlight the focal point. Get the sound you want while recording. (Never assume that you can x it in the mix.) Unless you have unique effects, record individual tracks clean and add effects later. Dont necessarily double track everything. Doubling a lead vocal can hide all the subtleties that make a song personal and likable (although it can work well for a chorus). Know when to quit for the day. If youre tired, it will show. Keep guests out! Its your recording. Guests will distract you and may sway your opinion of how the music should sound. Make backup copies after every recording session. Tune up often. Singers: always bring water but dont use ice! Ice constricts your vocal chords. Hot tea with lemon and honey works well to relax your vocal chords. Always get a track listing and accurate time log from the studio.

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As you review each mix, make sure you can comfortably hear all of the instruments. Tweak the mix on a small pair of speakers at an extremely low volume. Headphones are also very valuable at this stage, but dont base your nal decision on them. You should be able to pick up each instrument even at this level. Learn to recognize ear fatigue. Youre better off quitting a session early when youre tired than wasting time making a bad mix that will have to be redone anyway.

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M iXiNg 31
Listen in the studio to CDs youre used to hearing on your home stereo to get an idea of how the studios system sounds. If mixing somewhere other than the recording studio, make sure you use the same speakers. If not, the mix will sound completely different. Once you have selected an engineer (or a producer) to mix your recording, have them do the rst mix. Their ears are better trained than yours. Try to keep an open mind. Think about the songs as a whole and not just the individual instruments. Otherwise everyone will want their instrument louder in the mix. Determine a band spokesperson ahead of time. An engineer getting ve different opinions on how to mix will grow tired and might cause him/her to rush through the job. Decide which format you want the nished mixes to be on: high resolution .wav or .aiff les on CD-R, DVD-R, or ash drive are the preferred format, however an audio CD or DAT are viable options as well. Budget for and count on unforseen delays.

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M ONitOR iNg THE MiX


Listen to your music at moderate levels in your car or on a boom box. This is how most of your fans will listen to it, and mixing at loud levels will fatigue your ears and distort the true sound. Sometimes its good to take a day off and come back to listen. The same applies for mixdown. Ears dont last very long in the studio!

E X tR A TiP
Always, always, always make a safety master. It preserves your recording investment should your original master get damaged.

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THE NE X t S tEP
Thought about what to do with your recording once its done? Disc Makers has partnered with your studio to give you the best recording and the highest quality CD and DVD manufacturing. You have a lot riding on your recording. Only Disc Makers offers you everything you need to make your CD a success, including:

H Professional mastering services to put the nishing


touch on your recording

H Award-winning graphic design H Worldwide distribution through CD Baby H Download sales of your songs on iTunes,
amazon.com, Napster, and more

H A free review of your music by the A&R reps at TAXI H Great deals on promotional materials, including
T-shirts, stickers, postcards, and yers

H Download cards so you can sell downloads


at your gigs

H ANd FINALLY: Only Disc Makers offers a


Low Price Promise. We guarantee the lowest prices on CD replication. Period. Ready to start planning your manufacturing? Ask your engineer for information or call Disc Makers.

Call 1-800-468-9353 to speak with a Product Specialist.

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Call 1-800-468-9353 today for a free catalog!


7905 N. Rt. 130, Pennsauken, NJ 08110 www.discmakers.com/37tips [email protected]

2009 Disc Makers. All rights reserved.

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