Music Productions Consulting
You want your CD to sound perfect. You want fans to love it as much as that
record that's been their favorite since they were a teen. To have the best
recording experience and maximize the quality of your recording, read on.
Setting goals. Envision what you want to
achieve through releasing your own CD. Sit down with your bandmates or manager
and establish realistic goals. Do you want a CD just to sell at gigs? Do you
want to use it as a demo to shop your act to record labels? Do you just want to
showcase your newest songs? Do you want the CD distributed throughout the
country? The world? Maybe you want just 50 copies for family and friends? Your
answers to these questions will help determine your budget.
Budget. Start by deciding how much you can
spend on the entire project. Do you want to spend more on the studio or the
manufacturing? Of course the sound is important, but if the package doesn't look
professional and worthy of peoples hard-earned cash, they won't buy it and start
grooving to the sounds inside. A general rule: the more you want to get out of
your release, the more you should invest in it. If you just want the CD to help
you earn a little extra money at gigs, you don't have to sell the cattle ranch
for a major-label-quality recording. Count on spending about $1,000 or more per
tune in the studio for radio-ready sound. Playing live with no overdubs will
obviously save some money, as will synth-heavy songs which can be programmed at
home.
Many studios will help you produce your project. Communicate your vision of the
finished product to potential producers or engineers. Do you want it polished
like a classical CD, or gritty like the latest offering from Seattle? Do you
want an engineer who will try to change your bands sound or just mimic a live
performance? Do you want a hands-off producer, or one who will make suggestions
about song structure and lyrics? If they can't give you some samples of their
work to listen to, ask to be referred to some of their past clients.
Decide if you want analog or digital, or a combination of both. Analog is
generally more expensive, but many artists prefer it for its warmth. Ask studios
what they offer and recommend.
Many studios will negotiate price. Don't be afraid to ask. Some studios give
discounts if you are booking a lot of time or are willing to record during less
popular hours (usually before 5 p.m. on weekdays). If you are a very promising
band, then a producer or studio owner may be willing to take less cash in
exchange for permission to use the band in an advertising promotion or to get
points if the album gets picked up by a label. Be wary of the latter--it could
be like selling your soul if the band makes it big.
Preparing to record. When you're recording
in a studio, you generally pay by the hour, and the meter is always
running--it's a pricey spot for brushing up on your material. Keep a lid on
costs by knowing the material inside and out. Spontaneous energy is one thing,
but not knowing the verse-chorus transition is another. Make sure all sequenced
material is fully prepared and the drummer is experienced at playing to a click
track.
To iron out the kinks, record your band during gigs and pre-production
rehearsals. Even a simple cassette recording on a boom box may reveal weak parts
of songs. Borrow or rent a four- or eight-track for a more accurate picture of
how each song will sound in the studio. Your minds eye may view a line as catchy
or a solo as exciting, but your ears may expose them as trite and bland. Better
to discover this now than in an $80-per-hour studio.
When booking blocks of time, schedule enough time to record each part and try to
stick to it. Count on (and budget in) unforeseen delays. If you plan to have a
four-song EP, prepare six songs just in case. If you want to end up with ten
songs, prepare fourteen. You never know which songs will not sound strong on the
final tape--a live favorite may fall flat in the studio. When you're finished in
the studio, you may want to play the tape for some fans, local DJs, and music
critics to get their opinions on which songs work best.
Take care of your body before and during your recording sessions. You want your
voice and playing to be in top form, especially when you are paying by the hour.
So eat well, get enough sleep, and keep your ears rested and clear. If your ears
are ringing and you're tired from last nights gig, it's probably not the best
time to record.
Once you've found the best studio for your budget and whipped your band into
shape to make the most of the recording sessions. Here are a few things to keep
in mind once you hit the studio.
In the studio. Depending on whether your studio has 16-, 24-, or 48-track
capability, plan out how you'll split them up. You don't want to fill up all the
tracks before adding that essential piano part.
Compare recording your instruments direct versus mincing the amps. You'll often
want a mix of the two, depending on the instrument you're recording. Hopefully
your studio will have a variety of mics to choose from and the engineer will
understand the subtle differences between them. Try each one yourself and
decide.
Remember that you may want to consider double tracking some of the parts.
Vocals, especially, benefit from the fat sound this can provide. Remember that
the second (or third) part can be softer than the lead track for a neat effect.
Create a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere for the band. That may mean lowering
the lights, lighting incense, or shooing away everyone not involved in that
take. If you don't feel comfortable in the studio, it will come through on tape.
Get the sound you want while recording. Fixing it in the mix takes more time
(read: more money) and is not guaranteed. Get it right from the start. Do avoid
over-using compression and EQ, however. You can always add these later, but
they're difficult to take away.
If you mess up a part while recording, don't necessarily stop and start over.
That can easily cause you to burn out. Simply keep going and then re-record the
mistakes and punch in the correction. Don't always push for perfection in every
track--it's easy to get burned out and lose the excitement. Most artists these
days don't want to sound sterile--the overall vibe is more important.
Play back. Keep in mind that studios often
have expensive speakers that sound superb. In addition, everything sounds better
loud. Listen to the music at moderate levels, which is how many of your fans
will be hearing it. And check that the most important parts are audible even
when its soft. You need to make sure that your music sounds good on an average
speaker system, a car stereo, or a boom box.
Bring copies of your favorite music to the sessions as a touchstone. Compare
them to what you are recording for ideas on sounds, stereo effects and,
especially, for final mix down. You get so wrapped up in your own music during
the recording process that it's easy to lose sight of what it may sound like
compared to other records.
The master tape. Decide which format you want the finished, mixed down
master to be in: DAT, one-off CD, PMCD, reel-to-reel tape, or 1630. Many
manufacturing plants such as Disc Makers can offer discounts when you supply a
1630 or PMCD master, but the studios usually charge you more for those formats.
See which master format is the most practical and economical for you. In
general, DAT is the most economical and versatile way to go.
When you leave the studio with your pride and joy, you may feel like the
finished recording doesn't sound quite as good as a major label release. This is
frequently unavoidable. After all, major label acts often spend hundreds of
thousands of dollars in the studio, while you spend 10% of that. Keep in mind
that while musicians are audiophiles, most music listeners are not. Many of your
fans wont notice a sonic difference between your CD and Aero smiths. Don't spend
a dollar you don't have for a dimes worth of difference in the finished mix.
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