1. Music Performance & Ensemble
Preparing to Record Part 1
Chris Baker
www.musicstudentinfo.com
2. Recording Preproduction 1
• This is the most crucial step
• List the overall objective
• A CD to distribute to radio?
• To sell at gigs?
• To get a record deal?
• Song writing demo ?
• Have a clear vision for the outcome
3. Recording Preproduction 2
• Decide on the songs to record.
• Demo the songs first on a boom box.
• Analyze them after the performance.
• Get outside opinions.
• Think about instrumentation for each song.
• How many guitar parts?
• Vocal harmonies?
• Percussion?
• How many players you need.
4. Recording Assessing your abilities
• Do you want/need to record everyone at the same time or
track each part separately?
• Recording at the same time produces tighter results and takes
less time.
• How much isolation do you need between each part?
• Complete isolation gives you greater flexibility when fixing
parts.
• Do you have the ability to do any recording at home?
5. Recording Recording Studios
1. The Recording Engineer - is the most important item to
consider in your search for a studio.
2. The Facility - is not only the recording space and control
room, but the environment around the studio. Is the studio
large enough ?
3. The Equipment - you will want to use a studio which has
some high quality gear. Most studios today have gone digital,
but a few still have analog tape machines available.
6. Recording Recording Studios
• The Cost - In most endeavors the more you pay for
something, the better it is.
• Time - often musicians coming into a studio for the first time
are unrealistic about the time required to complete the
project
7. Recording Studio Considerations 1
• Factor your expenses, eating & rentals.
• Think about the "vibe" of the sessions.
• Visit all prospective studios.
• Ask for recommendations.
• Do they have experience with the instruments and style of
your music?
• Does it have the right vibe?
8. Recording Studio Considerations 2
• Is there Parking?
• What can the studio provide? Studio drum kit? Amps? Mic
selection? What is included in the cost? CD copies? Food?
Accommodation?
• Does the price include a house Engineer?
• Does the price include Tax?
• How many hours are in a day rate? 8, 12 etc?
• Most studios are negotiable on price….always negotiate!
9. Recording Producer or Engineer or Both?
• The Engineer is responsible for the recording process.
• If something isn’t working, the engineer has to be able to fix
it.
• The better your Engineer, the more smoothly your session
will go.
• You’ll want somebody who knows their way around the
studio.
• Most studios provide an experienced engineer.
• The Producer oversees the process of recording.
• A talented Producer will enable you to reach your potential.
• Their experience working with other bands will make you
sound better.
10. Recording Dealing with Producers
• A Producer will probably work with a project budget.
• They might agree on a flat fee for the entire project.
• Their fees could be much lowered in exchange for a
percentage of sales or publishing rights to the songs they
recorded.
• Make sure you like the Producer and trust their vision.
• Play live for the producer, see what they say about your songs
before the studio session.
11. Recording In the Studio
• Allow enough time to set up.
• A good Engineer will know where to start.
• Every experienced musician has their own preference.
• The amount of time this takes depends on the band and the
number of instruments.
• Talk to the engineer to get an idea of how long it will take.
• Setting up can be taxing.
12. Recording Playback
• Certain nuances come from the musician.
• To make adjustments, listen back to what you’ve recorded.
• Sounds barely noticeable in a live setting stick out on a
recording.
• You will not know they are happening without listening back
every few takes.
• Playback has to be done in real time so however much time
you spend recording, you will also spend time in the control
room listening back.
• This time also need to be factored into your time calculations.
