1. Planning is the key
Doesn’t it feel so
good when things just go the way they should? Ok, 9 times out of 10 this
doesn’t happen after your foot has crossed the front door of the studio.
Planning could be the most boring part of a musician’s day but it’s still part
of the job. It’s basically getting ready for whatever life is going to throw at
you.
No matter if you’re
headlining Coachella or if you’ve just stepped out of your
garage-rehearsal-room, deciding to spend time (and money) in recording your
music means committing to something that needs focus and preparation. So get
your gear packed and ready: change your old guitar strings, replace your
loose drum heads and bring enough picks and sticks as you may need. It sounds
stupid, but it’s easy to get itchy in the studio environment and these are some
of the first causes you can easily avoid.
Further planning
involves, especially in smaller productions, the recording of so-called “guide
tracks”. It basically means getting together, way before the session, with a
cheap audio interface and recording to click a very simple version of the song:
maybe just the guitar part and the vocals. The first of the band chosen to step
“behind the glass” will feel less alone and will have something to play along
with (I’m afraid it’s always drums first!).
Last but not least
part of the planning is dealing with the infamous “click track” [dramatic
background music]. Musicians either love it or hate it: even though no one
has actually ever loved it, it’s still an essential part of the modern recording
workflow. So you'd better practice on your own, get used to it and figure out a
way of seeing it as a “friend” who’s there to give a rock solid structure to
your song.
2. Yes, every knob
does something
The first person who’s
going to welcome you to this magic world is this weird bearded guy we talked
about before. He’s probably going to speak in a strange technical language
using words like “ribbon microphone”, “phase”, “compression”, “overdubs” or
things like that. You simply have to smile and nod, pretending you perfectly
understand what he’s talking about. Never (NEVER) get into deep philosophical
conversations about the shiny boxes around you, unless you’re a bit of an audio
nerd too.
Just make him
understand you’ve got all of your gear set and ready to go (see point 1), you
know what you’re doing and don’t ask too many questions each time he presses a
button. Wouldn’t it be annoying if each time you played a chord someone asked
you why you did it? Engineering is a creative job too, just like playing: many
choices are technical yet artistic, so give this person the time to try
different things, maybe slightly change your guitar tone or move a microphone
an inch away from your cabinet.
Sometimes you’ll think
he’s just a crazy bearded guy, but he can really surprise you if you leave him
the right “creative space”. Sit back and focus on playing your instrument,
he’ll figure the rest out. And if he keeps asking for another take, maybe you
should ask yourself who’s doing something wrong.
It’s always useful to
bring with you some reference songs or demos that might have
something in common with your music. Yes, of course: the sound you’re looking
for is unique and it has never been heard before in the history of recorded
music, so the only reference is your own infinite and mind-blowing musical
inspiration. That’s for sure, but don’t forget there are always some technical
choices (even the most casual ones) behind certain results: even the slightest
reference can help the sound-guy figure out what you have in mind.
3. Recording studios
ain’t no party house (or are they?)
In your
garage-rehearsal-room you can hang around whenever you like, invite as many
friends as you want and take as many beer-and-cigarette breaks as you desire.
But remember you’re now in a professional recording environment and you’re
buying someone else’s time to get the best out of it.
I know, it’s hard to
imagine someone like Keith Richards without a bottle of
whiskey next to him, quietly strumming his guitar in a corner of the studio. A
lot of the greatest musicians are extravagant artists who don’t easily settle
with the studio “etiquette”. It’s just a matter of finding the right balance:
being in a highly creative moment, it’s important for you to make yourself comfortable
and confident with what’s happening around you. If this means inviting over a
couple of friends and opening a couple of beers, that’s fine! (I’m sure the
weird bearded guy won’t mind). But don’t lose your focus: delivering your best
performance.
Studio sessions can
get very long and there are a couple of crucial moments in which you just need
to get your head (and ears) out of there for a few minutes. Not every guitar
riff is good at first take and you have to be prepared do things over and over
again. Don’t worry, you’ll have time to take long coffee breaks while the
engineer is doing “engineer’s stuff”. Creating a relaxed and positive-minded
environment in the studio can make you play notes you didn’t even know how to
play (see point 5) and give a real boost to your creativity.
4. Budget matters but
isn’t the key
Money is always a
delicate subject, especially when you’re talking about music. That’s why every
artist should keep in mind that YES, recording is a business but NO, that weird
bearded guy isn’t like any other office worker. He won’t automatically
understand all of your needs, just like you won’t understand all of his.
If you can plan
beforehand the workflow with someone who really knows what you’re looking for,
you’ll realize that your pocket money has been well spent. There’s no use in
hiring the top hip-hop producer on the planet if you’re a jazz band. Maybe the
person you really need lives just down the street and you never knew it. But
how can you be sure that your commitment is worth the budget?
We’ve been asking
ourselves the same thing, and this is why Bantamu was born.
It’s a useful free online matchmaking platform that connects artists with the
perfect professionals they’re looking for, whether it’s a producer, a recording,
a mixing or a mastering engineer. No matter where you are and what you do,
we’ll find the perfect bearded guy that suits you best. Why don’t
you start a project yourself? It
could be up and running in a blink of an eye.
Things can work out
differently from what you’ve scheduled: this requires a certain flexibility in
terms of artistry and time. If you find the right pro sitting behind the desk,
not only he’ll add his personal “boost” to your sound, but, if it’s needed,
he’ll maybe also stop for a few extra hours after the sessions. Recording to
tape (or ProTools) the sound you’ve got in mind is the key, so choose wisely
the guy who’s going to be in charge of doing it.
5. And, yes. You actually have to know how to play an
instrument!
Don’t forget the most
important part of all: your performance. There’s no need for a rockstar
sex-drugs-and-rocknroll attitude if you’re not good at playing your instrument.
Don’t get me wrong, extreme technical abilities don’t necessarily lead to good
performances. It’s more about having clear ideas of what needs to be played in
a certain part of the song. All those shiny boxes in the control room can make
your snare drum sound just like that record you’ve always listened to; but
that’s pretty useless if the drummer can’t play it in time with the rest.
Trust me, an engineer
can instantly tell if a band has rehearsed a song well enough or if one of the
musicians is playing it for the first time. Modern recordings are
usually built through overdubs, so every instrument has to be recorded on
its own. At first sight this could sound more challenging, but it’s actually
easier than recording the whole band playing live.
It’s easy to play together
when you’re in your packed garage-rehearsal-room, with drums covering
everything and giant amps blowing your ears off. But you’re now in an acoustic
treated room and your instrument can be heard loud and clear the way it should.
It’s just a matter of confidence with your sound, and the easiest way to
overcome so is to arrive in the studio with enough preparation. Practice,
practice, practice! Forget about all the tech stuff, someone else will take
care of that. Make sure you know the song and play it like you were in front of
the biggest crowd ever.
Be_Inspired!!!
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