Being Your Best in the Studio 54 Tips

7/23/2019 Being Your Best in the Studio 54 Tips

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After all, who hasn’t been profoundly affected by recordedmusic? Listening to albums, the radio, and the great records

that have shaped your life’s experiences is likely what made

you pursue music – as a hobby or a career – and this is your

chance to contribute your own songs and recordings to

music’s continuing history. It’s an exciting place to be.

There’s also the rush of the creative process: you and others

contributing your talents to the arrangements; hearing the

project come together layer by layer, track by track; spending

days, weeks, and months building toward a nished product.

And, of course, when it’s completed, what you have stands

a record of your work – quite literally. This recording will

represent your creative activity, the place you and your art

are at this moment in time, the things you were thinking

and writing about, and your abilities as a musician –

forever preserved.

For all these reasons, it makes sense that you come in

mentally and physically prepared to produce the nest

recording you can possibly make. Part of this requires youto assess your own abilities and identify areas where you

might need help. Do you need an experienced producer to

assist with arrangements or background vocal parts? Could

your songwriting benet from an outside collaborator? Have

you worked in a studio setting before – be it a pro studio or

home studio? Would you benet from an experienced hand

in the studio?

It also helps to have a vision for what the nal product is

supposed to be. Is this your rst demo to try to get gigs?

An album you intend to sell to your fans? A project designedto pursue licensing and placement in lms or TV? These

decisions will help determine if you’re better off working

in a project studio or heading into a pro facility – or some

combination of the two. Whatever the scenario, and whatever

the intention for the recording, these 54 tips will help you

prepare, keep you focused, and help you emerge with the

best recording you’re capable of.

Introduction








1 PRE-PRODUCEPre-production can involve a number of things. Primarily,

it involves recording multiple versions of your songs in

rehearsals, studios, and live performances to nail down

tempos and identify parts or melodies that are working or

need help. If you’re working with a producer, this is the time

to hash out arrangements and determine the optimal key of

the songs. If possible, it’s not a bad idea to multi-track songs

in this stage to get a feel for the process and to further

analyze and ne tune parts.

2 REHEARSE

It sounds obvious, but you’d better plan to rehearse more

than you think is necessary. Make sure solos and overdub

ideas are uid, vocals and harmonies are all well established,

and that everyone is comfortable playing and singing their

parts. Spontaneity can be magical in the studio, but that

doesn’t mean your parts should be half-baked. Be completely

prepared, and that will give you the condence to explore

the moment when the red light is on.

3 SHARE YOUR RECORDINGS

WITH THE RECORDING TEAM

Circulate recorded versions of every song you have with the

producers, engineers, and performers before entering the

studio. Spend the weeks and months leading to the studio

date rening and critiquing the parts and the songs. Make

sure everyone is familiar with the material and style of the

band before your studio date.

4 HOW ARE YOU RECORDING?

Are you in a pro studio or working at home? Are you a

full band with a drum kit, horn section, or multiple back-up

singers? Are you recording everything at the same time? Are

you recording drums to a click track? Are you tracking the

drums separately but performing with the drummer to give

the drummer a feel for the songs? Is there a choir or large

ensemble to record? Any and all of these details should be

worked out in advance and prepared for as much as possible.

5 CLICK TRACK

If you are using a click track, whoever is playing to it (usually

the drummer) should be well used to playing along with it

and comfortable with the tones you’ll be using. Sitting in astudio setting, whether project or pro, is NOT the time to

be learning how to groove to a click track. Also, plan for

any sections where the drums aren’t playing and make sure

whoever is playing in those sections is equally comfortable

sounding natural while playing along with a click. If you have

songs where the tempo or time signature changes, gure

out how you’re going to handle that way before the red light

is on. If you’re using a computer or sequencer, prepare all

sequenced material before the session.

6 PREPARE FOR THE DRUM TRACKINGIn most recording sessions, if there’s a drum kit or main

percussion part included in a song, it’ll be the rst part

committed to record. Even if the drums are going to be

recorded rst, you might also be tracking the rhythm tracks,

or playing along with the drummer to keep the arrangement

and feel of the song present. This could involve having the

band, or the primary rhythm instruments, record a rough

track to an audible click, and have the drummer record

while listening to that. It’s a practical solution to giving the

Pre-Production








drummer a tempo, while also providing a guide through the

song and a groove to connect with if the entire band can’t

track with the drummer.

7 BRING YOUR HOMEWORK

If you are bringing your own DAW sessions, bounce all of

your tracks to audio. The studio may not have the sameversion of your software or the same plugins. Also, have

backups of any digital les you’ll need. Bring your hard

drive, but also bring a disc with your les in case your hard

drive crashes. Even better, send your les to the studio via

Dropbox ahead of time.

8 TAKE A MUSICAL SNAPSHOT

Before you hit the studio for a big project like recoding an

album, getting a chance to experience the studio setting

on a smaller scale – and the people who will be involvedin the recording process – can be an invaluable precursor

to recording. Maybe it’s recording one song in one day to

make sure the production/engineering team and the artists

are compatible, or perhaps its a four-hour “live” session to

record all the songs being considered for recording in one

10 HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF MATERIAL

If you are preparing for an album or an EP, you should

have two to three times the number of tracks you expect

to include on the record. That means having 20-30 songs

written, rehearsed, and ready if you intend to release a

10-12 song album. A 4-6 song EP should start with 8-10

songs ready to go. You might be surprised which tracksrise to the top as the best of the bunch.

11 START FRESH

New drum heads, strings, reeds, and batteries are highly

recommended. And have back-ups on hand. You’ll sound

better on record, and nothing dampens the vibe like being

on a midnight roll only to be stopped in your tracks

because your string broke and battery died.

12 START IN TUNE!Tune the drums and all stringed instruments before you ente

the studio space. It’s always best to have your instruments

checked for intonation as well. There’s nothing like a good

recording to shine the light on buzzes and intonation issues.

shot. The latter can help the producer and engineer get a feel

for how the band plays and provide a breadth of material to

choose from. The former can help expose any incompatible

personalities or problems before you launch into what can be

a long and intimate process.

9 MEET THE PEOPLE AT THE STUDIO

Meet the engineers, and make sure whoever is producing

the recording is a good t.

13

GEEK OUTMake sure the studio has the equipment you’re going need

and the capacity to record the way you want to. In particular,

be sure their microphone selection is suitable for your needs

14 KNOW THE RATES AND THE FINE PRINT

Make sure there are no mysteries about what you’re planning

to do, how long you expect to be in the studio, what the

Pre-Production








rates are, and how the studio assesses any extra time or

additional requirements you need. Typically, a studio wil l

work with you ahead of time to make sure there aren’t any

surprises and to make sure they can accommodate your

project. Just be sure it’s all worked out in advance so it’s

not a topic that arises in the middle of your recording.

15 BUDGET EXTRA TIME AND MONEYWhatever the expected costs and projected timelines,

always build in an additional 10-20% for both. It’s way better

to nish ahead of time and under budget than the opposite,

and it almost always takes longer than you expect.

16 COME UP WITH A WORKING BUDGET

Based on your estimations of how many CDs and downloads

you can sell (based in part on past record sales, the number

of gigs you play, and calculations for how many CDs you thinkyou can sell per show), you can determine the amount per

CD/sale you can expect, how much you’ll earn, and what

you’ll ultimately want to keep as prot. This exercise can help

you determine the budget you’ll have to spend on the studio,

design, and CD replication.

17 COME UP WITH A WORKING BUDGET,

VERSION 2

Another method of meeting your budget requirements is

to determine exactly what you want to produce, what the

studio time is going to cost, what you’ll be spending on

replication and CD production, and come up with a grand

total. Then, seek out a means (sponsorship, patron grants,

crowdfunding) to meet your estimated costs. Again, always

budget for more time and money than you think you’ll need.

18 TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

It’s easy to get swept into the excesses of sleep deprivation

and “mood enhancers” when in a creative environment, but

make sure you’re putting your project and the recording

process rst. Eat healthy, stay clean, get restful sleep, and take

breaks to keep your mind sharp and your ability to perform

at its highest level.

19 WATCH FOR FATIGUE

Be conscious of how long you’re exposing your ears to

loud playback and room volume in the course of a long day

in the studio, and make sure you’re not pushing yourself

to the point of physical fatigue to the detriment of your

performance. Sometimes it’s better to take a break or call

it a day than waste time and energy trying to nail that one

last take.

20 TAKE THE TIME TO CREATE A

RELAXED ATMOSPHERE

Whatever you can do to make the performance space

conducive to creativity and a relaxed working environment,

do it.

21 GET THE HEADPHONE MIX RIGHT

Every performer is going to want a different mix in his/her

headphones, and it could be different for different parts

or songs. Taking the time to get those levels right will save

time later on and help provide an atmosphere to support

optimal performances.

22 AGREE ON HOW TO HANDLE MISTAKES

IN THE TAKE

Depending on the instrument, where the take ts in the

arrangement (rhythm part, solo, etc.) and the length or

difculty of the part, the recording team may prefer that you

play or sing through an entire part rather than stop and start

In the Studi o








over every time you produce something other than a awless

performance. Agree from the beginning how it’s going to be

handled. Oftentimes, the same part will be recorded multiple

times, and a composite of the best sections will make up the

nished track. You’re better off in those situations getting

through the entire solo or chorus, even if there’s a ub, as

that bad note may be perfect on another take and there

could be plenty to use from the take.

23 GET THE BEST TONE RECORDED FROM

THE START

While there are effects and gear that can produce all kinds

of magic in the mixing stage, nothing will save bad tone,

excessive effects, or poorly recorded sounds. Get the best

possible – and usually the cleanest possible – sounds on

tape in the primary recording stage.

24 THIS AIN’T NO PARTY...

Decide ahead of time who you want at the recording, and

who you don’t. It’s always an exciting process to record, and

you might want to share it with your friends and signicant

others, but too many people inside the studio can be a

disaster. It’s a surere way to invite distractions, tension, and

unwelcome opinions. A good rule of thumb is to severely

limit the number of guests in the studio during the recording

process, or perhaps choose one day where you let a few

extra folks in to join the experience.

25 BACK EVERYTHING UP – ALWAYS

There’s nothing worse than losing days and hours’ worth

of recorded material. Always back up your work.

26 STAY IN TUNE

Constantly check your tuning.

27 BE ENTHUSIASTICEven when providing criticism on a take or working through

a difcult part with a band mate or session player, keep the

tone enthusiastic and encouraging. Nothing kills a creative

vibe like someone being hyper-critical, uptight, insensitive,

or using language that doesn’t promote an encouraging

atmosphere. Be conscious of what you say – especially when

being critical of a take – and how you take things others say

in the recording environment.

28 TRUST THE PRODUCER

If you’re in a professional studio, especially if you’re not

a studio veteran, trust the instincts and direction of your

producer and engineer. Tones might sound different than you

expect on playback, processes might be different than you

expect, parts may be added or arranged differently. Try to

give up some of your expectations of how things have tobe and trust that the professionals in the studio have good

reasons for doing what they’re doing.

29 EXPERIMENT WITH MIC PLACEMENTS

In your quest to get the best tone, experiment with micro-

phones and microphone placement before you record a take.

That also goes for where you place the sound source in

the room. Reections off walls, depending on the acoustic

integrity of the room, can be benecial or detrimental to

your tone. Sometimes you want to capture that resonance,sometimes you want to place your microphone right up to

the sound source and eliminate the room sound as much as

possible. Take the time, and plan the time, to experiment and

get the tones right before you hit record.

30 TAKE PICTURES

You never know when you might need to re-record a part

or want to replicate the sound of a particular mic placement.

In the Studi o








Take pictures once the mics are set and you’re ready to

record so you have a reference if you need to re-create mic

placements at a later time.

31 KEEP IT SIMPLE

It’s easy to get enamored with the endless possibilities of

digital recording. With a virtually limitless number of tracksat your disposal, you can get carried away trying to use eight

mic placements on a single instrument or adding more and

more layers to the arrangement. Be creative, but be aware

that complicating the raw tracks can make a serious mess of

your recording when it comes to the mixing stage. More is

very often not better. Get your best ideas recorded simply

and cleanly and focus on performing your best.

32 HAVE A REFERENCE

Have recorded examples on hand of tones and artists you’dlike to emulate in regard to the sound of your recording.

Of course, major artists with major budgets can afford more

than you’re likely to, so remember it’s always a matter of

relativity. But having an idea of how you want the instruments

on your record to sound will give the recording team an idea

of how to proceed. If you’re working in a home or project

studio, remember to experiment and learn as much as you

can about different recording techniques. Knowing how

to properly mic a drum kit or an acoustic guitar, and what

changes in proximity and the angle of a microphone might

produce, are just a small part of what it takes to record thesounds you have in mind.

33 CONSIDER RE-AMPING

The basic idea with re-amping is to take a recorded track,

send the signal to studio monitors or an amplier, set up

a mic, and record the “re-amped” track. There are lots of

possible applications for re-amping, including adding

ambiance, “amp swapping,” and pure experimentation.

34 KEEP COMPRESSION TO A MINIMUMYou don’t know precisely how a track is going to t or what

exact tonal requirements will be needed at the time of the

mix when you’re recording. Remember that the decisions

you make at the recording stage are going to remain with

that track for eternity. If you over-compress or over-equalize ,

you’re going to be stuck with it, so keep it to a minimum.

Sometimes it’s necessary or desirable to add these effects

at the recording stage, but make a concerted effort not to

overdo it.

35 AVOID PHASE CANCELLATION

When using multiple microphones on a single sound source,

a good rule of thumb is to keep the second mic three times(or more) the distance from the sound source as the

other mic.

36 MAKE A CHECKLIST

You’ll need a number of things in the studio to help the

recording process. Make your own checklist based on your

specic situation and past experience, but here’s a good start

• EXTRA BATTERIES for everything, including stomp boxes,tuners, condenser microphones, active pickups, and

anything else.

• EXTRA STRINGS for every stringed instrument inthe room.

• EXTRA DRUM HEADS. Specically stock extra snareand bass drum heads.

• MOVING BLANKETS. Moving blankets – or any heavyblanket – can be used these to isolate microphonesand cover reective surfaces to change the acousticswithin a room.

• SPRING CLAMPS. These come in handy for holding loose

cables and to clip blankets to mic stands and tables.

• EXTRA TUNING KEYS. Tuning keys always get lost.Purchase a few of these to keep on your key chain.

• DRUM DAMPENER. MoonGel, O-rings, and gaffer tapeare all useful for reducing the ring and decay of a drum.

• MEASURING TAPE. Helpful for precision mic placement.

• GAFFER TAPE. Better than duct tape in the studiobecause it doesn’t leave a sticky residue.

• PILLOWS/ACOUSTIC FOAM. Stufng a bass drum canreduce resonance and bring out more attack.

• CAMERA. Taking pictures of mic placements can savetime if there’s ever a need to re-track or recreatea sound.

In the Studi o








37 KEEP USING YOUR REFERENCE MATERIALDURING THE MIX

Return to the sounds and tones of other recordings to guide

you. Comparing your tones to the reference material in the

same environment (speakers, room, etc.) you’re mixing in will

help keep things on track.

38 LET THE ENGINEER DO HIS JOB

If you’re in a pro studio, have clear parameters as to when

you’re expected to be part of the mixing process. Sometimes

it’s best for the band to be completely absent from the pro-

cess until there are rough or nearly-nished mixes to hear.

Mixing is a progressive and evolving process. Having anxious

band members around critiquing every turn of the knob is

not conducive to getting work done well or efciently.

39 KNOW YOUR CONSOLE

If you are doing the mix yourself, be thoroughly aware of

how to use buses and groups to aid your efciency and

mastery of the process.

40 RELAX ON THE EQ AND EFFECTS

The best engineers and producers know how to apply effects

and EQ – and which to use when. One dead giveaway that a

project is not professional is overuse of effects.

41 KNOW WHEN TO SCRATCH YOUR MIX

AND START OVER

It’s not uncommon to lose perspective in the midst of a mix,

and sometimes the best remedy is to pull all the faders down

and just start over.

42 LISTEN TO YOUR AUDIO MIX IN

MULTIPLE LISTENING ENVIRONMENTS

CRITIQUE THE SOUND OF YOU MIX:

• In your studio

• On laptop speakers

• In earbud headphones

• In consumer headphones

• In your car

• On a boom box

• On a component stereo system

• Wherever else you can think of

43 MIX MOSTLY AT LOW TO

MODERATE VOLUME

Do the bulk of your work at a moderate volume – remember,

majority of listeners will not have your music at concert

volume on their home system or portable device. Crank it

up every once in a while to give yourself another perspective.

It’s a lot of fun to rattle the windows with your recording

every once in a while, but don’t get carried away with volume

in the course of the mixing process.

Mix Dow n








44 RECOGNIZE AND AVOID EAR FATIGUE

You probably won’t get a physical sensation in your ears

when fatigue starts to set in. Ear fatigue is more of an

inability to discern particular sounds, especially in the mid-

range. Everything starts to blend together, and it becomes

difcult to determine whether something is sitting correctly

in the mix. The best way to avoid this situation boils downto your having an understanding of what the signs are for

you, and controlling what you do before, during, and after a

mixing session. Taking breaks and mixing at moderate

volume are both key to avoiding this issue.

45 TAKE FIVE

Taking frequent breaks is the easiest way to minimize the

likelihood of getting fatigued. There’s no hard and fast rule,

and you will nd that some days you can roll for hours with

no ill effects, while other days you’re questioning what you’re

hearing two hours into the mix. A rule of thumb is to take a

15-minute break every two hours. Get up from the console,

grab a cup of coffee, get a bite to eat – just make yourself

leave the control room and give your ears a rest.

46 WALK AWAY

Sometimes, putting a little distance between you and your

project-in-progress is the best thing you can do. Taking a day

or more away from your mix can give you an entirely new

perspective on the sounds and songs you spent so much

time recording.

47 SIT ON THE MIX

Once you’ve got your nal mix on CD, spend a good week

or more with it. Play it again in all the different listening

environments. Take notes, compare tones, and compi le a list

of changes. Don’t get carried away with xes and changes,

unless you discover a problem in the mix.

48 REALLY SIT ON THE MIX

You might nd that initial “problems” you had with the mix

dissipate over time. Take a few days or a week off of listening

to your mix entirely, and give it one nal listen before you

provide the producer and engineer with your feedback.

49 PREPARE FOR MASTERINGMastering your project shouldn’t be regarded as an optional

extra step. Mastering can add dynamics to a relatively at

mix, increase the relative volume of your program and make

it consistent throughout, and balance the EQ of your mix.

50 FIND SOMEONE TO MASTER

YOUR PROJECT

It’s a good idea to have someone else master your album.

Getting a professional to assess and adjust your mix in

an environment specically designed to improve your

mix’s sound is worth the investment. If you need help

with mastering, Oasis offers direct access to multi-

platinum Frankford Wayne® mastering at a decidedly

down-home price.

51 KNOW WHAT KIND OF MASTER YOU

WILL PROVIDE

Digital masters are the most common these days whenmanufacturing CDs. Oasis Disc Manufacturing accepts

CD-Rs, individual audio les (WAV, AIFF, etc.), and DATs.

Call us at 1-888-296-2747 to get more information, or go

to the Oasis website to read more and download forms.

52 GET ALL YOUR MATERIALS PREPARED

Get your text, credits, graphics and everything you want

included in your package together while you’re recording.

Here’s what we need to get started on your project:

• YOUR MASTER. Make sure your master sounds andfunctions exactly the way you want it to beforesending it to us.

• YOUR PACKAGE DESIGN. We offer downloadable design templates available for Mac and PC.

After the Mi x



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Oasis DesignWorks™ is always available to create

the perfect design to match your album. Go to the

DesignWorks website and download our Design

Information Form.

• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Form. This formlets us know you own the rights to reproduce theproduct you’re ordering.

53 PROOF EVERYTHING

Take the same time, care, and effort to prep and proof

your CD materials as you did when you were recording.

You’ve spent a lot of time and money getting your project

this far, don’t let a typo or any imperfection creep in to your

project at this stage. Have multiple people, including folks

outside of your creative team, proof your package beforegiving approval.

After the Mix



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