Studio Tips - Things you should know before you even start to record.

[bassistkenny]

Hey everyone, I'm new here, but I wanted to share some tips and tricks that I've come up with over the years. You know those "aha" moments when you realize you were doing it the hard way and could have saved time and energy doing it a new way?

I have some tips below here goes.

Before the studio - With a little preparation before you go into the studio you can cut down on time, anxiety and stress and in the end you have a better product for following these tips because the better you play on the recording, the better it will sound. Most of this is said to be “subjective” but if you pour everything you have into this, you should give it all you have. We want to squeeze every percent we can.

Completion Chart - You can use a dry erase board or bristle board with each instruments heading and track number. You can have dates to keep yourselves on track. Deadlines always make a project progress better than having no deadline at all. As tracking is completed, fill in each box accordingly until that box (for example: bass guitar) can completely filled in.

Know your material - You may laugh, but I’ve seen many people go into the studio not knowing their material well enough to record. What I mean by knowing your part is that you should be able to play your part alone, just you, with a click and be able to play flawlessly. If you don’t think you can do that then you are not ready for recording.

Practice with a click - Your group should be able to practice with a click and bet able to keep in sync with it. You will be tracking with one anyway, so you might as well get accustomed to it.

Record your practices - This allows you to hear yourself and the band and provides the opportunity to re-work parts of the songs that only after hearing it from another perspective can you tell that something might needs a little work. Doing this before you go in the studio will save you from wasting time.


Anyway, those are some of my tips. I have more information on my website, but the above information will make a world of difference on your current or upcoming recording project. If you have questions or comments, let me know, I'm always looking for ideas and ways to improve what I do. Glad to join the community!

 

[jimmys69]

Hey everyone, I'm new here, but I wanted to share some tips and tricks that I've come up with over the years. You know those "aha" moments when you realize you were doing it the hard way and could have saved time and energy doing it a new way?

I have some tips below here goes.

Before the studio - With a little preparation before you go into the studio you can cut down on time, anxiety and stress and in the end you have a better product for following these tips because the better you play on the recording, the better it will sound. Most of this is said to be “subjective” but if you pour everything you have into this, you should give it all you have. We want to squeeze every percent we can.

Completion Chart - You can use a dry erase board or bristle board with each instruments heading and track number. You can have dates to keep yourselves on track. Deadlines always make a project progress better than having no deadline at all. As tracking is completed, fill in each box accordingly until that box (for example: bass guitar) can completely filled in.

Know your material - You may laugh, but I’ve seen many people go into the studio not knowing their material well enough to record. What I mean by knowing your part is that you should be able to play your part alone, just you, with a click and be able to play flawlessly. If you don’t think you can do that then you are not ready for recording.

Practice with a click - Your group should be able to practice with a click and bet able to keep in sync with it. You will be tracking with one anyway, so you might as well get accustomed to it.

Record your practices - This allows you to hear yourself and the band and provides the opportunity to re-work parts of the songs that only after hearing it from another perspective can you tell that something might needs a little work. Doing this before you go in the studio will save you from wasting time.


Anyway, those are some of my tips. I have more information on my website, but the above information will make a world of difference on your current or upcoming recording project. If you have questions or comments, let me know, I'm always looking for ideas and ways to improve what I do. Glad to join the community!

Good advice, but you do know what the premise of this site is right?

Not about getting ready for recording at some other doods studio.

First posts with hint of direction to a website makes me wonder...

Most of us here are here because we truly give a s**t. Tread carefully Kenny.

 

[c7sus]

Never bring your wife or girlfriend to the studio, unless she is bringing your stash with her.

Never have your wife at the studio at the same time your girlfriend is at the studio.*

*Unless they both have your stash.

Don't steal mics from the studio to get more stash.

Turn off your phone, unless that is your main instrument.

 

[Track Rat]

Turn off your phone, unless that is your main instrument.

Or if you're waiting for a call from the kind bud man.

 

[Track Rat]

Bless your heart Kenny. I assume you want to be helpful but I don't do any of that crap except maybe record practices. If I put up a dry erase board people would start throwing shit at me. And some of the BEST takes I've ever got were when Nobody really knew the tune and we were "winging it".
The secret to getting good takes is making sure the vibe is good and NO pressure.

 

[Steenamaroo]

There's a bit of a Monica/Hitler vibe going on here.

 

[Seafroggys]

Never have your wife at the studio at the same time your girlfriend is at the studio.*

Best advice ever. Reminds me of many times I played the Sims, I usually ended up in scenarios like this!

 

[grimtraveller]

Bless your heart Kenny. I assume you want to be helpful but I don't do any of that crap except maybe record practices. If I put up a dry erase board people would start throwing shit at me. And some of the BEST takes I've ever got were when Nobody really knew the tune and we were "winging it".
The secret to getting good takes is making sure the vibe is good and NO pressure.

I don't do any of that stuff either. Sometimes, I've forgotten the part I'm playing and done a little doodle to clear my mind and on playback, it's turned out to be a really good part ! Something I wouldn't have thought of.
I think Kenny means well and some of what he said may well turn out to be useful to someone......but many of us here are long in the tooth and have evolved our way of working over a long time and no matter how chaotic or unnecessarily lengthy it may seem, we're happy with it.

There's a bit of a Monica/Hitler vibe going on here.

Explain my good man, explain.

 

[bassistkenny]

Haha same with me! I always just hit record the first time through, because sometimes I get it right the first time 'winging it'. Other times not so much. Mainly I get material that I've never heard before so unless I know it well it's not usually my first take because I"m writing the part as I go. I don't like the pressure either

 

[bassistkenny]

Jimmys69 I'm not new to how forum work. The premise of this site is about home recording. I record in other peoples homes too and the tips above are ones that I use weather I record in my home, with a friend or at Orange Lounge, Jukasa or any other professional studio. The tips are to help everyone regardless of skill level or where they record to reduce stress levels and encourage them to see progress. I spent months writing it out those tips and they were developed over many years.

I didn't post any urls because I wanted to keep the reading here instead of directing it to another site.

No need to be offended. Peace man.

 

[grimtraveller]

I don't think Jimmy was offended. He just knows the mix of characters here and how certain punters are likely to react !

 

[jimmys69]

Jimmys69 I'm not new to how forum work. The premise of this site is about home recording. I record in other peoples homes too and the tips above are ones that I use weather I record in my home, with a friend or at Orange Lounge, Jukasa or any other professional studio. The tips are to help everyone regardless of skill level or where they record to reduce stress levels and encourage them to see progress. I spent months writing it out those tips and they were developed over many years.

I didn't post any urls because I wanted to keep the reading here instead of directing it to another site.

No need to be offended. Peace man.

No offense taken or even thought of. It was only in the way you presented the info that triggered my 'spam alert'. I was just waiting for you to post a link to the website you mentioned.

And to you, no offense. We get a bunch of 'here is my' and 'I will sell you this' stuff here. Members that wish to be a part of and participate in this community just post any services they offer in their signature line. We are not allowed nor do we want to hear advertisements for services in posts.

Welcome Kenny.