Lip sync video of pre-recorded music advice and new post 10-14-21 pg 3!

I do this all the time. I Personally worry about the quality of the recording first & THEN I put it to video. Your music SHOULD come first IMO. I record on a TASCAM DP24 at home. So I can take my jolly sweet time. Even when I cut tracks in the studio, I don't necessarily want to worry about filming on STUDIO time. I'm there to cut a track, or at least a vocal. If you MUST have the camera there, just let it run if you restart your track if you make a mistake. Don't mess with the camera. You can edit later. I think you should let cameras run, so you get the studio shots you want.

Once my track is done, I will worry about VIDEO. I go back & video shots of me playing guitar, or piano, or singing. I sing or play exactly as I do on the final track with all the nuances as best I can. play the track through my computer, sometimes connected to a Blue tooth speaker, sometimes not. Now I've got 2 camera angles, because my iPhone is one angle & my SONY AX53 is another...( I would suggest you run 2 ways to capture video for diversity. Use your phone too) So I'll sing to the track, play guitar, or piano...I can edit later. I get plently of takes, so I can weed through it & find what I need.

The beauty of movies & videos is it is a false sense of reality. It is all smoke & mirrors...

I just posted my first video here.

Hi Steve!

Very nice of you to give such first hand advice to an unknown amateur like me! I just went to YouTube and listened to your songs, "First Love, Last Love", and, "Cry Of The Young", and you're phenomenal! I just looked at your Tascam and it's quite a piece of technology way over my head! It's amazing how you are so professional from so many angles to create your masterpiece videos! I can hardly believe what you can do with an iPhone! Also your Sony AX53 I looked up and looks like an amazing camera, and great results you've achieved with it. Besides all the huge leaps in talent to create your fine videos and recording technology, top vocals, instrumentation, all! Do you hire some vocalists to sing some of the accompanying background? I have a Zoom Q8. I'll have to change batteries at one point as a battery when recording audio and video runs down in about an hour. I have an extra battery, so at least I can record most of the time. Studio time is $50 an hour. The engineer said it was okay to run my camera. I need to feel "ready" and some set-backs but will schedule soon. I look forward to listening to more of your songs, from a troubadour extraordinaire!

Top of the Evening!
Winfred
 
I have a Zoom H5 and two Zoom Q2HD cameras. I'm quite sure all of them can be powered through the USB mini connectors. I use old phone chargers I scrounge at thrift stores for this kind of thing (mostly for charging or powering my GoPros). When wall power isn't convenient I use portable booster batteries, of the type used for cell phones, to extend the running time of USB powered GoPros and Sony Handycams.

Some cameras will "see" some USB power sources as a computer and go into file transfer mode. If you start the camera recording first then connect the power, they don't do that.
 
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Hi Steve!

Very nice of you to give such first hand advice to an unknown amateur like me! I just went to YouTube and listened to your songs, "First Love, Last Love", and, "Cry Of The Young", and you're phenomenal! I just looked at your Tascam and it's quite a piece of technology way over my head! It's amazing how you are so professional from so many angles to create your masterpiece videos! I can hardly believe what you can do with an iPhone! Also your Sony AX53 I looked up and looks like an amazing camera, and great results you've achieved with it. Besides all the huge leaps in talent to create your fine videos and recording technology, top vocals, instrumentation, all! Do you hire some vocalists to sing some of the accompanying background? I have a Zoom Q8. I'll have to change batteries at one point as a battery when recording audio and video runs down in about an hour. I have an extra battery, so at least I can record most of the time. Studio time is $50 an hour. The engineer said it was okay to run my camera. I need to feel "ready" and some set-backs but will schedule soon. I look forward to listening to more of your songs, from a troubadour extraordinaire!

Top of the Evening!
Winfred

I appreciate the comments. "First Love, Last Love" was my first video ever. The TASCAM for me is better than a DAW as I have actual faders. The female BGV's is a session siger in Nashville. On "First Love, Last Love" I used Nashville Players, on "Cry of the Young", it's all me on the TASCAM DP24. I learned the hard way to hire the right people when I need em...

Keep at it, & one day you look up & realize you can do this...Good luck with your session
 
I believe that when you set it to MOV, you do get the sound, but it's embedded in the video. When you have it set to MOV/WAV it keeps the audio separaste from the video. In anycase, for this exercise, you should not rely on the battery. Does the unit not come with a power supply?

Hi gecko zzed!

SORRY AS I THOUGHT I POSTED THIS AND SEEMS I DIDN'T CLICK TO POST IT Very nice of you to respond! It only operates by battery, I think. I don't know where the little manual is right now as I type this, but because of it I think the reason I purchased an extra $35 battery was because they run down so quickly and do not plug into like an AC power pack. If I leave it on I think the battery lasts about one hour if I leave it on all the time. I'd have to change the battery once so I'll have the charger along. They charge slowly so maybe it would charge the battery 1/2 way, so I'd get half an hour out of it... so 2 1/2 hrs and recording my song that's a max of 3 min 26 sec. I've had some set-backs here and haven't scheduled yet. I also decided to have all new strings and give it a couple of days for the strings to stretch. It seems kind of humorous but I have an unpredictable problem of phlegm around my vocal cords that's bad sometime. I read an article that seemed convincing that if you moisten your vocal cords the problem will go away. The article linked to purchasing a "nebulizer" or portable battery operated device that you can attach either a mask to it that covers the nose and mouth, or a nozzle you stick in your mouth and breath in a mist of sterile saline solution. The nebulizer came from Amazon with the factory seal popped up from the glossy type of box it came in and dust and a piece of hair stuck to it, and the lid where you pour the saline solution in had finger prints. They were nice about it and are refunding me, only now I need to find a good nebulizer that's portable. I can't afford to get into the session at $50 an hour and have phlegm problems, so I won't go without bringing a nebulizer. I also bought a box of 100 sterile saline solution vials. It's all not cheap and came to $94 with shipping. So the next nebulizer I'm going to get at the same about $45 price. I think later today I will ride as a practice run to the studio just to see how long it takes me by bike.

Top of the Evening!
Winfred
 
I have a Zoom H5 and two Zoom Q2HD cameras. I'm quite sure all of them can be powered through the USB mini connectors. I use old phone chargers I scrounge at thrift stores for this kind of thing (mostly for charging or powering my GoPros). When wall power isn't convenient I use portable booster batteries, of the type used for cell phones, to extend the running time of USB powered GoPros and Sony Handycams.

Some cameras will "see" some USB power sources as a computer and go into file transfer mode. If you start the camera recording first then connect the power, they don't do that.


Hi Bouldersoundguy!

If you or anyone here don't have time for this I understand. Thanks again for your patience Bouldersoundguy and your advice with other hurdles I've had too! When I'm in that studio I won't be near a computer to use USB power. I have a Zoom LBC-1 battery charger

Amazon.com: Zoom LBC-1 Li-Ion Battery Charger, Charges the Zoom BT-02 and BT-03 Batteries: Musical Instruments

With a 3 ft cable it connects to a Zoom AC Adapter AD-17A/D Input:100-240V-50/60Hz Max 0.3A Output: 5V 1.0A

Amazon.com: Zoom AD-17 AC Adapter, 5V USB AC Power Adapter Designed for Use with F1, F6, H1, H1n, H2n, H5, H6, L8, R8, Q2n, Q2n-4k, Q4n, Q8, U-22, U-24, and U-44: Musical Instruments

Also when I bought the Zoom Q8 I bought an extra Zoom BT-03 re-chargeable battery.

Amazon.com: Zoom BT-03 Rechargable Lithium-Ion Battery for Q8: Musical Instruments

This is where I'll be Home Click on "Studio B" and I'll be in a big room with a stool and mic in the middle of the room, however I have to ask for a chair and use my portable foot stool of the kind classical guitarists use.

With my non-plug-in classical guitar I follow the rule not to use a strap. The studio will have to have a second mic for my guitar.

The studio is a 25 mile bike ride each way. I did a practice ride to the studio yesterday, Sunday, to time myself. I carried (about 20lbs) of food, water (all fountains closed with CoVid19), and extra things for weather changes in one side bag. At my rate, and with a lighter load, it was 3 1/2 hrs one way! I rode a risky busy avenue that cuts across the grid but might try a second trial run (I don't own a car) and take the Google Map longer route via bike paths. It's longer yet rated less time.

Do you or anyone here have suggestions? I suppose I could do some trick with the AD-17A/D AC Adapter by bringing an extension cord and plugging it into that to reach my camera. I see now on the back of my camera is a plug-in "5V" a lightening bolt symbol and "CGH" which I recall is the ability to charge the battery in the camera. I bought the LBC-1 battery charger so I could run the camera while I charge the battery. I suppose if I plug the AD-17A/D AC adapter into the extension cord, then with the cable plug it into the 5V port it will then run the camera off the 120v power, right? If I can that's great as I wouldn't have to worry about having to change my battery and have constant power indefinitely! My cover song averages at 3min 26sec but not sure how many takes or how long it takes in the studio and two engineers kind of evading giving me an estimate cost, just the $50 an hour rate. I hope it doesn't take 3 hrs.

I also for this have to order a nebulizer. I've read musicians who have problems with phlegm around the vocal cords, a real problem of mine... the real way to moisturize the vocal cords that are actually in the wind pipe is either with a steamer or a nebulizer. I'll get there early and use the nebulizer before I sing as I really can't afford to get there and have the phlegm problem. Thanks for any input. I am grateful for your help!

Carpe Diem!
Winfred
 
Hi Steve!

Was fun to actually see and hear your music performance! I thought those mountains were in some exotic location in Spain or Portugal ha! The mountains I realize are arid around the LA area. You are a very professional and talented artist and videographer/sound engineer!

Top of the Day!
Winfred
 
I have a Zoom H5 and two Zoom Q2HD cameras. I'm quite sure all of them can be powered through the USB mini connectors. I use old phone chargers I scrounge at thrift stores for this kind of thing (mostly for charging or powering my GoPros). When wall power isn't convenient I use portable booster batteries, of the type used for cell phones, to extend the running time of USB powered GoPros and Sony Handycams.

Some cameras will "see" some USB power sources as a computer and go into file transfer mode. If you start the camera recording first then connect the power, they don't do that.

Hi Steve!

Was fun to actually see and hear your music performance! I thought those mountains were in some exotic location in Spain or Portugal ha! The mountains I realize are arid around the LA area. You are a very professional and talented artist and videographer/sound engineer! It's something to think too that Leonard Cohen was I think in those same mountains as a Buddhist monk. At least I think that was around where he was.

Top of the Day!
Winfred
 
Hi All!

Some might be wondering what I'm doing as I haven't gone to that pro studio yet. I made 3 trial runs by breaking my CoVid19 rule and combining public transport I needed to know the best route and exactly how long it takes me to get there. There's a lot of city between the studio and I as the studio is in the NW corner of the metro area, and I'm in the SE corner, so 25 miles one way and a lot of busy streets. I was mistaken and thought it was in downtown Minneapolis. I met a part time engineer waiting the in the parking lot for someone to open the studio. They note they recorded Leo Kotkke before, and the engineer said before Prince was real famous they recorded him. They just built their low budget studio which is remarkable as I probably would not have been able to record there otherwise. I also realized I can't risk paying for studio time and my chronic problem of phlegm around my vocal cords happen. I read it's good to moisten the vocal cords where some use a nebulizer (atomizer) and some use a steamer. I had to return one device and with more research finding it is wisest to use a steamer, so soon to order one of those. I also put in a set of new strings, and also a fair amount of letting diffidence creep in on me. I am getting closer, but thought I should say that much.

Carpe Diem!
Winfred
 
What concerns me is your expectation level to be honest. Many low budget studios produce no better audio than you could record yourself, if you find a nice location. In fact, nowadays you could record the tracks and then send them to somebody who could make them sound nicer. Until you get to the really expensive studios, very little matters bar some modest kit with somebody good at the controls. Remember so many really famous releases were NOT recorded in expensive studios. You've mentioned the phlegm thing a few times and it's clearly causing you concern. When you get it - how long does it last, and what actually happens to your voice? Does it make it worse, or just different.

With some duvets or blankets hung around your living room or bedroom you could probably record in comfort and with much less stress. Frankly, I doubt this studio is going to be able to do very much for you?
 
I checked out Winterland Studio's site and their new Studio B looks like a really nice setup.

I think the real advantage for Winfred is having someone else at the controls to set up the gear properly and to translate what he does into a good take. He's got some issues with regards to where he can do his recordings at his residence. He's got concerns that his recordings don't capture the true tone of his guitar (which may be a matter of perspective), and when doing both guitar a vocal at the same time, you can catch the trepidation in his voice.

If nothing else, it will be a bit like attending a private seminar on recording. Plus he should end up with a recording that he can use as a benchmark for his future work at home.
 
What concerns me is your expectation level to be honest. Many low budget studios produce no better audio than you could record yourself, if you find a nice location. In fact, nowadays you could record the tracks and then send them to somebody who could make them sound nicer. Until you get to the really expensive studios, very little matters bar some modest kit with somebody good at the controls. Remember so many really famous releases were NOT recorded in expensive studios. You've mentioned the phlegm thing a few times and it's clearly causing you concern. When you get it - how long does it last, and what actually happens to your voice? Does it make it worse, or just different.

With some duvets or blankets hung around your living room or bedroom you could probably record in comfort and with much less stress. Frankly, I doubt this studio is going to be able to do very much for you?

Hi Rob!

Thanks so much for your giving so much first hand expert advice! This studio I went to on my bicycle as a trial run 3 times now and 2 different means of getting there. I broke my personal rule the second and third times and combined using city bus and light rail as I don't want to get there and be exhausted. Going home is fine. It takes me about 3 hrs and 15 min to pedal all the way back. I tried hard with my Q8 and large diaphragm condenser mics. It was a hard decision, but I wasn't really getting the best sound quality. I inquired with email to about 5 studios. It happened that this studio I'll give a link to had just completed what the owner calls his lower budget studio. I can record and he would be the engineer in their "Studio B". I went on a weekend thinking he would be less busy. There was a door jam holding the door open and actually in the Studio B there was someone, a rapper, who was pro enough there was some very expensive video equipment. On the van outside it noted a "cinema" company title, so a lot of money being spent. It turned out they were renting the studio and doing their own engineering. I only stayed about 15 min and mainly kept out of the way and others taking a second look as though they were wondering who I was. There was quite a few there too.

They now, unlike the website photo of Studio B, have two very big screens in the control room that must be 25 or 30 inch screens. In the website photo you can see the equipment. I provide the link below. They recorded some pretty renowned people there. I like pianist George Winston and they recorded him. They have a video of him playing their grand piano and recording at their FaceBook site. Another time I did a trial run there a part time engineer was waiting for the studio to be opened and was in the parking lot. He said many years ago the owner recorded Prince before he became real well known. They also recorded guitarist Leo Kotkke (sp?). It's $50 an hour and a minimum of 2 hrs. The owner likes the song I chose. He hasn't heard my music. They mainly record it seems Metal and Rap and not any folk singers, but they are $35 less an hour than the others as they average around $85 an hour. This is the only page link and it's their home page. At the top just below the header click on "Studio B" and they give the info.

The owner also said he thinks we can do my about 3min 26 sec on the average song in 3 hrs including the mastering. His minimum for mastering is one hour. I also ordered a set of new strings and they have stretched nicely now and glad I did as I'd been using the same strings since a day after I received my guitar via UPS on May 27th. I'm also glad I changed to Savarez strings like I used with my old Salvation Army find guitar I've played since 1980. I spent my stimulus money on this guitar but very glad I did as my old guitar I'll always keep. I discovered, once I heard myself via my new Q8 camera, it wasn't really up to par any more. The guitar I now have, a Takamine No.10 from 1986 nylon string guitar, I've found to be almost never played in 34 years. once I put new strings on it, it soundes beautiful.

Someone here said run my Q8 while I'm in the studio... I'm sounding stubborn but you have me interested in what you think of their equipment at that studio. Home It's important to me this first debut on YouTube so I'm banking a lot on this, where in my case on my budget, this is all, the "new guitar", the new Q8, the steamer yet to be purchased, the pro studio costs... equivalent to someone on a normal budget buying a new car. This will be my "debut", followed by my original songs I plan to post at YouTube.

So, "Neither time nor tide waits for no man." I've got to get with it, but can't afford to get there and have the phlegm problem. At the open mics I did well with that and riding bike in cold air did something positive for my vocal cords. I've never used a steamer. I ordered a "nebulizer" that the factory seal was broken on. With good advice here I decided to return it and amazon was very nice about it. They even gave me credit for the 100 saline solution vials I bought and said keep them and still refunded me! With a steamer as opposed to a nebulizer they say not to use saline solution so I'll buy bottled water. I read that really nebulizers are more for people using various pulmonary type of medications as the very fine mist penetrates deep into the lungs, which is not needed to moisturize the vocal cords.

When I have phlegm it's a very big problem. I'll keep trying to clear my throat and it can compound, make it worse. I read from several sources you need to keep hydrated. I am 66 yrs old and I know I never drink enough water. They say you as an elderly person should drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day, at least. Dehydration is a big cause of phlegm around the vocal cords. I sound terrible when it's happening, gravelly voice etc. I can't risk getting to that studio and having that happen, so I'll get there good and early and use a steamer. Really I want to practice more and don't feel ready. I need to find a descent portable handheld steamer. I found an expensive one but they trap you into having to buy their special vials that have a narrow tip that fits into a tiny port to inject the water. I think I'm just going to get the cheaper one you have to plug in and one you can use just plain water in. Steam doesn't penetrate as deep as nebulizers and less risk of lung infection. Also an Ear Nose and Throat doctor said for singers a steamer is best. It's the more direct way than drinking a lot of water.

So a few things happening that have delayed. I have to build up my confidence too, and now feel I need to have the soulful or whatever point of feeling "ready" and finally pick up my phone and call that studio. I am interested in your input too and included that link, but only if you have time. I also feel I'm very fortunate they just finished that lower budget Studio B. Other studios had a 3 hour minimum. I think that Studio B will end up being booked way in advance once more musicians find out about it, which is another reason I should not be stalling too long... plus once September comes in Minnesota the weather can be very nice, but then suddenly a rush of northern air mass and with very cold penetrating rain. For therapy today, and it's a day made from heaven, I'm going to ride bike and bring some sandwiches and along the way listen to my Dr. Wayne Dyer CD set on "Change Your Thoughts Change Your Ways" ha! I'm bringing my book "The Power of Now" by Ekhart Tolle too ha! Even when I'm practicing and not nervous, like last night, my vocal cords stick or phlegm returns. I have to be careful and be prepared. I'm grateful to all here and thanks for any input, but only if you happen to have any.

Kindest Regards,
Winfred
 
I'd treat it then as a day out where you can learn a lot. I tend to ignore equipment. Once it meets a certain level, then it's entirely in the hands of the person running it. Not just their competence, but they're interested in what they're doing. I've been round the block and my worst studio time was being in with some quite well known people doing a simply terrible album. Pretty dire songs, and the three well known folks really didn't want to be there, and the bass player wasn't - hence why they had me, and I wasn't even first choice as cover. In truth, I was quite excited, but I noticed they weren't and being quite green, I decided to try to fit in - do my best and NOT, try to make it better. Probably a sound move as it happened. The engineers immediately noticed the tension, and also decided to not be what we'd now call proactive. We'd do a take - everyone, and then do overdubs and dropping to fix things. The engineers waited to gauge the performers viewpoint on the take, and then they'd say "yes, quite right" even, I thought when it was clearly wrong. They were taking the money, sure the product was dreadful and deciding it didn't really matter.

What worries me about studios who have a formula for the time it takes to record, and then the time it takes to master - as if these two things are totally exclusive. With a solo performer - I'm not too sure the mastering and recording and mixing can be isolated like this. A guitar and the voice, probably continuous guitar track and comped vocals I'd guess. So much of the mastering process would surely be finalised earlier? With a mega track massive project, the mix can always be improved on, but I'm not sure you can slice time like this.

The studio looks lovely too work in, the kit is fine, and we're told the staff are great. If you've budgeted for this, and done your prep, it will be a great experience, I'm sure.
 
I checked out Winterland Studio's site and their new Studio B looks like a really nice setup.

I think the real advantage for Winfred is having someone else at the controls to set up the gear properly and to translate what he does into a good take. He's got some issues with regards to where he can do his recordings at his residence. He's got concerns that his recordings don't capture the true tone of his guitar (which may be a matter of perspective), and when doing both guitar a vocal at the same time, you can catch the trepidation in his voice.

If nothing else, it will be a bit like attending a private seminar on recording. Plus he should end up with a recording that he can use as a benchmark for his future work at home.


Hi TalismanRich!

Thanks once again for your helpful advice! I don't know how I missed your post, but see my post #32... as I explain the time gap that has occurred etc. It's my answering Rob's also helpful advice and considerations and the "why" about where I am presently. I haven't made the big call yet to the studio. I explain that and bring up some things I'm learning about "voice" and finding the right steamer I feel I need to buy. I've tried ginger tea I drank before the videos you saw that I made a while ago with my Q8. Really I need to get to my vocal cords directly with like steam, what some pro vocalist articles advise. I guess pro vocalists use steamers. Drinking ginger tea is not enough, and I need a guarantee as I can't afford to get into the studio time and my voice fail. I could also find out more objective factors to who I am as a musician as I am going by the 2 years of playing open mics that led to my deciding to do this. Even when I play in the distant corner of the high-rise basement here I guess I've had too much "holding back" with my voice that has become kind of inherent as many times I practiced I had to keep my voice low because of my neighbors beyond the thin walls here, and also when I was on the open mic stage I got nervous and sounded probably hesitant etc. I just hope I get studio time when not many are around besides me and the owner... although that might be impossible. Two of the three times I went there with my trial runs others were there, very pro and very intense to maximize their time. The last time and first time I went on a week day was last Monday. I could hear in the distance in the main studio some kind of rock like music, a whole band and the main entry room and Studio B all empty. I had pressed the door bell two different times and no answer and decided it was better no one had answered as I would have interrupted or interfered in some way with a major Studio A recording session. Thanks for all!

Top of the Day!
Winfred
 
Hi Rob!

You've really "been there" with pro studios! Thanks for sharing, quite a journey you're on! I did wonder why there's separate time and 1 hr minimum for mastering but do not know how all that happens where you do. I had the feeling too that it is in their hands and not the musician's as the equipment looks very complex. You can rent the studio and do the engineering yourself like the Rap group I saw. It was a Sunday and they had their own engineers, the door propped so others could come and go, and seemed they had both studios A and B. One of the crew said they were just paying for the studio and providing their own crew. They must have had a lot of money. I know Rap is a major genre that generates a lot of money.
I know nothing about Rap, but one white guy with a stocking cap in Studio B seemed the main vocalist and no band, all the background I think was already recorded. There were two very expensive looking cameras filming at the same time, a cinema company van outside, and not sure what was going on in Studio A as it's not visible like Studio B. Studio B opens right into a main lobby kind of area. They also had special lights and a fog machine going.

On my other trial run a part time engineer who was seemingly not as "major"... had to wait for someone to unlock the door as I suppose only the owner and certain people have the key. This part time engineer had been living in LA and the recording people there told him to move to Minneapolis and record there as in LA they said he's a little minnow in a big pond where in Minneapolis he would be a whale and to first get his start there -- and that's almost just as he said it. One of the times he was being recorded, and on his cell phone he played very pro recordings/music videos that in my amateur view were very well done, were of him doing Rap (I guess the white person's form of Rap as he is white) and also something like Heavy Metal... he was the main vocalist and songs he wrote. He said a guy just happened to be present when he was recording one day, a friend of the owner. He said the guy left the studio and about 20 minutes later he called back and said he wanted to be something like his financial backer, and for $100,000!! He said he signed the contract and the guy will get something like 20% of his royalties... something like that. He said he's going to back him to go to some very big studio and forgot where, I think back east somewhere, and to in the future tour with some group (maybe once the pandemic is under control...) that was Metal or maybe it was a Rap group. So it seems some kind of major people around there, which makes me nervous as the owner emailed wondering when I was going to book time. That part time engineer didn't know they are in London too, which it says that at the website. I was surprised he didn't know that... but maybe that was in the past and they hadn't changed the website yet. It's very nice he has that "low budge" studio at $50 as others quoted $75 and $85 and three hour minimums... This part time engineer/musician said the equipment originally cost millions but not today. He said it's very nice equipment, but it's from the Eighties. It looked quite modern to me, only I know nothing about it. Maybe he meant in Studio A as Studio B is newly made. What do you think? Home You'll notice too they have quite a collection of mics and remember at FaceBook for one session they were using some rare mic from the Fifties. Wow I posted and found they take out the studio address!! Am I not suppose to be naming studios? I don't want to do anything wrong. Thanks for your input. I am very grateful, and to anyone else here!

Later,
Winfred
 
It looks nice, and there's no harm naming nice studios. Audio studios need to fit the clients. Poor ones rarely last. The vibe is important. Some of the UKs well known studios are actually rather old and grubby but feel good to work in. Commercial studios find the economics hard so have to take ANY client, even if they hate the genre. They're really tools nowadays. A production company have to produce something by a certain date. They also have to do it within fifteen minutes of where the talent is, so they Google the town or city and recording studio,many have a quick look and if it looks ok, they book, so often you find studios with good track records simply because of where they are. Many now produce stems only as the actual job, so one decent mic in a nice room and they can claim to have recorded the name, and their end product was actually mixed somewhere else! Often the record company insist you cannot name names, one I recorded a session for says recorded at Abbey Road Studios. In honesty, my recording is two replacement lines of the chorus with different words. I figured I'd use her name in my advertising but I can't. I did similar for a well known Broadway star and I recorded it in a theatre in the sound trap between auditorium and foyer. A great spot I found that is sound treated and totally dead. This three minute track done with one mic, a stand and two pairs of headphones. One for me and one for him in a splitter in my iPad, recorded on a two track zoom.

Adverts are full of hyperbole, a studio could have a mega great sounding broom cupboard it it won't feature in the website!

Last thing is that commercial studios are there to make money. It never follows that everything they produce is wonderful just because it's a great desk and vintage mic in a nice room. You could get appointed the rap engineer. Or the general do everything engineer, hopefully you will get one who can understand your music and do a great job. Don't be awed by technology, just make music. Remember all you need are four or five great takes with mistakes in different places. Do NOT think you have to keep singing to get it right. You just need to have the ingredients to cut together. My opera continuing job's singer has realised this now and we make so much faster progress, she goes home and sends me pics of the music, where she has coloured in the score with take 2, take 4, take 1 etc it's totally new for her and she's really into it! It also saves her money. Once I've got them edited, she just needs to come back for a fine tuning session. I reckon it's halved the costs to her in wasted time. In the old days, studios benefitted from wasted time.
 
It looks nice, and there's no harm naming nice studios. Audio studios need to fit the clients. Poor ones rarely last. The vibe is important. Some of the UKs well known studios are actually rather old and grubby but feel good to work in. Commercial studios find the economics hard so have to take ANY client, even if they hate the genre. They're really tools nowadays. A production company have to produce something by a certain date. They also have to do it within fifteen minutes of where the talent is, so they Google the town or city and recording studio,many have a quick look and if it looks ok, they book, so often you find studios with good track records simply because of where they are. Many now produce stems only as the actual job, so one decent mic in a nice room and they can claim to have recorded the name, and their end product was actually mixed somewhere else! Often the record company insist you cannot name names, one I recorded a session for says recorded at Abbey Road Studios. In honesty, my recording is two replacement lines of the chorus with different words. I figured I'd use her name in my advertising but I can't. I did similar for a well known Broadway star and I recorded it in a theatre in the sound trap between auditorium and foyer. A great spot I found that is sound treated and totally dead. This three minute track done with one mic, a stand and two pairs of headphones. One for me and one for him in a splitter in my iPad, recorded on a two track zoom.

Adverts are full of hyperbole, a studio could have a mega great sounding broom cupboard it it won't feature in the website!

Last thing is that commercial studios are there to make money. It never follows that everything they produce is wonderful just because it's a great desk and vintage mic in a nice room. You could get appointed the rap engineer. Or the general do everything engineer, hopefully you will get one who can understand your music and do a great job. Don't be awed by technology, just make music. Remember all you need are four or five great takes with mistakes in different places. Do NOT think you have to keep singing to get it right. You just need to have the ingredients to cut together. My opera continuing job's singer has realised this now and we make so much faster progress, she goes home and sends me pics of the music, where she has coloured in the score with take 2, take 4, take 1 etc it's totally new for her and she's really into it! It also saves her money. Once I've got them edited, she just needs to come back for a fine tuning session. I reckon it's halved the costs to her in wasted time. In the old days, studios benefitted from wasted time.

Hi Rob!

Very interesting points about the sense of things and the importance of that. The owner who is the main engineer and emailing like he will be the one who records me said he likes the Folk song from 1967 I chose, "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell. Maybe you were the one who listened to my video as you were so accurate to say I sounded hesitant. I only found the studio by an online search. I emailed and received estimates from 5 studios and this one cost the least and seemed to have, just my amateur view, good equipment. I was going by looks ha! I don't know anything about the names of the equipment they use in Studio B. I looked at names of people who have recorded there and saw a few videos, especially of one guy they recorded, only they recorded him remotely, who plays guitar and sings. I saw guitarist Leo Kottke's name and was impressed. I missed until yesterday that pianist George Winston had recorded there as there was a video they made of his performance. I just noticed "Five For Fighting" on the list yesterday, another musician I liked years ago when I first heard him. I looked on YouTube and didn't see the studio name, just a major record label and I think it was EMI. I was very surprised you give me the time of day once I read your last message, wow! You are a world class engineer who has worked with world class talent! I get nervous thinking about going to this studio now and will try to arrange my appointment to be when it's quieter, maybe an unusual day of the week etc. because I feel kind of embarrassed I'm recording and very pro musicians around the studio. Really though it all as you suggest even about finding a recording studio by how it feels, that also self-confidence has to come from within.

I have very odd hours of sleeping, like right now it is going on 5:30 AM and I haven't gone to bed yet. My time clock is completely turned around now, which hopefully being well rested before my studio time is less likely due to my inverted sleeping cycle. To get there from where I live involves 3 city buses and a light rail and takes 2 1/2 hrs, so all totaled 5 hrs riding public transport. Riding bike all the way takes 3hrs and 15 min which carrying my guitar on my back and extra clothes, food, extra water (I learned the hard way that many fountains are taped over now with a big X because of the pandemic.) and bringing a tripod as the owner said all they have are mic stands, not camera tripods. I will bring, per great advice here, my Zoom Q8 camera and have that running and someone here I need to look up who was so magnanimous to say they'd merge the video with my music!! My voice, I was just playing quietly, although I had to stop as my voice was not good. Also having hypo-thyroid doesn't help. I have to sop and sudden having to take a nap. I am very grateful to you!

Sincerely,
Winfred
 
I think I'm explaining really badly - Part of my job is dealing with people on TV, theatre and movies and it's nothing at all to go wow about - it's my job, and they're all people. I've got tons of anecdotes, but in the main, like society, some are really nice, others, er, less so. Working with them means absolutely nothing. The really nice ones remember you, and others clearly smiled and said nice things but then immediately crossed you off the list.

The important thing here is not to pay any attention to names - they're large irrelevant. The better known ones don't even choose their facilities, they get taken to where the management decided. Stop worrying, get to the studio and have some fun. Perhaps it's worth double checking what you will walk away with. All the files recorded, the stereo mix before mastering and after? My guess is the stereo mix. All the tracks would be infinitely better if you can get them. No skin off their nose, but sometimes studios want to keep material that can be used elsewhere - just how some are. If you have everything, you can do all sorts in the future.

DO NOT go in thinking you're not somebody - you're a paying client, same as Elvis Presley or whoever was in the past. Don't let them treat you any differently to their other clients. Work on the principle that you could have a terrible day with your voice and your dodgy hands might play up - but probably they will all be good. Prepare yourself to achieve nothing, then anything will be an achievement - but most of all, you need to remember never to use the phrase "That will do" - because in recording terms it means that it was just not dreadful - it does not mean it was good. They'll be looking for you saying that will do, and then they'll move on, even if both of you know it really wasn't good enough. One more time - is a much better phrase to use. If they're a decent studio, they'll go with you on this. They stop when you're happy.
 
Hi Rob!

At my level of talent you might wonder from where my motivation comes. It must come from within, and I struggle with that aspect. It also mainly comes from 2 years of sporadically signing up for coffeehouse open mics, the open mic goers reactions that really surprised me. I was thinking the other day that really all I was entertaining them for was 10 minutes, and relying on that with this goal of a YouTube video. It's also because I feel like I have something to share as I have made a lot of open mic goers happy with my music. In a way I want to leave something behind too. I'm just striving for good stereo/video quality, like the example of Keiko Nesario. I discovered her in the plethora of "Both Sides Now" covers I reviewed on YouTube now getting to be quite long ago, and impressed with the record quality she achieved. I don't mean to say I parallel her phenomenal talent. I also do not want my songs to drift into nothingness, to simply let go of them, my treasures. Only maybe I might attract some to listen to my original songs by putting my best foot forward via a renowned cover song. At least I'm going to try.

It sounds kind of ridiculous, but I do want to try a steamer out with my practicing, see how it works, a better guarantee as I can't afford to fail when my studio time comes. If I have the unpredictable phlegm problem it's impossible to readily fix. It's similar too when well over a year ago only 2 hrs before an open mic my fingernail broke off. That is a big problem for me as I play a nylon string guitar and no fingernail creates a big difference in sound. Out of despair I went to a big box retailer and found a fingernail kit. I always now carry a woman's fingernail kit in my guitar case. I carry a plain white set that has super glue. I've become good enough at it I can repair a broken nail fairly well and have to do so before I practice tonight. It's happened a lot, working on my bike or quickly moving things around in my side bags when a nail might break, and several times happening even within an hour of performing where I've had to make a sudden repair. Thanks for your great input.

Top of the Evening!
Winfred
 
I've got tough nails. I play with my nail for song on my bass that really need a pick and the pad or side for others. I never got on with real picks on my guitars either. If I break the nail then the audience get the best I can do. I don't let it worry me. I just do my best.
 
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