3 Stages of Recording

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DM60

DM60

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Just looking for thoughts and dialog.

Phase 1 - Compose, Arrange and Track

Many of us do this in the DAW. We do this in our recording, be it digital or analog. But I think composing and arranging is more often done on the digital side than the analog as analog people tend to be more structured and disciplined (I could be wrong, just what I think) and focused on tracking.

Phase 2 - Mixing

This phase is focused on getting the mix correct, drums at the right level, vocals sitting correctly. But focus is on hearing everything and starting to get it to sound right. But, it is not composing. Song should be 99% or more set.

Phase 3 - Mastering

Final mixes for overall song presentation or group of song presentations as a whole, less granular in objective and more focused overall presentation of the song(s).

Please add, take away, or dispute. But in general, do you think this is a good way to look at the process?
 
I don't really consider composing and arranging to be part of the recording process. Perhaps because I came up before everyone with a bedroom and a lap top had a "studio" - (and few could afford to compose and arrange while the studio clock was ticking). I compose and arrange before I even power up the studio - and for most compositions, I know what parts I will track, in what order, etc.

Now I do admit, that when I start to track, I may decide that an arrangement is not happening and I may re-arrange and then re-track. However, I consider the re-arranging to be seperate from the tracking (even if I'm re-arranging in the studio)

I do agree with the 3 phases of track - mix - master and with your general description of the intent of each phase.
 
Xdrummer said:
I don't really consider composing and arranging to be part of the recording process. Perhaps because I came up before everyone with a bedroom and a lap top had a "studio" - (and few could afford to compose and arrange while the studio clock was ticking). I compose and arrange before I even power up the studio - and for most compositions, I know what parts I will track, in what order, etc.

Now I do admit, that when I start to track, I may decide that an arrangement is not happening and I may re-arrange and then re-track. However, I consider the re-arranging to be seperate from the tracking (even if I'm re-arranging in the studio)

I do agree with the 3 phases of track - mix - master and with your general description of the intent of each phase.
Click to expand...

Actually, you bring up a good point, composing, tracking ...

I say that because, me for example, I compose and record and track all at the same time. Probably what would be better if I were to, compose, getting it down, then go back a track to make sure the performance is correct, rehearse the part. etc. Rather than mix the two up and keep fixing (or delaying re-recording) when that would make the song much better.

As often is stated around here, a bad performance can't be fixed later on (or is harder).
 
My shit is usually written and figured out before I record anything. I'm not as old as that xdrum guy, but I do come from an era where you had to figure shit out because there were no digital helpers. Pencil, paper, and a good memory is all I had for writing. It's almost like doing a cover song of myself. I know what I'm gonna do for each part. Of course often times things get changed and re-arranged as the process goes along, but the meat of the song and arrangement is done. The only thing I ever write as I'm recording it is guitar solos. They're usually done on the fly and if it's good it stays. Sometimes a vocal line will get tweaked as I'm tracking them.
 
I try to write the entire song before recording, but I confess to jumping around. Owning unlimited studio time creates that luxury. I never get my mix right the first time, until after hearing how it will sound mastered, it always gets tweaked, as well as other things.

Having a completed composition just makes the process that much smoother, without needing to make things up as I go.
 
About the same time I started to write songs, recording followed very soon after that, and even right before I got into recording, I had the band thing going on, and we were (or at least I was) trying to write originals with the idea of performance, which is also part of recording, so....right from the start, my songwriting was driven by all that, and my thoughts about the arrangements and production would already be going on in my head as I was writing the song.
Because of that, I don't really consider recording as something to divide into phases, though certainly, you have to first write a song, then perform/track it, then the mixing/editing/tweak it, then the mastering.
For me, it's really just one big production process from the first written chord/lyric down to the final stereo mix and then even beyond if I'm looking at a CD product...doing the graphics, etc.

I know fairly well what I want to record and how before I start recording, though there is always that give-n-take where you make adjustments as you go, or suddenly you hear something that triggers another idea you then add to the production, so there is a somewhat circular flow that sometimes might see me at the mix stage, and all of a sudden I decide I want to add/change a guitar track or whatever. That said, I usually have a pretty good idea of what I want, so I'm not just dropping 85 tracks into a DAW and then sorting it all out later.
Part of that is my old-school recording mentality, like a couple of other people have already mentioned....working shit out BEFORE you press record, and also committing to things as you go, and not saving it all for some massive decision making cluster-fuck later on. The other part of that comes from still tracking to tape before dumping to the DAW, which in my case is done on 24-track tape deck...though I can always sync the deck to the DAW and add more tracks and do more dumps to the DAW, but I don't do it very often, and it might be a couple of more tracks only, as I find 24 tracks usually get me where I'm trying to go.

As much as I know what I am trying to recford, thanks to DAW power, I've had occasions where even at the mix stage, I decided to remove an entire chorus or cut down on some repetition in the song if I saw it would work better with the edits....so in some regard that would be considered a type of "arranging" or "rearranging"...but the overall structure of the song is pretty much locked in when the song is written.

I absolutely LOVE tracking the most, so doing more tracks or redoing tracks never upset me...though I don't get into the "85 takes to get one track *perfect* " kind of thing, but I know some people like doing that, and to each his own.
If you know what you want, and you work it out....you can get it in a dozen takes or less....another 73 takes are a waste of time, IMO, which is why I like to just go for 3-5 keeper takes on key tracks like vocals and leads, and then I comp as needed....and the other/backing tracks are done usually in a few passes, and I just keep one take of each when I feel it's the right take.
I don't get hung up about editing a sour or missed note on a track when I have them in the DAW...that's what the DAW is for and what makes it a very powerful tool....IMO....and not just all the plugs/sims you can slather on every track.

So to wrap it up....for me it's all one production process with some defined "phases", but not something I consciously think about, or that I need to feel like I've finished "Phase 1" and now I'm moving on to "Phase 2"...etc. I just work it until it's done, even if I have to go backward forward and sideways during the process.
 
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I blur 1 & 2 - it depends upon the level of complexity of what you're doing. Me, I'm trying to make 2 guys with acoustic guitars sound like a band with 4 guitarists, a bassist, a drummer and 7 singers, so I never know exactly how I will build on the bones of the song, so I sort of mix as I go.

Obiously when I've finished tracking I go back and tweak, but I may at this stage decide that the song needs more cowbell or whatever, so I go back and track a cowbell. Or another voice or three, or more guitars... whatever...

Works for me.
 
I always write the songs first. The only things that change during recording are the instruments.

Some people manage to write songs in a structured way but I've never managed that. All of my songs just come to me suddenly. I'll sit down for hours and not come up with anything then suddenly something will pop into my head and I'll have a whole song written in a few minutes.

Once I've written one I'll record a demo of it and get a few people to listen to it. Then after quite a while I'll record the actual version with the band.
 
I've always worked with other folks when crafting out a tune. I rely heavily on the input of others and also listening to what I'm tracking to find "happy accidents". I feel the best stuff I've done more or less evolved out of a germ of an original idea. So even in the analog world I came out of, writing and tracking where about the same thing.
 
Similar. I 'compose' the song - lyrics, rhythm part (guitar or keys) and arrangement first. Record scratch tracks, then basic rhythm track. Might need to 're-compose', but unlikely at this point. Then I'll 'compose' additional parts as needed - lead guitar, keyboard tracks, bass. I'll figure these out and practice them before recording them but may still be 'composing/changing' as I record multiple takes.
I'll usually do a working mix before recording the vocals, as it helps me figure out phrasing. Backing vocals - compose/track at same time as it's easier just to hit 'record' as I do them, and if the take is no good just delete it or mute it.
 
Usually just solos and or various fills are the only parts of my songs that are not 100% composed by the time I'm tracking. The rest of the song is either on paper or in my head.........or both. Not sure the process matters much.......at least for me. The song is everything........and whatever gets me to the best version I can get out of my speakers.........well then..........that's the way to go.
 
The main reason I put this up was, I do think the process matters for the best results for the song. I sometimes start with an idea or hear a sound melody, not sure and I build up from there and somehow at the end have a song.

Since the lines blur for me (as with many), I wanted to step back and say, OK, where am I going and where am I at, in the process. Based on where I am, what is the current focus on the matter at hand (reduce my head going all over the place). I know many say process doesn't matter, that is like saying the quality of the recording doesn't matter. But for me, it is becoming very important.

Let's not confuse execution of the phases (linear) with the phases of song cycle. But, in general, as the pre-production (Thanks drieb) begins to mature, then the focus is on the tracking/recording, as that begins to take hold and mature, then the focus is on mixing, when completed, (some grey here, but not as much) then mastering. I mean everything has a back and forth, but there is a maturity process.

For me, it helps to think of the maturity of the song this way. Was wondering what others thought and hope this helps some of the new guys. But I really think each part of the process and it getting proper attention is what helps to arrive at an excellent presentation of one's work.
 
I envy you folks who can formulate complete arrangements in your head and see them through.

I've "heard" some pretty amazing arrangements float through my brain over the years, but they are fleeting and never get transalated into actual sound.

Personally, I generally arrange as I go. I start with nothing more than a beat or maybe chords and lyrics on a piece of paper and I make the rest of it up as I go along. Maybe that's because while I love tracking and arranging, I hate songwriting.

I often don't know what guitar part will sound best until I've heard the drums/bass or vice versa. It's kind of fun to just try different things as you go and discover what the song is as it develops.

I also make most mix decisions as I track, so by the end of tracking, there really isn't much "mixing" left to do other than some minor level and panning changes and such. That is, unless the mixing clinic brings something serious to light which sends me back to the drawing board.

I don't know jack about mastering. Basically I just slap a limiter on there and raise the volume as high as I can without altering the tone too much :o.
 
Yes....it's good to have a working "process" rather than just mess around erratically....though for some people. messing around is what yields the best ideas.

The thing about sticking to and just following a "process" is what I don't really see as important or always that beneficial.
IOW, if you start doing productions with some sort of "check list" as you move from point A to B to C....you will find that to be rather uncreative in the long run.
Yeah that will get you through a production, but don't make it a rigid thing to follow. There should always be some overall "flow" that you follow (which sounds better than "process :) ), and that becomes your style of working, but I don't like to do a "check list" process and just stick to it.

I mean....sometimes the best production/tracking ideas may not come until you're getting ready to mix....and that one idea may completely twist the direction of the total production, so don't be reluctant to go back to the "Tracking Phase" just 'cuz you've already completed that step in the "process".

That said....it's good to have a plan and use it as your auto-pilot, but never hesitate to deviate from the plan when the creative stuff pops out unexpectedly....those "happy accidents" can yield gold, so regardless of where you are in "the process"....just let the muse have her way with you. :o

That is what I sometimes mean when I say the song at some point gets a life of its own.
I've done songs where every track was all thought out and planned ahead and executed exactly according to plan....and ended up with a lifeless bunch of tracks.
It's always 1-2 tracks that will bring a song to life....and they don't always come about because you planned them or because you followed a "process".
 
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