Alternative for an average studio?

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MikeMentzer

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Hi,

(I've just registered here, but am familiar with forums in general and I have used the search option already!)

We are a Dutch band that like to record a quality demo. Of course going into a studio was our first thought, since we all have some studio-experience, but than I thought again: over here in the Netherlands the average producer is well--average at best and a quack in a worst case (we too have experienced this).

Now I was thinking about the following: what if
- our friend, who is a freelancer who has a mobile studio, comes over to our rehearsal space and we take care of soundleaking (drums sneaking into the vocalists mic, etc.) and all audio-tracks are monitored and overall high quality gear is used, and
- afterwards we send our raw recordings to a professional mixer/masterer in the US (which, due to the euro-dollar currency, saves us money)

Now, wouldnt this be a far better solution than going into a studio where average craftsmen treat us like they treat everybody, regardless if they are a metal band or a church choir? (No offense to the producers who DO know what they're doing!)
Or is it impossible to record full studio-quality sounds outside of a studio and will we do better to just walk the road most traveled by?

Thanks for your answers.
 
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If your just recording a demo, why don't you or your friends mix it yourselves?
 
I have mixed a couple records that were recorded by the band themselves. Though, less than ideal for me not to have complete control of micing and pre recorded sounds, good results can still be achieved. Plot 38 and Swami tracks on my website were tracked in each bands rehearsal spaces with less than optimal mic's. Files were sent via Ethernet. There tends to be a bit more processing and editing when trying to doctor poor sounds so it can take a bit more time to mix. The Plot 38, 10 song project took about 50 hrs. I charged them $1000 and they tipped me $400. It probably would have cost less if they just recorded the project in my studio, except for the fact that they were writing while they were recording and spent 3 months laying down tracks.
 
Jimmy,

Thanks for answering. I've listened to Swami and it sounds really good idd (band as well as production). You said that less than optimal mics were used. My point however is: what if optimal mics were used, and the mic-setup was done by someone who knows what he was doing? Would there still have been a difference from had the band recorded in a real studio? And would you still have had more trouble mixing the sound down?
In short: what is the value of the average studio's nowadays, when you can get clean recordings elsewhere and send them over the internet to be mixed/mastered by some pro for altogether the same or even less money? You understand? I'm just wondering over ways to get better soundquality instead of let ourselves be restricted by the 'experts' of region in which we live.
 
My grossly opinionated opinion follows:

Well, 'optimal mics' and 'real studio' really does not mean shit if the guy setting it up, listening and making adjustments, recording the tracks while making the artist feel comfortable while doing it. If the musicians performing are not well rehearsed, don't have their heads up thy arse, his wife isn't telling him it is time to come home and do laundry, well he may get a good recorded performance. The added time in my examples was more of an editing and tone matching issue, involving bad punch in's and a non consistent room that the tracks were recorded in to begin with. These issues would not have happened in my room so much. But mostly, I would have caught any issues as they came to be. When one is dealing with a recording done elsewhere, you have to analy analyze each and every second of each track for any problems. Had it been tracked here, I would not have to inspect every detail, because I already addressed it while tracking.

Absolutely yes, in general you could hopefully expect better quality from a 'real' studio. Assuming they have better gear and the knowledge to use it correctly. But even the best studio cant do anything if you are not rehearsed, and come equipped with good tone based upon your own well thought out decisions on how you want to sound as a whole. IME, most bands who have the savvy to make the judgment that one of the members has enough skill to track an album, yet realizes he probably should not, or does not want to edit, mix, and master the record himself, hopefully has the needed skill to get decent tracks to begin with. Tho maybe I have just been lucky with this theory.

You cant just expect a pro studio to give you great results based on the fact that they have really nice gear and charge a bunch of money to let you in the door. You need to be prepared to give the performance. I really feel that that has more to do with achieving a quality recording, more than how well it is recorded. That being said, there are way to many variables to even make a judgment on what the best way is. Yes, you can save money by tracking a project yourself. How well, and lucky you are at getting it right on your own, will not be apparent until you get to the mixdown stage. Someone should also take the role of 'producer' throughout the writing and tracking of the project as well. If this is not the same guy as you are having mix your album, then there may be a lack of perspective on how the project should sound in the end.

Recording cheap at one location and mixing at another studio is a great way to save some cash. Getting exactly what you want from this deal is a lucky dark shot in reality. I would never send my tunes to some guy who has never heard my shit or slept with my wife. Oh wait, that is a personal story. lol..

If you can friend a producer/engineer and have communication throughout the tracking process with the guy who will mix your project, you will get much better results.

Holy crap I wrote a novel here.
 
Holy crap I wrote a novel here.
Click to expand...
Not at all. It takes more than one sentence to express complex advice. And yours is good. I agree.
 
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