My new demo/EP recording plan... feasible?

[lemonchili]

I want to record a new demo/EP for my band, and I'm in the process of researching and planning it out to do the best I can on a limited budget, and making the most of the equipment and skills I have. So here's my draft plan, and I'd welcome any thoughts or feedback on it's feasability.

Aim: Produce a demo/EP/CD of at least 4 tracks.

Primary objective: The resulting EP includes 2 tracks which are aimed at JJJ's national "Unearthed" competitions, and of high enough quality to do reasonably well. ie get through to finals. (Sometimes you've just got to aim high!)

Secondary objective: The same 2 tracks should be good enough to get airplay on community/college/internet radio

Method:

1. Record bass and guitar tracks to a click track (or basic drum machine track) in home studio setup. Generally limit to a single bass track and two guitar tracks, though these may be stereo depending on effects used. Most tracks will be recorded direct. Keep these tracks as dry as possible so that reverb/delays can be added later.
   
2. Record vocal tracks at home as guide tracks.
   
3. Document everything!
   
   I have about 15 songs to work, and I'd like to record about 10 of them this way, and then decide which ones I'm going to focus on.
   
4. Record drum tracks - either in a professional studio, or direct using an electronic kit.
   
5. Do as much editing as I can myself at this stage, removing unwanted parts, and coming up with draft mixes.
   
6. From here I'd like to export everything and take it to a studio for recording the final vocals, then mixed by an experienced engineer.
   
7. Have mastering done by same engineer or mastering studio.

My equipment:
Tascam 2488 MkII
JoeMeek 3Q compressor
Behringer MS40 monitors
An old Line6 AxSys 212 amp (which I *love*)
Zoom bass effects unit (this is one thing I will probably upgrade)
Mics: Behringer B-1, JoeMeek JM27, 2 x SM57, 1 x SM58

Timeframe:
6 months or a bit less. I work 9-5, and I'll be doing all instruments except the drums.


Does it sound possible? I don't expect it to be easy, but I want to aim high. I guess my main concern is whether the tracks exported from the Tascam will be of a suitable and useful format for a good engineer to use.

cheers,
chili

 

[G-Jay]

[*]Record bass and guitar tracks to a click track (or basic drum machine track) in home studio setup. Generally limit to a single bass track and two guitar tracks, though these may be stereo depending on effects used. Most tracks will be recorded direct. Keep these tracks as dry as possible so that reverb/delays can be added later.

[*]Record vocal tracks at home as guide tracks.

[*]Document everything!

I have about 15 songs to work, and I'd like to record about 10 of them this way, and then decide which ones I'm going to focus on.

[*]Record drum tracks - either in a professional studio, or direct using an electronic kit.

[*]Do as much editing as I can myself at this stage, removing unwanted parts, and coming up with draft mixes.

If it were my project I'd get a make a scratch track of guitar and vocals to a click, then do the drums.

After the drums are perfect I'd go for proper recordings of bass, guitar, and vox etc. I always find things groove better when they are done on top of the drum foundation.

I'd also cut down on the number of songs now. Reduce your choices and workload so you can focus all your energy on the best and most suitable material.

Good luck!

 

[miroslav]

If it were my project I'd get a make a scratch track of guitar and vocals to a click, then do the drums.

Right...this is the most "approved" method.

Work out your songs exactly how you want them and then record a couple of scratch tracks for each song, and then take that into a pro studio for the drums to cue off of.

Then bring the pro drum tracks back to your studio and continue recording your other tracks. (Not sure if you really want to DI the guitars.)
Also, you may not need to do you vocals elsewhere if you have one decent mic and a basic semi-dry room to record them in.

 

[mjbphotos]

How much recording experience do you have? It's a steep learning curve!

 

[lemonchili]

How much recording experience do you have? It's a steep learning curve!

I guess you'd say I have pretty typical "home" recording experience. I've been messing around with portastudio type recorders since about 1995, then a small Boss digital unit, then got a bit more serious and bought the Tascam 2488 about 18 months ago. I've been messing around a little with Soundforge and Reaper in the last year as well.
You can hear what I've done at http://www.myspace.com/thelemonchiliproject I would say the first track, "Slip Away", would be my best work.
I would say I have good knowledge of how everything works, but not the experience to get the best out of it, hence the reason I want these new recordings to be professionally mixed and mastered.
My professional recording experience is limited to doing a couple of tracks for an album for a blues band I used to play bass for.

I figured doing the drums later in the process is not the conventional method, but I would like to try it.

Maybe it might be best to do one complete song to test the method, and get used to working with a particular engineer?

I definitely want to do the vocals in a studio with an engineer as I think getting the best out of the vocals is where I really lack the experience.

With the guitar and bass tracks I can experiment between mic'ing up versus direct for the best result.