First let me preface, I work in a large recording studio and this is my personal & professional opinion intended for educational purposes. This information is geared toward the inexperienced independent artists out there looking to record their own self funded musical project. I field all kinds of questions every day about the recording process; this leads me to believe that some artists are uninformed about the process.
Here are 10 questions you should be asking yourself:
1. Am I ready to record? You’ll need to be incredibly honest with yourself throughout the recording process so start now! Have you practiced enough? Do you have a clear vision of what you would like your music to sound like (with references)? Do you know your strengths & weaknesses musically? Are you evaluating your abilities with 100% honesty? Remember, Mom & Dad will love everything you do (as will your good friends), try to get some unbiased feedback that you can trust! The single most important thing to ask yourself is…are these songs AMAZING? Your material has to literally blow down doors and really connect with your listeners!
2. Are your songs completed? The recording studio is not the place to finish roughing out your material. Studio time in any professional studio is expensive and you’ll waste time & money if you don’t have your material 99% done. Sure, you can still tweak things and make a few changes but keeping these to a minimum will be crucial.
3. How many songs are you looking to record? Don’t make the mistake of recording 12 songs on an insanely tight time frame & budget, rather than simply doing 4 songs 100%. Remember 4 song demos are made for a reason; too many songs are actually a turn off to someone trying to hear your best material in a small sample. Quality is the first component when someone evaluates your music and talent; as most won’t take the time to “hear through” a bad recording. Also, don’t be afraid to settle for a quality acoustic recording. Sometimes less is more and the budget for an acoustic record is fractions of a full scale session.
4. Do you have a band or will you need session musicians? Are you performing as a band or as a solo artist? If you’re a band you have to be tight, rehearsed, and confident as a unit. I’ve seen one shaky member tank the entire group before, so be brutally honest with everyone & only bring the A team to the studio. If you’re simulating a band, then trust the studio to find you the best players around. Nashville is home to another level of musician and they are as close to perfection as possible. Session players will not only be the best player possible, but they’ll also save you money in studio time due to their efficiency.
5. Are you intending to play your own instrument? This is always a sensitive subject, and I truly understand the artists that insist on playing their own instruments. That being said, don’t think it’s a slight on your playing abilities if a producer recommends you don’t. Never lose sight of the big picture, your music needs to sound as good as possible at all costs! Know your abilities, if someone else can do it better, faster, cleaner, and cheaper, then why not have an open mind to the possibility?
6. Do you have a producer? Studios have connections with producers if you don’t, and I (of course) highly advise having one on your session. However, don’t be afraid to meet a few of them to discuss your music, and then pick the producer your most comfortable with. Ideally, he or she, is the one that you feel really understands where your trying to go with your sound.
7. Do you have an engineer? Don’t worry if you don’t, as all studios have these contacts as well. I’d trust your producer to pick this one, you’ll have better results. If you’re not using a producer then the same guidelines apply from the last question.
8. Where are you going to mix? Don’t be afraid to use a “non- traditional” studio or space to mix your project. However, keep in mind you’ll get what you pay for and quality should never be compromised. For my projects I’ll set a 1 to 2 song per day limit for max mixing speed. Can it be done faster? Yes, but I personally feel you are leaving some musical roads unexplored to do so. Also, please only track (record) the music in an acoustically treated “live room”. With good equipment mixing “can” be done outside of the professional studio environment; however I feel strongly that tracking still needs to be done in an acoustically treated studio space.
9. Are you going to master your recordings? Mastering is an important part of the final product and I recommend having your music mastered when you can afford it. Mastering is all about “polishing” the final mix and getting it ready for the radio or CD.
10. What are you going to do after recording? Have a plan for this period and please know that recording studios have fulfilled their duty when the final product is given to you. Studios, for the most part, are not going to have a lot of support in the way of “after care” services. It doesn’t mean they don’t care about your career, but (shopping songs, placement, label signings, booking performances, merchandise, etc.) aren’t typically in their business model. Just because you record in a world famous studio doesn’t mean that studio will sign you to a record deal or escort you to one. The modern musical landscape now is all about self promotion, with the “dawn of the social media era” we now live in, it’s easier to get exposure. With a professional recording in hand your success will be entirely up to your individual determination to pursue. If music is your passion then go for it aggressively, meet people, get exposure from anywhere and keep going!