Preparation

Making an album you can be proud of is a challenging task. The following suggestions can help you make the most of your time in the studio. The more prepared you are, the more time is spent on making a great album rather than fixing problems.

MAKE DEMOS IF POSSIBLE

If you have Protools, Garageband, or any way to make rough demos of your songs, go for it. The recording quality doesn’t matter. What does matter is the song format, instrumental arrangement, exact tempo, groove, melody, and other creative elements that make your music special. Auditioning several vocal melodies over the chorus, for example, can be much more creative without having to simultaneously play your instrument. Demos can also help get things up and running quickly. Even a simple acoustic guitar and drum loop recording communicates volumes about your vision of the song and will help us get on the same page in no time.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR INSTRUMENTS

Get your guitars or basses set-up and intonated by a professional. Even with a well-intonated instrument, we’ll be spending half of your time tuning. A good set-up is worth every penny. If there are any known issues with your guitar or amp, please have them repaired before recording. Chances are, it if you think your excessive amp hiss or fret buzz might be a problem, then it probably will be. Also, please make sure to replace all guitar strings the day before your session – You don’t want your tone to be dull and lifeless, but you also don’t want your 10 minute old set of strings going out of tune every 8 measures. Remember, even the nicest guitars sound terrible if they are out of tune.

PRACTICE

REALLY practice. Practice your parts outside of band practice. Practice with your demos. Practice with a metronome. Practice without your amp to hear how cleanly you can play your parts. Make sure you’re playing things you can pull off cleanly, confidently and consistently.

And drummers – you hold in your hands the key to how good the drums will sound. Good drum sounds come from a combination of three things:

1. Well tuned drums

2. A great drummer

3. A well recorded drum set

Play within your means. Work on being as consistent as possible. Try to strike the drums the same each time, especially the snare drum. Play with confidence and push yourself to write parts that add interest and benefit the song.

LISTEN

Listen to what’s going on around you. Make sure your part contributes to the song and doesn’t just take up space. Make sure it’s not walking on the vocal or conflicting with anyone else. Be creative. Experiment.

PLAN

Think about how to best manage your time to get the most out of your studio experience. Generally, it is more efficient to work in larger blocks of time like several days, rather than a few hours here and there. There is a old studio adage that says, “decide how much time you think it will take, then double it.” This may sound extreme, but this is not far from the truth. The bottom line is, if you want to do something right, it takes time, so keep this in mind when scheduling recording sessions. Also, let me know if there are special things outside of the ability of you or the band that you’d like to try. If you need a cello player or a guest vocalist, it’s best to plan ahead so everyone can work it into their schedules.

CHARTS

Accurate chord charts can save hours, especially if you are using studio musicians who are less familiar with your material.

If you plan on using hired musicians, please have a detailed chord chart for every song. Charts should be 100% typed, with no scribbles or sloppy handwriting, and they need to be readable from top to bottom in the format of the song. For example, if the chorus happens twice in a row, type the chorus twice in a row, not just X2; and if the second verse is the same as the first, type it again. There should be no need to go backwards while reading the chart. This will make your chart longer but it really helps musicians to envision the arrangement and keep their place.

If changes are made to the chords or the song format during production, just edit the document in your computer and print out a new chart before the next session so that all charts are current and accurate. Also, a 3 ring binder is a great way to keep your charts from getting mixed up in a heap by the end of the session. One last thing…for songs that use a guitar capo, please make 2 versions of the chart – one in the original key,and one transposed for the capo guitar.

If you are a band and/or not using musicians provided by me, you really should not need chord charts if you have rehearsed sufficiently. If you do decide to use charts for occasional reference, make sure they are neatly typed and bound in a 3 ring binder. Loose papers flying everywhere is a quick way to ruin a good take!