Recording Advice

[Andy_L]

First off, apologies if this has been done to death: I did a quick search and didn't find what I'm looking for. Feel free to post links and mild abuse.

 

At the tender age of 53 I'm entering a recording studio for the first time in two weeks.

 

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you were where I'm at?

 

Thanks, Andy 

[Beedster]

1. Take a Precision

2. Do what the engineer asks, they know what they’re doing

3. Don’t lose patience with drummer, guitarists, keys, and singer, remember they were not blessed with good enough  DNA to be the bassist 

 

Enjoy it 👍

[paul_5]

Turn up, tune up, shut up.

[Buddster]

If you know you made a mistake, ask to patch it up. Otherwise you'll be hearing that mistake every time you listen to the track. 

 

Once you've done your bits, it can get boring very quickly. Take something to amuse yourself with. 

 

Studios are like a microscope. Don't over analyse (else you may loose the vibe, and that goes for everyone). Studio recording is very different to live, so accept it and work at it. 

 

At midnight, when the mix is sounding good, if anyone says "can I have a bit more me", tell them "no" in the sternest terms, else you'll be the at 6 in the morning thinking what the hell just happened! (trust me, I've been there with bands too many times) 

 

Don't try to do too much, be realistic, things take longer than you think. 

 

Enjoy it! 

Edited October 4, 2024 by Buddster

[Doctor J]

Make sure your bass is set up to your taste and the intonation is spot on. Then enjoy it, recording is a cool experience, and don't put needless pressure on yourself looking for perfection. Music is about emotion, not robotic precision.

[Dad3353]

Voltaire : “The best is the enemy of the good.”
Confucius : “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”
Shakespeare : “Striving to better, oft we mar what’s well.”

[Andy_L]

12 hours ago, Beedster said:

1. Take a Precision

2. Do what the engineer asks, they know what they’re doing

3. Don’t lose patience with drummer, guitarists, keys, and singer, remember they were not blessed with good enough  DNA to be the bassist 

 

Enjoy it 👍

1. PJ with the J turned off

2. Yep, I haven't a clue and he's been doing it for years

3. They're my mates, but... Yep, good point

[Andy_L]

12 hours ago, paul_5 said:

Turn up, tune up, shut up.

👍

[Andy_L]

Buddster, Dr J, Thanks for all the useful tips

[Andy_L]

11 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

Voltaire : “The best is the enemy of the good.”
Confucius : “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”
Shakespeare : “Striving to better, oft we mar what’s well.”

Thanks. Perfection wouldn't be an accurate reflection of us as a band 

[51m0n]

The band must know the songs inside out.

 

However well rehearsed you think you guys are, you can be better rehearsed still. 

 

Record your practice time on your phone, listen back for areas to work on.

 

Do what the engineer wants.

 

Do not over eq your bass sound, let him do the eqing. 

 

Have fun!

[Beedster]

7 minutes ago, 51m0n said:

Do not over eq your bass sound, let him do the eqing. 

 

That was the first big lesson for me years ago; he told me to change my EQ, I said "That's not the sound I'm aiming for" he said "At this stage you just give me the sound that allows us to do anything with it in the mix, that's not what you're giving me at the moment"

[lurksalot]

Try to forget the red light is on.
If you are well enough rehearsed it should be a breeze , enjoy 

 

[ezbass]

13 minutes ago, 51m0n said:

Do not over eq your bass sound, let him do the eqing. 

The great Sean Hurley commented on this during an interview. Like many, he regularly turns his tone down a bit, but an engineer said to leave it wide open and let them change at the desk as required. Therefore, passive controls on full, active flat (if applicable).

 

Don’t be put off when they spend ages getting a good drum and guitar sound, only to spend less than 10 seconds on the bass - ‘twas ever thus.

[Andy_L]

Cheers folks.

 

My "sound" is P/flats and a Tonehammer with all the controls at 12 o'clock (except drive). Happy to have it changed if it helps. 

 

I'm used to receiving less attention, I'm the bass player 

Edited October 5, 2024 by Andy_L

[BigRedX]

Lots of good advice above, but I'm going throw in some contradictions...

 

Remember that you are the customer/client, so make sure that you and the rest of the band know what you are paying for. So what is it?

 

A potential "hit" recording that together with a viral video is going to net you one million plus streams a couple of weeks after it's been uploaded, or do you simply want something that you and the rest of your band think sounds great which you'll be selling from your Bandcamp page?

 

If it's the first then you and the rest of the band do exactly what the producer wants. Don't be surprised if everyone other than the singer and maybe the guitarist is told to go home. Trust that your producer knows how to make your song sound brilliant and leave it all up to them.

 

If it's the second then remember that you are the ones paying and that the engineer and the studio is there to do what you want. I'm a great believer that for the most part a good performance from the band trumps technical recording perfection. So unless you know in advance that you are all going to be recorded separately and have spent the last few weeks practicing the songs like that, insist on performing as a band all in the same room. If the studio can't accommodate your wishes then you have probably picked the wrong studio. Don't spend ages listening to your performance solo'd and picking it apart. The only mistakes that need to be fixed are those that are still obvious (to you) when the whole mix is being played. Don't be tempted to use fancy gear being offered in the studio unless you know you'll be comfortable with it within a couple of minutes. You should know your own instrument and amplification inside out and know how to get the sound(s) you want out of it, so make sure it's all working properly before you go into the studio and you'll be fine.

 

 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Discuss what kind of sound you want as a band before going in and appoint ONE person to be the spokesman/producer on the session who mixing decisions will go through and has the final say. The engineer will likely appreciate getting direction from only one person rather than trying to please two or more who are giving conflicting directions.

 

If there's a commercial band with a sound similar to what you're aiming for, play the engineer some tracks (through proper speakers, not tinny phone speakers) at the start of the session and listen to them again before/whilst mixing.

 

The engineer will initially set up a vanilla mix for you, so if you have been designated 'producer' its up to you to tell him you want a more aggressive guitar sound or a bit more ambience on the snare etc.

 

Don't be afraid to double track the lead vocal if the singer can give two (or more) near identical performances; if done right this *can* sound like a single vocal but way better.

[Buddster]

1 hour ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

 

If there's a commercial band with a sound similar to what you're aiming for, play the engineer some tracks (through proper speakers, not tinny phone speakers) at the start of the session and listen to them again before/whilst mixing.

 

Thats very good advice, and helps provide the engineer with a direction. 

[Wolfram]

Great advice here. In particular I would say:

• Tune up.
• Be as rehearsed as you can be.
• Play the bass(es) you know you're comfortable with - I would not advise getting a setup or new strings right before the session, unless you're used to that way of working (e.g. I know acoustic guitarists who put on a fresh set of strings before every gig). If your strings are cruddy, changer them well before the session, then see point 2 again. And don't turn up with a special instrument just because it's 'better' than what you normally play. It won't be.
• Enjoy yourself!
• Tune up.

A story: I recorded my late father playing his acoustic guitar about 15 years ago now. He was an awesome player, but was very lackadaisical about tuning the instrument. Somehow it wasn't so noticeable when he was playing in the room, but listening back to that recording.... argh. Alas, I can't do it again now. Keep your instrument in tune!

[Andy_L]

BigRedX, thanks for this, I'll keep it all in mind. 

 

Imagine an album like Thriller, Rumours, Dark Side of the Moon. Now imagine the exact opposite financially: this is what we're likely dealing with 

[Andy_L]

Jean-Luc, thanks for your reply. I've already mentioned to the engineer about getting an early Johnny Cash / Sun Studios sound, so hopefully that should give him a fair idea.

 

It'll be just me and the guitarist involved in the mixing. As I wrote most of the songs it's likely me that will be doing the talking.  I'll talk to the rest about a single voice

[Andy_L]

Thanks Wolfram. I'm probably guilty of tuning before a session then leaving it. I'll make sure the guitarist and I tune regularly.

 

He's got new strings to fit. My flats have years left in them yet I reckon 

[BigRedX]

11 hours ago, Andy_L said:

BigRedX, thanks for this, I'll keep it all in mind. 

 

Imagine an album like Thriller, Rumours, Dark Side of the Moon. Now imagine the exact opposite financially: this is what we're likely dealing with 

 

Are you hoping to record enough songs for a whole album? How much time have you booked?

 

Last time I was in the studio to record a whole album's worth of songs in a single session it took 3 full days. Two days recording the full band playing live, and the third day for overdubs (mostly vocals and Theremin), and then the best part of a week to do the mixes. And this was for simple Psychobilly/rock 'n' roll being performed by an extremely well-rehearsed band.

[Andy_L]

We've got two ten-hour days for recording plus a day for mixing. The plan is to get five or six songs done. We're country rock / americana and I'm not expecting much by way of overdubs. 

 

I love the thought of a psychobilly band using a theremin!

[BabyBlueSound]

Practice to a click every day. Maybe you're already doing this, but if you aren't, it will make a difference!