In the last blog I talked about why every musician needs to record. This blog covers the next steps, the first of which is:
Selecting a Studio That’s Right for You
Now that I've convinced you to get a professional recording made you will need to decide where to go to get it done. Unless you're already rich and famous and can afford to book Abbey Road Studios in London, you will likely, and wisely, choose a studio located close to your home. Here in Atlanta musicians have a multitude of choices. A recent search for “Recording Studios” in the greater Atlanta area on www.kudzu.com resulted in over 300 hits! Kudzu.com is a great site to start with. After searching for "recording studios" in their browser you can enter your zip code and search “by distance” from your home. Better yet, try searching “by rating” and find the studios close to your home with the highest customer satisfaction ratings. Call a few of these studios and talk to their owner or chief engineer about your project and try to get a feel for whether you think there’s a fit. Tell them what kind of music you want to record and then ask what types of music the studio specializes in.
These days 99% of all music is recorded digitally. Gone are the days of reel-to-reel analog tape decks. Most current studios use ProTools HD, which is also the industry standard. Avoid falling into the trap of price-shopping. Meet with your prospective engineer and tour his facility in person. Not all studios are created equal. You should have an overall budget in mind but try to remain flexible on pricing because each project is different. Groove Tunes Studios is one of the studios that many musicians in the greater Atlanta area have come to know and trust. Check out Kudzu.com and compare us with other studios in your area. You can find out more about Groove Tunes at www.groovetunes.com or call 770-842-5511.
Be prepared!
Once you’ve selected your studio and have scheduled a recording date with your engineer or producer, you will need to prepare for your session. Here are a few tips that I give to new clients to help them prepare for their first recording session:
· If possible, record your songs during live gigs or at rehearsals, and then listen to them. Determine whether there are weak spots in the song or performance and fix those before your session date.
· Have all the instrumental and vocal parts already worked out. Know your guitar solos! If you will be relying on Groove Tunes to provide the musicians this may not be as critical for you.
· Check with the studio in advance about guitar amps or other equipment you plan to use.
· Practice to a click track (!!!) or metronome during pre-production rehearsals! Each musician should practice alone to the click, and then together as a group. Most rock and pop music is recorded one track at a time, one instrument at a time, so know how to play your parts to the click track. Being able to do just this much will save you time and money on your project. You should be able to play all your parts exactly the same way, every time.
· Rehearse more songs than you plan to record. There might be a technical or performance problem with a particular song when you arrive at the studio, so it’s always a good idea to have a backup song or two.
· Change your guitar strings two or three days before the session. It’s best if they are just a few days old and not so new that they are still stretching out.
· Prepare lead sheets for the songs you plan to record. Lead sheets are helpful to the engineer and musicians and they make your sessions go smoother. Lead sheets are typed pages containing all the song lyrics with the chords typed or written above the words where each chord changes. Lead sheets should also notate the number of measures and chords for intros, instrumental solos, and other instrumental portions. The lead sheet is the road map for the recording session and those that bring them to sessions save studio time and money.
· Take care of your body before your recording session. Eat well, get enough sleep, and keep your ears rested the night before.
Now that I've convinced you to get a professional recording made you will need to decide where to go to get it done. Unless you're already rich and famous and can afford to book Abbey Road Studios in London, you will likely, and wisely, choose a studio located close to your home. Here in Atlanta musicians have a multitude of choices. A recent search for “Recording Studios” in the greater Atlanta area on www.kudzu.com resulted in over 300 hits! Kudzu.com is a great site to start with. After searching for "recording studios" in their browser you can enter your zip code and search “by distance” from your home. Better yet, try searching “by rating” and find the studios close to your home with the highest customer satisfaction ratings. Call a few of these studios and talk to their owner or chief engineer about your project and try to get a feel for whether you think there’s a fit. Tell them what kind of music you want to record and then ask what types of music the studio specializes in.
These days 99% of all music is recorded digitally. Gone are the days of reel-to-reel analog tape decks. Most current studios use ProTools HD, which is also the industry standard. Avoid falling into the trap of price-shopping. Meet with your prospective engineer and tour his facility in person. Not all studios are created equal. You should have an overall budget in mind but try to remain flexible on pricing because each project is different. Groove Tunes Studios is one of the studios that many musicians in the greater Atlanta area have come to know and trust. Check out Kudzu.com and compare us with other studios in your area. You can find out more about Groove Tunes at www.groovetunes.com or call 770-842-5511.
Be prepared!
Once you’ve selected your studio and have scheduled a recording date with your engineer or producer, you will need to prepare for your session. Here are a few tips that I give to new clients to help them prepare for their first recording session:
· If possible, record your songs during live gigs or at rehearsals, and then listen to them. Determine whether there are weak spots in the song or performance and fix those before your session date.
· Have all the instrumental and vocal parts already worked out. Know your guitar solos! If you will be relying on Groove Tunes to provide the musicians this may not be as critical for you.
· Check with the studio in advance about guitar amps or other equipment you plan to use.
· Practice to a click track (!!!) or metronome during pre-production rehearsals! Each musician should practice alone to the click, and then together as a group. Most rock and pop music is recorded one track at a time, one instrument at a time, so know how to play your parts to the click track. Being able to do just this much will save you time and money on your project. You should be able to play all your parts exactly the same way, every time.
· Rehearse more songs than you plan to record. There might be a technical or performance problem with a particular song when you arrive at the studio, so it’s always a good idea to have a backup song or two.
· Change your guitar strings two or three days before the session. It’s best if they are just a few days old and not so new that they are still stretching out.
· Prepare lead sheets for the songs you plan to record. Lead sheets are helpful to the engineer and musicians and they make your sessions go smoother. Lead sheets are typed pages containing all the song lyrics with the chords typed or written above the words where each chord changes. Lead sheets should also notate the number of measures and chords for intros, instrumental solos, and other instrumental portions. The lead sheet is the road map for the recording session and those that bring them to sessions save studio time and money.
· Take care of your body before your recording session. Eat well, get enough sleep, and keep your ears rested the night before.
In my next blog I will tell you what to expect at your session. Until then, get thee to thy metronome and start rehearsing!
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