RECORDING - HOW TO RECORD, MIX & MASTER A SONG

RECORDING

HOW TO RECORD, MIX & MASTER A SONG

MyCD.ca

RECORDING ARTICLES LIST

1) MIXING A SONG ON A HARD DISK RECORDER by Art Rock MyCD.ca

2) RECORDING YOUR SONGS by Art Rock MyCD.ca

3) Music Production and Mixing Tips & Tricks by Ian Waugh

4] Studio Singing & Vocal Technique By Tom Gauger

5] Sing Powerfully Without Strain or Vocal Blowout by Jennifer Truesdale

6] Preparing For Your Recording Session by John McKay

7] Tips for a Great Recording Session by Richard Dolmat

8] The 5 Most Common Questions About Music Mastering by masteringcentral .com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) MIXING A SONG ON A HARD DISK RECORDER by Art Rock MyCD.ca

Is a hard disk recorder easier to use than music recording software on a computer you ask. Yes it is, for the most part. Mixing a song on a hard disk

recorder is simpler and less confusing then it is to mix a song on computer music recording software. On hard disk recorders you normally have a

mixing console built in, usually right on the exterior top of the recorder. They usually have an individual volume level fader and panning knob on each

channel, right out in the open, easy to grab and tweak. Some units even have EQ setting adjustment knobs right on the recording console as well.

Level, panning and EQ are some of the most important steps in recording your song, mixing down your song and mastering your song. They really are

mandatory steps you have to perform. Having these most used controls on the exterior recording console of the hard disk recorder, makes it easier to

use, than dialling in and cursoring left right and up and down, on each individual track. Tweaking EQ can easily occupy the majority of your time in

mixing a song. Most hard disk recorders also have a very large selection of built in effects. With most units you can add different effects individually

on each track while recording your parts. You can then add different effects again on each track on mix down. Most hard disk recorders have built in

effect send buses, where you can add reverb and delay to all your tracks when you master the mix. Normally you can adjust from zero to 100 percent

wet effect applied on each track independently. Most hard disk recorders also have built in mic preamps on each input channel. Most have guitar amp

simulators so you can plug your guitar directly into the recorder without an amp. The other people in your household and your neighbours may

appreciate that feature more than you. Having the ability to record, mix and master the song entirely in the digital domain has the huge advantage of

keeping background noise and ground effect noise to a minimum. Any time you use external effects and gear you always increase the chance of

adding noise to your mix, although quite often, the trade off is worth it. All of the features mentioned here are also available on computer software

recording and more. You can get a much larger library of effects, while remaining in the digital domain, on recording software by adding plug-ins.

There is no limit to how much you can add except for how much you are willing to spend. Either way, hard disk recording, or computer based

recording, you can add on external hardware, such as direct boxes, input strips, mic preamps, effect units etc.

by Art Rock / MyCD.ca copyright Absolute Music 2021

-------------------------------

Why is it Free and how you can support us. All the articles and info we provide is completely free to you. We get very small payments from the advertisers on our website when you make a purchase from them, after clicking one of their ads on our site such as Amazon, Ebay, Walmart etc. You won't pay any extra for your purchase and you will help us keep it free. We also get a very small payment when you click on an adsense by Google ad

------------------------------------------------

FENDER AMERICAN PRO II

-------------------------------------------------

2) Recording your songs by Art Rock MyCD.ca

You have a choice of going to a recording studio and paying to have your songs recorded or you can record them yourself at home, in your own home

studio. With the price of recording gear coming down, the price to record in a studio has come down from about $40. to $250. an hour 10 years ago

to about $15. to $75 an hour today. The low end of the price range being a small studio, usually in some-ones home. The higher price, a large studio

operation or one known for recording famous artists. The most popular and affordable device for home recordings through the 1960's and 70's was

the two track reel to reel recorder with a sound on sound function. Through the 80's and 90's it was the four track cassette recorder. The cassette

deck design made it extremely easy to use and to figure out how to record your own songs. It used a standard blank cassette tape and had a record

head capable of recording four separate tracks, one at a time. For instance you could record a drum machine or drummer on track one. Rewind the

tape and listen to the drums being played back while you record a bass guitar part or whatever on track two. Play back the drums and bass while you

record a guitar part on track three and then the vocalist, would lay down the vocal track on track four. This process is called multitracking. Then you

plug a RCA cable into the master/line out of the four track and plug the other end of the cable into the line in of a regular two track home stereo

cassette deck, VCR, mini disk recorder, CD burner, computer, DVD recorder or whatever you have to mixdown the four tracks to two tracks (stereo).

The finished cassette, CD or whatever you mixed down to, could then be played on a regular cassette deck. Voila, there was your finished demo tape,

hopefully a hit song, ready to send out to a record label, in pursuit of the infamous Record Deal. Later on came the eight track cassette recorder with

a $2000. plus price tag on it, which quickly became discontinued for poor sales. Other short lived versions were the six track and twelve track

cassette recorders. The four track cassette was finally discontinued around 2009. Some music stores still had stock until 2011. It was a long slow

death for the 4 track, probably due to its low cost, around $150. to $200. at the end, the cheap cost of blank cassettes and how simple it was to

use. Just push a button to play, record, fast forward or rewind. In the late 90's the hard disk recorder which had been around for several years started

to come down in price and led the way as the popular method for home recording. The hard disk recorder works the same as the 4 track cassette

except it records on a computer type hard disk drive mounted inside the case of the unit instead of on a cassette tape. You still needed another unit

to mix down to. Later on you could buy them with a built in CD burner. They have the advantage of no tape stretching or deterioration. The built in

mixing console allowed you to adjust EQ, panning, add reverb or delay and other effects. They also had a built in mixing buss for effect sends. You

could edit your songs, meaning you could cut and paste parts of a song just like typing on a computer. You could play the verse and chorus of the

song one time and repeat it by cutting and pasting. Editing was a tremendous advantage, a task which reel to reel recorders and cassette recorders

could not perform. Later on the price dropped with the introduction of the cheaper flash card to replace the more expensive hard drive. For the last

few years computer recording has been the rave with the advent of lower cost high power computers, cheap computer peripheral upgrades (such as

hard-drives, RAM memory, etc) and software plugins. First recordings on the computer were done through the mic input on the rear of the terminal.

This created a lot of tape hiss style noise and weak signal input. Then through the USB port bypassing the soundcard and those problems and then

through firewire which allowed more data down the pipe greatly reducing latency (delay) on recordings. There is a large selection of pro recording

software and plug-in modules software for effects, instruments, even bass and drum grooves played by studio musicians, which you can use in your

songs. At this point you might be asking yourself if you are still considered to be a musician when using these pre-programmed bass and drum

patterns, with the cutting and pasting and other computer tricks, or are you more of a computer programmer. A lot of musicians have been asking

that question lately. Recently the price of hard disk recorders has crashed, probably due to the onslaught of cheap computer recording software and

plug ins. The hard disc recorder manufacturers have cut their lines to only a couple units. It looks as though they will soon be discontinued like their

cassette predecessor. If you are starting a studio from scratch and don't have a powerful computer or a computer you can use for long periods of

time , the hard disk recorder will be your least expensive option. A new four track digital recorder starts at about $150., an eight track starts at about

$200. Used, if you can find them, usually go for half. Usually you can find a used 16 track for a few hundred dollars, 24 track around $400. and up,

32 track around $600. and up. If you have a suitable computer and can tie it up for long periods of time, you can get in for under a $100. Either way

you will still need additional gear such as mics, instruments, cabling, effects etc.

by Art Rock / MyCD.ca

-------------------------------

3) Music Production and Mixing Tips & Tricks by Ian Waugh

What makes a pro recording pro? What is the "sound" that the pros get and how can you make your recordings sound more professional? The simple

answer is - there's no simple answer. But with careful listening and a little experience you can create excellent results with modest equipment. Good

mixing starts ear The first and most important item of equipment is - who knows? Anyone? It's your ears! Sorry to tell you this, but listening to ten

hours of Rave at 110dB will do nothing for them and you might as well give your mix to a turtle as try to mix with misused ears. Listen to commercial

recordings of mixes you like, analyse them, listen for the effects and get to know what constitutes the sort of sound you're after. Mixing secrets

There's no hidden secret to getting a good sound, but if we had to sum up the secret of mixing in two words it would be this - EQ and compression.

Okay thats three words. These are probably the two most important tools used by professional producers. However, like any tools, if you don't know

how to use them you'll be carving Habitat tables instead of Chippendale chairs. That's where your ears and experience come in. Here we have

assembled some production ideas, suggestions, tips and tricks but they can only be guidelines and need to be adapted to suit your material. There

are no presets you can switch in to make a bad recording sound good. And if your original material has been poorly recorded not even Abbey Road

could salvage your mix. But follow these suggestions and see how much your mixes improve. Get the level right You can't push the levels when

recording digitally as you can when recording to tape but you still want to get as much signal into the system as possible. This means watching the

levels very carefully for clipping, and recording at an even and constant level. Some recording software lets you monitor and set the input level from

within. Some expect you to use the soundcards mixer while others have no facility for internally adjusting the input level and expect you to set this at

source. Monitors Your ears are only as good as the monitors they listen to. DO NOT expect to produce a good, pro mix on tiny computer speakers. It

may sound fine on a computer system, but try it on a hi fi, in a disco and through a car stereo. Oddly enough, you don't necessarily need the most

expensive Mic. Many top artists use what some might call "average" Mics because they work well and get the job done. You can spend a wad on a

large diaphragm capacitor Mic (yes, they're good for vocals) if you have the lolly but check out dynamic Mics which are much more affordable and can

be turned to several tasks. Mixing MIDI and audio One of the great things about computer-based recording is that the parts can so easily be changed,

edited and processed. It's also so easy to combine MIDI and audio tracks and many musicians use a combination of sample loops, MIDI parts and

audio recording. Audio recordings are generally guitar and acoustic instruments such as the sax and vocals. Incidentally, the best way to record

guitars is by sticking a Mic in front of its speakers. You can DI them and process them later and this may be cleaner but for a natural guitar sound a

Miced amp is hard to beat. It's not necessary to record drums live and, in fact, it's difficult to do and retain a modern sound. You can buy off-the-

shelf MIDI drum riffs and audio drum loops, or program your own. The quality of the gear which makes drum noises these days is such that anyone

with a good riff can sound like a pro.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Mixing MIDI As MIDI and audio parts appear on the same screen in modern sequencers, it's very easy to arrange them into a song. However, when you

come to mix everything down there's another consideration. If you are recording to DAT you can simply route the audio and MIDI outputs through a

mixer and into the DAT machine. However, if you want to create a CD you must first convert the MIDI parts to audio data. The entire song can then be

mixed to hard disk and burned to CD. Converting MIDI to audio can have another benefit and that's the ability to process the MIDI tracks using digital

effects. Effects There are three positions for effects known as Master, Send and Insert. Use the Master for effects you want to apply to the entire mix.

These will often be EQ, compression and reverb. Although giving each channel its own Insert effects is kinda neat, each one uses a corresponding

amount of CPU power. So if your computer is struggling and if you're using the same effect on more than one channel, make the effect a Send effect

and route those channels to it. Many pieces of software let you apply an effect Pre or Post fader. With Post fader, the amount of sound sent to the

effect is controlled by the fader. With Pre fader, the total volume level of the signal is sent. Post fader is the usual default and the one you'll use the

most. EQ E.Q. is the most popular and the most over used effect. Yes, it can be used to try to "fix a mix" but you can't make a silk purse out of a

sow's ear as me Grandma used to say and what she didn't know about mixing could be written in the margin of the book of honest politicians. But

before you start messing with E.Q. or any other effect for that matter, make sure you have a decent set of speakers. Have we said that already? Oh,

must be important, then. There are plug-in effects such as MaxxBass which can psycho acoustically enhance the bass frequencies to make it sound

better on smaller speakers. However, this is by no means the same as getting a good bass sound in the first place by observing good recording

principles. EQ can enhance a mix to add gloss, fairy dust, shimmer, sheen, a sweetener or whatever you want to call it to the final production. It can

be done with enhancers and spectralisers, too, although these tend to mess with the harmonics which some producers don't like. However, don't

dismiss them out of hand. General EQ lore says that you should cut rather than boost. If a sound is topheavy, the temptation is to boost the mid and

bass ranges. But then what usually happens is you start boosting the upper range to compensate and you simply end up boosting everything and

you're back where you started - only louder! The reason why cutting is preferred is that boosting also boosts the noise in the signal which is not what

you want. Try it. Boost every frequency and listen to the result. If you think it sounds okay, fine. What do we know? But when you're fiddling, do keep

an eye on the output meter. Boosting EQ inevitably means increasing the gain and it's so-o-o-o easy to clip the output causing distortion which does

not sound good. Finally, check EQ changes to single tracks while playing back the entire piece. In other words, listen to the tracks in context with all

the other tracks. It may sound fine in isolation but some frequencies may overlap onto other tracks making the piece frequency rich in some places

and frequency poor in others. Reverb Reverb creates space. It gives the impression that a sound was recorded in a hall or canyon instead of the

broom cupboard. Recording lore suggests that you record everything dry, with no reverb, so you can experiment with a choice later on. You can't un-

reverb a track once it's been recorded. The more reverb you apply, the further away sound will seem. To make a vocal up-front, use only enough

reverb to take away the dryness. Vocals don't want to be mushy (lyrics can be mushy) so use a bright reverb. A common novice error is to swamp

everything with different types of reverb. Don't - it sounds horrible! Mixing down You've done all the recordings, done the edits, applied the effects and

now it's time to mix everything into a Big Number One Hit! Before you do, go home and have a good night's sleep. Have two. In fact, sleep for a week.

Yes, we know you're hot and raring to go but your ears are tired. They're falling asleep. Listen carefully and you might hear then snore! There is a

phenomenon known as ear fatigue and consistent exposure to sound, especially the same frequencies, makes our ears less responsive to them. Goes

back to the bit about spending your life in a Rave club - you'll never be a master producer. If you try to mix after spending a day arranging, your ears

will not be as responsive, so do them and your mix a favour by waiting at least a day. Now, go forth and mix! And dont forget - you get better with

practice. For more information about mixing, pick up a FREE copy of Creating The Perfect Mix at making-music .com

by Ian Waugh

$ $

-----------------------------------------------------

4] Studio Singing & Vocal Technique By Tom Gauger

As a singer, one of the biggest allies in your singing career will be your ability to perform well and do it with consistency in the studio. As a

professional singer myself singing on FOX TV, UPN Station ID's, O'Charley's and many others, as well as a former talent booking agent with the

William Morris Agency, I can tell you that one of the biggest downfalls to most singers is their inability to be consistent with a broad range of singing

styles while singing in the studio. It's one thing to sit behind the piano with friends, and an entirely different thing to sing behind the mic in the studio

where every nuance and tonal inflection is heard. So how do studio singers who've been doing this professionally for years, get to that point of

consistency, and how do they get the paying gigs and get called on in the first place? Those are great questions, and I will take the remaining time in

this article to capitalize on concepts that most singers would likely embrace as the truth and realistic in answering them. To begin with, singing in the

studio and singing live in front of a crowd are two totally separate singing techniques and usually unequaled levels of singing expertise. It's one thing

to sing in front of a crowd where audibility of your vocals is not the main concern, but the overall groove and image is. Understanding the words on

stage may or may not be a concern, but to the studio and session singer, it's everything. You see there are marked differences in the ways that each

of these singers takes their singing ability to the stage. You will find that many if not most singers don't do both well. The singer who is great on

stage in front of a large audience is usually not that convincing or lyrics that easily understood in the studio. That's why jingle singers are paid such

good money. It's not easy to sing a commercial full throttle and not sound "ricky ticky" doing it with words that are easily understood. And as a side

note, if you are interested in singing commercials, you might consider visiting ReelMusician.com for more information and download a free e-book on

jingle singing. So how do session singers get that consistency in the studio? Well, years of experience are one answer, but the other part of the answer

is in how they practice. How serious are you in your dream of becoming a studio singer? In your desires to becoming a studio singer, you must

commit to consistency, be easy to work with, and available. You might already have availability and easy to work with in the bag, but you're still

having problems with the consistency part. Let's look at a few ideas that might help. Finding a good vocal coach, that truly understands studio and

jingle singing, is hard to find. Most, have preconceived notions and teaching ideas and attribute everything to a breathing technique of some kind. I'll

tell you the truth. I've met fantastic singers who breathe in a number of different styles, yet they are consistent as the day is long. Now I'm not

suggesting that there aren't better or proper breathing techniques out there, I am suggesting that many if not most vocal teachers, teach from a

textbook style and not from a "I'm going to figure out your strengths and abilities and zero in on a workable and credible game plan that outlines a

singing technique career pathway for longevity," style. There's a big difference. The teacher who teaches out of a textbook and the teacher who is

already been out there with success under their belt, no matter what business or job, has my attention and certainly should have yours. Find a

credible and reputable singing coach. You will want to practice your singing in the shower, the car and even in a closet or close up to a wall where you

can hear what you're singing. Ultimately, being able to record your voice, even onto a cheap cassette or into the computer to hear your progress or

areas that you immediately recognize needing improvement, is the best way to go. This alone, if you take time out on a regular basis, will improve

your singing far beyond what most vocal coaches can or claim they can do. Because of your vested interest and now your ability to hear and figure

out what needs to be changed and corrected, will be the igniting factor in your singing career and goals of consistency. Certainly don't ignore or reject

the notion of finding a qualified vocal coach, but understand that America was founded on entreprenualism and not the textbook way of doing things

and this includes your singing career as well. A good vocal coach will recognize and ultimately push you in the right direction as well by hearing and

giving you exercises to correct singing deficiencies. Get connected with session singers, and perhaps even try to take vocal coaching lessons from one

of them. You will have to flexible as their session work will not always be easy to predict, but well worth any inconvenience. This will increase your

odds of obtaining session work, and now you will be working with an individual, like we just mentioned, who is actively in the business and so pure

textbook teaching will most likely not be in their philosophy and thinking. Lastly, and I apologize and wish we had more time in this article, maintain

a good attitude and an easy to deal with personality. Singers and producers like individuals who are not only fun, but they're easy to deal with and

who always come to the session with an uplifting spirit. You may visit ReelMusician .com for more articles and advice on this and other topics.

About the Author Mr Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and jingle singer singing on FOX TV, UPN Station ID's,

O'Charley's and many others. In addition, Mr Gauger is a TV and radio writer and can be contacted at reelmusician.com or tgauger@ reelmusician.com

STUDIO MICS SALE AT AMAZON

-------------------------------------------------------------------

5] Sing Powerfully Without Strain or Vocal Blowout by Jennifer Truesdale

Have you ever had a voice teacher tell you if you sing _______ insert your favourite genre of popular music here. . . Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel,

Musical Theatre you’ll ruin your voice? I’ve spoken to more singers than I can count who’ve had this experience and it’s distressing! It can also cause

singers to shy away from vocal training. Well, I’m happy to tell you that this does NOT have to be the case. Certain styles of music use a vocal styling

that some call singing “hard” while others call it “belting”. Whatever you call it, the bottom line is that these styles of music call for vocals that are

full, rich, and yet natural sounding. While this style of singing may be more vigorous it CAN be done without hurting your voice. It’s not the sounds you

make it’s the WAY you make them. Let’s look at this in more detail. 1) Singing “hard” works your vocal muscles more vigorously. However, it’s not this

vigorous workout that creates vocal fatigue and blowout, muscle tension and manipulation are the offenders. This muscle tension can occur in

various parts of your body including your lips and face, tongue, jaw and abdomen, which then creates tension in your throat. After singing with this

extra effort for a period of time, the tiny muscles that create your sound become exhausted and voila! vocal fatigue or vocal blow-out. If you knew

how to let your voice work free of muscle tension and manipulation, you could sing the way you want (sound and style) without hurting your voice.

Eliminating these types of muscle tension will help your voice work freely and will help you to sing for long periods without fatigue or hoarseness. 2)

In addition to muscle tension and manipulation there is another major cause of vocal blowout - pushing out TOO MUCH air when singing. Making vocal

sound requires breath. Some sounds require more or less breath than others, but whatever sounds you’re making, your vocal instrument requires a

proper balance of air to work effectively and easily. This balance is dependent upon a well-regulated (controlled and varied) air stream. If a singer

forces out too much air, his vocal instrument will be thrown out of balance and consequently, the muscles react by tensing. From there, manipulation

tends to be used to create the sounds that would have been so much easier if the correct balance of air had been used.

Achieving a well-regulated air stream isn’t difficult but it does require proper exercises all of which are taught as part of the Deva Method®. This

method has found the key to achieving a natural and automatic regulation of air so that you don’t have to think about breathing at all. It allows you

to better trust your voice and to know that you can put your all into your performance with self-confidence that your voice will do what you want it to

do.

3) Most singers I talk to know the importance of warming up their voices before singing. However, what a lot of singers don’t know is the

importance of cooling down their voices AFTER singing. It seems logical enough, but is often missed. If you think of yourself as an athlete, it makes a

lot of sense. After all, would a runner, immediately after running the marathon plop himself down on the couch? He may WANT to, but the runner

knows that if he doesn’t cool down his body, by stretching, walking, etc, the muscles of his body will stiffen. The same holds true for the muscles that

create your sound. A good vocal cool down gets the muscles that are used to create sound back to their normal resting state. 4) Lastly, some vocal st

yles simply require more vocal development than others Strong, hard hitting sounds can be created easily when the muscles are well developed

through proper vocal exercise. Would that same athlete attempt to run a marathon without training for it first? A good athlete knows that he needs

to exercise his body first and develop the muscles necessary. So in addition to all that I’ve mentioned above, know that correct vocal exercise is

another very important step that you can take to enable yourself to sing the way you want without vocal fatigue and blowout. While private vocal

lessons are the best approach to developing your voice, we do offer some very effective home study materials and vocal technique seminars. I highly

recommend the Deva Method Vocal Warm-ups and Cool Downs CD which is available on our website (see below) You can also receive, FREE of charge,

a booklet of our most recommended vocal warm-ups and cools downs. Simply go to our website DevaStudiosBoston .com for more information. I wish

you much success!! Please feel free to contact me at Jennifer@ DevaStudiosBoston .com if you have any questions. I’m here to help!

GUITAR EFFECT PEDAL SALE AT AMAZON

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

6] Preparing For Your Recording Session by John McKay

Recording is a time-intensive experience, and problems that arise often seem magnified. No one wants to wait for an hour while the guitar player

runs to Guitar Center for new strings. So, to keep things going smoothly and efficiently, here are some things to do in preparation:

1. Practice! You'd be surprised how many bands come into the studio obviously unprepared. If you can't play through the song without making

mistakes, then you're not ready to record yet. Take the time to practice the songs you want to track thoroughly. This isn't to say that you can't be

creative in the studio, but it's a lot cheaper to be creative on your own time.

2. Make sure your songs are finished. Going into the studio hoping to finish lyrics or parts on the spot is a recipe for dissatisfaction. You may be

inspired by the pressure, but you'll inevitably listen back to it later on and think that you could have sang it better, or that you don't especially like

this line or that phrase.

3. Record yourselves. It's very useful to record your practice using a simple tape recorder. The finished product won't sound very good, but you'll be

able to hear if you're off time, or off key. It may also make you aware that some parts of your song are dragging, or that other parts could be

extended or more developed.

4. Get your gear in shape. Don't show up for a session that you're paying for with gear that doesn't work, cables that cut out, batteries that are going

dead, or blown speakers. If you're afraid that your gear is less than perfect, make some calls. You engineer can point you to some people in town that

rent gear on a day-by-day basis, or to other musicians who might be willing to loan an amp or cabinet for a day or two. It makes a difference!

5. Tune your instrument. Drummers should put on new heads about 1 week before the session. The snare head should be replaced immediately

before the session, and if you're doing more than one or two songs, consider bringing extra snare heads. Nothing sounds as good on tape as a fresh

snare head. Guitarists should put a new set of strings on a few days before the session. Bring extra strings, as you probably will break one or two.

Bass players can replace their strings, although new bass strings can be a bit overly metallic. I recommend changing bass strings a week or two before

the session.

6. Let people know you're busy! You don't want to be called in to work half-way through your session. Everyone involved needs to clear their

schedules. Nothing creates more tension in a session than someone wanting to blow out early so they can hit some party. Also, if you're recording at

your home, make sure your family knows about it. Take phones off the hook, recording will require some degree of quiet. If you're working at your

practice space, make sure the neighbors know that you'll need some quiet, if there are other bands at your facility, ask them for their schedules, and

work out a time when they won't be playing in the next room.

7. Have a plan. It's always better to have fewer songs to finish, and to know precisely which songs you're trying to get done. Often, once a session

gets rolling, it's easy to just go ahead and track some of the other songs you have. While this isn't terrible, in my experience these tracks are usually

discarded, as they haven't been thoroughly practiced, and may not even be complete.

8. Develop a vision. I like to come see a band before I record them, just to get a feel for their sound, and develop my vision for the session. If you

envision your record sounding like the latest MTV hit, you may be frustrated and disappointed. Your band is unique, and my goal as an engineer is to

find what's best about your band and accent that. Your record may not sound like anything that's come before, and trying to cram it into a pre-

existing notion of a "good recording" doesn't do it justice. The Pixies didn't sound like anything that came before them, nor does Modest Mouse, or

the Beatles, for that matter.

9. Relax! Recording is fun, and there's really no pressure. Just be prepared, and you'll have a smooth, enjoyable session with a great product at the end!

About the Author John McKay is the owner of Suitcase Recording, in Phoenix, AZ. He has over 15 years of experience recording bands, from punk to surf to indie to hardcore. He does the majority of his work on location, at the artist's home or rehearsal space. He has also performed in several bands, and has toured the US extensively

Win Free Meds

FancyMeds

------------------------------------------------------------

7] Tips for a Great Recording Session by Richard Dolmat

You know your songs are great and so does your girl/boyfriend, family, pets etc, and you finally decided to record an album in a real studio. That's

great! But what actually happens when you get there? When you finally do pick the perfect studio, one that you feel comfortable at, there is a certain

routine that must be followed in order to get the best performance and the best recording for your budget.

1. Tune Your Instruments. This also includes your drums and any tuneable percussion instruments you may have. There is absolutely nothing worse in

the world than to have a perfectly written song with a perfect performance be ruined because someone didn't take an extra 2 minutes to check their

tuning. Tuning takes a few minutes; a recording lasts forever.

2. Be Well Rehearsed. You'll be surprised how many bands suffer shock when they get the final recording bill. The main reason for this is because

they confuse rehearsal time with recording time. Rehearse at home, in the garage, at your uncle's house; anywhere but at the recording session. When

you arrive at the studio, you should know your songs inside-out and be ready for the red light.

3. Practice with a Click Track. A lot of drummers aren't able to play with a click track. Make sure yours can. A click track is essential in getting a good

basic rhythm track that the rest of the band can lock in to, and to sync-up loops and delay times.

4. Be Early. Many studios start charging their clients from the exact time agreed to in the contract. Just because you decide to show up late, doesn't

mean that the studio should give up that time for free. Be early and be ready to go.

5. Get the Sound Right. Never, ever try to "fix it in the mix". It doesn't work like that. Take an extra few minutes to tweak the sound before recording

it. Turn that knob, tighten that string, have another sip of water. Remember again, tweaking may take an extra minute, but the recording will last

forever.

6. Know When To Quit. Recording often leads to diminishing returns. Spending 20 hours in a row at the recording session isn't going to make your

song twice as good as spending 10 hours. This rule also applies to mixing. If you're tired, call the session and come back the next day fresh and

ready.

7. Record Alone. Don't bring your friends, family, parents or anyone else into your sessions. As fun as it may be, you are there to do a job and record

the best music possible. If you are a millionaire, then by all means, have a party at the studio, but don't count on getting anything done.

8. Mix and Match. After letting the engineer do the first rough mix alone (which he should) do an A/B comparison of your mix to some of your

favourite CDs. Remember that the production CDs you are listening to have already been mastered. But it's a good way to compare levels and

panning.

9. Bring Spares. Always bring spare strings, drum heads, bass strings, water bottles, throat lozenges, etc to a session. You'll always need the one thing

you forgot to bring, so bring it all and leave them at the studio until your recordings are finished.

10. Have Fun! This is THE most important point of all. Creating and recording music isn't rocket science. Although there is a science involved, you

should let the engineer worry about that. If you're not having fun, then you're in the wrong business!

2004 Richard Dolmat (Digital Sound Magic) About The Author Richard Dolmat is owner, engineer and producer for the Vancouver based recording

studio Digital Sound Magic. Visit his site a digitalsoundmagic .com

$ $

-----------------------------------------------------

8] The 5 Most Common Questions About Music Mastering by masteringcentral .com

Music mastering is an essential part of every hit record. Yet, few new (and even some established) musicians have a good understanding of what

mastering is and why they need it. This often leads to many selecting the wrong mastering studio and making many unnecessary mistakes in the

recording and music mixing phases (which affects the mastering later on). This is why below are the 5 most frequently asked questions about music

mastering:

1. What exactly is music mastering? Mastering is the final phase before your CDs, Vinyls, DVDs or MP3 files are produced. Its the last chance to get

the sound right and for errors to be fixed. Mastering transforms your music from a raw sound into a professional, radio-ready sound. It gives your

tracks punch, loudness, clarity, and completes your final vision.

2. Why is it so important and do I really need it? All major labels have their artists records mastered before theyre released. But, often many

independent artists/labels wonder if they should go-ahead and get it done. The answer is a big YES! If you want to make the right impression, then at

a minimum you need to get your demo professionally mastered. Because just think about when your demo hits the A & R managers desk, whats

going to stand-out the professionally mastered demos (yours) or the poor quality ones? By having your music mastered, then youre going to increase

your chances of getting signed and creating loyal fans. Moreover, the single biggest advantage professional mastering offers are the fresh skilled and

independent ears put to your music. Because after working on your music for long hours in the studio, you often become too close to your work. And,

as a result, your ears cant help but get used to mistakes. Your ears begin to hear mistakes as normal. Its the same effect as when you are living near

a heavy-traffic street - after living their for a few weeks, you will not wake-up anymore at night because your ears get used to those sounds and

blends them out. With the mastering engineers help, you make sure you don't have any major errors in your music and gain advice from an

experienced professional in what needs to be done to help get the perfect sound!

3. How much should I pay? Mastering studios charge a wide range of fees. You can pay anywhere from $5 a track or up to hundreds of dollars per

hour for the most well-known engineers. The reason there's such a large amount of fees is that there are many budget studios that have arisen

online. These studios are often a single person who does all his or her work on the home computer. Since these people usually do not have much

experience, they often miss important problems and do not know what to look for (every track has its own unique problems). Additionally, they do not

have tools a professional mastering studio offers to do it right. This is compared to the more expensive engineers who have years of experience and

know-how in creating a hit sound.

4. How important is the mastering equipment? Professional mastering studios spend thousands of dollars on their equipment. The equipment gives

them full flexibility in making a wide-range of adjustments. However, when looking at the equipment a studio has, you should not focus too much on

it. Instead, and more important, you want to look for an engineer who also has experience with it. It takes years for an engineer to feel fully

comfortable with all Myment and the adjustment it allows. This is especially true when learning how to adjust for different genres of music.

For example, the equipment is often used differently for Rock music than Classical.

5. Should I use an online or offline mastering studio? Online mastering is a recent phenomenon. It has only been in the last few years that it has

really begun to take off. There are now hundreds of different people offering mastering services via the internet. Many of these people are amateurs

(and can actually make you music sound worse). While, at the same time, some of the most famous and well-known engineers have now moved

online. Online mastering offers many advantages over offline stuo get a hold of the engineer to share your ideas. Moreover, an online mastering

engineer has experience with more international music. In offline studios, the engineer often only works with a certain type of music that is popular in

the area. Musicians! Get the edge by giving your tracks the "Big label" sound with professional mastering! Get the full scoop on what mastering is, why

you need it, and where to get it without getting ripped off by visiting masteringcentral .com right now!

----------------------------------------------------------------

DOUG ROCKS BLACKDOG GUITARS

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Privacy Policy
We do not utilize cookies or collect any data on anyone visiting our site, although your personal internet provider, your browser, your social media accounts, google, any sites or ads you clicked on, probably will and may follow you to, and through our site, as well as every other site you visit, as well as any ads you click on.
We do not ask for or collect any information on our site visitors.