Before You Set Foot in the Studio...
I recently wrapped up recording on my latest EP. Every time I record I get a little bit better, and the more I do this, the more I realize the really fun, deep, and artistic stuff can happen well before you step into the studio. If you know you want to record “some time in the future”, there are concrete steps you can take now to help you prepare, even if it’s a year away. I promise, you’ll appreciate the time to think, pivot, and save.
Firstly, learn your songs. Feel free to roll your eyes at me, but how well do you really know your music? Commit your songs to paper. I was notoriously bad at actually learning my songs and making sure they were fully fleshed out. I’m still working on it. The time to make decisions about your songs and own them is now. Things can absolutely change when you’re in the studio and you should always be open and flexible to those moments and suggestions, but you don’t want it to go the other way, either. If you don’t know the answers to questions about your songs, you run the risk of letting someone else make those decisions for you.
Create scratch tracks before getting into the studio. A voice memo is fine. Set the tempo you want, the feel you want, and how you’re going to sing the song. If you’re not used to using a metronome or click track, now’s the time to make it your friend. These tracks will help you communicate your sound to whoever you choose to work with.
I resisted this for a long time and I really regret it because the process is actually really fun: Find REFERENCE TRACKS! What do you want your record to sound like? Should it be bright, happy music? Is it moody and mysterious? Is it chaotic and driving? Remember how I told you to learn your songs earlier? Now it’s time to IMAGINE your songs. Picking a reference track does not mean you pick something and copy it. No way. You find something, decide what you like about it, and then write down something like, “I really love how subtle and fuzzy the guitars are in this song. I want this beach-surf vibe.”
***Because this comes up with everyone: check your ego here. If you’re saying to yourself, “my music doesn’t sound like anyone else. I don’t want to be influenced by them”, then I ask you to consider how much music you take in passively without realizing it through ads, video games, movies, tv, grocery store overhead radio, restaurant music, car radio, etc. Whether you like it or not, you absolutely take in music that is influencing you. Better to intentionally choose your influences than pretend you aren’t affected by what’s leaking into your subconscious.
Make a budget. Do you want a producer (yes should be your answer 99% of the time)? Do you know what studio you want to record at? Will you bring in a photographer or videographer? Do you need session musicians? Are you recording a single, an EP, and album? Now that you know your songs pretty well, you might realize that you really need an accordion player on your session. Budget it! If you want your songs to be written out with charts to give the session players, look into hiring someone. Give yourself a big fat gift in the recording studio by not worrying about money when you’re there because you’ve already saved up and planned for your needs. Here’s a great place to start thinking about what you need to budget for.
Don’t be afraid to shop. Recording your music professionally is expensive. Own it. Do not be a passive voice just because you’re inexperienced. If this part scares you (kind of like buying a car scares many people), have an experienced friend or mentor help you. If it’s important that your producer has experience working with classical musicians, ask to hear tracks that show you their work. When I was researching producers last time around, 3 out of 4 producers gave me examples of tracks with male vocals on them. I had to go back and ask for examples of their work with women so I could hear how they recorded the vocals. While it wasn’t a huge deal and many of them got right back to me with great examples, it was a needed reminder that it pays off to take the time to see and hear how responsive an engineer or producer is to your needs.
Build in time! So much time! I guess no one releases albums anymore. It’s all about singles. Whatever you choose to do, it can be tempting to want to get everything out as fast as possible to match the fast pace of a spotify world. The fact is, you might need to overdub vocals or guitar parts. It might take longer for the mastering engineer to get back to you. Stuff happens. Build a timeline that’s realistic.
No one wants to hear this last one because it’s a drag, but take care of the business ends of recording. Did you co-write a song for this? Do you have a songwriting split sheet that outlines who owns the song and gives each songwriter the right to record and distribute it? Did you know you can have your session musicians sign work for hire agreements? You may not be ready to go there yet, but if you want to make money off of your recordings, you have to. Luckily there are people like Ari Herstand who make learning about the music business a little more fun. I recommend his book, How to Make it In the New Music Business. There’s also the “music industry bible” by Donald Passman, also known as All You Need to Know About the Music Business.
I’m sure there’s more to add here, and a WHOLE lot more about actually releasing your music, but if the idea of recording is just a little germ of a seed for you in this moment, than enjoy this preparation time. Recording can be a lot of things these days: someone’s basement, a state of the art studio, or your own closet. The above still applies. Got anymore tips or lessons learned? I’d love to hear them!