Tips for a stress-free recording session
Our job is to help you achieve your own creative vision.
To make your session go as smoothly as possible, there are a few things to
consider before you start. Following these simple guidelines will allow you to
make the best of your time in the studio - allowing you to be as creative as
possible. We can also help you come up with a realistic time estimate to do a proper job, if you are unsure - please contact us for advice.
Who is your target audience?
If you are hoping to get signed by a major label, it is vital that you record your best three or four songs as polished as you can, rather than 10 songs that 'do'. The A&R department probably won't listen to more than three songs anyway...
However, if you want a CD of a dozen songs or so to sell at gigs, you may be willing to make more compromises. If you want to do a CD with a view to independent release however, you will need to allow enough time to do justice to all the material. Alternatively, if you are a singer/songwriter looking for a publishing deal, publishers will be much more interested in the quality of the songwriting rather than the production.
Think about the final product you want.
If you are a guitar band and really would like to put a string part on a chorus - no problem. However, have you written that part, or are you hoping it will "just happen"?
Work with us to plan agreed meal breaks etc.
The studio provides tea and coffee free of charge, but please make your own eating arrangements - remember to co-ordinate these with your engineer, because he needs to eat as well! Enjoy yourselves, but don't ruin a session by overindulgence - it won't sound so good on playback!!
Be prepared (dib, dib dib)
Ensure that your instruments and sound equipment are in tip-top working order before the session. Bring spare strings, drumsticks, etc. If any of your equipment requires batteries, bring a spare just in case.
Put new strings on guitars etc a day or two before the session so they can settle in and sound great. Tune the drum kit (and bring the tuning keys as well), and don't forget to bring your instrument leads...
Bring a good book
Inevitably some band members may have little to do while we concentrate on perfecting some parts. Don't put pressure on us or your soloist - by making meaningful remarks about the time etc.
Mixdown will take as long as it takes (how long is a piece of string anyway?)
There are (can be) a large number of decisions to be made in mixing and it takes time. If you really want to try lots of different effects on the guitar parts, no problem. However you may find the decisions you made do not sit well in the mix with other instruments, and we will have to start again. You will also find that decisions made late in the day, may not sound good the next as listener fatique had affected your judgement.
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