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Tips, Tricks & Money-Saving Ideas
With so many
artists recording at home, we sought out experts in the “art
of recording” to compile tips, tricks and money-saving ideas.
We talked to record producers, mixing and mastering engineers,
and artists whose recordings were so good they got them to the
next level. Of course, artists who have done home recordings
know that there’s much more involved than simply getting a
sound on tape or a hard drive. To help you step up your
learning curve, and get the best recording you can, we’re
offering the following tips.
THE EXPERTS
(DC)
- David Choi is a songwriter, performer and producer
whose homemade demos landed him a deal with Warner/Chappell
Music.
(TM) - Tim Fagan
is a songwriter and guitarist whose home recording won the
“John Mayer Songwriting Contest” in Esquire Magazine.
(DT) - David
Thiele
is a songwriter, performer and producer whose home recording
got him a record deal – as an artist and a producer -
with indie label, New Land Music.
(DA) - Dave
Alhert
owns Vortex Recording and has engineered and mixed records for
everyone from The Jacksons to the new indie favorite
(according to Rolling Stone Magazine), Elvis Perkins.
(SM) - Stephen
Marsh
was the mastering engineer for Sony Music, a production
engineer for BMG and Director of Mastering for Threshold Sound
& Vision. Currently, he runs his own mastering studio.
Marsh has worked with the top names in the business, including
Incubus, Los Lobos, Korn, Jeff Beck and Keb’ Mo’, to name a
few.
(DG) - Dito
Godwin
is an independent record producer whose recordings have sold
over 10,000,000 records. Godwin has worked with No Doubt,
members of KISS, Mötley Crüe, Susan
Gibson and Charley Pride, among others. Additionally, he
reports that he has worked out of dozens of home recording
studios, besides his own.
RECORDING TIPS
1. THE LEARNING CURVE
DT:
You
should take some time to learn about the recording process. I
went to a recording school because I wanted to produce. If
school is out of the question, at least read a few books like
“Modern Recording Techniques” by
Robert E.
Runstein and David Miles Hube.
DC:
You should realize that it’s going to take a learning curve to
get the best results. It took me a lot of trial and error
before I was able to get what I wanted.
DG:
It can take years to learn how to use Pro-Tools and other hard
drive systems effectively. In fact, in the beginning they can
be more confusing than helpful.
SM:
The most common problem I encounter is a lack of knowledge and
experience. You have to know how far you can push things, and
how it relates to everything else in your recording.
Note:
There are also
websites that are helpful such as
homerecordingtips.co.uk,
and
Guitar Nine’s Home Studio Registry at
guitar9.com/hsregistry.html.
2. YOUR PROJECT
SHOULD MATCH YOUR BUDGET
DG:
Don’t spend more that the recording deserves. Figure out what
you’re going to do with it. If it’s serious and you have
the budget, hire professionals. You’ll be glad you did. It
will actually save you time; and, could also save you money
down the line.
3. KEEP IT SIMPLE
DA:
If you’re not getting the sound you want, don’t start fooling
with EQ and gain. Instead, just move the microphone around
until you get the sound you need. You’ll be surprised – small
adjustments can make huge differences in the sound.
4. PAY ATTENTION
TO THE ACOUSTICS
DG:
You’ll achieve better acoustics if you use a space that
doesn’t have parallel walls. If you don’t have that available,
try to set something up to accomplish it.
DG:
When recording vocals, find the deadest spot in the room and
set up there. Clap your hands to make sure there’s no echo. If
you want an echo, use a bathroom. The tiles will bounce the
sound.
DA:
Glass absorbs sound. So use curtains or some sort of covering
in front of windows.
5. AVOID AMBIENT
NOISE
DG:
Be aware of ambient noises, like dogs, planes and phones. I’ve
had to stop more than a few home recordings because of
planes.
DT:
Keep your computer far enough away so that your recording
doesn’t pick up the noise it makes. Sometimes, a closet will
work well.
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