To Record Live Or Not To? That Is The Question

Just going through my stack of songs and artists I've recorded over the years to show to a couple of bands who want to come in to record. 

One is a rock band recording their own songs and the other is a classic sounding funk band with a mix of covers and original, with a brass section awwwwwww I love brass sections. 

Both bands are unsure about which direction to do the recording session either to record everyone together live and add a few instruments and vocals or to layer each instrument individually after the bass and drums are recorded. 

This takes me back to my opening statement and after listening to the songs I have recorded in my collection and discovered something. 

It dawned on me I have done hell of a lot of live recordings at the studio and on location. 

I don't know if the studio side was to save time and costs or it was the direction I have nudged the band in with their sound and playing. 

I personal get a complete frill out of recording live as it gives the feel and power within the performance and also comes across more human to the listener         .

Layering instrument one after another is fine and gives me more control over the sound without the drums and guitar bleeding over every microphone, but if the player has had 5 or more goes at getting the same part right it can start to sound a bit stale to me and just going through the motions. Other words it works for some but no always for others. 

With live recording what you hear is what you get, so as crazy as it sounds,the odd 

missed note or a drum stool squeak just adds to the sound and feel.

 Lol- I recorded a great Latin band live and with every stop which the band did with in the song the drummer pulled back  on his drum stool and you can hear a long squeak, but it sounded like it should be there and added to the song, just magic :)

As a recording engineer my ears are always picking out instruments from a song on a record, and believe me I hear notes out of tune, rhythm mistakes, coughs, etc. You tune in to it and it's really sad you don't just listen as a whole but as smaller elements. 

"Hey is it me or does anyone else think the flute solo in "Californian Dream" is completely out of turn from the first note to the end????

But does it add the feel to the track?

So I'm not saying I don't love recording every song with each instrument, what I'm saying is that you as a band you maybe just be missing out on that special bit of magic thats there and might happen. 

Anyway back to the editting for me now as I have to clean up guitar and drum tracks for the blues band I'm working with. 

Regards

Tony

07841110131 

Phattone studios. 

Recording The Player,Band Within a Studio Environment :) There Is No Hiding..........part 3

Hi all,

Right time to wrap up this three part blog.

4) Don't Suffer In Silence.

Don't be afraid to ask, as I'm here to do the best job for you and produce these amazing songs of yours and the same for any studio.


So if you can't hear yourself on the headphone mix just say and it can be corrected or you need more cowbell.
I've had players and artist too shy or believe only having a distorted mess in their headphones is how it should be. It's not, so if in doubt always ask as your performance may be suffering because of this.

The same as any requirements the band or players have, like before the recording session or during.
I rather have everything sort so we can have a more productive session then and everyone is at ease and knows the plan.

Also I've had some singers who like to do their vocal parts without the band present, or the guitarist to only have their volume knob super glued at level one on the amp from the bands wishes.
Come on guitarists, I'm one too you know what I mean.

Maybe how the song should sound when it's being produced. You may have a sound in your head how you think the guitar or voice should sound then it can be added to your song as a effect or during the recording stage.

You don't have use producer/ studio terms, so talk like

"Big distance sound with in your face guitar in that speaker and the the other then in both"

Works for me , but please don't come out with one artists ideas and wanted the guitar to sound more green and the bass more pinky in the chorus lol.


So as I said always talk over your ideas and requirements before a recording session or during.

Don't keep silent!



5) The Master Plan To Take Over The World.

Maybe this is kind of not completely related to the other topics raised, but I wanted to add this one.

I've been in bands that did this, and I've known a lot of bands that have too. After living the Rock& Roll lifestyle in the studio the path just seems to just go cold with the question what next?

What I'm trying to say is you have produced a good sounding demo cd but kind of had no plan for the future. Yes it's going to get gigs maybe at the "Dog And Duck" on a Saturday night and yours friends want to have a copy.

But maybe doing some ground work before your recording session, like get contact names of the music promotors at certain venues, also some radio stations or newspapers that will play or review you.

I have found after recording your adreline as a band is pumping and get up and go, let's do this is there but can disappear as quick as it came if you have left it for a number of weeks.

So having a plan before stepping into the studio and after will keep the band or artists wanting more.

Please completely wipe this whole statement from your memory if your just giving it to granny as a Christmas present, your mission is achieved !!!

Thanks for reading through this three parter and there is so many I could add but I picked out the most important ones I believe in.

Please feel welcome to add any comments or more of one you think are good too.

Regards tony

"Phattone Studios"
07841110231








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Tilehurst, Reading

Recording The Player,Band Within a Studio Environment :) There Is No Hiding..........part 2

Well time to pick up from last time with a few more Do's and Don't at the recording studio-

3) Be Realistic, plan your session and approach.

If you have booked your session in the studio for a weekend or a couple of days just pick a couple of songs, at a push maybe three.
Wanting to record 6 or more usually is the start of disaster and clock watching becomes the new sport as the time drifts away.

Believe me I have had to sit down quite a few times to discuss a more productive approach to bands believing they can do this.

Put it this way and let me explain,
if your in for a 16-20 hour recording, this how maybe a band session will run-

First setting up can take anything from a hour or two, etc miking drums and getting them to sound right. Lol maybe even waiting for the singer who left the lyrics at home ;) Even the odd ghost in the machine, where I have had to speak to my computer firmly.
But of course any time lost is not taken into account from the band side when it's from my end.

If your multi-tracking/layering (your songs (to record certain instruments separate over pervious recorded instruments )then this will take time. If your still in the dark what this means I going to write a blog on it so don't worry.

Recording drums, bass guitar,rhythm and lead guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals Maybe keyboards or bag pipes/solo cowbell then you can say maybe a hour or two on each instrument to put these in your songs, don't forget we are all human and everyone is different and it can take some time on performing parts.

So your talking maybe a whole day if your lucky to get everyone down on tape, sorry computer I meant for your songs.

Then after that it's the polishing off time for the song(s) (called editing)from the engineers side like fixing small problems, adding magic sprinkle dust to get it to sound as they believe it should, also taking out the swear words from the vocal track before the start of the singing parts, or any other noises they believe we can't hear.

Then it's mixing, which is making each instrument at the correct sound level and good with each other and finally to putting the whole songs to cd or audio device of your choice.

So pick your best couple of songs (and one on the back burner) to record as your demo and a structured approach to your days will help things good more smoothly and save you time and stress.

Also another few small tips is try to make sure you mix on a separate day from your recording day as it gives you ears time to rest and to check the way the instruments work together in the song, fresh.
Ears get tired after being exposed to music for a long period of time and start to fool you into not thinking the cowbell solo is not loud enough!

Also as a studio engineer/producer I always believe in putting each song on a cd or USB drive as I mix each or the whole lot. I then play the song(s) on as many rubbish speaker systems I have to see if the bands happy and I am too with how it will sounds away from the studio monitors.
For example this can be on a car stereo, computer speakers, a old cd boom box that's from the Stone Age etc. I have even have emailed the song to my phone to have a listen but balancing/mixing for this type of media is different, but I just wanted to see, I meant hear, oh you know what I'm trying to say.

So ask your engineer to do this if you still have enough time(make time) when your making your songs sound right, believe me you may thank me for it!
---------------------------------------

Right after writing that essay I will leave it there as I will add the next Do's And Don't comments in the next couple of days.

Please feel welcome to ask any questions or post any comments and I will answer them.
Even if there anything else about the recording studio.

Keep on rocking :)

Cheers all

Tony

"Phattone Studios"

www.phattone.co.uk
07841110231

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Reading, Berkshire

Recording The Player,Band Within a Studio Environment :) There Is No Hiding...................................

Ask anyone, the studio is a completely different ball game from the stage or rehearsal room.

The is no hiding, no excuses or blaming the drummer, unless the whole band agree which seems the easy way out for the real players mistakes lol.



It's tough here especially if a number of factors around you haven't been prepared for that special day. Here is a few I recommend before stepping into the world of the recording studio.





1) 



Prepare your gear, yes I guess this dates back to the one from school days like I left it on the bus or my dog ate it, come with leads, working tuner, batteries(even if you have steal them from your sister's top draw or your brothers portable DVD player) 

Restring your guitars a couple of days before, make sure they are setup right and electrics maintained.

Dead strings sound like well, dead strings and a guitar that sounds like it trying to pick up NASA'S new space station every time you remove your hands off the strings is not going to help your recording efforts. Your be surprised how often this wastes studio time sorting these.



Drummers take note same as above if a kit hasn't been re skinned since your uncle gave the kit out of his top shed which Keith Moon wee on at the last gig in the 70's it will sound like some unknown unheard sound when a mic is in front of it.



Guys and Girls if it sounds bad it will sound worse with a mic in front of it.



Like usual singers your ok just turn up a hour later maybe 2 than the band they would be set up by then and no carrying, oh lyrics if you need them.







2)



Know your songs or the ones your covering, yes head scratching,rabbit in headlights, using drum sticks as a lethal weapon all come into play on this one.

Make sure your rehearsed and know your parts in your sleep, so many bands with small amount of studio time decide to write the last verse, chorus, verse, riff ending while in here.

If you know it so well that you just play and done, its going to get the beers open quicker.

Ok maybe not the beers thats a bad idea.



Right Im going back to the mixing now more tips coming as the is a few more DO's and DONT'S on this list

Regards all :)