The idea for this overview came from an email I sent to alt.music.harmonica a while back. In it I made reference to several things one encounters in a recording studio, some of which may be a bit of a surprise if this is your first-ever session. I was asked to elaborate a little on that, and talk a little further about what you might expect when taking your harp into a 'real' studio. I have no hold on all that's true about recording, but I've done a lot of it, and here are a few things I've found. I also make no bones about this being a definitive treatise on recording. It's not even technical! Still, I hope you find these observations helpful, remembering they aren't carved in stone. Your Mileage WILL Vary, I'm sure!
First recording sessions, in my view, should never count. The trauma of what comes out of those speakers the first time one hears it is probably worse than the trauma of being born! No lie -- you and I had no idea what sound was like before the first playback, and probably everyone wants to just die on the spot! Unfortunately, it's like a rite of passage; you just gotta go thru it.
The first and most obvious thing you are going to hear is your part... you know, the one that never sounds any good. Suddenly you're embarrassed, ashamed of yourself, terrified in case the rest of the group thinks you're as awful as what you've just heard.....
Well, forget it! Everyone's going through the same trauma that you are!
Besides, this is one of those cases where the only way out is up,
it's really going to make your playing better in the long run.
Trying to save face is for amateurs.
Let's look at a really important reality: A studio set-up. It typically places everyone in a very unfamiliar configuration. It's nothing like the setup for a gig.
The drummer is often ensconced in a separate booth, sometimes in a completely different room. My drummer did a session last year, in a studio built out of an old house. He was in a room at the rear of the ground level, while everyone else was on the 2nd storey - no lie!
This may also be true of the lead singer if you have one. You may not even be able to see these people, much less stand next to one another, as you do on a normal bandstand.
This means that often the only way to hear everything is through headphones, commonly called 'cans.' Often your only means of communication are the mikes in front of you, and everything you say, sing, play and hear will be routed through the console in the control room.
So, you're at a tremendous disadvantage right off!
Nothing sounds 'normal'.
As a result, the first thing to remember is to speak,
sing or play normally without trying to overcompensate.
The overwhelming tendency in your frightened brain is to do what will restore what you are used to hearing.
Consequently, everyone shouts at each other and overplays.
Don't be guilty of this; it's a sure sign you're an amateur.
While it's on my mind,
another thing that's sure to give you away is when you start trying to 'fix' things.
Resist the temptation at all costs!
Do not touch a microphone,
a speaker or anything else without first discussing it with the engineer!
Why? Because, that's why he/she is the engineer!
When you have a question, or need to know about equipment,
placement, or anything else: quietly say the engineer's name into your mike,
and when you're acknowledged, take it from there in a soft, normal voice.
Don't be embarrassed to talk with your engineer. Ask a lot of questions about how he/she will record and mix this project. Often, it will give you a clue as to how to play it better up front. If the engineer feels you are trying to work with him/her (instead of just being another hot-dog b.s. pain-in-the-butt artist-wannabe), most pro engineers will really give you a lot of help.
The guy at the board is your best friend; use him wisely and well. You will also find, in this way, that you can quickly gain a better sense of the recording process. This is bound to help you record better on this and every ensuing project. If you're fortunate enough to have a real pro behind the board, you're going to be completely amazed at what that person can do with sound. Eat it all up! It's worth it's weight in gold... or royalties!
Remember that it takes a few sessions to overcome the fear of
The problem for most beginners is every penny we can scratch together goes for the initial session,
and we're bucking the clock every step of the way.
No time for a lot of flubs at those rates!
One way to overcome this difficulty is to perhaps delay the session until you are sure you can afford all the time you'll really need.
That means mixing time too, not just the original recording time.
When you plan your budget for the project it's a good idea to add say 33% more to the studio time.
If you think you can record the whole deal in six hours then BOOK TWO HOURS MORE!
Some studios will try and get you to book a lot of time because
they make money on it,so you have to be aware.
But add in some safety time for yourself!
In mixing you may not have as much over-run if you aren't having to finish the original recording at warp speed! Here is another area your engineer will help. A pro can help you save a few bucks on mixing time if the original tracks are decent enough to begin with.
One other point here: If you do your recording in a place that leaves you with decent tracks but a bad taste in your mouth, take your raw stuff and go somewhere else for the mix! There's no law that says if an engineer does a good job, but isn't nice to work with, that you're stuck with him/her for the duration. It's even more reason to conduct yourself well tho' when you think about it.
This is not easy. Nailing the parts you have to play or the sound you think you need to get is tough work. The experience should give you a bit of enhanced respect for the professional studio session players who walk in cold, play any kind of fly-spots-on-paper they're given, do it masterfully and get it right all within the allotted hour or two.
I spoke above about the "reality shock" that happens when you first hear yourself in a studio.
While it's a reality that everyone has to experience,
there are a few things to bear in mind that will minimize the trauma:
I can tell you without any fear of recrimination I
am always going to be hypercritical of my own parts,
and so will you. Well, it's perfectly natural to be so. So calm down.
This is good and bad, of course. It's really good to be "on top of" your playing; if you aren't concerned enough to care, you shouldn't be doing this at all!
This is where its bad however, because this is where you buy into the 'committee' that resides between your ears and tells you that you're a horse's arse for ever thinking you could be a musician.
Shutting up that 'committee' is your job; I just keep playing in spite of mine and I think it's the best I can do. One of the effects of this over time is after the first fifty sessions or so you do, you will start to develop a real sense of humour about your playing. I think most every musician I've ever known can and does benefit greatly from this!
There is more good, too! On a practical session level the other good news is if your playing is really 'sloppy' or 'messy' as you hear it, there's no better way to expose your poor or sloppy habits, and find out where you need time in practice. Obviously this should happen before you do any recording, but since there is no upper limit to our individual growth, one hopes to keep hearing, learning and correcting for a lifetime. That begins now.
If your studio is any kind of real studio at all, you are probably hearing playbacks on highly critical equipment. It's giving you a pretty exact rendering of what you put in. Pay close attention as this is not the same thing as being hypercritical of yourself. This is so that you can find the things that definitely do need correcting, and figure out how you will do better on the next take.
If you are on a separate and isolated track, you might be able to 'dust up' those lines a little, and 'punch in' some things to clean up the whole. If not, then the only way will be for the whole group to re-do the tune in another take.
NOTE: The one thing you must not do at this point is give any thought to how you sound to anyone else! One of the main differences between a pro and a wannabe is the pro will always be focusing on his/her own part, and how to play it best each time no matter what else is going on!
This is actually crucial, regardless of anyone else's thoughts, words or actions, you be the pro! Just pay attention to what you need to do. That means the next note, song or take in front of you right now is the only important thing! You will be so much happier with yourself at the end of the session, it'll be worth everything!
Also while it should seem obvious, I'm gonna say it anyway: If you hear something really good that someone else plays, tell them so; otherwise say nothing. Never criticize anyone else's work in a session!
You will very rarely get opinions or critiques from the engineer, so don't look for them. The only thing engineers will routinely do is answer specific questions about the right way to get the best result. That is their job, not to blow smoke up your butt.
Why such emphasis on this point? Well, if it's not obvious, think of it this way: The simple truth is when you're running scared your playing will reflect that a lot. It simply won't cut it and it's not the way you want to come across anyway.
In addition if it's your own band with whom you're recording, you have two choices: watch the clock tick as everyone concentrates on blaming each other because the playback sounds awful OR play it like a pro, skip the blame game and get the session done right! It's your call...
Once you've broken the ice it's never quite the same. The next time you walk into a studio you're sure to have a much better idea of what to expect and your confidence level will reflect you are no longer a 'beginner' at the recording game. Naturally the more session work you do the more comfortable it becomes. It gets to be a lot of fun!
Just a couple of general tips to summarize and I'm done:
First: get in the habit of recording your playing often at home,
so you can find out how what you think you're doing really sounds.
The runs or licks you think will sound one way in your head, but may be very different to another set of ears.
You'll also get more familiar with your overall sound coming *at* you, rather than *from* you. You know how the way you think you speak and sing is always a little different than the actuality?
You need this familiarity so even though the studio is (sometimes) more critical, the differential in the sound will not be so enormous.
Second: remember as in most things recording music is not like doing CPR; if you don't get it perfect (or even right)... no one's gonna die.
Third: allow for the difference in the studio-vs-live setup. Resist the tendency to overplay and overblow to compensate. In fact studio work is a terrific place to apply the 'less is more' principle to your playing. You can be very tasty by letting a little go a long way....
Fourth: in vocal groups and choral work the rule of thumb is that if you cannot hear all the other voices, you are singing too loud. Try to adapt this idea for your band.
In a studio this can be a little tricky because of the headsets, but you can do it. The idea is that you will *all* get a better blend of the various parts and instruments by doing this. Someone has to suggest it and be willing to make a beginning. Might as well be you.
Recording is different than playing in almost any other context. At the same time it can be the most exciting. If I can offer one really off-the-wall suggestion, don't ever lose your "Gee Whiz!" factor completely. Some guys are so used to session work they become jaded.
I think some of the neatest sessions I've ever played have been ones in which the musicians were surprised by a "pure" moment; that is when something came together in a way bigger than the sum of the parts. For me it's fun to still get excited at one of these things. Being able to listen to a finished product I had a part in and marvel at the sound of music. And to actually think "Gee Whiz!" to myself is one of the neatest things I know about being a musician in the first place!
May all your sessions go Platinum!!
Sadly Tony is no longer with us, he was a warm & friendly chap, his contribution here is appreciated.