Before You Go Into the Studio
What type of sound are you going for?
I don’t just mean the objective “good” or “bad” sound but more subjective things like “huge” or “intimate” or “evil”. Are you after the world?s most thunderous drum sound or something more intimate and natural? What about a massive wall of distorted guitars or something clean and shimmering?
Have this conversation with the drummer, the guitarist, the bass player, the singer, and/or yourself (if you’re all of the above) right now. It’s important that you’re able to explain to an engineer what it is you want to leave their studio with and to ask them if they are confident they can do it. I mean really important. This applies no matter how big the facility is. I once cut drum tracks in a very expensive studio in the L.A. area (yes, I’m a drummer too) only to have everyone involved with the project (me included) cry about how thin the drums sounded. There was nothing wrong with the $10,000 dollars worth of mics on my kit or the $100,000 mixing console they were plugged into, or the engineer, for that matter. The problem was that the guy in charge of making the record (and paying for it) never really conveyed exactly what drum sound he was after. The engineer simply EQ’d, compressed and printed a drum sound he thought we could use. It turned out that we couldn’t, and we ended up re-cutting some of those drum tracks at a $40 per hour studio. And they sounded great. For no other reason than we made the effort to get exactly the sound we wanted.
A useful exercise is to think about the recordings of the bands that influenced you in the first place. Think about what it is about those sounds that thrills you. The drums, the guitars, the top end, the bottom end, the effects. Ask yourselves if you want to make something that engaging. Now, think about the players in your band, their strengths, what makes them unique. About what makes you different from those bands that influenced you and give it an adjective (we’re louder, we’re harder, or our songs are longer!). Get ready to exploit the difference. Don’t be afraid to attempt to make something every bit as sonically impressive as your favorite CDs (be realistic though – no studio magic is going to make your drummer sound like Josh Freese). Keep these ideas in mind as you talk to your engineer, before you go in to record. Make sure you’ve conveyed to him what your vision for the project is.
You should also take into account the attributes of various studio types and sizes as they relate to your objective. A large band wanting to record live rhythm tracks will require a large room to set up in, so you’re not tripping over mic stands and each other. A massive drum sound usually requires a fairly large room to achieve it, etc, etc. Ask the studio if they’re sure that they have the gear and/or room size or type to accommodate you. Remember though, even million- dollar facilities won’t necessarily make you sound good unless you have a clear direction and something good to record. Gear doesn’t make good music, people do. (Though good gear does sound really nice)
Once you, the band and the engineer have firmly decided on that direction, you may want to consider the possibility that it might be beneficial to have a third party involved in the process. An expert interloper, let’s call such a person a Producer, who might be able to add a fresh perspective, or just get you to where you want to get that extra bit faster and pose that much-debated, time-honored question:
Do you need a Producer?
Author's biography:
Jim Moreland was introduced to the music business from the day he was born by his passionate parents: Dick Moreland former disc jockey, program director, and A&R guru, along with his mother Patricia Moreland; former independent one-stop record owner and NARM president. Jim’s love for music soon followed – drummer, sales and marketing rep. for several labels - and now his own studio Live Oak Recording. Jim has been able to craft his skills into a very reputable following in So Cal, where he's no stranger to the stage as a drummer for many local bands. His studio work has been praised by many who seek straight forward recording sessions that bring out the best in everyone.
