The Recording Production Process
The recording process can be mysterious and daunting for anyone who hasn't experienced it before. There are many questions that come up such as.. is my song ready? .. when do I record my vocal? .. how long does it take to record?' .. This page is designed to help answer some of the questions you might have before you get started. While there are tried-and-true processes which work most of the time, each project is unique and I treat them as such. My aim is to help you navigate through this process at whatever stage you might be.
Pre-Production
Pre-production is one of the most important phases of the recording process. This is where songs are refined, visions are formed and the direction set for every song or project.
Songwriting
It can take time to develop songs to their full potential worthy of hard-earned production costs. “I think the most important thing a producer can do is spend time getting the songs into shape before recording. The material is so much more important than the sounds.” - Rick Rubin - Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Adele, Johnny Cash, Jay Z, Run-D M.C. Ed Sheeran.. The song is where I always begin. When the song is in it's best place, the pre-production process is much smoother. Artistic identity
Who are you as an artist? This can be a confronting question as it needs you to go deep to find the answer. This is the first step to sharpen your focus and creative efforts. The greatest artists KNOW who they are and what they are trying to achieve. The good new is this is not a fixed answer for life. It shifts and changes with you as your grow and develop over time. Most importantly your music should represent who you are RIGHT NOW. Look at The Beatles records, it's very clear looking back that each album shows a defined moment in time and reflects WHO they were at the time as group. To begin developing your own artist identity, find answers for these questions: 1. Who do you draw your musical inspirations from, who are you as a musician right now? 2. Who are you as a person? i.e. life experiences, world views, personal values that shape who you are? 3. Right now, what is important for you to write about, what topics are coming up in your lyrics? As you begin to find a clearer picture of who you are right now, the more focused you will be and where you are going with your music. Artistic Vision and Intent
Each project comes with its own challenges like what direction should go you, what 'feel' will the project have? For example, you could be singing about world events, or life changing moments and you would like to wrap it up in the 'feel' of Modern Rock like The Killers or classic sounds of James Taylor records..what ever it is, keeping this at the forefront will help filter creative ideas and keep the project cohesive and on track. When I sit down with the artist, before a note is recorded, it's critical to know that the emotional intent is for the whole project and for each song...what do you want the listener to FEEL?! Not addressing this can lead to music that doesn't got to the heart. Connecting with your listeners is what connects all artist with their fans and followers which in-turn, gives them their careers. Even if you are recording for your own personal pleasure, keeping these things in mind will give you music that you will still be proud of in 5 or 10 years! The Demo
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Production
The production phase is where all pieces of the puzzle come together, where instruments are recorded, vocals are sung and where creative choices will define the final product.
The studio
recording
session musicians
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Post-Production
The post production process is where all final elements are edited polished and brought together in the mix and finally mastered for release.
Post editing
Mixing
Mastering
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Industry & Resource Links
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APRA | AMCOS (Australasian Performing Rights Association)
www.apra.com.au AMIN (Australian Music Industry Network) www.amin.org.au ASCAP (The American Society of composers, authors & publishers) www.ascap.com |
Pat Pattison - Songwriting
www.patpattison.com Daniel Kay - Vocal coach www.djarts.com.au Matthew Gray - Mastering engineer www.matthewgraymastering.com |
