Recording Session Tips

There are many simple things you can do before going into a recording studio that can save you a lot of time and money. Advance preparation is a very important part of the recording process, normally known as "pre-production". Some of the following points may at first seem obvious or unimportant, but taking your time in preproduction is a vital part of getting the very most out of your studio time and achieving a great recording.

Record demos of the songs

You don't always get the full picture of how a song sounds when you are belting it out at full volume in the practice room. Record some rough live demos, then sit back with the whole band and listen to them carefully. Check that the tempo is correct, that everyone is playing together nicely, that the drums and bass are playing the same patterns where necessary and that nobody is playing anything that conflicts with the vocal melody. Try adjusting the tempo and recording again. Does a slightly faster version sound more exciting or is it too fast for the singer to get the words out clearly? Think about the arrangement. When you listen to the track are you excited by every part of the song or do some parts lose your interest? Perhaps you could remove the dull parts and repeat the exciting parts. Remember that a part that is exciting to play because of its technical challenge can sound horrible when you're in the role of listener. Try to think about the song from the point of view of the average listener and think if they will like it.

When you have decided you are happy with all the parts, the tempo and the arrangement, record a final demo to take to the studio. It really helps the engineer to have an idea of what you are aiming at before you start recording.

Practise your songs

This sounds really obvious, but the amount of bands who don't know their own songs when they come into the studio is really surprising. If you will be playing to a click track, it's a good idea to practise the songs with it beforehand so that you are comfortable in the studio. If you are not planning on using a click it's still good to start the song with a metronome so you know you always start at the correct tempo. Holding an impromptu band practice in the studio is a huge waste of everyone's time and an even bigger waste of your money!

Vocals

If your recording has vocals they are probably the most important part of the recording. Make sure you are well rehearsed. (This can't be said enough!) If you have a vocal coach give them the final demo and ask how you can get the most out of your voice for each song. If you or another member of the band plan on singing harmonies on the recording make sure that you have fully worked them out in advance. A vocal coach will be a great help with this too. It may even be a good idea to bring your vocal coach into the studio with you. All the best singers in the the world work with vocal coaches every day; you should too!

Trying different equipment

If you are planning on borrowing your mate's killer guitar amp make sure you get hold of it before the session and test it thoroughly. Take it to band practice and make sure that its sound suits your style of music and the songs you plan to record. It is great to have a few different options available for guitar amps, bass amps, guitars and drums (especially snare drums and cymbals). It's important that you have figured out how to work each individual piece of equipment before you come in the studio because a lot of time (and therefore your money) can be wasted if you have great gear but you haven't worked out how to get the sound you want.

Setting up your instrument

Take your guitars and basses to a luthier or guitar shop and ask them to set them up correctly to remove fret buzz and fix the intonation if necessary. The intonation can change over time on stringed instruments and therefore needs to be adjusted occasionally. If the intonation is out, notes on one part of the fret board will sound fine but elsewhere will be at the wrong pitch, making it impossible to play a melody in tune. Put new strings on your instruments before you come in the studio and bring spares in case of breakage.

Drums

Put new drum heads on your kit before you go into the studio. It may seem like an extra expense but it's the only way to get the best out of your drum kit and is well worth the outlay. All drum kits sound different, so it is important that you know how to tune your drums to get the best sound out of them. The engineer will probably want to tweak the tuning in the studio but if you have already changed the drum heads and tuned the kit to your liking before you enter the studio then you will save a lot of time. It's also helpful to have a couple of options for snare drums and cymbals as this will give a greater range of sounds for the engineer to work with.