Everything you watned to know about recording a CD but were afraid to ask!!

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How many of you are in bands or play an instrument????

Give me 3 of you favourite CD’s that help you with your music??

REHEARSE, REHEARSE, REHEARSE

Bass player says: “That chord’s an A chord”

Guitarist: “No it’s not!!! I’ve always played a C chord!!!”

Drummer: “I quit”

Moral of story – know your songs before you go into the studio – save money!!

ROAD TEST YOUR SONGS

You will possibly find that your 3 minute song called “I woke up this morning” will go down better than your 12 minute epoch about post-war global greed.

The longer and trickier the song is, the longer it will take to record.

Have you ever noticed some songs get more reaction than others. Record THEM (tell Billy Thorpe story)

Making a CD???? WHAT’S THE PURPOSE OF THE CD?

Don’t spend $10,000 on a 2-song demo for a local pub gig. However, don’t spend only $200 on a demo for the Sony A&R guy who wants to hear the band.

FINDING A STUDIO

Similarly, don’t go to a $3,000 a day studio to a guy who’s worked with Pink and Korn for your demo. Also, don’t go to a $20 an hour studio with a guy who has just recorded ‘Smelly and the Farts’ to record your upcoming worldwide release CD. If the owner starts telling you how great his gear is and starts ratting off things like “signal to noise ratio’s” run away immediately!!!

Go and see the studio, check out the vibe, see if things look like they all work, and make sure the place looks organised.

SCHEDULE YOUR SESSIONS

It’s not a good idea to plan a 12 hour session and spend 11½ hours recording band tracks for 10 songs and leaving ½ an hour for all the vocals, harmonies, tambourines, cowbell, choir and glockenspiel!!!

Plan roughly 1/3 band record, 1/3 vocals and overdubs, 1/3 mixing time.

THE RECORDING SESSION

“Congratulations. You’ve got it first take!!!! ”- don’t count on it.

PLANNING AHEAD

Book that studio, plan the CD cover and organise the CD launch - NOW!!!!!

The cover is the hardest bit!!!!!

WHO WILL RECORD YOU?

Meet the engineer when you check out the studio – not just the owner. The owner could be a goose and the engineer a good guy – or worse – vice versa!!

WHAT IS A PRODUCER and WHAT DOES AN ENGINEER DO???

Roughly, an engineer gets sounds, sets the session up, plugs stuff in, talks to the band about guitars, amps, drums, microphones, runs the desk and records the band.

Roughly, the producer shapes songs, has an overview of the CD i.e.: vibe, sounds, songs, talks to band about songs, structure, singing, solos etc.

ARE YOUR INSTRUMENTS IN GOOD SHAPE???

Don’t waste $100 in studio time due to not buying a new set of $20 strings.

ALSO – you are unlikely to get a John Bonham drum sound from a kit of drums with skins which are celebrating their 40th year in the business.

MIXING – A PIECE OF CAKE – NOT!!!!

Once it’s mixed, you can’t UN-mix – just like a cake – so pay attention!!

MASTERING

What the hell’s mastering?

CD COVERS

Got a mate with a computer - Wotch yore speling.

CD LAUNCH

Is it a good idea to release your new blues CD at Big Daddy Puff Groove’s Hip Hop Dance Ecstasy party??

DISTRIBUTION

To sign away 30% or not???!!

Permission to reproduce this article is available to all,
as long as you include attribution to myself including contact details
and let me know where you have used the material.
Jeff Cripps
A# Sharp Recording Studio
Email: jeff@asharp.com.au
Phone: +612 9153 9988

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