Recording and Mixing are a creative process, and it isn’t just about some magical effect, microphone, some other equipment, or Pro Tools it’s about the experience and art form of how you use it. While often times it’s the song itself that makes or breaks the track, professionally sounding tracks that are recorded and mixed really well can really take your music to the next level!
Recording in The Booth at the Recording Studio or in the Large Recording Room
Recording is rarely done after 1 take. It’s however many takes it takes. We want you to do your best, so for the average 3 minute song, the best out of 3 takes might be a solid plan. We can can listen back together and decide which is the best, and then work to craft any other tracks or elements we need to add to finish recording the song.
Many times, success or failure in this critical process comes down to one thing: planning.
My grandma always said ” it’s not just old people that need to write things down” and it’s true. Go with the time tested method of typing or writing your lyrics out. Even a phone or tablet with the lyrics can make things go very smoothly. Whatever method you use, make sure you practice.
Making a demo or video at home can make a huge difference. Did you fumble a word? Could the performance be better somehow? These are questions you better start asking yourself if you’re trying to create something that is the best possible representation of your creative ideas.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking some massive editing, or a million takes can be pieced together, or corrected with autotune. The sound needs to be good enough, and the performance needs to be good enough, to stand up on its own. If people are going to listen to a song thousands of times, you have to have something that is really going to intrigue them, or they are just going to move on to something else.
Mixing and Listening In the Control Room
Mixing is done after the recording, and at the simplest level involves balancing the vocals and instruments and the addition or balancing of any other music tracks. In addition the addition of effects, tone, loudness, and other creative elements help present your work in its best sounding form.
We have a lot of experience with different types of music, and if you give us reference material, we can work to get the types of sounds your are excited about. Mixing is a creative process and there is no “right” way to do it, however, there are choices we can make together to adjust for average listener’s preference and optimize their experience.
Mixing is about critical listening, and objectively making adjustments. It can make it sound nice or enhance a track, but really the feel of the song comes from your performance. Mixing isn’t something that turns garbage into gold, it’s a refining process for your diamond in the rough. Mastering is another step after the mixing is done to further refine and polish your track.