So you want to improve your recording
and producing skills! That is great, and it is possible to
do so.
I am assuming that you either
1) have your own studio or 2) have some recording equipment.
I am going to make three suggestions for
your recording training:
The SINGLE BEST WAY to get good information
and technical facts about recording is to read. There
are some great recording industry magazines and books
available. Magazines like Mix
are usually an excellent source of current information,
depending on the magazine. Here are a few suggestions
of magazines:
Be careful of articles online (like
this one!!). I have seen some real BS online from people
that talk like they are experts, but when you look at
the facts they are really full of #$*$%. I guess that
is typical for the internet to have both good and bad
articles online. Here is an example (this example may
seem a little technical for you unless you are ready to
take on the technical aspect of true recording): a famous
recording engineer wrote a long article online that I
happened to read, and the entire article was based on
his misconception that CD blanks sound better if they
cost more money. He made the ridiculous statement that
(just like his old-school analog tape days) he could listen
to different CD blanks and tell how much they cost because
the sound was better on more expensive CD blanks, just
like the sound is better on expensive analog tape... The
only problem is that what he was saying is complete $%$*)
and not even scientific or correct.
Thus, he was saying a $2 CD blank sounds
better than a 20 cent CD blank, not realizing that both
are recording numbers - CDs DO NOT RECORD SOUND, they
only record NUMBERS!! That's why its called "digital"
because it is not sound as we think of "sound",
it is binary numerical data encoded by a laser onto a
CD blank. All CD blanks are recording digitally and digital
numbers sound the same no matter what the cost of the
CD blank. So, this guy was a famous "old school"
recording engineer but he was from an analog background
so he is from analog rules where tape quality can affect
the sound. SO CD BLANKS SOUND EXACTLY THE SAME. The only
reason to go with a more expensive CD blank is so that
the master will last longer and be more stable if you
have to send it through the mail, put it on the shelf,
etc. I personally pay $1 per CD blank for the best quality
because I want stability, but the sound is exactly the
same as a cheap CD blank as long as the CD is recorded
at a slow speed like 4x or 2x. Regardless of the cost
of the CD blank, if the track fails then you are going
to get digital distortion, and you definitely will hear
that!! The point is that the famous recording engineer
was great with old-school analog equipment but did not
know what he was talking about when it came to the digital
domain, yet his article seemed emphatic and almost aloof,
as if everyone else was not as smart as he was - AND HIS
ARTICLE WAS ENTIRELY WRONG. The point of using expensive
CD blanks has nothing to do with "sounding better"
like analog tape does, but rather, to last longer and
be more stable. SO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU READ ONLINE.
The single best way to pick up techniques,
tricks and hard core experience is to occasionally record
something in OTHER PEOPLE'S STUDIOS (assuming that they
know what the heck they are doing). Recording is so esoteric
and subtle that schools can only teach you the technical
facts (which can be very helpful), but the craft can be
much more evasive and is best taught by other producers.
I have always loved recording music,
and found it to be an "esoteric" craft, because it is
very "open-ended" in how your song can sound, and also
small improvements can help a lot as you go along. A few
tips or tricks along the way can really help your craft.
I think the best advice for anyone trying to produce audio
or music is to occasionally budget some money and record
in someone else's studio. There are some very smart people
in every city that have their own studios and they will
book time where you can go in and get their engineering
help in creating something. This is a great chance to
learn from another person, and that is going to be the
best teacher in the long run, plus you might end up with
an awesome song in the process. Most famous bands of the
past recorded in many different studios around the world
to get a lot of different input. Then you can take this
knowledge and experience back to your own studio and your
ability will have improved (or at least your knowledge).
The best way to relate to musicians
is to have some basic formal training on their instrument.
I hear so many bad bands and bad producers these days
in the "Indy" world, and they almost all think
its cool that they have no formal training, refusing to
acknowledge that they suck. Indy band leaders on the radio
saying that its arrogant to take lessons - which is complete
Indy bullshit.
The fact is, formal lessons on a instrument,
and academic training (such as a music degree in college)
can be very helpful for being a producer, just make sure
you have some other way of making money while you "hone
your craft" or improve your skills.
Recording music is usually a love, and
often I've found that what we love might not create the
income or money we need to pay our bills and survive,
at least at first. Some people put so much time into it
that they end up burning out and getting discouraged,
then they become bitter and they stop recording and playing
music at all. Trying to make your love for music also
pay your bills is like trying to make your wife pay the
bills - it puts a lot of pressure on the love and can
corrupt what you love. Try to find other ways of meeting
your income needs and still work on music and your music
skills as a serious hobby. Then learn to market what you
create - even if its on a small level. I have known many
people who have sold thousands of units of their recordings
by just selling them wherever they go, even at work, etc.
There are definite marketing tips, but if you try to pay
all your bills with this, then you are going to get depressed
if there are slow times. Your music at first may not be
able to sustain a stable income, and as an artist you
might not be that stable anyway! So it is important to
NOT CORRUPT the excitement and love that is the basis
of your music - try not to use it to pay your bills, but
let what money you can make be cream of the crop.
I have to scoff at all the musicians
who blame record labels for their problems, when the truth
is that these same musicians would probably be poor with
or without the existence of major record labels. The fact
is, its difficult to make money from art, and if you get
depressed because you are depending on your art for money,
then don't turn that depression into hate for people that
ARE MAKING MONEY, like the major record labels. The majors
did not steal anything from you and in my opinion since
all the whiners (aka indy rockers) came along and started
crying about major labels supposedly stealing their income,
the only thing that has happened is that there are now
less people (bands) the majors have been able to help,
and there are much less truly great bands on the radio.
Look at the difference between the bands out there now
(which mostly suck) and the bands from the 60's, 70's
and 80's, even early 90's. The only difference is that
when the major labels had more money and power they invested
heavily into artist development and there were many great
bands on the charts. Now hardly anyone can make any money
because everyone steals MP3 files constantly - and the
indy musicians are the most at fault for endorsing theft
(stealing MP3s) and whining their way to the bottom of
the poverty barrel.
If you have a band, try to learn to
love playing in the band without putting the pressure
on it that "we have to make a lot of money",
or "we have to become famous". The people that
become the most successful usually give up on the hard
core expectations and focus instead on being the best
that they can be in their small corner of the woods, and
enjoying where they are at. When you let your love flow
uncorrupted then other people will see that and be able
to enjoy it, without being corrupted by ulterior motives.
If your goal is just to make money then
you should do something else instead of music, because
music comes from an overflow of the energy of emotion
and art.
