General Music Chat

Stev-o and I dropped in on Audio Heaven in Longview today to meet and visit with Russell the owner.
He seems to be a genuinly nice person and interested in doing a top quality recording for us. I was impressed with his knowlege as he gave us an overveiw of the software he would be using. The examples he pulled up for us both pre and post mastering as he explained the process as best he could to me were impressive as well.
He offered us a good price per hour (which I will withhold at present).
We will be having a Band meeting on Thursday to formulate more questions to ask on my next visit, but I feel pretty sure this is our man for our first Demo CD.
He reflected much of the general studio advice I have recieved from you guys, and he is only about a 30 minute drive from our home studio.
This is all new territory for me. A little frightining and very exciting.

Absolutetly exciting!
Keep us posted. Looking forward to hearing your first cut!

Chris

DEFINATLY lookin' forward to hearing some studio produced NKF!

Stay loose in there, George, and let 'er RIP!

HJ

Yeah, it's scary, too. Do try to keep it all in perspective, though. If you flook something up it ain't the end of the world. Don't let it dishearten you. Just do that punch-in thingie or do it over. Take the time to know your sh*t up front, & keep a handle on those "this is for posterity" thoughts, & you'll do well.

Best of luck. I look forward to hearing it when you're done, sans.

Thanks guys. After seeing the studio and meeting with Russell I feel pretty relaxed about it all. He showed me how he would do the punch ins if needed and made it all look like childs play though I know it's not.
This guy has some serious software going on.
I'll let you guys know when we make our decision. I dont foresee any problems from the band, it's been me dragging my cold feet on this project. Now I feel it's time.

Five to ten years from now when you're recording your fifth million dollar selling CD you'll look back on these days with fondness..

I'm really excited for you brother.

Now...

Did you listen to samples of other bands he has done? Not artists, but bands with drums and all the instruments you guys play and in a similar style of music?

How the drums (only if it is a real drum kit) sounds, and how the vocals sound, is a big clue to whether he has good equipment and knows what he is doing. It is EASY to maky digital equipment sound good on CD. It is the ACOUSTIC stuff that is hard to get right. Anything recorded through mics, and not going direct.

Make sure you listen to his other work... bands that are as close to your band as possible.

How many songs are you doing?

If it will take several days, then PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE report to us every detail after your first encounter, so we can help you to make the most out of this. You NEED to be happy with this first demo, because who knows when you will have the money to do another one? Once the meter is up, you have PAID for the result, pretty much whether you like it or not.

I'm not trying to scare you though, just help you get the most for your money, and the best sound possible for the money.

Also...

You may have to ask, or maybe not, but many engineers will give you a pre-mix of your songs after you have recorded them, to take home with you. (bring a blank CD) and don't ask him to make copies for everyone in the band. Just one, and you guys can take it home and make copies or email them to each other.

It is good to take home a pre-mix, because you can listen (off the meter) for any mistakes you missed while listening back to them in the studio. Or you may get some ideas for things you want him to do in the mixing process (i.e. "You know, that guitar lick would be cool panned from left to right and then back again, as a cool effect)

He will not do much mixing on the pre-mix (if any) because, he will not want the band getting comfortable with that version of the song, and then suddenly hate it, when he has polished the song, just because it sounds different, than what you guys had been listening to for several days, while you are waiting for the mixed versions.

But the pre-mix may still sound really good, even though he hasn't fully mixed it yet, because it will be the highest quality recording of yourselves you have heard thus far.

So....

DO NOT fall in love with the pre-mix.

Tell your band mates.... DO NOT fall in love with the pre-mix.

It is easy to get used to this version of the songs, and then get the mixed versions and decide you liked the pre-mixes better.

THEY ARE NOT BETTER.

I REPEAT...

THEY ARE NOT BETTER!!!!!

Well, they shouldn't be anyway.

What has happened, is that you need fresh ears. You need to walk away from the pre-mixes for awhile, and then you need to listen to the MIXED versions, OVER AND OVER... like you probably did for the pre-mixes.

Then, you will suddenly find (9.9 times out of 10)...

"Oh gee, the mixed versions really are better!"

If you still doubt this, or need a litmus test to make sure...

Give both versions to a trusted friend, WHO HAS NOT HEARD EITHER ONE YET, and ask him to listen to each song, ONE TIME EACH, back to back, and tell you which he likes better.

Don't tell him which is the mixed, and which is unmixed.

Then see what he says.

I only tell you all this, cause it is a common phenomenon, as the veterans here will tell you as well.

You SHOULD take home a pre-mix, but don't over listen to it, and DO NOT get attached to it.

Almost always, the mixed version is twice as good, but you just aren't used to it yet.

Good luck brother.

I'm soooooo excited for you guys.


I CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR THE RESULTS!!!!

I bet the other guys are pumped up as heck!

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Craig has good advice as usual, but remember this is a DEMO CD. You don't want to over-produce it to the point where it doesn't sound like your band live. In my opinion demo CD's should give the prospective venue owners a very close idea of what you sound like live. This should be an HONEST demo. I played for about a year for a recording artist and his studio CD's were so produced he couldn't match it live. That's a DIFFERENT story. That's your NEXT studio project, to record a CD that realizes a vision your band has. THAT'S what you want to sell to the masses. The demo is what you want to get your foot in the door(s) and subsequently your live performance matches your demo and you get ASKED TO COME BACK. Don't be scared at all. If you know exactly how many tunes and exactly every part of those tunes down cold it will be an easy process. If you're working with a studio pro, and it sounds like that is the case, this should be the first of hopefully many productive studio visits. ANd hopefully it works out so well you'll be going back soon after to record your first full length CD...

Awesome, George, remember to have fun. Definitely take the rough mix home and listen to it for a week or two before mixing.

Oh so many questions, but then it is Craig right ? LOL

Lets see.
Did you listen to samples of other bands he has done? Not artists, but bands with drums and all the instruments you guys play and in a similar style of music?
Yes several examples both completed and comparison before compression / mastering. Syles were simular but generally not as heavy as us.
Anything recorded through mics, and not going direct. Thre was even a live recording so yes both direct in and miced examples.
How many songs are you doing?
Four or five me thinks, well make that decision on Thursday.
You may have to ask, or maybe not, but many engineers will give you a pre-mix of your songs after you have recorded them, to take home with you. (bring a blank CD) and don't ask him to make copies for everyone in the band. Just one, and you guys can take it home and make copies or email them to each other.

Not only does he insist that at least one of us be present for the mixing to tell him how WE want it to sound, but he said he would burn it to a CD and we should listen to it on as many different stereo systems as we can to make sure it is compatable with boomboxes Car audio and home stereos etc.

His advice and expectations so closely mirrors what you guys have been telling me it's a bit freaky.

Thanks so much my friends. I'll keep ya'll posted.

We're your brothers (and your sisters... Mary, Philbymon, et al)

Man, I can't get a rise out of Phil?

He hasn't insulted me in at least 3 days or more, I'm worried about him. Not under the weather are you Philly? You're not yourself bro!


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Oh yeah....

HUGE HUGE HUGE...

Make sure your singer PROTECTS AND PREPARES his voice for this session. No sleeping with fans or open windows, TONS OF WATER about an hour or two before the session, warm the face muscles and vocal cords, good rest the night before, etc...

I posted a laundry list on this awhile back, that could help, or search online for "Getting ready for the recording studio" or something similar.

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Man his wife will be disappointed. She's his #1 fan.

Man his wife will be disappointed. She's his #1 fan.

LMAO!

Good one!

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Congrats George! Good luck on the demo.