Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

LOL, time for band practice.

Latter dudes. (and dudetts)

I'm gonna chillax in my hot tub with a bottle of champagne and a fine cigar!

Don't forget your new box

Have a good rehearsal Sans.

Crip don't forget the boobies (.) (.)

.... That would be the young lady taking the picture

Freakin A, Crip!

Dudes, we had an awsome rehearsal last night.
I did not have my best night but.
I was doodling with this little funky melody I have had in my head. Our bassest walked in hooked up and fell right into the groove.
With his help I was able to solidify and expand it into a working melody.
The drummer walked in set up and fell into the groove with us.
We worked on new songs all night.
Despite my not playing to my full potential, it was a GREAT night.

Sounds like NKF is KICKIN"!

Yea brother, Ray be pushing me to hook up with this studio in Longveiw.
Guess I'll sell some gear and get a CD started.

You have a wicked sense of humor don't you bro? LMAO!

You just relished everyone opening this only to find out you were talkin' about practice. LOL

Glad your practice went well brother!

Writing as a band, is awesome, especially when everyone starts feeling it all, and adds their touches.

STUDIO:

Studios are all over the map bro. PLEASE be careful in this decision. You won't be getting that gear back, and you won't be getting that money back! (why do YOU have to finance this anyway? Didn't YOU buy the PA too?)

In any event.

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. And if no one is wealthy, it may be awhile before you can afford to do it again. So select a studio with a GOOD engineer. How much equipment a studio has, and how "top of the line" their equipment is, is MEANINGLESS, without a skilled engineer who knows how to use it correctly.

Some things to ask an engineer:

1) How long have you been engineering? (what's your background)
2) How many albums have you engineered?
3) Can you provide 3 references? **
4) Do you have samples online? (for download is even better because then you can see how it sounds on various mediums - car - stereo - headphones, etc...)
5) How much of "your band's genre" have you had experience with? (just because his rap recordings sound good, doesn't mean his rock stuff does. Don't accept ANY samples without vocals in them!!! Canned equipment where everything is internal, is EASY to make sound good. Vocals is a whole other ballgame! Your band has a singer, so you want to know how SINGERS sound with this guy. SINGERS not rappers)
6) ** What bands have you done recently? (ask this question later, because you can then look these bands up on myspace and communicate directly with them about their experiences with him, and hear what he did for the last few bands. After all, the references HE PROVIDED YOU (from the earlier question) may be his friends for all you know. This later question helps eliminate biased references, and you ask it later because he likely won't realize you are going to go find these other clients online yourself.

Well, I'll end up making a long post here.

When you're ready let me know, cause I probably have alot of good advice for you. Like how to select a good studio. How to get your band ready for the session (this is VERY important). How not to waste money.

Remember, in a professional studio, when you walk in the door, you are ON THE CLOCK. This is almost universal in decent studios. So the time to ask the engineer basic questions, whenever possible, is on the phone BEFORE going into the studio. Cause if you start asking questions THERE, you are being charged for it.

You can get ALOT of this done BEFORE being on the clock.

Needless to say, your band needs to be practiced up so you don't waste money on too many bad takes.

You need to find out if any of the band members have "red light fright" which means they play or sing great, but suddenly freak out because the red light comes on, and they mess up alot, because it jars their confidence. You would be surprised how many musicians go through this. Particularly ones new to the studio process.

Your band won't be recording in the same room, at the same time. At least not the drummer for sure! Are they ready for that? Are they ready to record and play, hearing the other guys through headphones (and without much effects) as opposed to how you practice OUT LOUD and IN THE SAME ROOM, AT THE SAME TIME, now? It is a different experience, and some guys aren't ready for that at first, cause they think they are sucking, because the signal is pretty dry, and they are hearing the other guys in a similar way. Feeling bad, often results in actually PLAYING bad. They should be ready for this experience. Drums and bass will go first. Drums use lots of microphones, so he will be isolated, even if the others aren't. Does he need to see and hear you guys to play well? Make sure you find a studio where the soundbooth overlooks the main room where the drums will be. You guys can usually do SCRATCH tracks in the engineers booth, so the drummer can see you and get his cues, if he needs this. Does the drummer know how to play to a click track?

Anyway bro, there's alot to think about and prepare for, because good studios ARE NOT CHEAP. And in general, cheap studios ARE NOT GOOD. So you want to find a lower-end PROFESSIONAL studio (still not cheap) that is also good. And you should ALL do your homework and be practiced up, so you don't waste money. And when you are ready, tell me, because the singer will have a whole other checklist of stuff he should do the night before and day-of, to be ready and get his voice prepared.

My advice:

A REALLY GOOD 3 song demo, will accomplish more for your band in the long run, than a whole CD that sounds lame and unprofessional.

Im with Craig pick out 2-4 songs that you feel strongly about and nail them.

If you can practice with headphones it will help a lot. Our band actually practices in a studio with headphones so Im real used to it. On guitar you will really hear your notes and it wont let you slop your way thru a song like you might in rehearsal. Whatever songs you are going to record go over on your own til you can do them in your sleep.

Recording cost money, but its a lot easier to pay someone to get your sound on tape than trying to do it yourself.

Good Luck, I start recording some of my original stuff next tuesday night. Im going to play to click tracks, Ive picked 2 songs that Im going to lay down the basic guitar tracks too, might even take a shot at vocals. For the past 2 weeks Ive been digging thru tapes and old song books and Ive written close to 100 songs thru the years without really keeping up with it. Its time to get some good representations of MY MUSIC.

Wow John!

That's exciting bro! Looking forward to hearing some of them.

How the hell have you SAT on 100 songs brother?

You are like the musical equivalent of some homeless guy we hear about every decade or so, who went around collecting money from strangers and living under a bridge, and when he died, they found he had accumulated several hundred thousand dollars over his lifetime, and just hid it all away.

Get that stuff out there.

You don't want it published posthumously! LOL

Craig my reasons for writing music are not what a lot of folks are. And honestly a lot of this stuff hasnt stood the test of time.

Out of the 100 there are maybe 15-20 that have legs, plus Ive been writing some stuff recently. On my player Save The Last Dance I wrote a couple of monthes ago. So I havent ever stopped writting, its kind of a way to get things off my chest. Cheap Therapy if you want to call it that.

Im just one of those people that has always heard music, Im lucky that I took the time here and there to capture a little of it. If I had ever had any real discipline to music theres no telling how many songs I might have under my belt.

Thanks for the advice, believe me, I will be keeping my experience friends here in the loop so to speak. The studio was refered to me by several local musicians as being a "rock" oriented recording studio.
I have spoke with the owner / engineer he wanted me to come out, see his place. He said he had samples of his work and references, without my having to ask. That made a good first empression with me.

Craig:
The boys and I are going to finance this venture together with funds from our shows. And yes I intend to sell some equipment, But the way I look at it, I invested in the equipment for my use in the band. As long as it gets put to good use, I got no beef. The other guys have invested pretty heavily as well. Our first PA, Drum kit, bongos & congas mics etc, Ray invested in. Eric has guitars bass cabs, amps, mics etc. in use as well.
Steve has purchased a lot of new equipment to help meet the growing demand of the band too.
So yes it's equitable I feel, and all part and parcel to the whole genie gig.
My wife, Jeanette really likes a lot of our new music, the improving vocals and harmony. She is pushing me as well to take the next step.
Or leap of faith, if you will.

Sans, when it comes to the p.a. just as in this new band my p.a. is way better than what Kicking Klouds has. I told them it is up to you I am the new guy but I have a really awesome p.a. if you guy's want to we can use mine the only thing I ask is ya'll help set it up and take it down and if anything breaks while we are using it I expect everyone including myself to pitch in for repairs. I woudln't expect any less if we are using their p.a.

AMEN !

So shall it be written, so shall it be done.