General Music Chat

The band and I are going into song development mode. I have advised them that recording time is rare due to the other acts at the label are in competition for every minute. We will be developing all songs independently. What this means is initially a scratch rhythm, vocal and click track will be recorded for 2-3 songs and given to drummer who will then lay down with advise on intros and outros a final drum track on those songs. This will be given to all other players for independant development. Keyboard and lead guitar will construct 3 seperate ways to play each song. They will play as if they are the only lead instrument in the band. 3 intros, verses, choruses, bridges, lead breaks and outros. In the comfort of their own homes on their time schedule this isn't a problem. There will be no meeting once a week and banging out the same songs over and over with discussion and small changes. The next trip to the studio will record 3 songs quickly and eficiently. Each player will record his 3 versions and then the work becomes mixing the best of all versions into 3 awsome songs. Most all players are 60 miles away from studio and with time there getting rare this approach will work out very well. It will rely on a few things though. Excellent communication between players during development time and each player being inventive and really useing their artistic intuition. I realize that some fine tuneing will have to be done within this concept but they are pros and it should work out. As the band leader I will make decisions that need to be made along the way. We have no attitude problems in this band and they accept my authority in that position. We are 6 players that want to succeed at making music period. This plan will maximize efficientcy and quaulity.[/b]

Good plan Klug! I have seen this done before. One quick question, does the band have the same type of recording equipment? Wondering what program you are using.

The engineer at studio is useing Pro Tools. We are not doing any recording at our homes. Just independent composing. Then when it's our turn
we all come to studio and record our parts in one scession of 7 hours
other than drum and bass which we will already have their final.

We are recording an 8 song album for digital download on the TriRock site. I wanted to do 10 or 12 but I was told that 8 is the new standard for digital albums. [/b]

We are recording an 8 song album for digital download on the TriRock site. I wanted to do 10 or 12 but I was told that 8 is the new standard for digital albums. [/b]

Well, that blows. And these idiots wonder why sales are down?

Personally I find that having the rhythm section record together but on seperate tracks with the singer leading the structure of the song but not recored (with 3 takes or versions of the song) gets a better grove going rather than doing scratch tracks. To me it's the interaction that happens between the players that allows the music to take on a life of it's own and is way more organic than the sterile feel of scratch tracks. Then rough mix the rhythm tracks and have the KB & LG lay down 3 versions of solos

JMHO
Ron

Hey Prev.,
Our scratch tracks are just a guide for whoever is recording and are
almost exactly sounding like the final takes. There is not much difference.
We are locked in all the nuances pretty much.[/b]

Did someone say "scratch"?

Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success
Pablo Picasso

I'm hoping the keys & lead guitar don't step on each other when they get there. From your description, it could happen, if they're playing simultaneously, unless they each have a set place to do their individual leads.

I have always tried to get the rhythm section to record together, at the same time, then drop in the rest, but if your time is that squished, I guess it's about all you can do.

It's good that you have a plan, Klugmo. Far too many ppl just "go with the flow," & then discover that it doesn't flow...

Other than using Pro Tools we're still doing things exactly the way we did it 20 years ago; record a couple of versions of the rhythm tracks with scratch vocals the first night, then edit the rhythm tracks and add other tracks another night, and finally do the official vocal tracks another night(s). Mixing and mastering are additional steps. But the whole process takes too long in my opinion.

It is really a matter of personal preference. We have recorded both ways: Recording 1 track at a time (Steely Dan style) vs entire band together (BB King style) and I prefer option 2. I gotta go with Prevost that the groove magic really happens recording together in the studio. We lay down as much as we can together and go back later to fix goofs, add fills, solos, BU vocals.

Let us know how it all works out. Seven hours for 8 songs sounds pretty fast.

Actually it's not 8 songs in 7 hours. It's 3 songs at a time. The first seven hours
will be to record the drum, bass, scratch vox and rhythm. Then in a second
7 hour session and after keyboard and lead guitar have created numerous
versions for each song,
the rest will be recorded, all versions of all 3 songs. Then in mixing, the best of all versions will be kept on each song. A mix and match approach.
My vocals will be hopefully worked by a multi-Grammy winner and
nominee that I am working on arranging. I am crossing my fingers on
that one.[/b]

Hope it works well for you. It's ultra important to have a definitive plan when in the studio. If everybody knows their parts backwards and forwards AND the studio technicians know exactly what YOU want every part of every song to sound like then it could work to perfection. We're creating a powerhouse trio, simple guitar, bass, and drums. We are sounding HOT right now. The songs are GREAT. We don't need anything else. I believe our recording sessions in the studio will be to record all at once, do some mixing, maybe some reworking solos, and possible add vocals later. What we sound like NOW is AWESOME. I've never heard a trio that sounds like us, ever. It's EXCITING when you've got something worth bringing to a pro studio. The time to act is NOW while it's HOT. Good luck to you Klugmo and looking forward to hearing the final results...

I have limited studio / recording experience.

Wish you the best ... sounds like a good plan.

Only time will tell for sure.