Recording Studio - What to expect?

Stereo Joe · #1 10-03-2007, 08:56 AM

So I'm heading off to record an EP with my current band this weekend and I'm just wondering what to expect in a fairly 'professional' studio. I haven't done any studio recording since high school, so I'm not sure how things go. Any tips on what gear to bring, how to get a long with the engineer, or whatever would be greatly appreciated.

FYI. The band is an indie-rock trio and we're doing 6 or 7 songs (depending on the time). We're just tracking the bass and drums this weekend and the guitarist will do his lines and vocals later. I have a jazz bass and a precision bass with flats, but the P is a little noisy with hum, so I don't know if it would be useful in the studio.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Mon Rominee · #2 10-03-2007, 09:11 AM

I would bring my gear, a sack full of preparedness (you guys should practice like mad up until a day or so before...know the tunes inside out) and an open mind.

You'll spend a while getting sounds, then isolate and start tracking, but that depends on the studio where everyone will end up during the tracking. I prefer a semi-live room setting, tracking all at once, with decent isolation but good sightlines, adds up to a more cohesive solid take, imo.

Don't be afraid to take direction from the engineer, or producer if their critique makes sense and enhances your tune... and most of all, have a good time and don't tense up or think too much about the tape rolling....

tZer · #3 10-03-2007, 09:12 AM

Go in knowing what you want to hear as an end result and don't think too much about how to get there.

Try to communicate your desires in straight forward ways using other songs as reference points. "We want this song to have a Pink Floyd feel like in the song 'Us and Them' - languid and spacious" or "We want a good old hard rock sound like Zeppelin gets with 'Black Dog' or 'Rock and Roll'". The engineer should have an idea of what gear and what methods to use based on your ability to explain what you want to sound like.

Have your gear in good working order - make sure your instruments are all set up and as noise-free as possible.

Get the drummer to tune his kit - or have it tuned.

No buzzy amps or crackly cords or faulty pots. I guess that falls under making sure your gear is in good working order.

Focus on what you want to hear and not how to do things logistically. DI's, Preamps, Mics - let the pros do that.

Relax and have fun! Enjoy the experience and be open-minded. Focus on getting your parts right when the tape is rolling but don't obsess. If you find yourselves getting stressed - take a breather and get de-stressed.

Good luck!

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bluestarbass · #4 10-03-2007, 09:14 AM

Replace your bass strings, have the guitarist put new strings on his/her guitar and have the drummer replace all the heads and tune the drums before the session. Bring extra strings, drum heads, small accessories you might need. Bring a couple of reference cd's youd like your bass to sound like.

Theres nothing I hate more than being in a session and the guitarist breaking a string and not having new strings.

GrooveWarrior · #5 10-03-2007, 09:19 AM

Just remember that the studio is the engineers instrument. He "should" know exactly how to coax a good sound out of it. Let him do his work and stay out of the way.

As far as gear, take both basses.

Stereo Joe · #6 10-03-2007, 09:20 AM

Thanks for some of the pointers, guys!
I should add that we're pretty musically ready. We've been in pre-production mode for about a month and we met with the engineer before hand. He listened to our stuff and made some notes for himself for when we're in the studio. Also, I'm working with a guitarist and drummer who have LOTS of experience in the studio, so I'm the only 'green' one. I don't think I'll have to worry about anything on their end.

Alright, so my prep before hand is going to consist of:
-Know my parts solid (pretty much done after 1 month of rehearsing just the 6 tunes)
-New strings for my bass
-Make sure my intonation is spot-on.

Should I bring my bass amp? I'm fairly certain I'm going to DI into the board to record, but I guess it can't hurt to have the amp as well, right?

GrooveWarrior · #7 10-03-2007, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stereo Joe

Should I bring my bass amp? I'm fairly certain I'm going to DI into the board to record, but I guess it can't hurt to have the amp as well, right?

What is your amp? You may end up with a DI and a mic'ed track. Some engineers like to meld the two signals, do some summing compression, etc.

bluestarbass · #8 10-03-2007, 09:44 AM

unless you have an old SVT or tube amp most engineers wont mess with it. If you make a big deal about how you want your cd to sound just like your amp theyll let you, your paying for it afterall. Most solid state amps are frowned upon in recording studios though.

fenderhutz · #9 10-03-2007, 10:06 AM

Mic'd and Direct. Especially for Indie rock. Be open to ideas. We didn't like the way our guitars players amp sounded in the studio and ended up putting his amp in the restroom with a room and a direct mic. GREAT sound.

If the engineer has a rig there that he says sounds good recorded, give it a shot. I brought my Portaflex I used to have and out engineer has an older SVT II tube head and a couple of EV's I ended up using.