How to save time in studio?

[TobiasJonsson]

Hello! My band are going to be recording in a studio for the first time in the begining of mars. And I was wondering if you guys had any tip on how to make everithing go as easy as posible?


I hope this is the right place for this thread

 

[fenderhutz]

1.Practice
2.Practice
3.Practice
4.Be open to the recording engineers ideas, his job is to record.

 

[MyUsernameHere]

+1 to practice.

Its been a while since I've been in a honest-to-god, well set up studio but I've always found these things helpful:

Don't use the studio time to write. Its ok to do this if you have a lot of money to spend, but if finances are a concern make sure everyone knows exactly wheat they want to accomplish before they set foot inside. This includes individual parts (obviously) and what types of effects you want to use.

Make some sample recordings before you go in. Try to get the sound as close as possible to what you want the finished product to sound like. If you're relatively new to trying to communicate with an engineer it can be much faster and easier to have an example of what you're trying to achieve than using language and descriptions he may or may not understand.

Make sure the equipment you bring with you is high quality. I've seen many people waist a lot of time trying to get a crappy guitar or bass to sound good. It can be done, but its hard to do and generally not worth the trouble. If this means you have to borrow an instrument or two from someone else, that's fine. Just make sure you have it long enough to gain familiarity with it before you try using it in the studio.

Don't bring an entourage with you to the studio. The members of the band should have already worked out what they wanted to accomplish individually and collectively with the studio time. Maybe bring one guy you trust with you to give you another perspective if problems arise. Other than that, avoid having the whole band there all the time and especially avoid bringing outsiders (girlfriends, friends) with you. It will undoubtedly lead to a lack of focus in the session and general time waisting.

 

[Stumpy]

+1 to practice.

Its been a while since I've been in a honest-to-god, well set up studio but I've always found these things helpful:

Don't use the studio time to write. Its ok to do this if you have a lot of money to spend, but if finances are a concern make sure everyone knows exactly wheat they want to accomplish before they set foot inside. This includes individual parts (obviously) and what types of effects you want to use.

Make some sample recordings before you go in. Try to get the sound as close as possible to what you want the finished product to sound. If you're relatively new to trying to communicate with an engineer it can be much faster and easier to have an example of what you're trying to achieve than using language and descriptions he may or may not understand.

Make sure the equipment you bring with you is high quality. I've seen many people waist a lot of time trying to get a crappy guitar or bass to sound good. It can be done, but its hard to do and generally not worth the trouble. If this means you have to borrow an instrument or two from someone else, that's fine. Just make sure you have it long enough to gain familiarity with it before you try using it in the studio.

Don't bring an entourage with you to the studio. The members of the band should have already worked out what they wanted to accomplish individually and collectively with the studio time. Maybe bring one guy you trust with you to give you another perspective if problems arise. Other than that, avoid having the whole band there all the time and especially avoid bringing outsiders (girlfriends, friends) with you. It will undoubtedly lead to a lack of focus in the session and general time waisting.

+1 all of the above.

When you have everything done in the preproduction phase of your recording process make sure that you can do it in your sleep. 6hours a day might seem extreme...but if you can hang it out there that long then you will do fine in the studio.

I know that this sounds nuts but ... you can not rely on any cues. NONE!!! no vox, guitars, keys, NONE. If you can do it without any cues you will be fine.

When we went in the producer alloted 48 hours for each instrument, for 10 songs. That doesn't seem like a lot of time, or to others it seems like forever. But ... we beat the odds and the time for each instrument grouping as we had worked about 3 hours a day during the workweek and 8 to 10 hours on the non workweek for about a month and a half before going into the studio.

When I got there several things had changed and I had to make adjustments on the fly. The drummer and guitarist went first and had their parts in the can. The vocalist went next and got most of his stuff in the can. When I got there there were changes, as I said, to 3 or four of the songs. With warming up (string changes, etc.), playing through to the point of changes in the song (not chord changes), making the changes in my mind/fingers, and finishing the songs I was in there only 3 hours. I had my parts down perfect, as much as I could, and actually pulled a couple with only one take.

The producer commented on this fact...we were prepared...and actually used colorful metaphors for "that was perfect" on several of my cuts.

Why was that? Because we had a new approach to the recording process. Work, rework, work, work, practice at home, work, rework, finalize, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, and then finally....practice to be very sure.

This also helps with your live show. You know the music so all that is left are the cuts between and how you are going to interact with the folks that pay your salary (audience).

Just My Thoughts.

 

[Drucocu]

I just was in the studio last week, there's is only one advice i can give you, learn YOUR stuff, and learn it properly!
fortunately I have all the stuff, that I need to record everything in advance at home, so I can show my bass stuff to my guitar buddies, and check for corrections.
If you do the same thing, don't settle with imperfect recordings, learn your stuff properly and clean, and you'll leave the studio as a winner! (same advice goes to your bandmates!!!)

 

[Stumpy]

I just was in the studio last week, there's is only one advice i can give you, learn YOUR stuff, and learn it properly!
fortunately I have all the stuff, that I need to record everything in advance at home, so I can show my bass stuff to my guitar buddies, and check for corrections.
If you do the same thing, don't settle with imperfect recordings, learn your stuff properly and clean, and you'll leave the studio as a winner! (same advice goes to your bandmates!!!)

+1

 

[MyUsernameHere]

One more thing in regards to the importance of practice and being able to play your part perfectly.

Don't go into the studio and think there is some kind of magical formula the engineer is going to be able to use to compensate for your imperfections (sloppy/ indecisive playing, not being able to get a good sound, etc...) after you lay down your tracks.

Being professionally recorded doesn't necessarily equate to having a good sounding final product. Studio recording tends to amplify imperfections, not lessen them.

If you (or your band mates) only have your parts down well enough so you get in there and have to ask yourselve, "Well, its not perfect...but can I live with it?" I grantee you won't be satisfied with the final product--especially after you listen to it a couple of times. Those imperfections will stand out like a sore thumb, and they will seem worse and worse every time you hear them.

 

[Phe]

You'll find mistakes from the songs no matter how perfect you'll do them. Live with them.

I heard this advice from seasoned player: Practice but don't practice those songs you are going to record. You should practice your band tight but if you are going over and over your songs you are going to kill them. They will sound tired and unenthusiastic.

 

[MyUsernameHere]

You'll find mistakes from the songs no matter how perfect you'll do them. Live with them.

I heard this advice from seasoned player: Practice but don't practice those songs you are going to record. You should practice your band tight but if you are going over and over your songs you are going to kill them. They will sound tired and unenthusiastic.

:scowl:

Sorry but this is some of the absolute worst advise I've ever heard.

The only people who are happy with recordings that sound sloppy are people who don't mind sounding like s....

The seasoned player you're talking about has obviously either not played with anyone who cares what they sound like or hasn't done very well as a professional in his own right...or he's just the luckiest son-of-a-gun in the world.

Honestly, I think he probably just told you that hoping you would judge his relative success as stemming from his inherent, god-given talent and not the fact that he has to work hard (like the rest of us) to be a success. Just another dumb, ego-driven statement from someone wanting to be looked at as better than he really is.

I still know a lot of successfully players from the time when I was doing session work and all I can say is none of them would still be able to support themselves if they showed up for a session or audition and tried explaining that they would have sounded "tired and unenthusiastic" if they had bothered practicing the parts they were supposed to have learned.

You're right that its impossible to be perfect. Its part of the human condition. However, to go into a recording session not trying to be as perfect as possible and hoping that your sloppy, unpracticed playing somehow adds an aura of coolness to the final product is insane.

 

[SB100]

Agree 100% with most of the postings above, you cannot be too tight or well rehearsed going in to a studio environment.

On a more mundane level.

Get all basses you're going to use and guitards setup properly by a luthier. Any intonation issues will stick out like dogs nutz in the studio. Do NOT rely on the retread at GC to do a good job as they won't.

Carry spare strings, picks, spare leads and batteries as required. Time is money in a studio environment and you don't want to be wasting time heading out to the nearest shop (if any are indeed open).

Make sure the skin slapper has plenty of new sticks and has got good heads on the drums. More importantly make sure he can tune up his kit quickly and setup quickly.

Confirm load in details for the studio. Most studios have good access but not all. Be there earlier than needed to allow for the inevitable late guitardist or vocalist.

Do not get smashed the night before.

Make sure someone has a working camera!!

 

[matrok]

Having the songs rehearsed well enough that you can nail them in a few takes will keep them from sounding tired and unenthusiastic. You lose the "vibe" if you have to keep going over them to get a good take. Rehearse!

 

[Febs]

Any intonation issues will stick out like dogs nutz in the studio.

Along the same lines, bring a tuner and use it frequently. There is nothing worse than a great take that is ruined because your instrument is out of tune. Perhaps this can be corrected using Autotune, or you can capture the magic of that take in a subsequent take, but either one of those will take time, and in the studio, time is money. I try to check my tuning before every take.

 

[Phe]

:scowl:

Sorry but this is some of the absolute worst advise I've ever heard.

The only people who are happy with recordings that sound sloppy are people who don't mind sounding like s....

The seasoned player you're talking about has obviously either not played with anyone who cares what they sound like or hasn't done very well as a professional in his own right...or he's just the luckiest son-of-a-gun in the world.

Honestly, I think he probably just told you that hoping you would judge his relative success as stemming from his inherent, god-given talent and not the fact that he has to work hard (like the rest of us) to be a success. Just another dumb, ego-driven statement from someone wanting to be looked at as better than he really is.

I still know a lot of successfully players from the time when I was doing session work and all I can say is none of them would still be able to support themselves if they showed up for a session or audition and tried explaining that they would have sounded "tired and unenthusiastic" if they had bothered practicing the parts they were supposed to have learned.

You're right that its impossible to be perfect. Its part of the human condition. However, to go into a recording session not trying to be as perfect as possible and hoping that your sloppy, unpracticed playing somehow adds an aura of coolness to the final product is insane.

The discussion was between the seasoned player and an engineer, and both of them have lots and lots of experience in the studio field.
I don't mean you shouldn't rehearse your songs at all. Just don't rehearse them to death. And by the way, you shouldn't be afraid the sound bad once in a while.

 

[matrok]

Along the same lines, bring a tuner and use it frequently. There is nothing worse than a great take that is ruined because your instrument is out of tune. Perhaps this can be corrected using Autotune, or you can capture the magic of that take in a subsequent take, but either one of those will take time, and in the studio, time is money. I try to check my tuning before every take.

+1000

I did a session with some guys who couldn't be bothered to tune between takes. I did. You can here it on the disc. They were also content with "close enough" on a lot of the takes. I don't play that CD for anyone.

 

[fullrangebass]

With the bands that I am the band-leader, I prefer to be able to nail EVERYTHING live on one go. Practice and knowing the stuff inside out with no cues is of utmost importance as well as the instruments all being properly set up and tuned (check the tuning between takes and songs always). Be ready for any unfortunate event (eg broken string or even equipment failure). Knowing your tone properly and providing the best signal to the sound engineer will save lots of time and trouble; multi-track live recording (with in-ear monitors) allows the feeling of playing live to be reserved. I suppose that most bands want to play their stuff live.

When I have a recording session with other bands or artists, I prefer to know the parts better than the artist himself, to provide alternative basslines and see what fits in best while focusing on the end result (the finished song). Listen to the producer and the sound engineer as well

 

[MyUsernameHere]

The discussion was between the seasoned player and an engineer, and both of them have lots and lots of experience in the studio field.
I don't mean you shouldn't rehearse your songs at all. Just don't rehearse them to death. And by the way, you shouldn't be afraid the sound bad once in a while.

Go ahead and proceed however you feel will work best for you when you record. Everyone has their own preferred method when they get enough experience to actually have a preferred method.

If you mean that after you have rehearsed your songs enough to be able to play them completely competently there is no real reason to keep playing them over and over again for the next three months before you record--then I agree with you. However you do have to rehearse them enough to get to that point in the first place.

As for not being worried about sounding bad. That's fine for practice and rehearsal if you're working on something with the intention of making it sound better.

In the studio, where you are either a professional being paid by someone else to do a good job or are using your own hard earned scratch to finance the project...I just think that mindset is counterproductive and all of the people I've personally heard espouse the position have ended up with less than stellar final products (or they had enough money to correct what they wanted in post production).

This is, of course, only my personal opinion. Feel free to do things however you see fit. I just wouldn't feel right giving a newbe that kind of advise because I think it will do him more harm than good.

 

[Phe]

Yeah, absolutely, you have to have the song down first.
I noticed I didn't mention that in my first post.

 

[SB100]

Along the same lines, bring a tuner and use it frequently. There is nothing worse than a great take that is ruined because your instrument is out of tune. Perhaps this can be corrected using Autotune, or you can capture the magic of that take in a subsequent take, but either one of those will take time, and in the studio, time is money. I try to check my tuning before every take.

I figured that tuning was so elementary that I didn't need to include it. In all the studio work I've done I've always used a Peterson Strobe tuner and in band recording sessions I insisted the entire band tune through the one tuner. All it takes is 1 tuner to be +1 cent off and another -1 cent and the net result is MISERY.

 

[Dave Martin]

In all the studio work I've done I've always used a Peterson Strobe tuner and in band recording sessions I insisted the entire band tune through the one tuner. All it takes is 1 tuner to be +1 cent off and another -1 cent and the net result is MISERY.

Actually, that's not entirely true. The classic pop music sessions - Motown, Philly, Stax, the Wrecking Crew in LA, the New York session guys - all seem to have been done before tuners were prevalent; Everyone would simply tune to the piano.

At the sessions I play on these days, most of the musicians have a tuner either in line (bass, steel and electric guitar or sitting on their stand (acoustic instruments). Horn players and string players (that is, string sections) tend to either tune to the track or to the section leader.

 

[netbot]

good advices?

here are some:

1. practice. of course! record yourself in a rehersal and listen to it. it's different if you listen to yourself while playing in a band or you listen to youself afterwards. just not to have any surprises when you're in the actual studio and you listen to yourself for the first time.

2. learn to play with the metronom click clack thing.

3. check your gear as mentioned above and if you own several basses, bring it too. if you have spare time you can do several tracks with different sounds.

4. if you fail the first 2 takes on one song. go to the next one. try it later or the next day. use the studio time for the other bandmembers and don't waste it because you're not concentrated enough or you start to get nervous because of the time pressure.

my experience was that when i fail the first 2 takes i will fail also on take nr.3-10. YMMV.

take it easy. you're not a machine. kick out the people who don't have anything to do with your recording session. if you feel a bandmember start getting to put pressure on you (also in subconscious way) because you don't get it right now ask him/her kindly to leave the studio. that's the same with other studio employees like the studio manager, frontdesk manager or other people/"friends". if you feel uncomfortable, tell them. it's your bands money and the studio belongs to you guys the time you are hiring it. don't let you down by so called professional studio people. it's your thing. it's your music. have an ear for some advices but if you feel uncomfortable with it, don't do it and don't try to change your style in five minutes because someone know it better. it's too late anyway except you are looking for a "producer", or you want this "inputs" and you feel ok with it.

if you are rehearsing at home on your chair. take the chair with you. if you rehearsing at home with your own headphones and you feel comfortable with it and are professional ones. ask the studio if you can use it. if yes, take it with you. several times i had to wear headphones that hurted me after 5 minutes i had it on. that really sucks.

get the mix on your headphones as you like it. if something is too loud or too low tell them.

so, it's a long post. sorry. but the final message is actually this: make everything you can to feel secure and comfortable. don't get wasted the day before, help your bandmates if they need help and support.