Recording Process
The following is a collective summary of ideas from TSF members on how they go about the recording process.
They are not intended as a definitive guide to recording a song.
If you'd like to contribute to this document, please post your ideas in the "General" category, and a Moderator can add them here on your behalf.
General
Tips
- Play with the song for 4 days and learn the song completely before trying to record
- If you are paying a recording studio for their time, know exactly what you are going to do beforehand. Don't try and work it out on the day or it will cost you a lot more as they usually charge per hour.
Home Studio Setup
- Basic setup for home recording: A computer with a DAW, audio/midi interface, a microphone with a pop filter on a stand, a cord to plug into a guitar, a keyboard with MIDI output for pianists and virtual instruments, Monitors/Speakers and headphones
- A large diaphragm condenser mic works well for recording vocals
- You can choose to mic a guitar, but you don't have to. Just use a direct input and apply a cab+amp simulation inside the DAW (for example Guitar Rig, but there are others).
- Getting a nice clean, clear signal on the inputs is a critical first step. You can't fix a poor initial sound recording with effects later on. You want it strong but not clipping.
- Be aware that when using a microphone across sessions the distance from the mic, presence or absence of a pop filter, placement and angle of the mic can all make a noticeable difference in the recorded audio and the listener can tell it isn't a continuous recording, but mostly it's close enough that you don't notice.
Using your DAW
Tips:
- Keep everything clean on the way in, and add things like reverb, delay, chorus etc afterwards.
- Set up tempo (Beats Per Minute) and a Time Signature (often 4/4 or 3/4) in the DAW, then lay down a pilot drum track to record against. Record against a proper beat to get the timing right. Remove the pilot drum track later and craft a new one specific for the song, but you do want the dummy drum track to more or less match the final groove.
- It's helpful to record your main instrument (eg piano or guitar) first
- Record over several takes, then comp them together. You don't need to get it perfect in one go - though some artists prefer to record that way to capture the real time sound
- Then lay down a bass track.
- If you don't have a bass (or even if you do!), you can record the bass line on guitar, then drop the pitch of that audio by an octave and send it to a Bass amp+cab simulation. There is also an option to use the keyboard to do a synth bass, or use a cello/bass for more of an acoustic string sound
- Then record the main vocal, and separately backing or harmony vocals.
- You may need to adjust the audio volumes on recorded items, bringing up soft parts or toning down phrases to make them match. It's best to manually adjust before applying any compression
- A free VST called iZotope Vocal Doubler is available which adds tunable chorus FX to vocals.
- When creating accompanying virtual instruments (things like piano/organ, brass, synths, flute, strings) place these around the vocals in particular to avoid having them cut over the top of the words. It's much easier to do this if the main instrumentation and vocals are already recorded.
Mixing and Mastering
Tips:
- Set your main vocal level first, then lower your other tracks till they sound at the right level relative to the main vocal. It's too easy to wind things up and have the track start clipping.
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