[ THE ART OF MAKING GREAT RECORDINGS PART III | Doug Doppler ]
RECAP In the two previous installments in this series we touched on some powerful tools for consistently making great recordings . In years past pre-production was vital to not killing your budget in a big studio . Fast forward to today , many of us have our own studios , which means that we need to be wise about how we budget time once we start recording . There are things that can only happen in the studio , hence why it is important to make the most of pre-production . Standing around in the studio while people work out what should have been done in pre-production wastes peoples ’ time and is not conducive to creating that great vibe we all want in the studio . If you ’ re a songwriter or producer , keep in mind that you are key to cultivating an atmosphere where a song comes to life , not just capturing the various basic tracks necessary to bringing your vision to life .
TRY THIS The following approach has delivered consistently great results when working with a worship team or band . Create and share specific goals about what you want to accomplish in your pre-production , including how much time you ’ ll be asking from people . If possible do this over a pizza or at least coffee . Just because you don ’ t want to people standing around while you execute your vision in the studio does not mean missing opportunities for them to feel they are part of something . Prior to , and well before rehearsal ( s ), send everyone an eMail with a chart , lyric sheet , arrangement , and rough recording for any material you ’ ll be covering . If these are just sketches let people know that in advance so that they don ’ t waste time perfecting an arrangement versus crafting a vibe . Speaking of which , it never hurts to send them a link to songs that are in the vein of what you ’ re going for , especially ones you ’ ve recorded previously .
REHEARSAL TIPS
Once you have an arrangement up and running , record it on your iPhone ( or whatever ) and then play it back for everyone . This is a great place to gather feedback that you can act on immediately , or keep in mind once you start actually recording . If you are working on multiple songs in one rehearsal , you might want to do this for each song , and then record all the songs again at the end of the night . This will help everyone see the bigger picture of how the songs work together . After rehearsal share these recordings with everyone so they can remember exactly what they played . You ’ ll also want to document the tempos so you know what the exact BPM is for each song prior to going into the studio .
PRODUCERS , ENGINEERS , AND VISIONARIES If you ’ ve ever watched a drummer jump up and show a bass player how a part should be played , you ’ ll appreciate how important it is for everyone to know who is in charge of what before going into the studio ... too many cooks , etc .. Many of us are the producer , engineer and the visionary , which means that the recording process will start and end with us . Setting up a track sheet for each song before you start recording will help you document the tempo and other key production notes . Veteran producers like George Martin did this long before the advent of the digital age , when there were far fewer tracks , takes , and tasks to manage .
PRODUCING Whether you ’ re working with a worship team , band , or just yourself , the rough iPhone-style recordings will reveal a lot about what the end result is going to sound like . If you don ’ t believe me , consider yourself ( nicely ) warned !
Vocals We ’ ve just about all heard the live version of “ Stir It Up ” by Bob Marley . It is an iconic recording , and the vocals sound great . So
good in fact that you probably didn ’ t notice the that low E string on the bass is way out of tune . Great vocals make a song , out of tune ones kill it . If your rough recordings have any serious pitch issues , you ’ ll want to head this off at the pass , before you track a single note . Have a friendly conversation with them in person and in private . Get their input and if necessary have them partner with a vocal coach before stepping foot in the studio . In my experience no one is more volatile than singers in the studio . They have to tell the story with conviction and believability , while also being in tune . Once a singer gets too far into their head , they tend to focus on technique and not the story , and what you get is often not keeper material . Whether it is pitch or believability , get them sharing rough recordings with you so you both know that once they do step into the studio , you ’ ll get what you need and they ’ ll have a great experience .
Drums and Bass In much the same fashion you ’ ll work with the vocalists , you ’ ll want to make sure that when your drummer and bass player walk into the studio they are able to own the time and dynamics for all the songs you ’ re going to record . I remember hearing Lincoln Brewster talk about working on Steve Perry ’ s solo album and that some of the tracks had different bass parts pieced together to make up the entire track . Did anyone notice , and / or did it matter in the big picture ? Arguably not , but getting drums tones takes time , and unless you leave a drum kit set up in the studio and don ’ t move a single mic , the tracks will not sound the same from session to session . Invariably you ’ ll like one sound better than the other and will quite possibly fixate on that every time you hear your recordings . Sometimes it is unavoidable , but often it isn ’ t !
Guitarists and Effects I remember hearing Steve Vai reflect on how little he enjoyed having one of the producers
44 Feb � Mar 2017 ChristianMusician . com