ANALOG TO DIGITAL
feedback of living in my emotions, it can be a
BAND PRE-PRODUCTION
Units like the Fostex X-15 four track cassette
slippery slope that prevents many people from
One of the other benefits of living in the digital
recorder I bought in the early 80’s are the
ever finishing what they start. If that’s you, this
age is the fact that you don’t have to use a band
historical equivalent to Garage Band. Once
next section should prove helpful.
to make a record. Once you get a bit handy with
I finally got a home recording setup, I quickly
plug-ins like EZdrummer, the average listener
realized that I had a lot to learn both as a player
PRE-PRODUCTION
will have no idea that they are not listening to a
and an engineer. In the beginning it was a rather
Back in the day this meant doing some rough
real drummer. That said, there are some serious
painful process. I’d love to help you avoid some
recordings on my eight-track reel to reel before
drawbacks, especially for Church musicians
of the mistakes I’ve made as well as those I
heading into the big studio. There were a
who have never had the benefit of rehearsing
continue to make.
number of benefits to this process. First of all it
a song for weeks before playing it live. While
allowed me to get comfortable with tracking the
one might argue that learning to be a one man
TIME MANAGEMENT
parts themselves. It’s one thing to play a part on
studio show is a great way to go, nothing can
Back in the day, going into the studio required
stage. It’s a completely different thing to sit down
replace the