Want the secret to getting great recordings and mixes? There are two sides to the process that you must keep in balance. All of us lean more to one side than the other, but great tracks are never delivered by only one of these pillars. Both are critical and you can get better at both. Time for a little rant…
Graham Cochrane is a creative and versatile producer, engineer, songwriter, and worship leader based out of Tampa, FL. He provides remote mixing, and mastering services to clients worldwide.
As the founder of The Recording Revolution, Graham's articles and tutorials have been featured worldwide by Avid, PreSonus, Slate Digital, Editors Keys, and Behringer to name a few, reaching readers in over 40 countries.
For more information and samples of Graham's work, please visit www.grahamcochrane.com.
Comments
Great video! I really needed this! You’re amazing, Graham!
The problem I have with “finding my own sound” is that I feel the sound and style that I want to make is already out there and I keep writing and recording half a song and realizing that they sound like blatant copy attempts of the bands & songs that I enjoy so much yet then I’m afraid to just change something to be different because then i wont like my own song as much. That’s my struggle right now an albums worth of half finished songs that each sound like they are biting somebody else that influenced me. Any advice you have for getting past this type of thing please let me know because I want to be an artist not a cover or tribute band.
Hi,
What books do your recommend?
Try these:
Mixing Secrets For The Small Studio
Zen And The Art Of Mixing
Pro Tools: The Mixer’s Toolkit
Another great video oozing with good advice. Looking forward to seeing the new room. Any chance you are going to video the process of setting up the room? I know you have products on room acoustics but some simple basic tips on choosing the right locations for each piece of gear would be interesting.
Good luck with the new house. So does that mean a new studio room too? My girlfriend is about to move in and I have a over-full house already, carving out my space is the next frontier.
Phil
Yep! New studio space.
Graham,
Great Stuff for everyone. Even with your busy house shifting work, you are still keeping up the news and engage with your news updates and Good Tips. You Are Really Great Graham. Nice tip of the Day.
How ’bout a studio tour once it’s set up?
You should walk through where and why you put your mix position where you put it and where and why you put your acoustic treatment. Like acoustic tips.
Stay tuned!
Hi Graham,
Yes, Great Tip, we all want to see your New Home Studio Walk thru video and and Gear Setup fully, Please do this Graham, very eager to see your Setup walk thru your Studio. Please take a full video of your Equipments etc and how also how you have placed the Acoustic Foams of placements.
-Baba.
I feel your pain Graham, my studios been turned on its head for a week or so now but I finally got everything sorted out last night and even had a little time left to do some pre-production. Your video makes a lot of sense to me. I am coming at home recording from the same angle as you. I’m a singer song writer and generally record a lot of my own stuff. Like you always say, we’re in this for the low of the music. A great song can be made better by a great engineer, but a bad song can only be made average. I suppose it stems back to a mix engineer and their many different hats. I don’t think you can be a great mixing engineer without having your producer hat to hand as well, atleast in respects of a home recording studio or project studio. A “tech” guy can iron out every frequency, phase and balance issue in a mix but if they don’t get the feel or emotion of a song, it will be nothing more than a technical masterpiece instead of a musical masterpiece. If you come at it from an art perspective, I don’t think Picasso ever used rulers and protractors to create his art.
On the flip side you will never create great mixes without a certain amount of technical know how. I think my advise on this one would be to learn the techniques you need to create a great track instead of creating a song to use all your techniques.
Love watching videos like this from yourself. It seems to bring everything back into perspective when you’re getting bogged down in a mix. Takes everything back to the fundamentals and gives a little clarity.
Sorry for taking up so much space on your comments section
Keep up the good work
James – http://www.facebook.com/mkaiaudio
you know what buddy…..this was probably one of your best blogs to date… it was like you had been set free..
i also watch pensados place and yeah he does throw out the odd gem but you do it much better and more to the point… i have learned more from you in the short time i have been with your blog than i have learned anywhere else…
i wish you success in you new room,may it bring you all you desire…
be lucky ..
cheers
“T”
Tony, thanks so much. Maybe I’ll do more video “rants” in the future. Appreciate your kind words. And yes, I’m grateful for the new studio space. Should be incredibly helpful and fun to work in.
You taught me more about recording with your words from your laptop than you would have demo’ing plug ins. Awesome!
I love it when I have to think!
Good to know Trevor!
Hey dude, I just have to say you’re my Fav person on the planet. I have 20 or 30 of your 5 minutes to a better mix vid’s and plan to study them in realtime as I mix my second CD, soon! (first was mixed by my label,Tate Music Group)I have learned from them at a glance but really plan to study them…and this vid is awesome, cause i have lived by these points my entire 2yrs in DAW!!last, and the reason I am commenting, you articulate your points and lessons better than anyone I have ever heared articulate a point!!! bravo U
Great rant Graham. I feel like you needed an “alter call” at the end. Seriously, you do a great job!
Thanks Kevin! Sometimes I get so pumped up and motivated myself. Makes me wanna get back to work!
Hey Graham, This is my favorite site. I’ve been recording and mixing at home for over 15 years. I’ve read tons of info, but this is the most practical site. My absolute favorite.
Thanks a lot Daniel. Glad you’re getting something out of it!
Sharing your knowledge and your time in these moments of disarray, is the inspiration I needed to get off my crack and get busy again. After a difficult and humbling recording project, your words got me back on track. Thanks Graham for the time you make, and the gift you share. Looking forward to your videos to compliment the awesome website you have created. Great energy, great spirit…Bless you Brutha……Gary…..
Glad I could help Gary. Stay encouraged!
Thank You Graham for this Vid.I always seem to get a great piece of knowledge from you just when I need that nudge to carry on with this art form.I have followed you and Joe for 6 yrs now and have 2 CD’s, a studio and Production Co.under my belt for the efforts.Paper work for the Label is in the mail bro.Your names are in the thanks areas of all CD’s that come out of our house.You guys are truly Heaven Sent.Rant On!
George Ripp Russell
Thanks Ripp. Means a lot!
[...] you getting into recording your own music at home? This 10 minute video rant from Graham at http://www.therecordingrevolution.com is worth [...]
Graham, I originally found you when I was trying to find info on setting up and running my new interface (Saffire 56). I learned more from you than I did from Focusrite themselves… lol!… anyway, started watching a few of your vids…. you my friend have a gift for clear explanation, you are a true teacher. I now follow you regularly along with Pensados Place. You and he keep me inspired & learning!… thank you very much.
P.S. I own several of your products… great vids, highly recommend them.
Hi Alex, thanks for the support and the kind words. Glad I could help!
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