The title to this post sounds so egotistical, doesn’t it? Maybe it’s because I just turned 30, but I’m finding a common trend with “younger” bands and artists that is most definitely a product of our generation. The problem is we don’t know how to arrange a song.

We Just Stack And Stack

I talk a lot about arranging when giving recording and mixing tips, because the arrangement is what really makes a song great (or not). But last month I read an interview with Grammy winning producer/mixer Kevin Augunas that summed it up perfectly.

The best thing about a 16 track tape machine is limited tracks. It forces better arrangements. Young bands today don’t know how to arrange because of unlimited tracks. They just stack, and stack, and stack. - Kevin Augunas (The Lumineers, The Black Keys)

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It’s official. The Recording Revolution has a new logo! I want to give a major shout out to David Keltonic Design for helping me give the branding a makeover. I also want to take today as an opportunity to re-cast the vision of The Recording Revolution to all of you new (and old) readers.

Times Have Changed

I started The Recording Revolution because I saw a void in the “home studio” and “pro audio” world: no one was preaching the message of do a lot of great music with minimal gear. Instead I saw the opposite message plastered every where: “Get all the latest (and vintage) stuff, don’t skimp, and THEN you just might be able to make a great recording.” But that’s ridiculous!

Times have changed people. You no longer need a mixing console, DAT machines, outboard gear, and lots of space to have a professional studio. Thanks to computers and the ever improving DAW, people like you and me can record, edit, mix, master, and release quality music from a bedroom! Notice I said “can”. Just because you have Pro Tools doesn’t mean you’ll make a hit record. You still need talent and vision. But lack of a big budget is no longer the deciding factor, you are.

Give Up The Quest For Gear

If you truly want to make better music now, then you have to get this into your head: your quest for more gear has to end. Gear is not your answer. It’s not what separates you from the pros. Ironically, your non-stop pursuit of more gear (the latest and greatest tool) will actually hinder you from making great music. You would be far better off spending $300 on a basic setup and then making a hit record with only that.

Don’t even think about buying more stuff until you’ve made great music with that basic setup. It simply is a waste of your time and money. And more importantly it will handicap you from real growth in your craft. Every time you turn to another piece of gear to help realize your musical dreams you’re likely trading it for a chance to improve your skill. Don’t make that mistake.

You Can Make Better Music Now!

Did you know that you could start making better music right now? It’s true. That’s exactly what this website is all about. Information is powerful and if you use it, you can improve your recordings and mixes this week. I try and post articles, tips, videos, tutorials, and interviews that give you insight into the art of recording music. Take advantage of it all and I promise you your music will improve, now! And in time, your music will get even better.

If you’re new, start by reading my ebook The #1 Rule Of Home Recording. It’s totally free and will help you get the proper philosophy of creating music. Then go watch all 31 videos of my latest free series 5 Minutes To A Better Mix. Then click through the categories or search in the search bar for things you are interested in. With over 250 posts at The Recording Revolution, I’m sure you’ll find something that will help YOU make better music now!

So much of what I am constantly learning when working on music production is the ever apparent need for limitations. Just read my free eBook The #1 Rule of Home Recording to see exactly what I mean. Limitations set you free by keeping you focused on the big picture. One practical way to use this concept is to reduce the number of variables in your studio when making music.

Simplify, Save Money, See Results

I was recently interviewed by my good friend Joe Gilder (HomeStudioCorner.com) for a new training product called Home Recording Tactics. My interview is just one of 9 total “sit downs” with pro audio engineers around the world giving advice and thoughts on making good music.

My portion was on the subject of recording on a budget. In this interview I talk about the importance of reducing variables in your signal chain and your gear choices in order to not only save money, but learn quicker and make better music. Take a listen to my interview right here and hopefully it will help you. If you like what you learned, then check out Home Recording Tactics and get access to the other 8 amazing interviews!

Listen In To The Conversation…

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Here in the US, today is Labor Day. A potential day off for many of us from our actual labor and a chance to relax at home with the family. If that is the case for you and you have some atypical free time coming your way this afternoon (or any day really) then why don’t you commit just one hour of your time today making music in your studio? The only way any of us are actually going to be productive in our home studios is if we push ourselves to churn out something. Deadlines lead to productivity and creativity, so let’s create a short deadline today!

Give Yourself One Hour

Let’s make this simple. Just block off one hour today to shut yourself in your studio room, turn off the internet and the phone, fire open your DAW, and just start creating. One of the fastest ways to get up and running is to start with a songwriting template. This way you aren’t having to create tracks and assign things to correct inputs every time you want to make music. If you haven’t already, today might be a good day to do this.

Whether you start with a template or not, you most definitely could benefit from my series I did here on The Recording Revolution for the new year, called the One Song One Month Challenge. These are a series of short videos that walk you through the song creation process step by step to sort of motivate you to actually start and FINISH a song in a certain amount of time. You may not be able to do the entire thing the way you want in one hour today, but you can get a lot done in that hour and have a plan to finish this song within the month!

Keep Things Simple

So maybe you’re cool with the idea of blocking off an hour to get some music made in your studio today. Great! But just a heads up, you’ll need to keep things simple. Don’t spend forever finding the perfect synth patch or drum loop. Don’t test out multiple vocal mics to see which one works best for the given song. Focus less on your gear, and more on the music you hear in your head. Then just jump in and see what happens.

If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and download my free eBook The #1 Rule of Home Recording. I wrote this little ebook to help people be more productive and effective in their studios by learning to shift their mental approach. One of my readers a while back really took this to heart and made some serious progress. Here is what he said:

I enjoyed The #1 Rule of Home Recording very much. The eBook is a big part of what has motivated me to get back to working on my music. In the past week I have accomplished more for my music than in the past six months.

The big difference for me was what you said about working with the tools that you have. Previously I had been thinking that before I could start making recordings that would sound good I would need to finish converting my office into my studio. For this endeavor I still need to fix the sound of my room. While I know this is still important it is not as important as actually working on my music.

Working on music is more important than gear obsession. This is the difference. In the past week I have created a music website, uploaded all of my previous songs (most of which are just scratch tracks and sound like garbage lol) and I am currently working on a new song using what I have learned on your site. (The one song in one month videos are VERY helpful).

-Daniel

Just Make Music

This is exactly why I write this blog. I want you to be free from the trap of gear obsession and sound obsession. We tend to actually not get a whole lot done in our studios because we spend too much time thinking and talking about gear and making things perfect. The only way to learn is to jump in and try to make music. The more you mess up the faster you will get to making better music!

So keep things simple this labor day and just make music for an hour. See what happens. I bet you’ll be surprised (and encouraged) by what comes out of your mini recording session. Happy music making!

Mixing is a lot of fun. It is that magical stage in the recording process where all your great tracks come together and create a unified and cohesive song. It is also the most dangerous area of music making today.

Because today’s computers and DAWs offer seemingly unlimited tracks and plugin effects (mixed with powerful automation), many people feel the need to use it all. These countless options can actually lead to longer than necessary mixing sessions. And on top of that, the mixes don’t even sound that great! What’s the point of using all your plugins and spending all that time if at the end of the day you don’t get a great mix?

Let’s Do The Time Warp, Again

If you go back 20 or 30 years ago, the typical album was mixed on an analog console with a fixed number of available tracks, usually 24 or 32. Effects were achieved through the use of outboard gear, that you would “plugin” to the mixer as an insert. If you had one vintage Fairchild compresser for example, then you could only use it on one track. The same went for your reverbs and delays, etc. You had a series of constant limits to how much you could do.

But did that hinder the engineer’s ability to mix a great album? Heck no! Some of music’s best mixes came out of that “limited” analog era and will stand the test of time! So why could great songs be mixed with only 24 tracks and a handful of outboard compressors and EQs and yet people today complain that 48 tracks and “unlimited” uses of their SSL Mix Bus plugin is not enough? We have gotten lazy.

Redefine and Simplify

The lack of limits conditions us to move without thinking; to aimilessly throw plugins around and automate levels. We “feel” that we are mixing, but in reality we are just doing busy work. Real mixing starts with a plan. Listening to the recorded and edited tracks and knowing the destination; where you want the song to arrive. At that point, you try and find a way to get it there.

Here are some simple suggestions:

Start by creating a false boundary of 24 to 32 tracks. If you need more than that, then bounce down to free up a track. In a program like Pro Tools you can always “keep” the original track, but just hide it and make it inactive. Having a finite number of tracks to mix with will help keep you focused and will make you analyze why you want to do what you want to with each move.

Choose one or two compressors and EQs and use them exclusively. Grabbing a different compressor or EQ for different tracks may seem sexy and professional, but it’s not helping you mix. What you need is to just pick one as your go-to plug and stick with it. It will help you learn that plugin (how it works and sounds) and you will get better results each time. Trust me on this. When you are mixing for major label talent and you are getting bored, then feel free to use different EQs on everything. But for now, keep it simple.

Limit yourself to a set number of hours to mix a song. Depending on how new to this you are your time may vary, but decide what you think is reasonable for the type of song you’re mixing and time yourself. Setting a “deadline” will force you to keep thinking big picture when you mix. I guarantee you’ll find yourself dissecting some small minute part of the song that really in the end most people won’t notice. Looking up at the clock will pull you back to reality and push you to just get the song sounding sweet as a whole.

Actually Listen To Your Mix

Do you take the time to sit back, close your eyes, and actually listen to your mix? I mean, not just look at the mix on your screen, but hear what’s going on in your song. Many times we tend to somehow skip that part. We “see” what needs to be fixed and changed: the meters don’t seem to be peaking at the right spot, that compressor seems to be slamming hard, that EQ curve seems to be too steep, etc.

In my humble opinion, when it comes to mixing, limiting your options might just be the very best thing you could do. Too many options keep you zeroed in, looking to fix the song. When you are “limited” you can be free to think more about how the song is sounding. It seems obvious, but many of us forget it.

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This article is taken from a section of The #1 Rule of Home Recording, a free eBook covering the most important element of producing music in the home studio, the mental approach. To download the rest of the eBook click here.

When it comes to actually recording in your home studio, there are seemingly limitless options of how to go about laying your tracks down. Whether it’s different techniques or mic placement options, you have a lot to sift through. I’m totally fine with that. The art of recording is just that, an art. It isn’t just science, so there isn’t just one or two ways to get a great sound. In fact, I want you to spend a lot of time getting unique and great sounds.

So what’s the problem? It all starts with this revolution of recording we are living through…the hard drive era. We no longer have limitations of how much tape we have to record to. In fact, with the price of storage so low these days you could almost say we have unlimited space available too us. And you know what that leads to…unlimited takes!

Resist The Urge

The moment I was first introduced to computer based recording, I saw the potential for recording millions of takes. At first it made sense to me to just record as much as you can and then pick the best take or takes later. But over the years I have come to realize how much of a hindrance this philosophy was, rather than a help.

I honestly believe that having unlimited takes and hard drive space has made us lazy. It seems we’ve lost that sense of urgency to try to perform our best in the studio and capture a great recording in a few takes. That was part of the magic of recording; it was a challenge to get that once-in-a-lifetime performance!

More importantly, having that feeling of pressure to produce (even slight pressure) created a sense of focus in the studio. Having limits and parameters tends to focus us. It makes us better! And that is how you should approach your home recording. Limit yourself. Here’s what I mean.

Set False Boundaries

You need to setup some pretend boundaries, some self imposed limits to your recording process. One simple limit to set up is the number of takes you will record on any given part. For example: When recording lead vocals, give your singer a few warm up tries through the song but ultimately only record three takes. This should be plenty of material to comp together later if need be.

With drummers I tend to capture only two takes through a song once they are good and ready. That gives me a couple of options of fills if I need them, but not so many takes that it lengthens my editing process by a few hours that I don’t have.

The idea here is that you want your focus and creativity to be placed on the sounds going into your system, not how many versions you can get. You’re only creating more work for yourself later if you do this, plus you are reducing that sense of urgency I mentioned a moment ago, which will probably dilute your creative potency rather than spark it.

Back To The Basics

When it comes to recording, we all need to go back to the basics. Millions of takes is not how you get a good recording. Take a good musician, have him play a good song, on a good instrument, into a good microphone, with good mic placement, into a good audio interface…and you’ll get a good recording. Every time. It’s that simple.

Limiting the number of takes you record helps you get back to what’s important…capturing a good song well. Use your ears, be creative, and have fun. But don’t trap yourself with the future burden of having to sift through too many takes. Be confident enough to get a good recording and move on.

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This article is taken from a section of The #1 Rule of Home Recording, a free eBook covering the most important element of producing music in the home studio, the mental approach. To download the rest of the eBook click here.

Today let’s get right to the point. If you’re recording music, then typically you want the final product to be quality. You want a great, clear, exciting sound that displays your creativity and talent and moves people to tears (or joy, or head banging, or whatever…you get the idea). If this is a given, then why in the world do most of us tend to record our tracks as if the mixing stage of the process is going to somehow make that desire a reality?! Here’s the real secret to getting a great final mix…

Before You Even Get To The Mix

Here’s the truth people. The most important tip I could give you as a producer and engineer (and musician!) is to record your tracks the way you want them to sound in the final mix. It’s that simple. Don’t assume the “magic” will happen in the mix. The “magic” happens in the tracking room with the actual instrument/performer and your microphone.

The art of recording is that…the recording! Great mixes (and great songs for that matter) come much easier when they start with great recordings. Whatever sounds you hear in your head, make them a reality before you ever hit “record” in your DAW. Is the instrument in tune? Do you have new strings/drum heads etc? Have you rehearsed the music enough? Is your mic placement ideal for the sound you’re going for? Do you know whether or not you want to double/triple your vocals? All of these are the types of quesions you need to ask yourself (of the band) and then answer and execute.

The Mix Starts In The Recording Process

I’ve written about mic placement before and how this one simple skill (that comes from experience and practice) will affect your recordings way more than which mic you are using. This huge truth simply reiterates what I’m trying to say in this article: the best sounding tracks are the ones that started with the best sounding recordings. You will get a better mix and a better album when you take the recording process seriously and try to think of the mix with every take you capture.

This tip goes hand in hand with The #1 Rule of Home Recording. If you don’t work in your studio with this rule in mind then you’re shooting yourself in the foot. So read the free eBook if you haven’t already, focus on being intentional with your recordings, and stop leaving things for the mix. Your tracks will be better off, trust me.

Do you own a lot of recording equipment? If not, do you wish you did? Do you spend your evenings and time sitting on the John pouring over the latest Sweetwater or Musicians Friend catalog? I know I have. Don’t be ashamed. It all looks so darn cool doesn’t it?! And heck, these days you can actually afford a lot of it thanks to this recording revolution we are living in.

But what of the gear you own (and even use) do you really need to make quality music in your home studio? Do you need all of your microphones? Preamps? Probably not. Now don’t blow me off just yet. I know what you might be thinking. “This question is irrelevant because of course I don’t need everything. It’s just nice to have choice.” Fair enough. But I have a hypothesis. All that gear in your studio might just be weighing you down. The more stuff you have, the less productive you’re bound to become.

If There Were a Fire…

One day when I was young, I remember a friend’s mother telling me how much she loved her photo albums. They were of great value to her as she appreciated all the memories they brought back. She told me something I still remember to this day, “Graham, if there were a fire in our house, my photo albums would be the one thing I’m sure to grab.”

If there were a fire in your house or studio, what of your equipment that you could carry would you grab and run? If you knew you only had a few moments to grab the most important elements of your studio what would they be? Here is what I would grab, in order of importance: my iMac, Digi 002 rack, some AKG headphones, and my trusty Behringer B1.  It would be a heavy handful, but those four items are all I need to make great music.

What You Really Need

Take a closer look at what I chose. My computer (including software, obviously), my audio interface, headphones, and one microphone. Minus some cables and a stand, that is all you need to record great music. I’ve written about it a few times already, but it doesn’t take much to put together a top notch signal chain. If that’s the case, why then do we keep adding to our arsenal? Why do we keep buying stuff if what we have already gets the job done?

There are some legitimate times when we need a certain product or piece of gear to do something that you can’t do with your current setup, no problem. But what I want you and I to be absolutely clear on is knowing what we truly need in our studio and then using it like crazy. Get the most value out of your software, your audio interface, and your microphones. Practically speaking, learn more about your DAW and all the features it offers. Use your interfaces built in mic pres instead of acting like they are garbage. Make sure you actually know good mic placement technique before you accuse your $100 mic of giving you bad recordings.

If you want to make better recordings in your home studio then trust me on this…don’t get caught up in the hype telling you to buy more stuff. Buy what you need, but then get on with what got you into this in the first place, your love for music.

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Interested in more tips on how to mentally approach the art of home recording and get to making better music, faster? Download my free eBook The #1 Rule of Home Recording at the top right of this page!

In case you weren’t aware, I write this blog for musicians and budding audio engineers; including myself! I care about writing, recording, and listening to great music as I’m sure you do as well. The goal of The Recording Revolution is to empower you, the readers, to change your attitude about recording just enough in order to see real productivity and enjoyment. I want you to be creating more music than ever, and to be doing it with quality results!

One of my readers, Daniel, sent me a kind email that totally encouraged me and reminded me of why I do this each and every day. I want you to read it real briefly and I hope that it motivates YOU as you are pursuing your music and studio work in 2010. At the end of this post are some helpful links that I think will get you moving in the right direction. Enjoy!

I enjoyed The #1 Rule of Home Recording very much. The eBook is a big part of what has motivated me to get back to working on my music. In the past week I have accomplished more for my music than in the past six months.

The big difference for me was what you said about working with the tools that you have. Previously I had been thinking that before I could start making recordings that would sound good I would need to finish converting my office into my studio. For this endeavor I still need to fix the sound of my room. While I know this is still important it is not as important as actually working on my music.

Working on music is more important than gear obsession. This is the difference. In the past week I have created a music website, uploaded all of my previous songs (most of which are just scratch tracks and sound like garbage lol) and I am currently working on a new song using what I have learned on your site. (The one song in one month videos are VERY helpful).

-Daniel

Helpful resources on The Recording Revolution:

• The #1 Rule of Home Recording – Free eBook that will save you time and money in your studio.
• The One Song One Month Challenge – 5 part video series designed to walk you through producing a song from start to finish.
• Home Recording Myths – Get your facts straight about home recording and stop letting these myths hold you back.

I love digital recording. I love how much power and potential is available to us with a basic home studio and a mind overflowing with ideas. We can accomplish practically anything we can imagine with the help of today’s wonderful sounding and affordable gear. But there is a giant problem creeping up in the modern home studio; the elephant in the room that no one is owning up to…we’re all getting lazy!

To explain myself, here is a brief expert from my new eBook, The #1 Rule of Home Recording…

The moment I was first introduced to computer based recording, I saw the potential for recording millions of takes. At first it made sense to me to just record as much as you can and then pick the best take or takes later. But over the years I have come to realize how much of a hindrance this philosophy was, rather than a help.

I honestly believe that having unlimited takes and hard drive space has made us lazy. It seems we’ve lost that sense of urgency to try to perform our best in the studio and capture a great recording in a few takes. That was part of the magic of recording; it was a challenge to get that once-in-a-lifetime performance!

More importantly, having that feeling of pressure to produce (even slight pressure) created a sense of focus in the studio.

You see, the thing that makes home recording so wonderful (the freedom to create without any time or money constraints) is the very reason we are becoming lazy and creating lackluster recordings. If we want our listeners to take our music seriously, then we are going to have to take our recording sessions seriously. Treat it like a real session in a real studio with real money on the clock! Plan what you are going to do, then execute that plan.

In the eBook I go into more detail on how I like to approach this process in my own studio and how I focus my recording sessions. If you don’t have a copy already, you can download it for free on the top right of the site.

But you may have your own ways of zeroing in on what needs to be done in order to get a great performance in the studio. What has been successful for you? What keeps you focused? What keeps the laziness at bay when you’re making music?