Archive for 'Tips'

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.

We all tend to get bogged down with details. It’s human nature. We have a goal, work towards accomplishing that goal, but at some unknown point we forget the big picture and instead find ourselves debating minutiae and worrying over what I call the “non issues”. I find that this happened to me years ago with my recording and studio work and maybe it’s happened to you.

The big question we have to ask ourselves is this: “Why do I want to have a home studio and record music in the first place?” Seems simple, right? But this one question can determine a few things for us. Namely, answering this one question will determine how we spend our money, our time, and how effective we are at the craft of music production.

Follow The Money

First of all, recording gear isn’t cheap and having a home studio (even an affordable one) involves sacrificing your hard earned cash to some degree. So why go through all the trouble if, let’s say, you really aren’t truly interested in recording music? But surely there aren’t people out there who have a home studio but don’t intend to make music? Unfortunately that describes a lot of audio folks. For many, it is the gear itself that intrigues them and the desire to have cool equipment drives them to want a home studio. They don’t end up really making any music, just collect stuff.

If that’s all you want the gear for (just to have it) then that is perfectly fine. It is your money and you can spend it how you please. If however you are in this thing to make music, then let that be what drives you purchases. Not what gear is cool, new, or shiny. Decide what your music making needs are, look at your budget, then buy based on practicality and functionality. And remember, sonic quality does not simply go up or down based on price or brand name.

Throwing Away Your Time

Secondly, recording takes a sacrifice of your time and energy. If you don’t really care about making music then why bother giving up what little time you have? However, if creating art is one of your goals then you will gladly devote the time needed. But again, having answered the stated question above will help you be focused in how you use your time. Are you trying out every microphone you can imagine and debating which is the absolute best for your vocals or acoustic guitar? Or are you looking for more EQ or mix bus compression plugins to give you “that sound” on your tracks?

All of this is important on one hand, but it also takes time. Since, like your money, time is limited make sure you are spending it where it will make the biggest impact. Only you can decide that of course, but it’s a decision that needs to be made. For some, your time is most valuable in tweaking your songs’ arrangements. For others, working on how you sing every line of your song will make the difference. The key is going for the big wins.

You Need To Ask Yourself

So why do YOU want a home studio? Why do you read websites like this one? Why do you own the gear and software that you own? My hope is that you answer these questions and then live your musical life accordingly instead of spending your time, money, and energy on the things that “everyone” else tells you. You’ll be glad you did.

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Want to save both time and money in your home studio? Then download and read my free eBook The #1 Rule of Home Recording. This one rule will transform the way you think and work in your studio.

In light of the recent launch of REthink Pro Tools, I wanted to share a sample video from the tutorial series. In video 6 I go over putting the finishing touches on your mix and in one section I cover your options for bouncing your tracks down to a stereo audio file, ready for distribution.

Of course you can just simply use the built in Bounce To Disk option, but there are some great benefits to using the sometimes little known record to disk option. This video should shed some light on the issue. Enjoy!

For the ultimate in Pro Tools tutorials, download your copy of REthink Pro Tools and start becoming a Pro Tools power user by this weekend! www.REthinkProTools.com

Edit: REthink Pro Tools was formerly known as Pro Tools Boot Camp.

I am super excited today to announce the official release of my brand new video tutorial series, REthink Pro Tools. This project has been a longtime in the making and represents my passion for making music and helping others do the same. If you are a current or potential Pro Tools user, then REthink Pro Tools can be an amazing tool for you in quickly moving past the point of “learning” the software and instead “using” it for your desired goals.

Even if you don’t currently use Pro Tools, but have considered it, this video series will truly be the fastest way for you to get more than up to speed on how to make great music in this wonderful program.

Simple, Yet Comprehensive

This product is designed to walk you through everything Pro Tools has to offer the home musician and producer. If you’ve watched any of my free tutorials then you know that I teach in a way that is clear, to the point, and relevant. I don’t intend to waste any of your time or make things complicated. REthink Pro Tools takes my approach to teaching Pro Tools and gives you over 3 hours of high resolution, comprehensive, and fun content to get you on track to making better music in your studio.

The other benefit is that I can go into much more detail and depth in this series than I can with my typical tutorial videos. So if you want more meat, more substance, and a complete training package, you’re going to want REthink Pro Tools.

Got A Minute? Check It Out

So do me a favor and head over to www.REthinkProTools.com right now.  I know that once I came to learn the practical Ins and Outs of Pro Tools, I gained a sense of freedom to create music that was previously held back by my lack of knowledge and experience in this powerful DAW; and you will too!

Remember, I want you to move past all the barriers that stop you from making better music now! And not knowing your DAW is one of those  barriers. If we’re so quick to invest money in gear, why not invest in knowledge and training to improve our craft?

www.REthinkProTools.com

In Wednesday’s post we took a look at how one can easily expand your interfaces inputs with an ADAT enabled set of mic pres. This is, of course, assuming your audio interface comes with an Optical ADAT connection. If you then go ahead and purchase one of these lightpipe devices, hook it up to your interface, and record enable your tracks you might notice some weird pops and clicks happening that are really annoying. This is the result of confusion on which device (your interface or lightpipe device) is acting as the clock source. Here’s the quick and dirty way to fix things in Pro Tools.

Once your lightpipe device is connected and powered up, go to the Setup menu and choose Hardware

This will open up a box that shows what your current clock source is selected as. Usually “Internal”. Which makes sense, you’re clocking with your audio interface’s internal clock. But if you want multiple digital devices to play nice you’ll need to let this new lightpipe device be the clock source. To do this simply click on the drop down box under Clock Source and choose Optical. Click OK and the problem should be fixed. Easy as pie!

If at some point you power off your lightpipe device, Pro Tools will prompt you that it is reverting back to the internal clock as it no longer sees an external one. You can always switch this back if need be. Enjoy!

Some of you out there may own and use an audio interface that features an optical ADAT input. If you haven’t used it yet you might be wondering what it’s for and how best to take advantage of it. Today I want to briefly go over how great this option is and how to practically use it in your studio.

Do You Lightpipe?

It has a few names, but many audio interfaces include a digital connection called ADAT or lightpipe. Like it sounds, this fiber optic technology can stream up to 8 channels of stable 44.1 or 48 khz 24 bit digital audio between audio hardware. Why is this helpful? Imagine being able to add 8 additional mic pres to your rig with a single cable connection. Simple, clean, and affordable

Many audio interfaces come with this connection on the back. It may be labeled ADAT or Optical in, but it’s all the same. Your total available I/O usually takes this connection into the equation so if you think you’re missing some of the advertised inputs this is probably where they are hiding.

Expanding Your Horizons

Smart as they are, pro audio companies have been manufacturing multi-channel preamps featuring an ADAT connection specifically to be used in conjunction with your lightpipe enabled interface. Popular examples are the M-Audio Octane, Focusrite OctoPre, and the whole line of DigiMax pres from Presonus. Simply hook up your mics to one of these multi-channel pres, connect it to your interface via an optical cable, and BAM! 8 more channels of rock n’ roll bliss with no fuss!

One of the most obvious applications of this is for recording drums. Many interfaces come with only a handful of pres on them, but if you need more than you built in options you can add 8 more with a single cable. In fact that’s how I track drums all the time. My Digi 002 comes with 4 mic pres built in, which is fine in most situations. But when I want to do 8 to 12 channels of drums I simply plug in my trusty Behringer ADA8000 (another great option, and for under $200!) and I’m ready to go. In fact this is the exact setup I used up in this video when tracking a band the other week. And the fact that it’s only a 1U rack space, I’ve got a totally portable studio with 12 mic pres. Nice!

Something To Consider

If you happen to be in the market for an audio interface and plan on recording drums or doing high track count live recording, look for an ADAT (lightpipe) enabled interface. Even if you don’t have the money (or need) to drop on one of the units mentioned above, at least you’ll have the option for expansion.

Today I want to address you new readers…those of you who have started following The Recording Revolution in recent weeks and months. First of all, thank you so much for being a reader, downloading my eBook, commenting on posts, and watching my video tutorials. This site would not have a reason to exist if it weren’t for you keeping up with it.

Secondly, I want to highlight a few posts and videos that might be of use to you as a new reader that perhaps you missed. If you haven’t figured out by now, I firmly believe we are living in a unique era of music and recording. There is a revolution going on regarding how music is made and distributed. You can join this revolution if you like, or you can go on thinking music has to be made the old (and expensive) way. I prefer the former, and these posts will shed some light on the issue. Enjoy!

Home Recording Myths – There are just too many myths floating out there on internet forums. Don’t buy the hype.

Brand Snobbery – No one is truly immune to this time and money wasting disease.

The Best $100 You Will Spend – We love to drop money on microphones…why??

The Complete $300 Starter Studio – Everything you need to make top notch songs right now. This is an INSANELY good deal.

8 Tips To Make Better Music Now – You want your recordings to sound better. 7 of these tips won’t cost you a dime.

Record An Album On Your Phone? – When a band can record a great sounding track with the built in mic on an iPhone, the gear debate goes out the window.

Let me just say this. If you have great ideas for songs and are a talented musician with a desire to make great recordings, then money and gear should not be a road block for you. That part of the equation should be removed. Save up a few hundred bucks, read blogs like this one who won’t sell you a bunch of hype, learn your stuff, and then just go make music!

Oh, and when you’ve got your studio setup, take the One Song One Month Challenge to get you started. It’ll walk you through the basics of song production and motivate you to record and finish a new song in one month just to prove to yourself that you can do this. I want you to succeed at home recording because I know it’s possible. Now get to it!

If you’re a singer/songwriter looking for some great drum tracks to go in your session then using loops and prebuilt patterns on drum machines can go a long way. We took a look at this technique in week 2 of the One Song One Month Challenge videos. But what if you need some custom patterns to more closely fit your material? Of what if you want more variation than what your loops can provide? It’s time to make some custom loops with MIDI and virtual instruments.

In this video I quickly dive into using your DAW’s included drum instruments and samples to create great sounding drum tracks in just a matter of minutes. Hope you enjoy!

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!

Sometimes when working on an album or series of songs you tend to mix with some similar plugin settings. For instance, your kick drum may have been recorded the exact same for each song. Therefor any tweaks you needed to do on it for one song may very well be needed for all the songs. Instead of having to remember what EQ curve you tweaked for the kick in one session wouldn’t it be nice if you had saved a custom preset in your EQ plugin that you could recall in a separate session? Heck yes it would! And you can. Here’s how:

Save Your Current Setting

What ever settings you have your plugin set to, this is what you are going to capture as a preset. Click on the drop down menu in the Presets section of the plugin window and choose Save Setting.

Give your “new setting” a name. Try to name it something practical that you’ll recognize when you see it later. Try to be as specific as you can also. Click Save and you’re done. Pro Tools has automatically placed your new setting in the correct folder for that plugin.

Recall Your New Custom Preset

Now when you want to apply that custom preset to a new track (even in a new session) you can simply open the plugin, click on the factory default button, and BOOM! there’s your brand spankin’ new preset ready and waiting for you to open it up. Select it and watch your plugin settings change to your custom preset.

Imagine The Possibilities

With custom plugin presets in Pro Tools, your possibilities are limitless. You can save custom delay settings for vocals, EQ effects for guitars, even mix bus compressor settings ready to be recalled at a moments notice. Remember, the more time you save in Pro Tools mumbo jumbo, the more time you get for making music. And isn’t that what this is all about anyways?