8
Steps To A Better Session
by John
McKay
Recording is a
time-intensive experience, and problems
that arise often seem magnified. No one
wants to wait for an hour while the guitar
player runs to Guitar Center for new
strings. So, to keep things going smoothly
and efficiently, here are some things to
do in preparation:
1. Practice!
You'd be surprised how many bands come
in to the studio obviously unprepared. If
you can't play through the song without
making mistakes, then you're not ready to
record yet. Take the time to practice the
songs you want to track thoroughly. This
isn't to say that you can't be creative in
the studio, but it's a lot cheaper to be
creative on your own time.
2. Make sure your
songs are finished. Going into the
studio hoping to finish lyrics or parts on
the spot is a recipe for dissatisfaction.
You may be inspired by the pressure, but
you'll inevitably listen back to it later
on and think that you could have sang it
better, or that you don't especially like
this line or that phrase.
3. Record
yourselves. It's very useful to record
your practice using a simple tape
recorder. The finished product won't sound
very good, but you'll be able to hear if
you're offtime, or off key. It may also
make you aware that some parts of your
song are dragging, or that other parts
could be extended or more
developed.
4. Get your gear
in shape. Don't show up for a session
that you're paying for with gear that
doesn't work, cables that cut out,
batteries that are going dead, or blown
speakers. If you're afraid that your gear
is less than perfect, make some calls. I
can point you to some people in town that
rent gear on a day-by-day basis, or to
other musicians who might be willing to
loan an amp or cabinet for a day or two.
It makes a difference!
5. Tune your
instrument. Drummers should put on new
heads about 1 week before the session. The
snare head should be replaced immediately
before the session, and if you're doing
more than one or two songs, consider
bringing extra snare heads. Nothing sounds
as good on tape as a fresh snare head.
Guitarists should put a new set of strings
on a few days before the session. Bring
extra strings, as you probably will break
one or two. Bass players can replace their
strings, although new bass strings can be
a bit overly metallic. I would change bass
strings a week or two before the
session.
6. Let people
know you're busy! You don't want to be
called in to work half-way through your
session. Everyone involved needs to clear
their schedules. Nothing creates more
tension in a session than someone wanting
to blow out early so they can hit some
party. Also, if we're recording at your
home, make sure your family knows about
it. We'll be taking phones off the hook,
and will require some degree of quiet. If
we're working at your practice space, make
sure the neighbors know that you'll need
some quiet, if there are other bands at
your facility, ask them for their
schedules, and work out a time when they
won't be playing in the next
room.
7. Have a
plan. It's always better to have fewer
songs to finish, and to know precisely
which songs we're trying to get done.
Often, once a session gets rolling, it's
easy to just go ahead and track some of
the other songs you have. While this isn't
terrible, in my experience these tracks
are usually discarded, as they haven't
been thoroughly practiced, and may not
even be complete.
9. Develop a
vision. I like to come see a band
before I record them, just to get a feel
for their sound, and develop my vision for
the session. If you envision your record
sounding like the latest MTV hit, you may
be frustrated and disappointed. Your band
is unique, and my goal as an engineer is
to find what's best about your band and
accent that. Your record may not sound
like anything that's come before, and
trying to cram it into a pre-existing
notion of a good recording doesn't do it
justice. The Pixies didn't sound like
anything that came before them, nor does
Modest Mouse, or the Beatles, for that
matter.
8. Relax!
Recording is fun, and there's really no
pressure. Just be prepared, and we'll have
a smooth, enjoyable session with a great
product at the end!
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