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Arranging for Maximum Impact1/10/2019 Song arrangement is as much an art form as writing great music or lyrics. However, as it is inextricably tied up in the songwriting process it is often not seen as a separate skill in and of itself. From a music theory standpoint arranging is the rhythmic and harmonisation (i.e. chord) choices you make to underpin the lyrics and the melody. At one end of the arrangement continuum, a bear minimum arrangement would involve a single instrument such as a piano, and a voice. The other end might involve a full band along with orchestration, i.e. many layers and parts. As we give birth to a song we make decisions about the best ways to present our new collection of words and music. Are there drums? What feel? Guitars? How will they contribute to the whole? There are decisions about ‘parts’, i.e. will the guitar strum the chords or arpeggiate them? Will we cover the main chords with both guitar and keyboard? What paths will they each take? Bass? Etc. etc. These considerations all together make up the arrangement of the song. Regardless of whether a song finds itself at the minimal or the complex end, your job as the arranger is to create a sympathetic foundation for the lyrics and the melody, the two key elements. The arrangement must create enough interest to keep your listener engaged, while at the same time getting out of the way of these key elements. It can be a tricky balance. The arrangement should help to propel the lyrics along when pace is needed, and it should help to turn on all the spotlights at those significant moments, such as the hook. Of course the lyrics and melody do some of this work as well. A good arrangement works in conjunction with the lyrics and the melody. They’re a team...but the star of the show is the vocal. I wrote in a previous article about dynamics and their importance in creating great songs. Dynamics are a part of the arrangement toolbox. See the dynamics ideas for a recap on some of the more popular approaches. Let’s dive in and have a look at an example song to talk about arrangement. The Arctic Monkeys song, ‘One For the Road’, is, I believe, a great example of a strong arrangement. The music has a story to it as much as the vocal does. The arrangement draws us in. Check it out here:
I don't know about you...but I'm hankering for a cigarette after that! We could pick a bunch of songs to do this with...it’s a fun and enlightening exercise, especially for songs that you feel really define something in music. Identifying the devices that move a song forward and articulating how they work will help you to grow as a writer / arranger. You can be more intentional with the arrangement choices you make for your songs. There’s a great series by Rick Beato on YouTube called, ‘What makes this song great?’. Rick gets into a bit of the music theory side of things, as well as the arrangement and production elements that work together for the song in focus. He is a total music nerd, which is awesome. Check him out. One last bit: I came across this article the other week. It is an interesting study on a well known song that became a huge hit with it’s fifth artist, and not before. The song was written by none other than Burt Bacharach and Hal David back in the 1960s (it’s an oldie, but a goodie). A collection of well known artists and producers all failed to get this one off the ground. But then a hero, with a new arrangement, came along and the rest is history. Read it here: https://blog.discmakers.com/2019/09/fifth-times-the-charm-the-carpenters-smash-hit-close-to-you/?utm_campaign=EA1938&utm_source=DMAudio&utm_medium=Email# What’s a song you think has some great arrangement elements worth talking about? Leave a comment below...let’s talk about music. Ready to record sometime soon? Use the ‘Get a Quote’ button to contact me so we can talk about your next project. Make good art.
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Album, EP or Single. What to do?2/9/2019  An album or LP (Long Play) is a collection of 10-14 songs. It came about as a result of the advances in music playback technologies back in the mid 20th century. The album quickly rose to prominence, but was overtaken by singles for a period of time, and then came back as the dominant music market in what was known as the Album Era (1960-2000). During this time the Album became ubiquitous with an up and coming bands career. A kind of benchmark of how far you’d come as a band. After people asked you if you had any gigs, they asked if you had an album.
Then the internet happened, and iTunes and then streaming. The music playback landscape changed again. People are now able to pick and choose songs with a degree of freedom not experienced before. None of this is really news of course. Still, some artists yearn for the old ways. They want to record their Magnum Opus. Have it sit next to The White Album, or Nevermind, or <insert iconic LP of choice here>. And that day may come, but I question whether such an undertaking really works in the current music paradigm, at least for an emerging indie artist. Record labels seem to still fund albums. In most genres at least. But usually only after a number of test singles. And I think there’s a bit of a lesson in that for the rest of us. On release, record labels then put their media machine into action. They also have access to top shelf support slots and festivals. So there’s more going on that just the release of a collection of songs. For indie artists, I’m of the opinion that an album is NOT the best way forward...and here’s why: 1. No one’s listening to all of those songs...not yet anyway. So what is the point of recording all of those songs when people are simply going to cherry pick their way through your release? 2. Albums are expensive...and no one’s listening to all those songs (not yet). You’re going to plough all that time and effort and money into this LP and people are going to pick the three (tops) songs they like and leave the rest. Vultures! Maybe? Isn’t that what you do? I’m a bit old school on that front, I still like to listen through an album, even if I hate it...and some musos are like that. But the bulk of your audience are not musos, and will never do that...like ever. Also, with the higher outlay, you’re less likely to recoup. You’re also less likely to be able to quickly release new material…’cause you’re strapped for dollars! 3. An album can take a long time to do...which contributes to there being a long time between new releases...which can hurt your momentum in the market. People forget you. And not because you’re bad (probably!), but because there’s so much other new music coming out. You can get lost in the crowd. So what should we do? Well, I think an EP (3-6 songs) is ideal...or the maximum any new to newish band should consider...and here’s why: 1. People may actually listen to all of the songs, and if you choose wisely, get a sense of who you are as an artist. 2. They’re relatively cheap...compared to recording 10 or so songs...well, obviously. Which means you can afford to release more regularly...see my next point. 3. They don’t take as long to do. So you can potentially be releasing new material on a more regular basis, which in this day and age of short attention spans is a must. Momentum is key. I once chatted with one of Australia’s most successful artist managers, about a well known artist he was working with at the time. The artist had had some very successful songs and debut album only a few years prior and was, at the time of my conversation, promoting a new album. The artist manager likened the task to ‘starting again’. The time frame had been really too long for a large portion of the listening public. Unless you’re at superstar status, keep yourself in the public eye...and ear. 4. You have a greater chance of all of the songs being killers...and not fillers. One of the difficulties with albums is writing that many great songs. Not many bands pull that off...especially young bands. 5. It gives you a real chance to explore in the studio. A chance to really find your sound. Try out different producers, studios etc. Be an artist. In some genres, singles are the way forward. Work one song fully, create a video...release, promote...next song. Rinse and repeat until you gain some traction...or just repeat if that works for you. In the Indie scene however, a song collection of some sort still seems to be what people expect. My suggestion is that you write an album’s worth of songs and choose your best 4-6. Write well. Work those songs hard (see previous blog articles for some ideas on this front). Make it a difficult decision for yourself. High class problems. Find someone to help you record that cares about your music..as much as you do (this is where I can possibly help you). Then in the studio, treat every song as if it was a single. After that you will have a collection of songs that you will be proud of in so many ways. And, other people are more likely to agree with you about how good they are, and...because you’ve left them wanting more...be asking you about when you’re going to release more. Or be following you to find out when your next show is...because that’s where they’ll hear more of those songs. Win! Are you and Indie Artist? Looking to record your next batch of bangers? Contact The Electric Recording Lan to discuss your next single or EP.
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Creating Interest in your songs1/8/2019  What are the things that keep listeners interested in to their favourite songs...apart from the hooks themselves, and make them want to play them over and over again? I’ve wrote recently about dynamics, which is one of the key areas in my mind for keeping the song interesting. But, what other techniques can we employ to stop people reaching for the skip button?
Here’s just a couple of quick thoughts. Thought One: The lyric is actually the main reason most people listen to most genres of music. It’s the feelings evoked by a lyric that will determine what your favourite song is. Read that last line again...key work, evoke. There are a number of really great books on the subject of writing better lyrics. My strongest recommendation in this area would be Pat Pattison’s book, “Write Better Lyrics’. It’s an apt title for sure. I think the two key things that stand out from my explorations on the subject are:
What feelings do you get from the following lyric snippets? What do you see? Every light is blinding Every minute lasts all day Every thought is fighting And they’re not falling into place (Craik Dominic, Alexander Roberto, Irvin James Lawrence) Life is a runaway train we can’t wait to jump on. (Kristian Bush / Jennifer Nettles) The city’s a-flood, and our love turns to rust. We’re beaten then blown by the wind, trampled in dust. (Bono) Black hole sun, won’t you come and wash away the rain. (Chris Cornell) Thought two: I remember working this one out as I was revisiting an old song of mine, and trying to work out why it felt a little flat. The chords changed each bar in the verse...then the chorus had different chords, but they changed once every bar. I experimented with different rates of chord changes for verse, chorus bridge etc. and managed to turn an average song into a much better one - you’ll have to take my word for that! To explain; if there is a chord change every bar in the verse, when we get to the chorus shift to a chord change every two beats. This is a great way of altering the perceived pace of the different sections of a song. It’s not that the tempo increases or decreases. It’s just the listener feels more or less movement occur depending on the section. A higher rate of chord changes translates to more pace, while a lower rate translates to less pace. Makes sense. To next level it, consider this in conjunction with the melody and lyric. Does the melody shift gear with or against the chord change pattern? By that I mean, are you holding longer notes against longer chord changes, or faster chord changes? And are you switching that up as the chord change pattern...um, changes...or not? You’ll get different feels depending on what you decide there. Same for the lyric. Is heightened action in the lyric matched with heightened chord changes, or not? Now we’re really digging in to the craft of writing songs. Anyway, I hope that’s of some use. Add a comment with any suggestions you have along these lines. Make good art. Scott
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Marketing your music  There is a thought that underpins the way a lot of artists approach the promotion of their music. It is the notion that art should speak for itself and gain an audience in an entirely organic way. Then it is true art. Anything else is vulgar, over commercialised etc. There are probably stories out in the public domain of when an act has gone viral without anything other than just showing up. There is also that thing where the telling of the story leaves out certain key elements. Things like managers, a countless number of small gigs in dive bars, paid advertising, unpaid advertising, and all manner of hustle. All of that effort and industry and talking and straining to building an audience is always behind a star on the rise..and the backstory to every legendary artist.
Muso snobbery. I’ve experienced it. I’ve lived it. As a younger man, there were bands that I wouldn’t listen to because they were ‘too commercial’. Of course the music I instead listened to or created was ‘true and authentic’. Been there? One of the things muso snobbery promotes is the myth that a band/artist must rise to success on the strength of word of mouth alone. That’s somehow the truest validation of your talent. It’s the ‘build it and they will come’ theory. And it’s complete bullsh#t. In this day and age, there is no such thing as a successful (i.e. charting/selling/fans at shows) artist that was not the beneficiary of a large amount of marketing...and really, there never was. The short of it is, if your band (i.e. brand) is not actively working on getting themselves known you are going (and will stay) unnoticed for the most part. Quite simply you are leaving a lot of opportunities, and fans...and money, on the table. Just for fun, google ‘how many songs are uploaded to Spotify every day’. Last time I checked it was forty thousand! Now get a calculator and times that by 365. Those numbers are only going to grow. That’s a lot of noise you’ve got to cut through. You need people to somehow find you in amongst all of that...and magic isn’t a thing, sorry. You MUST have a presence on ALL of the main social platforms. Then, you’ve got to work with the platforms, and their niche (or unique attributes), and the algorithms. As a band, post regularly. Consistency is a must. Post 2-3 times a week. Everyone in the band should then share each post on their own personal accounts. I used to worry that this was spammy, but it turns out the algorithms don’t allow that to happen for the most part, and, if by chance someone does feel spammed...they were not your audience anyway...problem solved. Pictures and/or video are a must with each post. So that means cameras out at rehearsals and gigs and in the studio, and anything that can be related to the band (BTW - The Electric Recording Lab is very Insta friendly). The text is important too, but it’s the pic or video that gets people to stop scrolling and pay attention to you. Keep it to the point though, attention spans are not what they used to be! Create a shared album in the cloud (E.g. Google drive) so that everyone in the band responsible for curating social media posts always have a large bank of material to draw from. Post maybe 2-3 pics the day after a gig, not all twenty. No one is going to look through a large collection all at once. Thank all those that came...it’s a little dose of missed-gig-envy for those that didn’t make it. Then next post, add one (or two) more pics from the gig collection. Tag any other bands on the bill - vital scene networking. Rinse and repeat. Video is really popular on Facebook at the moment - so make the most of that. Put up a snippet of a gig or a new song from a rehearsal with text to the effect of, ’Can’t wait to hit the stage with this one’. The goal is engagement. Engagement is the word that Facebook etc use to describe the activity around your posts. If you can create engagement, the algorithms will work FOR you. If you’re entertaining you’ll end up in more people’s news feed. You create engagement by posting interesting, quality content consistently. It can be a long game...but an essential one! If a post is going well, promote or boost it to find a wider audience. There are a lot of great resources out there now to help you with all this. (NOTE: Links at the bottom of the page)
When it comes down to it, you’re selling a product - and the product is you! There’s nothing dirty about that (say that last line again...slowly). It’s how artists can afford to eat and put a roof over their collective heads. Lastly, there’s the fear of talking yourself up. Aussies hate doing it for the most part. Some of this marketing (aka self promotion) stuff is difficult because of that little voice in your head worried about what others in your network are thinking about you - that you’re big noting yourself etc. It’s the Tall Poppy Syndrome alive and well. You have to kill that voice. It is not serving you. It’s bullsh*t anyways. Most people are happy for the content in their feed. And the small percentage that aren’t...as I’ve already said, they were not your audience to begin with. You are an artist...and a legitimate one. Beginner or advanced. Promote your band/music with confidence. The truth is that most people are in wonder of musicians. They marvel that you’ve been able to learn an instrument, that you/your band write their own songs. It’s all a mysterious dark art to them. Use that to your advantage. Just don’t be a dick. Hopefully that part’s obvious...and just general life advice. People on the whole are curious about your music. They may not end up a fan, but they may refer you on to someone who likes ‘that type of music’. Summary: If you’re making music that moves YOU...there’s a really good chance it’ll move a bunch of other people as well. None of us are truly 100% unique. Your job is to find those people. Learn about what best practice is regarding leveraging social media from the resources about you, don’t just flail about hoping to accidentally find the way through. Make a plan and get to work. I hope that’s helpful, Scott Links: Social Media Marketing Podcast (transcripts): https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/thank-you/ Monika Strut: https://monicastrut.com/ Bonus link for the advanced reader. Seth is a marketing guru with a lot of great insight into how to get your message out there. He has podcasts, books and blogs...all of the things. I’ve subscribed to regular email nugget from him and they’ve been pretty interesting and useful. Seth Godin: https://www.sethgodin.com/
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You Should Be Recording More Often1/6/2019  You should be recording more often. Record early, and record often. That’s the advice I would give to any aspiring musician, artist or band. I’ve been a home recording enthusiast since I owned a tape recorder (who remembers those things?). Over the years I’ve come to know how powerful it is to record your work. I’ve experienced first hand the real advantages and opportunities that hearing yourself, or your latest song, in playback offers. It can be a vital tool to help you develop both as a musician and as a songwriter. Musician development: How many times have you thought you nailed a run or a riff or <insert musical element here> only to be told it’s not quite there. How you hear what you play, from the inside perspective, is not how others are hearing it. Much like how you hear your own voice, and how that’s influenced by resonances within your own head. There is something similar happens with your own, non-biological, instrument(s). It’s weird. The great thing with having a recording is the feedback is immediate, and honest. If you’re woodshedding your skills, it can also be private. I write and record a lot of music at The Electric Recording Lab, and in that process, hearing back a riff and realising I’m not quite on, mean’s it’s take two...and adjusting how I’m attacking the piece or the instrument. Analysing why the third chord feels late...what am I doing wrong? Adapting. Learning. Growing in my abilities. You should also record all manner of practice sessions. Scales, running through tunes, noodling. It will give a real insight into what you’re getting right, and what you need to work on. Outside perspective for the songwriter: As I’m writing I usually hear the song in a fully produced form even while it’s just me and a guitar. I’ll hurriedly pull out my phone to record that killer riff, only to be completely underwhelmed when I play it back. It’s not a sound quality thing...and it’s not, ‘with the full production behind it this will kill’...it’s just the outside perspective. Hearing the song, or riff, from the audience’s perspective. Some stuff is more fun to play than it is to listen to. The recording allows you to put the instrument down and walk around to the front of the stage. If you’re still digging it when you do that...please, continue. If not, then it’s time to problem solve. Should it be faster or slower? Should there be less notes or more, or more variation? Etc. Crafting: great songs very rarely just happen. There is a lot of folklore around the song that just fell out of the sky…”yeah, we just started playing and, well, the number one selling single you hear is the the song we wrote that day inside 10 minutes”. I’m sure it happens. I’m also sure a lot of those stories are kind of like those movies that are based on a true story. They’re mostly true...with some embellishment for the sake of a good story. Typically, great songs are honed out of the raw ideas over a period of time. What are the songs strengths? Does it have weaknesses? What are they? Does the ‘air come out of the tyres’ at any point in the song? Is the listener engaged throughout? Does the chorus lift? Is it too ‘samey’ throughout? A recording allows you to run the song around, in different locations. In the car, on your bluetooth speaker etc. and let it wash over you. Be constructively critical without the distractions of, ‘how cool does my guitar sound tonight?’. I often found that playing the song for an audience (friends or acquaintances) highlighted every fault really fast. No words were necessary. There is something about the intimate pressure that sort of situation creates. Rehearsal recordings done on phones or demos done in home studios are both critical parts in the crafting process. Playback can be especially powerful after a small break. Put the song down for a day or two, longer if you can. Listen back with a notepad and a pen at the ready. That break will give you clarity. It’s nearly as good as a first listen. Sharing: Having an updated rehearsal recording of songs in progress was an invaluable tool for bands I’ve played in. Gone are the days of sharing tapes with band members...thank god! Now you can put the recording in a google folder, or upload to a private Facebook page, so everyone can access it. Same for the demo or pre-production phase. I’d put the latest iteration in a shared folder and send out a quick message to the group chat to alert the rest of the band. Their homework was to listen and comment - still crafting. Final product: For some musicians playing live is what it’s all about. For me, the end goal was always the studio recording. While I love locking in with the band on stage or in the rehearsal studio, there was nothing greater than hearing the songs we’d roughed out, and smashed out in venues, now playing back in hifi, full and exciting. Fist pump moment. The recording is how people know you, or learn about you. It’s primarily what they ‘buy’ from you, or stream. At some point the band is going to want that pro sounding recording when all the song crafting is done. Then you can share that with your current fans...and get new ones. Playing to 5 people sucks...better to make it 5000, or more! It’s exciting to capture the performances and build the track, and see where that all takes you. While you’ve already laid a solid roadmap for the song, be open to the magic of the studio. Great things can happen in there! So get recording! Get that mobile phone out at rehearsal. Keep everyone in the band on the same page, shape those songs. Dig into that DAW, or hit the local studio, and get those demos together. Work towards that single ready for release. Tech tip: the memo recorder on an iPhone seems to distort in loud band settings. Record using video in the camera app. It has better headroom. Also think about where to position it in the room. Where is the most balanced sound? It might NOT be on the floor in front of a roaring quadbox! Lastly, a couple of things to keep in mind on the song development front:
Make good art. Hi, I'm Scott. I own The Electric Recording Lab. It is an independent recording studio located in Ferntree Gully Victoria, Australia. The Electric Recording Lab focuses on recording local bands doing an EP, a single, or tracking drums or loud guitars or other overdubs. Use the contact page to discuss how I can assist you with your next project.
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f p 10 Dynamics Tips: the up and down Dynamics are the breath of life in a song. To me they are one of the key differentiators between a good and a great arrangement. Dynamics are the loud and soft, the light and shade that exists within a song. The word ‘dynamic’ is all about change. The dictionary says, it is a force that stimulates change or progress. In music theory, dynamics is defined as the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Strictly speaking, that is the limit of what dynamics is in music. However, more generally we tend to refer to the things that change the intensity of the different sections in a song as dynamics. The long and the short of it is that dynamics are a vital aspect of the journey a song offers the listener. If there is no element of change in a song, your listeners will lose interest. End of story. Dynamics play an important role in that change. Without some dynamics you’re going to either bore your audience or fatigue them. Repetition is an important ingredient in modern music genres, some more than others, however too much repetition is, well, too much. To make the point let’s consider an extreme example. Imagine a song that has only one chord played in a constant quarter note pattern for the duration with no change in the emphasis, timing, anything. I can’t see myself staying for the whole song, can you? The music would lack any feel. The lyric would have to rip my heart out to for this song to stand a chance of me listening to the end., even then, I don’t think I’d be going back for more. Now imagine that same song, but with some strumming variation, i.e. differing intensities throughout. Maybe some muting in a section, and some stronger emphasis on particular chords in others. Small intensity changes can make all the difference. In fact we aren’t far from describing some really well known pop songs at this stage. Add one or two chord changes for seasoning (a.k.a harmonic variation - another aspect of change) and hey presto, magic! Change is what keeps the listener engaged. Here are 10 common ways of creating dynamics in songs that I’ve noticed. Some of these ideas could also be filed under ‘Arrangement Techniques’. To me, if they change the intensity, they fit under the dynamics heading as well. Have a look at the following list and use at your discretion: 1. The verse is ‘smaller’ than the chorus. Typically the verse is less dense than the chorus. In a rock context this might mean the verse has literally one guitar part, and in the chorus we double the guitar part and pan the two different takes out wide, and push it up in the mix to make it a little louder. Listen to Nothing But Thieves, ‘Itch’. NBT tick a bunch of dynamics boxes with this song. 2. The opposite of the above works also, but is way less common. Listen to the title track of P!nk’s, ‘I’m not dead’ album. The pre-chorus builds out of the verse only to drop down completely in the chorus. I think it works a treat. 3. The band, or most of it, stops for a bar while the vocal or other instrument continues, then all back in...or some variation on that. Typically used at the end of a verse. This adds impact to the beginning of the chorus, which is typically ‘bigger’ than the verse. See again Nothing But Thieves, ‘Itch’...do yourself a favour! 4. Change a rhythmic element part way through a section. Think quarter note hi-hats for half a verse, then eighth note hi-hats for the second half. Creates a gear change effect, speeding up the song, accelerating it into the chorus. The chorus can then launch to epic levels. You can achieve this effect with just about any instrument, not just drums and is not restricted to verses. This can be particularly effective when done with the vocal via a shift in the syllable count per bar at a point. It builds intensity 5. Adding a non-rhythmic element such as a keyboard part, part way through a section. This is also effective in the broader song context as a verse two addition. Thus increasing the intensity of the second verse as compared to the first, albeit subtly. This is something I learned while listening to Prince back in the day. I noticed he would introduce an element, then stack on another layer and then another to build intensity...then pull one...then put it back, then pull out two of these layers to drop the intensity for a song section. I refer to it as additive and subtractive arrangement. I’m a fan. 6. Start the song small, and taper up to epicness (yes it’s a word!) at the end through a series of steps up and down...but with a net effect of increased intensity over time. It’s a 2 steps up for one step back then 2 up and repeat. This is a popular arrangement style. U2 were masters at this. It can help to create very emotive songs when done well. Check out ‘Neon Brother’ by Nothing But Thieves (yes, those guys again!) for a great example of this type of arrangement. 7. Start the song with the chorus at full tilt, then drop back into a verse...then follow your muse from there. Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ does this. After one run through the chorus chords with just one guitar, the whole band kicks in for a loud intro chorus minus vocals. Then it drops right down to the verse feel which is quite sparse. Loud soft is a big part of the Nirvana sound. Which they borrowed from The Pixies. 8. Pause. It’s so simple. It can be a one beat thing, E.g. stop on the 3-and...then just take a breath, then everyone hits the one for the start of next section. Or at the end of a chorus, let the last chord just ring out...for as long as is appropriate...or for as long as you dare. 9. Accent hits. Da-da...da-da. A great hook line opportunity. Break up a section. Use it as a transition tool...with punch. A classic ‘air drum’ opportunity. Note: It’s the little gaps of silence that make these super effective. 10. Build into a section. Typically this is where we’re motoring along with the groove of the song, then a bar (or so) out from a sectional change the drummer (and others) change to a straight eighth or sixteenth note pattern starting with soft hits and ‘building’ with increasing intensity out to a full slam. A build can be achieved in other ways too. In RATM’s ‘Born of a Broken Man’, the build that launches us out of the intro is done by the guitar ramping with a volume swell. They later use the whole band to build out of verse 3. For something more recent, Royal Bloods “How Did We Get So Dark’, after the main instrumental section there is a build that runs for some 12 or more bars! Check it out. I could go on. There are more. I just had to stop at some point. I’m writing this on a plane heading out on holiday, (alright I’m bragging) and we’re currently preparing to land...so now’s as good a time as any. Think about your latest creations. Is there room for some more dynamics? There often is. Use the comments section on the blog or the contact page on my website www.electricreclab.com to let me know about your favourite dynamics techniques. I’ll write a part 2 with any new useful tips. Promise. Make good art. Hi, I'm Scott. I own The Electric Recording Lab. It is an independent recording studio located in Ferntree Gully Victoria, Australia. The Electric Recording Lab focuses on recording local bands doing an EP, a single, or tracking drums or loud guitars or other overdubs. Use the contact page to discuss how I can assist you with your next project.
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 So you’re headed for the studio. Great news! Here’s a couple of things to help you get the most out of your time. These tips might help you to arrive at the best possible realisation of your songs. Pre-production: What is it? Song and sound development done before the actual session date. Some of this could be considered as songwriting. There is certainly some overlap between the two. However the distinction I’m working with is that the core song idea has been fleshed out. Pre-production is about polishing that core idea. It can actually highlight a section of a song that needs to change or even go, or an entire song that is just not working in its current state. Be prepared for that to happen. The goal should always be the best song possible. So don’t be too precious. Good is the enemy of great. Rarely does a song NOT need revision. Interrogate everything. Things to do: Record and listen back. In other words, before you record...record. On your phone, in Garageband, whatever. Record the latest iteration of the song. You know, the one with the new change into the bridge. Do the transitions work? Is that guitar part too busy? Etc. etc.. A great arrangement leads to a great mix which is all about making the best case for the song. So, as much as you’re digging that new guitar/bass/keys part...if it doesn’t work in the greater context of the song, it’s gone. Perspective: It’s important to note that how you hear a song whilst actively playing the song, is not how others are hearing the song. Ever. Being able to step over to the other side of the room and listen to the song as a whole is invaluable. Objectivity: An objective listener is super useful. That might NOT mean your mum/significant other is the best person for the job. Sorry. Objectively listening is hard to do when the songs are yours. Being able to listen to the whole and not just what you’ve contributed to the song is a skill. Develop it. I always ask clients to send me a recording of what they intend to record in the studio. It gives me some time to consider what’s working and what might need some work. Red light fever can get to the best of us. If you’re not used to hearing yourself back on a recording medium of some sort, the studio can potentially be a daunting place. I’ve seen great musicians struggle. My job at that point becomes more about being a coach or a counsellor than a sound engineer. Use the pre-production recording process to get more comfortable with this important area of music performance. CAUTION: demoitis is a thing. Falling in love with an imperfect version of the song can mean you reject any alterations that may actually improve it. You can over listen. Put it aside for a week. See how it grabs you when you first listen back after a hiatus. Have a pen and paper handy to make any notes. If it’s still killer. Go with it! Sounds. Apart from crafting the actual song arrangement, consider the sounds you intend to use. Is the drum kit up to scratch? No? Consider renting one. Are the guitar sounds working in the track? Maybe back the gain off on the overdrive a little? Particularly when double tracking. It helps to bring definition and punch to the sound. Are the guitar sounds up to scratch? Can you get your hands on a better amp? What synths are you using? Did you try layering some sounds? These sounds will constitute the sonic signature of the record or indeed the band/artist. If they are sub par...well, there are limits on what can be done to fix them. There is a whole lot of magic available in modern digital studios. It is possible to edit and sculpt to a degree before only ever imaginable. However...and this is a big one for all you digital natives out there...nothing replaces capturing a great sound and a great performance. The best place to fix a sound is at its source. The best way to fix a dodgy take, is with a better take. Which brings me to my next point. Practice makes..? Rehearse. As a group, and as an individual. Know your part(s), and the arrangement. Don’t waste valuable studio time learning what you should already know. 1. It costs money. 2. It creates a strain on relationships within the band. Creative relationships have enough potential landmines to them without you blowing more than your fair share of the budget on take after take. Instead, come prepared. My guitar teacher once told me, ‘You’re only as good as your worst note, so make that note a really good one.’ His point to me was to practice. Know the song so that you’re concentrating on how hard to hit that next chord, not, ‘What IS that next chord?’ Or worse still, struggling to make the change, play the fill, or whatever. Know it so well that you can play it with feel. This is the essential ingredient. Your audience will hear that, or the lack of it, and respond accordingly. Some bands can use the the studio as a creative space, that’s how I’ve learned my craft as a studio engineer/producer. But if you don’t own the facility you’re recording in, and/or you’re on a limited budget, do the work up front so that the studio time is just about nailing your best performance. Wrap up: In all things art, keep an open mind. Explore. Push the boundaries. Work hard. Be prepared. Learn your craft. Hone. Strive. And at the end, set it free. We’re all looking for that next great song. We all want that emotional journey that only great music can take us on. Bring your A game. Oh, and have a whole lot of fun while you’re at it! For me, there’s nothing more fulfilling. I hope this article was useful to you. It’s all about making the best art possible. Hit Like or leave a comment. Have I forgotten anything? Let me know in the comments. Also, use the button at the top of the page or go to the contact page to let me know how I can help you on your next project. Thanks for reading. Cheers, Scott. Hi, I'm Scott. I own The Electric Recording Lab. It is an independent recording studio located in Ferntree Gully Victoria, Australia. The Electric Recording Lab focuses on recording local bands doing an EP, a single, or tracking drums or loud guitars or other overdubs. Use the contact page to discuss how I can assist you with your next project.
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