Play with a click and record those practices so you understand some of those issues beforehand.
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Just try to enjoy the experience. I always love doing stuff in the studio. Like everyone is saying, 5 hours is nothing and you probably won't get nearly as much done as you thought, but it's good experience.
Know the songs wire to wire.
I strongly recommend new strings, but some guys think that's crazy.
Have fun!!!
I strongly recommend new strings, but some guys think that's crazy.
Have fun!!!
Know the songs
Work through the patterns with the drummer (so that You lock in really good!)
Setup your bass (intonation, fresh set of strings, string height etc.)
Trust the engineer!
Take a deep breath, relax and make sure that you have FUN! Being in the studio is a wonderful thing - make sure to make the most of it.
Also: Things WILL go south - time will run out, strings will break or be out of tune, throats will be sore etc.
When they do, just take it easy and focus on the task. Panic never solves anything and everything usually works out for the best
Work through the patterns with the drummer (so that You lock in really good!)
Setup your bass (intonation, fresh set of strings, string height etc.)
Trust the engineer!
Take a deep breath, relax and make sure that you have FUN! Being in the studio is a wonderful thing - make sure to make the most of it.
Also: Things WILL go south - time will run out, strings will break or be out of tune, throats will be sore etc.
When they do, just take it easy and focus on the task. Panic never solves anything and everything usually works out for the best
Another vote for knowing every song from every place in it.
If you have access to a quality home recorder (digital 4 track or DAW such as Reaper free) get some clean tracks on tempo and take them with you. You'd be surprised how many famous musicians had home recorded tracks make it into the final mix.
When the band I was in did this same thing (FJM Audio in Dayton, Ohio early 90's) our lead guitarist and I both had tracks recorded at my house on DAT that were good enough to use on our CD.
We'd set the amp at the end of a hallway with a mic at the other. Our singer recorded some vocals in the bathroom listening to our songs on headphones and they used them as one of the vocal tracks (doubled some w/ slight delay and rerecorded others).
Of course we spent longer than 4 to 5 hours there.
If you have access to a quality home recorder (digital 4 track or DAW such as Reaper free) get some clean tracks on tempo and take them with you. You'd be surprised how many famous musicians had home recorded tracks make it into the final mix.
When the band I was in did this same thing (FJM Audio in Dayton, Ohio early 90's) our lead guitarist and I both had tracks recorded at my house on DAT that were good enough to use on our CD.
We'd set the amp at the end of a hallway with a mic at the other. Our singer recorded some vocals in the bathroom listening to our songs on headphones and they used them as one of the vocal tracks (doubled some w/ slight delay and rerecorded others).
Of course we spent longer than 4 to 5 hours there.
I’ve only been in the studio a few times but here’s my advice.
Know the songs – how to play them and how you want them to sound. They shouldn’t need studio polish. They should be sparkly when you walk in the door. Studio time is expensive.
Stay on task – Studio time is expensive, that story was cool but it just cost me $300
Don’t get bogged down in detail – you ‘re not going to win a Grammy with 5 hours of studio time. Studio time is expensive so get what you need on tape first. If you have time left you can fix the details.
Trust your engineer – They can get “your sound” but only if you can easily describe the sound you’re after. Audio examples are always handy.
Know the songs – how to play them and how you want them to sound. They shouldn’t need studio polish. They should be sparkly when you walk in the door. Studio time is expensive.
Stay on task – Studio time is expensive, that story was cool but it just cost me $300
Don’t get bogged down in detail – you ‘re not going to win a Grammy with 5 hours of studio time. Studio time is expensive so get what you need on tape first. If you have time left you can fix the details.
Trust your engineer – They can get “your sound” but only if you can easily describe the sound you’re after. Audio examples are always handy.
R Baer
Commercial User
I always like going into the studio with a bass that has been given a top notch, professional setup. Makes playing easier and avoids that embarrassing moment of having the engineer point out your intonation is off, or that you need to fix that fret buzz. If you want them to treat you like a professional, your instrument had better be in shape and ready to track.
Since you're planning to track live, focus on getting the best rhythm tracks you can. 5 hours is so little time to try and get completed songs, so concentrate on getting as many really solid rhythm tracks as possible and then you can always book more time later for vocals, dubs and mixing. (Spoiler alert: you probably will)
A click is only important if your band wants it to be. Plenty of great records have been made without a click - especially rock & roll records. Use it if strict time is important to you and don't use it if it's not. You most certainly can punch in fixes without a click. It's harder to do it that way, but not that hard.
Putting a mic on an amp is an excellent idea, but not in such a short time frame. Let the engineer go with what he/she is used to doing. It will save time (money) and you're more likely to get good results - and don't get too attached to Jamerson's tone.
Play nice with everybody. It can get stressful when the clock is running.
Make sure all your gear works.
Most importantly, have fun!
A click is only important if your band wants it to be. Plenty of great records have been made without a click - especially rock & roll records. Use it if strict time is important to you and don't use it if it's not. You most certainly can punch in fixes without a click. It's harder to do it that way, but not that hard.
Putting a mic on an amp is an excellent idea, but not in such a short time frame. Let the engineer go with what he/she is used to doing. It will save time (money) and you're more likely to get good results - and don't get too attached to Jamerson's tone.
Play nice with everybody. It can get stressful when the clock is running.
Make sure all your gear works.
Most importantly, have fun!
- Bass amp vs. DI: I wouldn't worry about micing your amp, especially considering that the studio doesn't have experience in this area. Doing so incorrectly can introduce bleed-through (into drum mics) and phase cancellation. Just go DI and you'll be fine. There's a reason thousands of studios around the world do just this with the bass. It works.
- Timing: It's good that your drummer is practicing with a click, however in addition, you should ALL be practicing together as a band with one to get used to it (preferably while wearing headphones if you can swing that). If it's not happening, don't be afraid to ditch the click for this session (though still get your tempos worked out beforehand and note the BPM if each song, then at least count in the songs with the click). Also, you and your drummer should be as tight as humanly possible. Recordings will make visible what can be glossed over duting a live performance. Practice, practice, practice!
- Tone: In a rock band setting (vs. Motown recordings) there's generally a lot more volume and other instruments competing in your frequency space. Copping a Jamerson-like tone in this genre CAN lead to the bass being muddy and lost in the mix. Don't be afraid to add some mids to help your cause.
- Number of songs: with only 4-5 hours I would suggest picking 2 to 3 of your best songs and try and get the best takes of each. I believe Stephen Hawking noted that studio time operates on different principles than the rest of the world. Lastly, keep in mind that unless there is a separate vocal booth for your singer, he or she will need to go back and record final vocal takes (so make sure they don't blow out their voice while recording the instrument tracks). AND you need to give the studio time to actually create a mix of what you've recorded. You may want to book a separate session for vocal overdubs and mixing/mastering.
If the band is going to record live with a click, you guys should all practice with a click. Plugin the click into the pa and practice as a band.
You don't have to play the engineer any Jamerson, most of them would know it when you mention.
Once you got a nice DI signal recorded, you can always reamp it later.
You don't have to play the engineer any Jamerson, most of them would know it when you mention.
Once you got a nice DI signal recorded, you can always reamp it later.
If you are going for a "Jamerson tone" make sure to ask the engineer to use a high-pass filter at around 70hz, as that is key to his sound. And of course you want to use a DI (the studio will have one, so probably no need to bring your own) as opposed to a mic'd amp. If you don't have much experience playing through a DI + headphones, that is a specific skill you can and should practice leading up to the studio date. Good luck and be sure to share the results with us!
Don't think too much about it.
I went into my first recording session a few weeks ago completely green. I was so busy with work etc. that I didn't prepare.....and all went great.
One thing our band did do leading up to the studio time was go and hit 3 open mics in a row to get the songs tight.
One thing I noticed about the click track was once you get playing it blends into the bands sound and you hardly notice it. It's there, and I'm sure it subliminally helps, but you end up listening more to the other instruments then the click.
I went into my first recording session a few weeks ago completely green. I was so busy with work etc. that I didn't prepare.....and all went great.
One thing our band did do leading up to the studio time was go and hit 3 open mics in a row to get the songs tight.
One thing I noticed about the click track was once you get playing it blends into the bands sound and you hardly notice it. It's there, and I'm sure it subliminally helps, but you end up listening more to the other instruments then the click.
It's nice that you are moving into this part of your band life. I've sent about 50 artists through studios small and large and was privileged to be allowed to hang around (and also get kicked out! lulz) for many, many more sessions; for a few years in the 90's I was in studios weekly. It's exciting to record.
OK, here's a list:
- Make a list of songs, prioritize it, and create an agenda. You can always change it, but not knowing what to do next is a killer.
- Don't use intoxicants.
- Don't overplay. More on this below.
- Don't involve yourself in the engineering - but DO give your input on what you hope to sound like.
- In a short session, it's imperative that people don't get sidetracked. No "let me show you this little thing I've been working on."
- Mood will always be apparent. While the 'have fun' advice is nice, that may or may not be your band's personality. I've seen great music made from tense, hostile sessions ... and uninspired takes from sessions where everyone was sober and cheerful. The key is to be aware that your feelings will impact the success of the session and do your best to manage them accordingly.
- Practice the session, not just the songs. You can rehearse the session once you have your list of material to be worked. This will help you find your best work habits. Some bands are great running through the set - others like working on it a song at a time. etc.
- If a song isn't going well, move on right away. You can always come back later, but you can't get back wasted energy.
- Track, talk, and LEAVE. If you're THAT unhappy with the producer/engineer's mix, it can be redone. Or you can have a BRIEF playback and chat session, but no good comes from hanging around the control room during mixing.
Thoughts on recording as a part of artist development:
The recording studio is akin to another instrument. I once managed an artist who recorded most of his band's practices. I originally thought it was to try and capture ideas, but he told me "no, it's to get used to recording." When they went into a studio with 2" tape and a Neve and a 'name' producer, they were very ready. Knew where to stand, how to not waste time, etc. With the revolution in home recording, at this point all artists ought to be able to do this. Everyone acts differently the first time the red light is on, and the only way to get around that is to get used to the red light being on. You can address this by recording yourself often. This reduces things like overplaying, which will make you cringe later on playback.
Click tracks .... hmmm. Caveat: I'm talking from the perspective of a non-drummer from the analog era, but I know a couple Grammy winning, multi-platinum producers who did 'live' punch ins all the time. And there were drummers who played well to click tracks, and others who hated it -- I do think that it's quite possible to do without .... unless you're trying to sync to other digital things. The reality is that you should be recording what sounds good outside of the studio, and if you are able to sound good without a click track, then try it that way. It never fails, whenever bands try to change things around for recording, it makes the players uncomfortable and leads to bad takes.
Recording is a process. It's true that 4-5 hours isn't a lot of time, but you may be quite efficient -- or not. The trick is to manage priorities - short-term AND long-term goals. And be patient as you're beginning; you will be learning about yourselves. Everyone has their own style of doing things, and that includes recording. What's the goal of the session? Show your stuff to get gigs? Attract interest on the web? Everyone always says "well, all of those things" but if you talk it through with the band, it will be clear where the needs are vs. wants. And that will help you prioritize, which makes the whole process more enjoyable.
Last comment: plan on going back. Perhaps not to THAT studio, but if you're good enough to record once, then you need to make it a regular part of what you do going forward.
OK, here's a list:
- Make a list of songs, prioritize it, and create an agenda. You can always change it, but not knowing what to do next is a killer.
- Don't use intoxicants.
- Don't overplay. More on this below.
- Don't involve yourself in the engineering - but DO give your input on what you hope to sound like.
- In a short session, it's imperative that people don't get sidetracked. No "let me show you this little thing I've been working on."
- Mood will always be apparent. While the 'have fun' advice is nice, that may or may not be your band's personality. I've seen great music made from tense, hostile sessions ... and uninspired takes from sessions where everyone was sober and cheerful. The key is to be aware that your feelings will impact the success of the session and do your best to manage them accordingly.
- Practice the session, not just the songs. You can rehearse the session once you have your list of material to be worked. This will help you find your best work habits. Some bands are great running through the set - others like working on it a song at a time. etc.
- If a song isn't going well, move on right away. You can always come back later, but you can't get back wasted energy.
- Track, talk, and LEAVE. If you're THAT unhappy with the producer/engineer's mix, it can be redone. Or you can have a BRIEF playback and chat session, but no good comes from hanging around the control room during mixing.
Thoughts on recording as a part of artist development:
The recording studio is akin to another instrument. I once managed an artist who recorded most of his band's practices. I originally thought it was to try and capture ideas, but he told me "no, it's to get used to recording." When they went into a studio with 2" tape and a Neve and a 'name' producer, they were very ready. Knew where to stand, how to not waste time, etc. With the revolution in home recording, at this point all artists ought to be able to do this. Everyone acts differently the first time the red light is on, and the only way to get around that is to get used to the red light being on. You can address this by recording yourself often. This reduces things like overplaying, which will make you cringe later on playback.
Click tracks .... hmmm. Caveat: I'm talking from the perspective of a non-drummer from the analog era, but I know a couple Grammy winning, multi-platinum producers who did 'live' punch ins all the time. And there were drummers who played well to click tracks, and others who hated it -- I do think that it's quite possible to do without .... unless you're trying to sync to other digital things. The reality is that you should be recording what sounds good outside of the studio, and if you are able to sound good without a click track, then try it that way. It never fails, whenever bands try to change things around for recording, it makes the players uncomfortable and leads to bad takes.
Recording is a process. It's true that 4-5 hours isn't a lot of time, but you may be quite efficient -- or not. The trick is to manage priorities - short-term AND long-term goals. And be patient as you're beginning; you will be learning about yourselves. Everyone has their own style of doing things, and that includes recording. What's the goal of the session? Show your stuff to get gigs? Attract interest on the web? Everyone always says "well, all of those things" but if you talk it through with the band, it will be clear where the needs are vs. wants. And that will help you prioritize, which makes the whole process more enjoyable.
Last comment: plan on going back. Perhaps not to THAT studio, but if you're good enough to record once, then you need to make it a regular part of what you do going forward.
Don't worry about anything sounding perfect. Be ready to bang out your song(s) a few times each and use the best take (which will be the best drum take). Try to stay relaxed and have fun with it.
I've heard Sean Hurley talk about his approach when recording for a featured artist in the studio. He said he figures out the least amount of notes he can play on a song, and then he plays only half that many. But again, that's him coming in and playing for a featured artist, which can be a different approach than a full band making an album together.
Oh, and I'm a huge proponent of a click track. I can't imagine recording without it.
Oh, and I'm a huge proponent of a click track. I can't imagine recording without it.
Keep an open mind and be patient. Those are the two most crucial things IMO/IME when walking into a studio. It's not always easy but the studio can be a wonderful and educational experience if you let it. If you don't, it can be a bands worst enemy. But it's really not as bad as I've heard some refer to it. You just gotta go in and do it. And make sure your opinions and input are heard. You are helping pay for the studio time I assume? If that is the case, most def do NOT lose your voice in there.
But overall, keep a positive perspective and things usually turn out great.
But overall, keep a positive perspective and things usually turn out great.
1. Listen to the engineer.
2. It's one thing to know your songs, it's an entirely different thing to know how you are going to record them. Solidify what you plan on recording and stick to only that.
3. Don't be hard on yourself for little "flubs" in your playing or tone when laying down your track. Play it out. Punch in your corrections and let the engineer adjust the eq to your tastes later.
4. Don't be too serious. Have as much fun as you can with it.
2. It's one thing to know your songs, it's an entirely different thing to know how you are going to record them. Solidify what you plan on recording and stick to only that.
3. Don't be hard on yourself for little "flubs" in your playing or tone when laying down your track. Play it out. Punch in your corrections and let the engineer adjust the eq to your tastes later.
4. Don't be too serious. Have as much fun as you can with it.
I guess this is more than one thing, but...
Bring spare strings just in case.
Tune up at every opportunity.
If the engineer/producer says to, do it. A Geezer P bass he should be very familiar with. That's my go-to setup in the studio and it always delivers.
Play all your notes as long as possible, as cleanly as possible, unless your tone and sings are staccato or dirty. In a rock situation, connecting the notes works well in the studio.
Bring spare strings just in case.
Tune up at every opportunity.
If the engineer/producer says to, do it. A Geezer P bass he should be very familiar with. That's my go-to setup in the studio and it always delivers.
Play all your notes as long as possible, as cleanly as possible, unless your tone and sings are staccato or dirty. In a rock situation, connecting the notes works well in the studio.