Here is some tips that we have prepared for the most common instruments and some things to expect from a recording experience. Not all experiences are going to be the same, a lot is going to differ from studio to studio and the way that they operate but what we have listed should be true for most all recordings.

First thing to remember is that, not every take is going to be a perfect take. Getting frustrated with yourself, band members, or studio staff isn't going to make things easier. So remember to have some patience. Even the seasoned professional studio musicians sometimes need to take several take before they are satisfied. If its something that you are struggling with walk away from it, take a break, or work on another part and come back to it.

Always check out the studio and staff (or at least the people that you will work with) before booking time with them. Make sure it is an environment that you are comfortable with. Listen to the quality of the recordings and how things fit in the mix of the song, meet the people that you will be working with, these are the people that you will spend a signafignt amount of time around if doing some extend recordings or full album work. When you find a studio or engineer that you enjoy working with stick with them. When you come back you will know exactly what to expect from them and they of you, in a lot of cases this can make the difference from getting the sound that you want on a scheduled amount of time, within budget and not.

Next thing that you want to be is prepared. So here we will focus on more spesiffic instruments and how to make sure that they are ready for the studio. So we broken this down into the 3 main instruments used in studio work, drums, guitars, and yes vocals.

Drummers: Drums are often looked over but is the foundation of almost all music out there. To get the best recorded sound out of any drum kit you need to replace any worn heads with a focus on the snare and kick drum. Also you need to make sure that your drum heads are tuned (top and bottom heads). If you don’t know how to do this click here for some tips. If you still don’t feel comfortable with tuning your drums, most studios will have someone there that knows how to tune drums. (Almost always will be the the lead engineer) Just ask in advance. Some studios will even have a studio drum kit available for rent during sessions. In some cases this can turn out to get a time/money saver for the band. For example the cost of replacing worn heads, time spent tuning, set up and tear down.

Guitarists/Bassist: Hard to imagine any music without the guitar or bass elements. We always recommend that you replace your strings just for any recording session. Along with a set of new strings we recommend that you have you guitar set up for your string and tuning combination. If your guitar/bass has active pickups make sure it has a fresh battery when you come in. Most studios will not do set up for guitars, but there is a few that will. We always recommend that you take your instrument to a trusted professional for set ups. Almost every studio will know who does good work and who does hack jobs. They are people who talk shop with a lot of musicians in your area.

Vocalist: We encourage that you practice your vocal parts as much as possible before you come in to record. With that being said we also recommend that you do not over practice, take a day off before coming in to record to let you vocal chords heal. This is why do not encourage booking a recording session with us the day after practice or a show. Vocalists should speak with the engineer about mic selections. Lets face it, your entire sound is going to be based almost solely on the mic that it comes through. I always recommend trying at lest two different mics.

Lastly before I leave you just one more tip. I want you to know that an audio engineers main job is to take the music that is in your head and make it a tangible thing that you and all of the world can enjoy. This is not an easy job, and in fact it is very difficult. Think of any audio engineer as another tool or instrument for achieving your musical goals, and remember that your success is our success.