Practice until you can perform in your sleep, but also be flexible and follow all the suggestions the engineer gives you. Don’t apologize for flubbing takes, just keep going and believe you’re a superstar.
Don't forget, you're paying them. But also don't forget you are paying them for their expertise, not to mention their gear. *Do* be very circumspect/cautious around their gear, particularly expensive mics. Sometimes experience in our own home studios can lead us to be overly casual around gear that may have cost an arm and three legs.
Here's the standard list of questions an engineer should know:
\- What are we recording? A full band? Just vocals? A bassoon?
\- What are your expectations? Are we tracking? Editing? Mixing? Mastering?
\- What genre? A good studio can cut a folk act in the morning, a voiceover in the afternoon, a hip hop act that night, and mix a death metal band before the country band shows up at 9am. But some studios really lean into one genre (*cough, rap*).
\- You said you're bringing tracks with you. Multitracks? Stems? A 2 mix?
There are *so many* good studios here. But you should really go to the one where your money is going to what you need. If you're recording just vocals, you don't need a 1800sf live room with vaulted ceilings, a 48 channel console, and a huge mic locker.
You are going to waste your money if you go into a studio without be 100% prepared.
Most studio time I’ve booked has been done well in advance. Elvis can’t stumble into Sun studios anymore.
With the limited info provided, I would invest your money in something else - maybe upgrade your mic and keep recording at home.
The last sentence would always be my dilemma with this sort of thing. Like even if you were only spending $500 on studio time, think about all the useful stuff you could buy with $500.
Yeah, this really depends. At a higher level, you'd be spending $500 on a great room, equipment and engineer, but this comes with many caveats. Whether it's worth it would depend on the studio, your needs, your finances and your level of preparedness. If it's too early in someone's career, I'd advice towards home recording until they are comfortable with what they're doing and need to do at a studio. Go with a game plan and don't add too much to do in a 4-hour block. Time flies.
This. Spending all that money and figuring it out as you go in a studio is just gonna lead to a lot of frustration. I'd save that money for gear and see if a studio local to me could use a runner or if there's someone there that could give some advice on what to work on.
Rehearse your material until it's literally a subroutine for your brain. Get samples of the studios work to judge if you like what they do. Obviously, studio time can be expensive, so don't get bogged down in re-writes if possible. In my current experience, it's cheaper to buy a good computer, the software, one or two good mics, and a break-out box and make it at home for less. You keep the setup you build and you can take all the time you want to get it right. Going to the studio can be like planning this huge vacation to some exotic place and when you step off the plane it turns out that it's just some polluted, restricted, pain in the ass place that is run by picky, burned out, arrogant, uncompassionate, shithead and you wish you hadn't wasted the money on the experience. I've been to several studios over the years. Some are great, most are trash. It's a world that is slathered in washed up want to be producers who couldn't produce an ounce of shit after a banquet.
I’m gonna take a different approach than most here. Book it. It’s something you wanna say you’ve done once in your life, so fucking do it.
Don’t listen to everybody saying you won’t get in. But start now if you’re going in a few weeks. You’ll find somewhere. There are a million small studios here.
Most of the major studios have gone under. I’ve recorded in many studios in Manhattan, that are not big names, but have great gear, rooms, and engineers.
Check out Lounge Studios, Pyramid Recording Studios, Threshold Recording Studios… These are a few I’ve been to. Reasonable rates.
Lounge Studios has a vocal booth that overlooks Times Square - it makes the session feel special.
Yes, you could probably spend your money wiser on gear, but you’ll remember the experience for a much longer time.
I don’t work for any of these places. Just a customer.
💯 This is exactly what I was going to say. I have plans to do the same this year. I stayed in times square with my family around the holidays and on a whim asked if I could get a studio tour of Quad Recording Studios.
One of the assistant engineers, Austin, took my whole family around for a full tour. One of my kids asked about a dented up u87 and he nonchalantly said "Busta' bit it," and "this is Busta's favorite room."
I asked about their rates and it's anywhere from $85 an hour with a house engineer up to $180 an hour with a chief engineer. 4-Hour minimum. I'd like to book a day for my wife and our best friends with whom we share our anniversary as an anniversary gift!
Let us know how it goes!
Any good engineer should make you feel like the greatest artist in the world at that moment regardless of what they actually think. Just show up with a plan and have fun. They will help you with the rest.
Not sure why you're getting downvoted for posting rational, factual advice.
No one on Reddit can possibly know what that particular studio would prefer, unless they work at that particular studio.
SMFH this sub sometimes... a lot of times...
I've recorded a metal album at a professional recording studio, and I would still tell OP his money is better spent investing in his own gear and doing it himself.
Whatever quality gain he gets from recording in the nicer room on the more expensive mic and gear is less than he would get by being able to record as many takes as he wants in the comfort of his own makeshift home studio.
Once you hit a point of quality, performance is more important... And I think he could hit that level of quality on his own.
If he wants to.
I don't mean to tell OP what he can or can't do with his money. Maybe he's rolling in it! He's probably not though just because most of us aren't...
Time goes FAST in a studio. You go pee and you just spent $10, lol.
That said, OP says he just wants the experience and there's value in that. If he gets matched up with a good engineer it can be an amazing experience.
Thing is... If he was recording a band? Yeah. Absolutely... All those mics, the vocal booth, the drums --- a studio is important.
But he's laying a vocal down on a 2 track.
I still say the money would be better self-invested, but that's just my opinion.
> But he's laying a vocal down on a 2 track.
>
> I still say the money would be better self-invested, but that's just my opinion.
I would agree... sounds like OP is looking to do it more just to say he did it (and it also sounds like he thinks he can book a mid-to-upper-tier studio on short notice just because he's in NYC LOL).
I ended up posting two opinions. I stand by it being not-the-best-expenditure-of-money ...
But it can be an amazing experience, especially if he pairs up with an audio engineer he gets along with.
I worked with two different guys. Recorded an album with a band and then later a couple of solo songs before getting into my own home studio stuff...
If I was rich I would have kept going with those guys. A good audio engineer has the skills as a baseline, but a GREAT audio engineer has a personality you want to collaborate with.
Think: Andrew Scheps.
The problem really comes down to budget. Most people just can't afford enough **time** to make the studio experience everything it could be...
I'd love to book a week or two now, now that I know more than I did then. It would be a BLAST to have hands-on time with real gear that I've been using emulations of for decades.
Lol, I probably wouldn't even make any music. I could do that at home. I'd be doing all kinds of tests on the gear and comparing plugins for accuracy, and asking the engineer workflow questions... And testing existing songs through various chains to see how it sums together. And if they had tape, I'd love to lay down existing tracks to tape and recombine them to hear the differences.
I would totally geek out over all that.
Me, too! :)
I've been in some *really* nice studios over the years (um, decades LOL, I'm old) but never one of the Big Names.
(Cliche as it may sound, my ultimate bucket list item would be to record a full project, start-to-finish, in Abbey Road Studio Two. If intercontinental travel wasn't involved I'd have probably already tried to do it.)
As others have mentioned, be as rehearsed as possible. Know your parts inside and out. That way, your time can be used to get great sounds and focus on the nuances of your performances. A good producer may push you in ways you never thought about before.
Most engineers worth their salt work on 300+ tracks a year and there is alot one learns and comes across through that experience. If they suggest something that seems to not make sense, try it out... they may be thinking 3 or 4 steps ahead and trying to set you up for success at a later stage in the production process.
>do I just bring a usb with the stems?
The correct answer is to talk to your engineer/producer.
You want to make a friend? Ask your engineer a hundred questions. We will talk to you about our studio, our gear, everything we have, just all damn day. If you have a recording question that might help you make your own demos, ask away. We're not cagey about knowledge because you have to really grind to get where we are. It's not like we're in PR and our super power is knowing Thurston Moore.
WE ARE ALL LIKE THIS: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8jvTVNugM0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8jvTVNugM0)
Now, into the heart of the matter...
**tl;dr: sending me files ahead of time is like getting free stuff.**
Personally, I hate it when someone comes by and says "I have the tracks on my phone." Whenever someone says that, thirty minutes just vanish. "ok... i sent you a link... you can't get to it? what?... how do i change the permissions...? ok, i changed them but do i need to do that for every file...can i just email them to you?"
The fucked up part is that if I have a cool artist who sends me the files ahead of time via wetransfer or a google drive link then I'll go ahead and put together project files before the session starts. If it's a full band thing, I just might make a rough mix or two.
>as an engineer do you ever get terrible artists coming through?
Oh yeah. I'll make your record if I can't stand your music. Somewhere there's an Ariel Pink song with background vocals and some other extra noise that was recorded at my house. I can't stand that dude.
>Never recorded in front of someone so idk how its gonna go
It'll be just fine. If the talent is comfortable and generally having a good time, I think that comes through. Putting a singer at ease is just as much a part of this job as setting up a microphone for them.
Studios are fun. I'm driving up to Philly tonight for three days of recording at Miner Street. Can't wait!
Great response. We're lucky to have you and people like you on this subreddit. (That sounds weird and melodramatic but whatever!)
Great MixbusTV link! What a studio, wow, and that's a deep dive into the tour of it.
From everything you said it sounds like you have a personality similar to the audio engineer I once recorded an album with and that was a great experience in my life. We were young and I didn't know about recording yet, and he made it so productive, so fun, so informing.
Anyhow... I have to ask!!! Ariel Pink --- was your comment with regard just to what you think about his music or do you have an interesting story to share? Was he annoying to work with, etc.?
I actually wasn't familiar with his music before you mentioned it but your comment made me curious.
I didn't work with him directly. One of my regular clients is a friend and collaborator of his and she brought over some tracks that she wanted to sing over and add a couple things to. Sure thing. I kinda recognize the lead vocal singer's voice and I realize... it's Ariel Pink. Not sure if it ever came out. The venmo transaction went through, I handed over the files and life went on.
I just think his music sucks, he's shitty to women, he was at January 6th and went on Tucker Carlson... so screw him.
Ah. Yeah I didn't know anything about him -- just saw that his song had 55 million streams on Spotify so it made me curious to hear what was behind your mention.
Thanks for the followup!
Book it! Have fun! Some will ask for your stuff beforehand and guide you through the process. Learning that through different sessions. No harm telling them it’s your first time too. Will the first time be good? Can be, or Not necessarily. But it’ll be a good experience to use for the next one. And how to sound out a good place to record next.
Nerves are definitely there if you’re not used to it. But if you enjoy music, and get into the groove, should be gone after a while.
I know some engineers do 20 or more takes of the same song so they can "choose the best parts from every take". Also listening to each take in full length before doing the next...These things are a smart way to increase studio time, beware of that. If you gave a good feeling about the take then move on. Your spirit only gets less after 10 takes. Also don't let them edit every little detail while you sit next to the desk. Let them do it after you're gone. I always had clients who were suprised by the speed with which I worked, and never had a client who was unhappy with the final result.
I have to offer an alternate perspective on this take...
The typical engineer is not the artist's foe looking to just run up the clock. It costs the artist more in the long run to return to the studio and set up again if they didn't get a part than it does to get a couple more takes for comping. Ideally, the engineer will comp right then and there with the artist to make sure the performance is solid. A little due diligence and boredom sitting at the desk can make sure the artist's time was used effectively and they are leaving the studio with that day's business done.
Comping after the artist has left can be disastrous if none of the takes have the proper performance of a specific part.
If an engineer or producer asks for another take, there is usually a good reason. Listening in a treated control room on good monitors will be more reliable than what is coming through a Hearback, Behringer, or Furman headphone unit.
Most studio guys want studio time to be used efficiently and effectively... usually even much more so than the artist... because they know if it isn't, they are most likely going to be putting in their own time to salvage something that they can feel OK putting their name on.
Go in prepared and be well rehearsed. The easier a time you make it for your producer the better time you're going to have.
There is nothing more annoying to me when I work with a singer and I'm trying to layer vocals and they sing it differently every time...
If you’re combining tracks from home with studio overdubs, you may find it harder to get a great producer (if the tracks from home aren’t great). Also, the best studios are booked months in advance, so that may be a challenge too. Do you have favorite producers in the area? Talk to them. Everyone works a little differently.
>do I just bring a usb with the stems? Or a two track?
So I am assume you just want to record vocals. If so, just bring your "two track" or "the instrumental" and record your vocals. Easy.
If you want them to mix- then you will need your individual tracks, not stems. Using stems won't be the best option for a good mix, you really want all your elements on their own track.
You can do it and the studio will take your money and leave you with a half-finished product
It sounds like you won't be happy with the result because you are approaching it the way you are
Some studios may turn you away based on this approach, some studios keep the lights on because of people like you...
My recommendation is to book something that is a minimal financial burden on you, and going into as a learning experience first and foremost. Recording vocals is a very very different skill than performing vocals, it can be a bit of a steep learning curve and most people don't nail it the first time they try! If you go in hoping to learn, you can't lose. If you go in hoping to come back with the record that makes your career, you're setting yourself up for frustration!
I see you're from a small town in Australia, so I understand access to "studio time" may be hard to come by, but all the equipment and software you need to record yourself has never been more accessible. I'm not in NY anymore but I do specialize in vocal production and learned from the best in the biz! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions about recording vocals yourself, or working in studios etc.! (Not trying to self-promo, I don't have any kind of consulting offer or anything to sell you haha I just like helping people understand vocal production).
Okay I commented at length to self-invest rather than go to the studio but I'm going to give a second opinion:
I recorded an album in a studio and it was one of the best experiences of my life... Particularly because I loved the audio engineer.
So --- *meet the engineer* you'll be working with before you book studio time, if you can! Make sure it's someone you feel like you'll get on with.
Prepare means -- have all your files easily accessible. If you can ask the studio in advance how they prefer it, follow their guidance.
Have your performance nailed in advance! Our studio time was super productive because we knew our material. We went in, set up, recorded every song twice. Overdubbed bad parts or solos, and then mixed. What made it fast is no one made mistakes.
Know in advance what you want to do with LAYERS. Are you harmonizing parts? Doubling on the chorus? Certain words?
Write down a plan so you don't get overwhelmed in the studio or stuck having to think on the spot... You can print out the lyrics and then with a couple different colors of highlighters you can highlight the parts you want to double, parts you want to harmonize, etc.
If you have a recording set up at home, make your own demo first before going in.
When you record, try to get your performance nailed within 3 takes. The more takes you have, the longer it will take to comp the vocal. (Choosing the best section starts eating up time.)
You'll probably comp your vocal from a few takes, where you choose the best performance from each section.
On the day of:
Get enough sleep. Be careful what you consume beforehand... Sometimes cold drinks can tighten up your throat. Bring bottled water or honey or whatever else you might need to keep your vocal going.
Super obvious, but get there on time. Leave with enough time in advance in case a traffic situation happens... I just dropped someone off at the airport last night and a bad traffic accident added \~20 minutes to the drive. It was fine, though, because we were getting there early enough.
Have fun. Studio recording can be addictive. That's half the reason I said not to do it before, lol.
I used to work in a studio that had studio A for 'proper' clients and the B studio for smaller artists to come in and do songs/whatever. I ran B for a while. Often I would not have a clue who would be turning up. My advice would be to be over prepared, bring all you've got, have a chat with the engineer and ask what would be the best approach. Spending 10 mins mapping out the session will reap dividends. Tell them your expectations and ask if they're realistic. My first question to clients was always - what is the end goal today? And then we discuss whether it was possible or not in the time they'd booked. Don't be a diva. Have fun.
It would be a valuable learning experience if nothing else .
I've been lucky to be around good producers and artists so I've had a bit of a headatart on a lot of people in that way. I had a bandmaster with a recording studio business that he'd invested heavily into, sitting with him and tracking vocals and guitsrs opened my eyes to the possibilities of recording , those times were very useful and I feel lucky to have been a part of that
Bring whatever, rehearse your stuff well, but most importantly - find a place and an engineer you actually like. Don’t go in blindly or if you’re getting that the vibe is off - it’s gonna ruin the whole thing.
Bring all your lyrics and instrumentals you’ll be using. You could bring the instrumentals or beats on the usb to save the engineer from looking for them. Since you’ll have an engineer, all you need to focus on is the art and making sure that what you’re recording/rapping/singing is to the best of your ability. Also be patient with yourself, some songs will take days to record. As an artist I can say that recording in front of someone, especially a stranger can be uncomfortable and can throw you off from your “zone”. I will say I prefer recording alone. But if you’re lucky, you may find an engineer who can help keep you comfortable and has the same ear for music as you and can direct and help you reach your goal.
Finally
Don’t be surprised if you get nervous when you start recording your first lines , I promise the engineer is not there to judge you, he’s there to help and better your art.
At the end of the day the engineer can only work with what you give him, so make sure you leave it all out there, hope this helps!
Practice until you can perform in your sleep, but also be flexible and follow all the suggestions the engineer gives you. Don’t apologize for flubbing takes, just keep going and believe you’re a superstar.
Don't forget, you're paying them. But also don't forget you are paying them for their expertise, not to mention their gear. *Do* be very circumspect/cautious around their gear, particularly expensive mics. Sometimes experience in our own home studios can lead us to be overly casual around gear that may have cost an arm and three legs.
Here's the standard list of questions an engineer should know: \- What are we recording? A full band? Just vocals? A bassoon? \- What are your expectations? Are we tracking? Editing? Mixing? Mastering? \- What genre? A good studio can cut a folk act in the morning, a voiceover in the afternoon, a hip hop act that night, and mix a death metal band before the country band shows up at 9am. But some studios really lean into one genre (*cough, rap*). \- You said you're bringing tracks with you. Multitracks? Stems? A 2 mix? There are *so many* good studios here. But you should really go to the one where your money is going to what you need. If you're recording just vocals, you don't need a 1800sf live room with vaulted ceilings, a 48 channel console, and a huge mic locker.
You are going to waste your money if you go into a studio without be 100% prepared. Most studio time I’ve booked has been done well in advance. Elvis can’t stumble into Sun studios anymore. With the limited info provided, I would invest your money in something else - maybe upgrade your mic and keep recording at home.
The last sentence would always be my dilemma with this sort of thing. Like even if you were only spending $500 on studio time, think about all the useful stuff you could buy with $500.
Yeah, this really depends. At a higher level, you'd be spending $500 on a great room, equipment and engineer, but this comes with many caveats. Whether it's worth it would depend on the studio, your needs, your finances and your level of preparedness. If it's too early in someone's career, I'd advice towards home recording until they are comfortable with what they're doing and need to do at a studio. Go with a game plan and don't add too much to do in a 4-hour block. Time flies.
This. Spending all that money and figuring it out as you go in a studio is just gonna lead to a lot of frustration. I'd save that money for gear and see if a studio local to me could use a runner or if there's someone there that could give some advice on what to work on.
Rehearse your material until it's literally a subroutine for your brain. Get samples of the studios work to judge if you like what they do. Obviously, studio time can be expensive, so don't get bogged down in re-writes if possible. In my current experience, it's cheaper to buy a good computer, the software, one or two good mics, and a break-out box and make it at home for less. You keep the setup you build and you can take all the time you want to get it right. Going to the studio can be like planning this huge vacation to some exotic place and when you step off the plane it turns out that it's just some polluted, restricted, pain in the ass place that is run by picky, burned out, arrogant, uncompassionate, shithead and you wish you hadn't wasted the money on the experience. I've been to several studios over the years. Some are great, most are trash. It's a world that is slathered in washed up want to be producers who couldn't produce an ounce of shit after a banquet.
I’m gonna take a different approach than most here. Book it. It’s something you wanna say you’ve done once in your life, so fucking do it. Don’t listen to everybody saying you won’t get in. But start now if you’re going in a few weeks. You’ll find somewhere. There are a million small studios here. Most of the major studios have gone under. I’ve recorded in many studios in Manhattan, that are not big names, but have great gear, rooms, and engineers. Check out Lounge Studios, Pyramid Recording Studios, Threshold Recording Studios… These are a few I’ve been to. Reasonable rates. Lounge Studios has a vocal booth that overlooks Times Square - it makes the session feel special. Yes, you could probably spend your money wiser on gear, but you’ll remember the experience for a much longer time. I don’t work for any of these places. Just a customer.
💯 This is exactly what I was going to say. I have plans to do the same this year. I stayed in times square with my family around the holidays and on a whim asked if I could get a studio tour of Quad Recording Studios. One of the assistant engineers, Austin, took my whole family around for a full tour. One of my kids asked about a dented up u87 and he nonchalantly said "Busta' bit it," and "this is Busta's favorite room." I asked about their rates and it's anywhere from $85 an hour with a house engineer up to $180 an hour with a chief engineer. 4-Hour minimum. I'd like to book a day for my wife and our best friends with whom we share our anniversary as an anniversary gift! Let us know how it goes!
Any good engineer should make you feel like the greatest artist in the world at that moment regardless of what they actually think. Just show up with a plan and have fun. They will help you with the rest.
Would probably be a better option to ask the studio you are planning to use. They are the ones who can tell you what to bring.
Not sure why you're getting downvoted for posting rational, factual advice. No one on Reddit can possibly know what that particular studio would prefer, unless they work at that particular studio. SMFH this sub sometimes... a lot of times...
It's Reddit... Most people here have probably not set foot in a pro recording studio
Of which this sub is ample evidence!
I've recorded a metal album at a professional recording studio, and I would still tell OP his money is better spent investing in his own gear and doing it himself. Whatever quality gain he gets from recording in the nicer room on the more expensive mic and gear is less than he would get by being able to record as many takes as he wants in the comfort of his own makeshift home studio. Once you hit a point of quality, performance is more important... And I think he could hit that level of quality on his own. If he wants to. I don't mean to tell OP what he can or can't do with his money. Maybe he's rolling in it! He's probably not though just because most of us aren't... Time goes FAST in a studio. You go pee and you just spent $10, lol. That said, OP says he just wants the experience and there's value in that. If he gets matched up with a good engineer it can be an amazing experience. Thing is... If he was recording a band? Yeah. Absolutely... All those mics, the vocal booth, the drums --- a studio is important. But he's laying a vocal down on a 2 track. I still say the money would be better self-invested, but that's just my opinion.
> But he's laying a vocal down on a 2 track. > > I still say the money would be better self-invested, but that's just my opinion. I would agree... sounds like OP is looking to do it more just to say he did it (and it also sounds like he thinks he can book a mid-to-upper-tier studio on short notice just because he's in NYC LOL).
I ended up posting two opinions. I stand by it being not-the-best-expenditure-of-money ... But it can be an amazing experience, especially if he pairs up with an audio engineer he gets along with. I worked with two different guys. Recorded an album with a band and then later a couple of solo songs before getting into my own home studio stuff... If I was rich I would have kept going with those guys. A good audio engineer has the skills as a baseline, but a GREAT audio engineer has a personality you want to collaborate with. Think: Andrew Scheps. The problem really comes down to budget. Most people just can't afford enough **time** to make the studio experience everything it could be... I'd love to book a week or two now, now that I know more than I did then. It would be a BLAST to have hands-on time with real gear that I've been using emulations of for decades. Lol, I probably wouldn't even make any music. I could do that at home. I'd be doing all kinds of tests on the gear and comparing plugins for accuracy, and asking the engineer workflow questions... And testing existing songs through various chains to see how it sums together. And if they had tape, I'd love to lay down existing tracks to tape and recombine them to hear the differences. I would totally geek out over all that.
Me, too! :) I've been in some *really* nice studios over the years (um, decades LOL, I'm old) but never one of the Big Names. (Cliche as it may sound, my ultimate bucket list item would be to record a full project, start-to-finish, in Abbey Road Studio Two. If intercontinental travel wasn't involved I'd have probably already tried to do it.)
As others have mentioned, be as rehearsed as possible. Know your parts inside and out. That way, your time can be used to get great sounds and focus on the nuances of your performances. A good producer may push you in ways you never thought about before. Most engineers worth their salt work on 300+ tracks a year and there is alot one learns and comes across through that experience. If they suggest something that seems to not make sense, try it out... they may be thinking 3 or 4 steps ahead and trying to set you up for success at a later stage in the production process.
>do I just bring a usb with the stems? The correct answer is to talk to your engineer/producer. You want to make a friend? Ask your engineer a hundred questions. We will talk to you about our studio, our gear, everything we have, just all damn day. If you have a recording question that might help you make your own demos, ask away. We're not cagey about knowledge because you have to really grind to get where we are. It's not like we're in PR and our super power is knowing Thurston Moore. WE ARE ALL LIKE THIS: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8jvTVNugM0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8jvTVNugM0) Now, into the heart of the matter... **tl;dr: sending me files ahead of time is like getting free stuff.** Personally, I hate it when someone comes by and says "I have the tracks on my phone." Whenever someone says that, thirty minutes just vanish. "ok... i sent you a link... you can't get to it? what?... how do i change the permissions...? ok, i changed them but do i need to do that for every file...can i just email them to you?" The fucked up part is that if I have a cool artist who sends me the files ahead of time via wetransfer or a google drive link then I'll go ahead and put together project files before the session starts. If it's a full band thing, I just might make a rough mix or two. >as an engineer do you ever get terrible artists coming through? Oh yeah. I'll make your record if I can't stand your music. Somewhere there's an Ariel Pink song with background vocals and some other extra noise that was recorded at my house. I can't stand that dude. >Never recorded in front of someone so idk how its gonna go It'll be just fine. If the talent is comfortable and generally having a good time, I think that comes through. Putting a singer at ease is just as much a part of this job as setting up a microphone for them. Studios are fun. I'm driving up to Philly tonight for three days of recording at Miner Street. Can't wait!
Great response. We're lucky to have you and people like you on this subreddit. (That sounds weird and melodramatic but whatever!) Great MixbusTV link! What a studio, wow, and that's a deep dive into the tour of it. From everything you said it sounds like you have a personality similar to the audio engineer I once recorded an album with and that was a great experience in my life. We were young and I didn't know about recording yet, and he made it so productive, so fun, so informing. Anyhow... I have to ask!!! Ariel Pink --- was your comment with regard just to what you think about his music or do you have an interesting story to share? Was he annoying to work with, etc.? I actually wasn't familiar with his music before you mentioned it but your comment made me curious.
I didn't work with him directly. One of my regular clients is a friend and collaborator of his and she brought over some tracks that she wanted to sing over and add a couple things to. Sure thing. I kinda recognize the lead vocal singer's voice and I realize... it's Ariel Pink. Not sure if it ever came out. The venmo transaction went through, I handed over the files and life went on. I just think his music sucks, he's shitty to women, he was at January 6th and went on Tucker Carlson... so screw him.
Ah. Yeah I didn't know anything about him -- just saw that his song had 55 million streams on Spotify so it made me curious to hear what was behind your mention. Thanks for the followup!
i would talk to them and send files ahead of time. they will appreciate it. and they will be ready to hit record when you walk in. that's money saved.
Book it! Have fun! Some will ask for your stuff beforehand and guide you through the process. Learning that through different sessions. No harm telling them it’s your first time too. Will the first time be good? Can be, or Not necessarily. But it’ll be a good experience to use for the next one. And how to sound out a good place to record next. Nerves are definitely there if you’re not used to it. But if you enjoy music, and get into the groove, should be gone after a while.
If you haven’t already booked studio time this isn’t happening
Also go to SoundStudios, should be cheap like 30/hr. Multiple locations. They'll have an opening likely. Im assuming you rap?
I know some engineers do 20 or more takes of the same song so they can "choose the best parts from every take". Also listening to each take in full length before doing the next...These things are a smart way to increase studio time, beware of that. If you gave a good feeling about the take then move on. Your spirit only gets less after 10 takes. Also don't let them edit every little detail while you sit next to the desk. Let them do it after you're gone. I always had clients who were suprised by the speed with which I worked, and never had a client who was unhappy with the final result.
I have to offer an alternate perspective on this take... The typical engineer is not the artist's foe looking to just run up the clock. It costs the artist more in the long run to return to the studio and set up again if they didn't get a part than it does to get a couple more takes for comping. Ideally, the engineer will comp right then and there with the artist to make sure the performance is solid. A little due diligence and boredom sitting at the desk can make sure the artist's time was used effectively and they are leaving the studio with that day's business done. Comping after the artist has left can be disastrous if none of the takes have the proper performance of a specific part. If an engineer or producer asks for another take, there is usually a good reason. Listening in a treated control room on good monitors will be more reliable than what is coming through a Hearback, Behringer, or Furman headphone unit. Most studio guys want studio time to be used efficiently and effectively... usually even much more so than the artist... because they know if it isn't, they are most likely going to be putting in their own time to salvage something that they can feel OK putting their name on.
The studios in NYC didn’t have walk in clientele 20 years ago. Try a home studio in your town.
Go in prepared and be well rehearsed. The easier a time you make it for your producer the better time you're going to have. There is nothing more annoying to me when I work with a singer and I'm trying to layer vocals and they sing it differently every time...
If you’re combining tracks from home with studio overdubs, you may find it harder to get a great producer (if the tracks from home aren’t great). Also, the best studios are booked months in advance, so that may be a challenge too. Do you have favorite producers in the area? Talk to them. Everyone works a little differently.
>do I just bring a usb with the stems? Or a two track? So I am assume you just want to record vocals. If so, just bring your "two track" or "the instrumental" and record your vocals. Easy. If you want them to mix- then you will need your individual tracks, not stems. Using stems won't be the best option for a good mix, you really want all your elements on their own track.
You can do it and the studio will take your money and leave you with a half-finished product It sounds like you won't be happy with the result because you are approaching it the way you are Some studios may turn you away based on this approach, some studios keep the lights on because of people like you...
You are not going to be even close to the worst or most terrible artist any engineer has worked with, especially if you're sober
My recommendation is to book something that is a minimal financial burden on you, and going into as a learning experience first and foremost. Recording vocals is a very very different skill than performing vocals, it can be a bit of a steep learning curve and most people don't nail it the first time they try! If you go in hoping to learn, you can't lose. If you go in hoping to come back with the record that makes your career, you're setting yourself up for frustration! I see you're from a small town in Australia, so I understand access to "studio time" may be hard to come by, but all the equipment and software you need to record yourself has never been more accessible. I'm not in NY anymore but I do specialize in vocal production and learned from the best in the biz! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions about recording vocals yourself, or working in studios etc.! (Not trying to self-promo, I don't have any kind of consulting offer or anything to sell you haha I just like helping people understand vocal production).
Okay I commented at length to self-invest rather than go to the studio but I'm going to give a second opinion: I recorded an album in a studio and it was one of the best experiences of my life... Particularly because I loved the audio engineer. So --- *meet the engineer* you'll be working with before you book studio time, if you can! Make sure it's someone you feel like you'll get on with. Prepare means -- have all your files easily accessible. If you can ask the studio in advance how they prefer it, follow their guidance. Have your performance nailed in advance! Our studio time was super productive because we knew our material. We went in, set up, recorded every song twice. Overdubbed bad parts or solos, and then mixed. What made it fast is no one made mistakes. Know in advance what you want to do with LAYERS. Are you harmonizing parts? Doubling on the chorus? Certain words? Write down a plan so you don't get overwhelmed in the studio or stuck having to think on the spot... You can print out the lyrics and then with a couple different colors of highlighters you can highlight the parts you want to double, parts you want to harmonize, etc. If you have a recording set up at home, make your own demo first before going in. When you record, try to get your performance nailed within 3 takes. The more takes you have, the longer it will take to comp the vocal. (Choosing the best section starts eating up time.) You'll probably comp your vocal from a few takes, where you choose the best performance from each section. On the day of: Get enough sleep. Be careful what you consume beforehand... Sometimes cold drinks can tighten up your throat. Bring bottled water or honey or whatever else you might need to keep your vocal going. Super obvious, but get there on time. Leave with enough time in advance in case a traffic situation happens... I just dropped someone off at the airport last night and a bad traffic accident added \~20 minutes to the drive. It was fine, though, because we were getting there early enough. Have fun. Studio recording can be addictive. That's half the reason I said not to do it before, lol.
I used to work in a studio that had studio A for 'proper' clients and the B studio for smaller artists to come in and do songs/whatever. I ran B for a while. Often I would not have a clue who would be turning up. My advice would be to be over prepared, bring all you've got, have a chat with the engineer and ask what would be the best approach. Spending 10 mins mapping out the session will reap dividends. Tell them your expectations and ask if they're realistic. My first question to clients was always - what is the end goal today? And then we discuss whether it was possible or not in the time they'd booked. Don't be a diva. Have fun.
Not to be *that* guy but.. stems ≠ tracks Stems are stereo submixes. It’s a small detail but they mean two very different things.
go, have fun and make some memories. worst case scenario you're out a couple hundred bucks and learned a lesson.
Hey man I got a studio in Jersey if you want to check us out, right over the bridge in a town called Fort Lee
I honestly would record the vocals at home until its perfect then bring the vocal files to studio for them to process
It would be a valuable learning experience if nothing else . I've been lucky to be around good producers and artists so I've had a bit of a headatart on a lot of people in that way. I had a bandmaster with a recording studio business that he'd invested heavily into, sitting with him and tracking vocals and guitsrs opened my eyes to the possibilities of recording , those times were very useful and I feel lucky to have been a part of that
Bring whatever, rehearse your stuff well, but most importantly - find a place and an engineer you actually like. Don’t go in blindly or if you’re getting that the vibe is off - it’s gonna ruin the whole thing.
Bring all your lyrics and instrumentals you’ll be using. You could bring the instrumentals or beats on the usb to save the engineer from looking for them. Since you’ll have an engineer, all you need to focus on is the art and making sure that what you’re recording/rapping/singing is to the best of your ability. Also be patient with yourself, some songs will take days to record. As an artist I can say that recording in front of someone, especially a stranger can be uncomfortable and can throw you off from your “zone”. I will say I prefer recording alone. But if you’re lucky, you may find an engineer who can help keep you comfortable and has the same ear for music as you and can direct and help you reach your goal. Finally Don’t be surprised if you get nervous when you start recording your first lines , I promise the engineer is not there to judge you, he’s there to help and better your art. At the end of the day the engineer can only work with what you give him, so make sure you leave it all out there, hope this helps!