MUSIC PRODUCTIONS TOP TIPS
LEAVE YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR
Never shut anyone down. Try everything. Nurture the muse. Use the tools that you have (they are wonderful!).
Don't make a perceived lack of technology an excuse to fail. Complete the work without re-thinking it.
Gareth Jones
Never shut anyone down. Try everything. Nurture the muse. Use the tools that you have (they are wonderful!).
Don't make a perceived lack of technology an excuse to fail. Complete the work without re-thinking it.
Gareth Jones
STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE
Use the best gear available to you, but change to something different if it's not doing the intended job.
Always have uppermost in your thoughts that you are aiming to get the job finished - i.e. a mix suitable for listening to which will convey the spirit of the music. Cut to the chase. What are the important things? (Usually this is not the choice of mic pre-amp or EQ plug-in!)
Always practice 'honesty' in your approach to dealing with your client, even if you have to sugar-coat it a bit! They employ you because, hopefully they trust your opinion.
George Shilling
Use the best gear available to you, but change to something different if it's not doing the intended job.
Always have uppermost in your thoughts that you are aiming to get the job finished - i.e. a mix suitable for listening to which will convey the spirit of the music. Cut to the chase. What are the important things? (Usually this is not the choice of mic pre-amp or EQ plug-in!)
Always practice 'honesty' in your approach to dealing with your client, even if you have to sugar-coat it a bit! They employ you because, hopefully they trust your opinion.
George Shilling
WE HAVE FIVE SENSES
If one of our senses is overloaded, our other ones will be dulled - so use your ears wisely and eliminate the distractions.
SESSION WORK IN STUDIOS
Don't be precious - if you are booked to do a session, you are not the producer or writer, take direction and be versatile. Ears can't listen whilst singing or playing along.
Rita Campbell
If one of our senses is overloaded, our other ones will be dulled - so use your ears wisely and eliminate the distractions.
SESSION WORK IN STUDIOS
Don't be precious - if you are booked to do a session, you are not the producer or writer, take direction and be versatile. Ears can't listen whilst singing or playing along.
Rita Campbell
In association with -
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Organise your assets into separate folders, e.g. audio recording, imported samples, saves, back-ups, etc. Makes it easier to find, manage and transfer.
BACK UP. BACK UP. BACK UP.
Yes, at least three times. On your device, separate external drive and cloud-based storage such as Google Drive or iCloud.
Periodically save your mixes as a new version. It makes it easier to return to a prior point in a mix if your working file gets corrupted.
Allan Keen
Organise your assets into separate folders, e.g. audio recording, imported samples, saves, back-ups, etc. Makes it easier to find, manage and transfer.
BACK UP. BACK UP. BACK UP.
Yes, at least three times. On your device, separate external drive and cloud-based storage such as Google Drive or iCloud.
Periodically save your mixes as a new version. It makes it easier to return to a prior point in a mix if your working file gets corrupted.
Allan Keen
PRODUCERS' WHO'S WHO
Gareth Jones
Depeche Mode, Erasure, Wire, Grizzly Bear
Allan Keen
Massive Attack, Neneh Cherry, Black Earth
George Shilling
Yazz, The Soup Dragons, Texas, Blur
Rita Campbell
Steps, Cher, Paul Weller, Westlife, X factor
Gareth Jones
Depeche Mode, Erasure, Wire, Grizzly Bear
Allan Keen
Massive Attack, Neneh Cherry, Black Earth
George Shilling
Yazz, The Soup Dragons, Texas, Blur
Rita Campbell
Steps, Cher, Paul Weller, Westlife, X factor
LET THE BAND PLAY AND LET THE ARTISTS NOODLE
No one can be creative in an environment where they feel intimidated. Make your artist comfortable and at home in the strange place that is a recording studio.
Once the creative door opens, sometimes there is magic. Know when it's not going anywhere or the artist is just procrastinating
Dennis Weinreich
No one can be creative in an environment where they feel intimidated. Make your artist comfortable and at home in the strange place that is a recording studio.
Once the creative door opens, sometimes there is magic. Know when it's not going anywhere or the artist is just procrastinating
Dennis Weinreich
PRODUCERS' WHO'S WHO
Dennis Weinreich
Jeff Back, Queen, Supertramp, Wham!
Andy Brook
Staus Quo, Francis Rossi, Travis, Del-Amitri
Jay Stapley
Mike Oldfield, film & TV music, Suede
Dennis Weinreich
Jeff Back, Queen, Supertramp, Wham!
Andy Brook
Staus Quo, Francis Rossi, Travis, Del-Amitri
Jay Stapley
Mike Oldfield, film & TV music, Suede
LEARN. LEARN. LEARN.
Learn the science (the physics of sound).
Learn about artists' psychology.
Learn that the artist's psychology always trumps the science!
Jay Stapley
Learn the science (the physics of sound).
Learn about artists' psychology.
Learn that the artist's psychology always trumps the science!
Jay Stapley
LISTEN WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Musicians are mercurial people but their confidence drops 35% the moment they walk into a studio. Assure them it's a safe place to try anything and fail without being judged. Eliminate their self- doubt and allow them to excel.
Plan, prepare, schedule, organise, deliver - every new session differs from the last. Allow for this!
Try to identify the difference between sketches or ideas you don't like, and those yet to reveal their full potential.
Julian Kindred
Musicians are mercurial people but their confidence drops 35% the moment they walk into a studio. Assure them it's a safe place to try anything and fail without being judged. Eliminate their self- doubt and allow them to excel.
Plan, prepare, schedule, organise, deliver - every new session differs from the last. Allow for this!
Try to identify the difference between sketches or ideas you don't like, and those yet to reveal their full potential.
Julian Kindred
NO ONE WILL DIE IF YOU DON'T FINISH IT TODAY
Recording music should be fun. Yes, we need to ensure we meet our technical requirements; get the best possible take and create a great record. But it can be stressful due to time and budget constraints but…
There are only so many truly productive hours in a day - your body and mind need to rest and reset so everyone enjoys the whole process.
Andy Brook
Recording music should be fun. Yes, we need to ensure we meet our technical requirements; get the best possible take and create a great record. But it can be stressful due to time and budget constraints but…
There are only so many truly productive hours in a day - your body and mind need to rest and reset so everyone enjoys the whole process.
Andy Brook
HAVE A VISON
There's no such thing as a guide vocal. Sometimes the scratch vocal is never bettered and that vocal, mistakes and all, could make the disc. So use a decent mic and treat it as a take.
Have a vision of who you are making the record for. Occasionally ask yourself during recording if that person would like or relate to what you are doing.
Dennis Weinreich
There's no such thing as a guide vocal. Sometimes the scratch vocal is never bettered and that vocal, mistakes and all, could make the disc. So use a decent mic and treat it as a take.
Have a vision of who you are making the record for. Occasionally ask yourself during recording if that person would like or relate to what you are doing.
Dennis Weinreich
RESPECT EVERYONE IN THE RECORDING STUDIO
…from engineers, assistant engineers and even those making the tea, etc - one day that person may be the producer on a session you are working on!
Collaboration is key. Always follow up new connections, especially people giving a card at an event and ask you to drop them a line.
Rita Campbell
…from engineers, assistant engineers and even those making the tea, etc - one day that person may be the producer on a session you are working on!
Collaboration is key. Always follow up new connections, especially people giving a card at an event and ask you to drop them a line.
Rita Campbell
PRODUCERS' WHO'S WHO
Phil Bodger
Maxi Priest, The Proclaimers, Lighthouse Family
Tony Platt
Bob Marley, AC/DC, Motorhead, Buddy Guy
Phil Harding
The Clash, Rick Astley, East 17, Holly Johnson
Julian Kindred
Won two Grammy awards plus six nominations
Phil Bodger
Maxi Priest, The Proclaimers, Lighthouse Family
Tony Platt
Bob Marley, AC/DC, Motorhead, Buddy Guy
Phil Harding
The Clash, Rick Astley, East 17, Holly Johnson
Julian Kindred
Won two Grammy awards plus six nominations
TAKE REGULAR BREAKS
…especially when mixing.
Always record the run-through and/or first take.
Always reference your mix against something you know, and in different environments.
Phil Bodger
…especially when mixing.
Always record the run-through and/or first take.
Always reference your mix against something you know, and in different environments.
Phil Bodger
ALWAYS PREPARE AHEAD OF THE SESSION
Regardless how often you have recorded an instrument or are a close mate of the artist, there will always be new ground to cover, so ensure you won't be the one causing a problem. By being prepared, you will also be in a position to help others who may not be on top of things. You'll thank yourself and they'll thank you!
Go out on a limb. If you are unsure whether or not you should add that guitar overdub/vocal harmony part/Comp/EQ/reverb ALWAYS go ahead and try the idea out while it's fresh in your mind. At worst things can be put back, but your client sees you will try radical ideas, as well as accepting it if it isn't right - or you have added a killer improvement to the record!
Andy Brook
Regardless how often you have recorded an instrument or are a close mate of the artist, there will always be new ground to cover, so ensure you won't be the one causing a problem. By being prepared, you will also be in a position to help others who may not be on top of things. You'll thank yourself and they'll thank you!
Go out on a limb. If you are unsure whether or not you should add that guitar overdub/vocal harmony part/Comp/EQ/reverb ALWAYS go ahead and try the idea out while it's fresh in your mind. At worst things can be put back, but your client sees you will try radical ideas, as well as accepting it if it isn't right - or you have added a killer improvement to the record!
Andy Brook
ENGINEERS - RESPECT THE MUSICIANS
Suggest a way to play something but never take their instrument and show them. You play mixing desk, they play guitar. Over time and with respect assured, this becomes a non-issue and trading places creatively is positive.
When mixing, listen to everyone's opinion. Sometimes, within the ego laden nonsense, they have seen the real heart of the record that you may not have because you are too inside it.
A sign seen in a US Producer's lounge reads : "The Producer's job is to make sure the recording is on time, in tune and on budget. Anything beyond this is optional". Interesting attitude, but a starting point.
Dennis Weinreich
Suggest a way to play something but never take their instrument and show them. You play mixing desk, they play guitar. Over time and with respect assured, this becomes a non-issue and trading places creatively is positive.
When mixing, listen to everyone's opinion. Sometimes, within the ego laden nonsense, they have seen the real heart of the record that you may not have because you are too inside it.
A sign seen in a US Producer's lounge reads : "The Producer's job is to make sure the recording is on time, in tune and on budget. Anything beyond this is optional". Interesting attitude, but a starting point.
Dennis Weinreich
THERE ARE NO RULES
Remember, that is the first rule of music-making!
Planning is not a dirty word - effective planning ensures sessions run more smoothly and leaves you more able to be creative.
There is no such thing as "better" - it's either the right sound note/performance or it is the wrong one.
Tony Platt
Remember, that is the first rule of music-making!
Planning is not a dirty word - effective planning ensures sessions run more smoothly and leaves you more able to be creative.
There is no such thing as "better" - it's either the right sound note/performance or it is the wrong one.
Tony Platt
TRY MIXING 'TOP DOWN'
Start with the vocals, working your way down to the drums last. This can work really well in pop, rock & dance music.
Remember, the music industry is a 'service industry'.
Planning and pre-production is vital. Ideally, the producer has some kind of 'sonic image' of the final result.
Phil Harding
Start with the vocals, working your way down to the drums last. This can work really well in pop, rock & dance music.
Remember, the music industry is a 'service industry'.
Planning and pre-production is vital. Ideally, the producer has some kind of 'sonic image' of the final result.
Phil Harding
