How to produce a song in a home studio

Just finished with your home studio setup? Hooked up all the cables, MIDI Keyboards and installed fancy DAWs? Ok then! Let's discuss how to produce a song from start to finish in your home studio setup!!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A Home Studio
• A nice PC with a good configuration and good a sound card
• Good Monitors (Speakers)
• Programming/Recording software
• MIDI Keyboard
• Mic Preamp
• Microphone
• Humans!!!!!!

1. Think of some song you want to start as your first project. You can start with a cover version or better..compose a new song!
2. Write down some rough ideas regarding the arrangement, choice of instruments, singer(s), etc. You should have each and every action written on a paper before you start. This helps in having an organized session!
3. Start with the programming and arrangment. Be very careful about the selection of sounds, tones and patterns! Try to be different and try to do something which would lift your melody to great heights!
4. Choose an appropriate singer. The choice of singer is very important as only a good singer can do justice to your song. One should avoid tweaking the vocals for pitch correction and other such gimmicks! As far as possible, be natural unless you want to produce some weird electronic track with vandalized vocals!
5. After recording the vocals, take a break before doing the final mix. It is very important to keep the mind fresh before starting the mixing session.
6. Mix the song on a beautiful day when you are in your best moods! Be very accurate with the balancing of the tracks. Listen to some reference tracks before actually starting the mix.
7. After you have mixed the song, listen to it again and again on different speakers to get a fair idea about the quality of your mix!
8. Burn your first song on a brand new sparkling CD!!!
9. Make a backup disc for the whole session. DVD is a better option!

Tips & Warnings

• Consult your technician friends and fellow musicians for in depth guidance on the technical aspects of recording and mixing.
• Listen to your heart always!
• Keep your cool and don't express the anger on your singer!
• Wor as if this is your last chance!
• Never underestimate your work no matter what people say...it's YOUR song!
• Take proper guidance before operating the system. Don't let the system crash just before recording the first take!
• Make a backup disc!