How to Record an Album in a Studio
Going into the studio to record an album can be an exciting prospect, especially for first-timers. It can also be a little nerve-racking, since your music will be under close scrutiny in such a controlled listening environment. Here are a few ways to minimize the stress of recording your album and make the sessions pleasant and productive:
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Instructions
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Examine the arrangements of your songs before booking studio time, to make sure that you're making the most of your material. Even a slight change in a song's structure, or a change in instrumentation, can make a song shine. Playing songs live is totally different to recording them, and any flaws in their arrangement will be made apparent under the scrutiny of your producer and engineer.
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Rehearse the songs until you and your band can play them with confidence. Studio time is expensive, so you want to make sure that when you're on the clock, you're ready to play.
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Contact the studio and book studio time. Explain what you'd like to accomplish and get a price quote in writing. This price needs to outline everything that is included, such as the number of studio hours per day, whether a producer will be included and how and when the money will be paid. This will help you avoid any misunderstandings, and help ensure that the album will be completed to your satisfaction without any unforeseen extra charges.
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Buy supplies before the sessions. Make sure there's a plentiful supply of spare strings and drumsticks in the studio, so that you don't have to leave to buy replacements. Re-string guitars and have the drummer replace and tune the drum heads beforehand, so that the instruments sound their best, and string and drum head breakages will be minimal.
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Be professional. This means showing up at the studio well-rested and ready to perform. There are people who might think it cool and somehow "rock 'n' roll" to show up late with a hangover and a lackadaisical attitude, but the studio staff certainly won't be impressed. Not only that, the quality of your album will suffer.
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Play from the heart. Unlike home recording, you don't have to worry about operating recording equipment, so you're free to concentrate on your actual performances. Use this to your advantage and sing and play with feeling. This will have a bigger effect on the quality of your album than the fact that you're using a state-of-the-art recording facility.
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Tips & Warnings
Spend time determining the ideal tempo of your songs before you go into the studio. The tempo of songs in an adrenaline-charged live show tend to be faster and may not be ideal for a studio recording. Follow the studio rules. They are usually posted for all to see, and will cover concerns like food and drink in the studio, payment policies and rules concerning visitors. Violating these rules can cause tension and make recording your album an uncomfortable experience. Defer to the producer and engineer when it comes to equipment choice and microphone placement. Even though you may know your equipment well and be comfortable with it on stage, the studio is their domain. They have considerable experience and knowledge about which sounds record well and which don't, so trust their judgment, and just concentrate on delivering a good musical performance. When your album has been recorded and mixed, make sure that you spend the extra money to have it mastered. A mastering engineer can take your individual mixes and make them sparkle as a cohesive whole. This is essential if you want your album to sound polished and complete.
Don't crowd the mixing session. Chances are, the engineer would rather mix the album without input from the band, but if you really want a representative of the band present at mixdown, try to limit it to one band member. Too many opinions in the control room will make any mixing session tedious.
