Things to know before recording:

At Drunken Fiddler, our goal is to ensure that all our projects run smoothly and efficiently. The ultimate goal is to create music and have fun. That being said, one must also understand that there is a lot of hard work to be done. Being prepared for the studio is a step most people overlook. Listed below are some basic tips in order to help our clients get the most out of their time and recording experience. These are very easy tasks that should be completed before entering the studio.

1) Know your parts:

If there are specific guitar overdubs or backing vocals you wish to record, or not sure which riff or line works best in your tune, make sure you have all those worked out before coming in. Try to have all your parts ready to record so there's no time being wasted with on-the-spot composition. Even multiple ideas for specific parts can greatly benefit from pre-planning.
If you have different ideas about a certain line, record them all and choose the best one later in the editing stage- but make sure all your ideas are finished and ready to go.

2) Pre Practice:

Practice all your songs to a metronome. Decide on a tempo and have your drummer keep time. This will make your song tighter and get your project sounding solid. A major benefit for this is not having to worry about catching up to your drummer in the second verse and slowing down at the bridge. This makes it easier to edit parts if you choose to change something later on, and is a necessity for overall music quality and enjoyability. So Practice!

3) Team Leader:

Decide who will be band leader or spokesperson for your project. The band leader should have the tasks of organizing recording days with the studio and passing information to or from your engineer or technician. This cuts any confusion that may come with dealing with more than one band member. It is also important that the team lead should have the task of knowing what the project should sound like. If the band prefers to mix together then we recommend that each member comments on every part except their own. This is a much more productive approach.

4) Keep a Studio mind set

Know your goals before you enter the studio. While this may sound very obvious, it is an area that is not always covered. If you know exactly what you want and which direction you want the project to go in before starting, this will ensure that you greatly benefit from your recording time. Remain focused. Remember, this is your time and money that you are investing. While we will not prohibit "non-project" related conversation, we suggest you try to keep it to a minimum. The clock ticks faster than you can imagine. At times, recording can be a stressful experience. However, if you come prepared to work, you can have fun, be creative and get the job done.
Please keep in mind that these are strictly suggestions. However, they bring forth great results.

Happy Recording!!!