How to prepare for the studio
 

These tips are meant to help you have a better studio experience. We will add to them regularly, and are more than happy to explain any of these subjects further. Our experience doing thousands of sessions with some of the best studio musicians in the world has allowed this insight into the world of high level recording. It is not just the gear, engineer or room, or producer that makes the record outstanding....it is all of that combined with excellent, musical performance and composition. Let's make some good music!

In General:

Practice with a metronome - There is a long list of reasons why recording to a click is preferable in the studio.  It's how most records are made.  This will also improve your live performance skills, even if you don't use a metronome live your "time" will be better.

Have charts and/or lyric sheets prepared, and make sure there is a copy for the engineer!  This will allow the engineer or anyone else involved to quickly see the vision for your music and they provide a reference point during the recording process.

Bring instruments that stay in tune. 

Come prepared with your instrument and all associated equipment - tuner, instrument stand(s), cables, mouthpiece, extra strings, reeds, valve oil, etc.

The higher quality of instrument you bring to the session the higher quality your recording will be.  Bad sound in bad sound out.

Try to come to the studio well rested. You might need to be prepared for a long day, and many "takes" to get things to where you are happy with them.

There is no shortcut around pre-production! This means choosing songs, arrangements, figuring out the vision! Doing this ahead of time will save you money and headaches later in the process.

Don't be discouraged!

Work on having good "technique" on your instrument. The studio can bring out a lot of flaws in technique. There is a good reason teachers are always having their students play scales over and over, and over again!

Guitarists:

Ensure that your instruments play in tune across the neck and that they hold their tuning.  Call us if you need a good guitar tech recommendation.

Bring multiple guitars for different sounds if possible. 

Bring extra strings, cable, tuner, guitar stand(s)

For acoustic guitar practice using alternate tunings and capo positions to play songs with the least amount of movement and bar chords.  This will give a cleaner performance

Get in the habit of checking your tuning obsessively every time tape stops.

Our favorite recording acoustic guitars are: McPherson, Olson, vintage Martin, vintage Gibson, Guild (for high strung stuff).

Bassists:

Bring instruments with great tone -We like 60s era Fender basses and Bartolini Passive Pickups.  There is a reason why a majority of session bass players still use vintage Fender.

Bring extra strings, cable, tuner, guitar stand(s)

If you own a high-end direct box (Demeter, The Brick, Avalon, REDDI, Bass Driver, etc.) that you consider part of your tone bring it.

Get in the habit of checking your tuning obsessively every time tape stops.

Practice retuning your bass to the key of the song so the low string is the root or 5th of the key and get used to playing in that position.  This is especially great for 4-string players.

Drummers:

Make sure you have good, well seated heads - We like Remo Coated Emperor on top and Clear Ambassador on bottom, Aquarian Super Kick II & Aquarian Regulator on Kick Drum.  Evans heads are also acceptible.

Make sure drums are tuned correctly and bring a drum key

Make sure your cymbals record well - We like Paiste Signature Dark Energy

Bring extra sticks, brushes, blasticks, mallets, etc.

Bring multiple flavors or snare drums if possible. We like - Pearl Sensitone brass 5 1/2 x 14,  Ludwig Black Beauty 6 1/2 x 14, DW 5 x 13 aluminum snare, Pearl free floating brass piccolo, Yamaha Anton Fig, DW solid shell, and vintage Radio King 5 1/2 x 14.

Bring Moon-gell or muffling hoops.  We like the Evans EQ pad for Kick Drum.

Singers:

Bring room temperature water (although we do try to stock that here) and any other tricks you like to use for your voice health (tea, vocal ease, etc.)

Bring lyric sheets

While we have plenty here in the studio, consider bringing your own headphones - many pro singers like the ear-bud style with a volume control in the cable.  Typically you will be recording with one ear on and one off and ear-buds make this comfortable.