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Production/ Recording

10 Tips To Improve Your Recordings



Whether you are recording in a home studio or paying for a state-of-the-art experience, you must prepare. Way too often, artists/bands go into the recording process thinking they know everything. Shutup, sit down and read. It could save you money and time, and be the defining moment in understanding how to pursue your next project.


1. Make SURE you have all the vocals and recording parts practiced and ready to record. Don’t waste any one's valuable time, especially your own!

2. Sleep well, don’t get wasted the night before and make sure to eat a nutritious meal before you embark on the journey of recording.

3. Make an intelligent and informed decision on who will engineer your record. Hear music they have previously worked on and let them hear your demos before starting any project.

4. Bring extra guitar strings, tuners, drum heads, ¼ cables and anything else you may need extra of.

5. Stay hydrated, no cold drinks, dairy, sodas or coffees. Also (especially the night before and day of) avoid spicy, salty and overly fatty foods. Ironically, green vegetables can make you gassy and uncomfortable when you are going to sing. Good foods for vocal performance include; Apples, almonds, proteins such as fish and chicken and honey (avoid tea if possible).

6. If you have ear fatigue, take a break or come back to the song another day. You may not necessarily recognize aspects of your recording, as distinctly as you would with fresh ears. This can develop into issues, which would possibly lead to more studio time fixing them!

7. Do not over-produce. With the technology available nowadays, it’s easy to drown your song with tracks on top of tracks. Often times, songs get lost in a sea of instrumentation. If you have a song that’s a hit on the acoustic guitar, you may not necessarily want to add 14 violins, a techno drum beat and your choir from Sunday worship.

8. Get your recording RIGHT. Don’t assume studio effects (i.e. auto-tune) will fix everything. Often times your recording will sound scattered and unprofessional. Make sure your instruments are tuned, and vocals warmed up!

9. SAVE every few minutes and create backups of EVERYTHING. I cannot stress how important these steps are.

10. Get honest, constructive feedback and listen to your mixes on multiple stereos (car, house, friend’s place etc).
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By: Anonymous on 4/29/2013 8:17:15 AM

Idk that any particular set of monitors or any quality of monitors for that matter affect the amount of listening you can do! TBH my ears can become fatigued after listening to anything for a long period of time on any set of speakers

By: Anonymous on 4/29/2013 5:42:29 AM

Who writes this? have they ever worked in a real studio with real bands and artists? Do they even play an instrument, do any real recording? write any real songs? Yeah dont be tired that makes sense. Be practiced for the sssion, but also dont let the inspiration and vibe of the moment get lost in repetitive rehearsal, playing the right notes is one thing, ripping out a blinding take is another!!!! Eat what makes you feel right for the occasion, you know your self what they are, drink what suits your vocal chords. Yes make sure you have a spare everything! If your ears are tired you have probably been listening to crap speakers or headphones, decent monitoring should allow you to listen all day, your brain might get tired but that's normally the affliction of your long suffering engineer!If you have a song in your head, try to get it out your monitors as close to the version in your head,if you find you want the NY philharmonic backing it and you can get them, do it! if you don't like the result you can always fade them down or out later. One unquestionable fact, save often, and yes, listen to your last to finalised product through as many different mediums as you can, and dont expect any usable feedback from any body else, trust your own instincts!

By: Anonymous on 4/23/2013 8:28:28 AM

No matter what I do I can't seem to get a decent sound from my vocals from my home set up ?just lacks that warmth you get on a studio.

By: Anonymous on 3/31/2013 7:36:41 AM

KRK Rokit 5.

By: Anonymous on 2/8/2013 12:19:24 AM

Hi, im starting at maknig? music (electronic like drum and bass, techno, ambient). I want a good pair of speakers but I dont know if I will make a good choise buying a audio interface to work as a soundcard (For windows 7 64bit) and connect with a pair of monitors. Thanks in advance.

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