Photo by Tim Song
Recording a new EP sometime soon? Make sure you take note of these seven pro tips from the last month on the Sonicbids blog. All of them come straight from the experts, so you know they know what they're talking about. Have others to share? Let us know in the comments!
1. "Getting an outside perspective on your music is always a good idea, and when that person wants to make you sound good, all the better." – Ty Trumbull, musician
From: Should You Record Your First Demo at Home or in a Studio? A Look at the Pros and Cons
2. "There's really no danger of having noise floor issues in most DAWs, especially in higher sample rates and bit depths. Most people still record too hot in the digital world, so give yourself some healthy room to breathe when tracking. That being said, your levels shouldn't be so low that your mixer can't tell there's audio present until they solo the track." – Aaron Staniulis, sound and recording engineer
From: Here's Everything You Need to Do to Prepare Your Tracks for Mixing
3. "[The Apollo Twin Audio Interface] lets me record pristine audio without any hassle wherever I am. I really can't emphasize enough how invaluable that is." – Jana Hunter, lead singer and primary songwriter of Lower Dens
From: Lower Dens' Jana Hunter: My Top 5 Pieces of Must-Have Studio Gear
4. "To get the best results with any studio monitors, you'll want to control as many outside variables as possible, like making sure your space is soundproof, your listening position is ideal, and you're using quality cables and drivers (if applicable)." – Caleb Hsu, recording engineer and composer
From: The 6 Best Budget Studio Monitors of 2015
5. "It's usually a good idea to work up at least one extra song other than the ones intended for recording. There's two reasons for this. First, if an intended song just doesn't sound right during basic tracking for some reason, you have an alternative available. Second, sometimes you have a little extra time during basics where you don't have quite enough time to set up for overdubs, so it's nice to have an extra song to take advantage of the opportunity." – Bobby Owsinski, producer and engineer
From: Bands: Here's Everything You Need to Know About Pre-Production
6. "Recording in a studio with members who've flown in from elsewhere specifically for those sessions means time is even more important. If you don't have a plan, you could squander what little you have." – Jhoni Jackson, music journalist and venue owner
From: How to Make a Long-Distance Band Work, Part 2: Songwriting and Recording Tips
7. "I always say, 'If it sounds good, it is good,' meaning it doesn't matter how you got there, so long as it's undeniably good." – Jordan Tishler, award-winning mix engineer and producer
From: How to Properly Incorporate Presets Into Your Recording Sessions
