Having knowledge of the tools-understanding them-is an important part of your artistic process.

The results and character of what you get with pen and paper is certainly different from what you get with keyboards and electrons.

Recording to tape using a collection of vintage tube mics is not going to make your art any more or less compelling. But there is a specific inspiration you get from recording to tape, and another specific inspiration you get from recording to a DAW. And neither one of these is “better” than the other-they’re just different.

Make sure you understand the tools. Don’t ignore one thing because it’s too “new” and another because it’s too “old.”

Utilize a collection of tools throughout all your creative processes, whether recording, writing, taking photos, or anything else creative. You will be pleased with the way it changes your style and character, and the different nuances within the results you get.

This is another way of saying, “Don’t put the cart before the horse.”

A while back I read a great book called Behind the Glass. It was and is a popular book within the music community. Back when I first got an internship at a recording studio, I was given the book by the assistant manager of the place. Later, I let a friend borrow it, and I never saw it again. I’ve been meaning to purchase the book ever since.

At the beginning of the book, Howard Massey, the author, conducts an interview of five record producers. One of which is Tony Visconti. On page thirteen Tony says this:

A common mistake that’s being made today is getting the order or protocol reversed. People think, have, do, be: If I have this equipment, I can do it, and I can be it. That’s not the way it works: It’s be, do, have. Everyone says, “How do I get a great guitar sound?” It’s really simple: You put the amp there, you tweak, you play, you put the mic there-and a microphone is pretty much a mirror-you put the mic in front of that great guitar sound. That’s where you have to do it in the first place. So many people think that, if they get all this gear, it’s going to make them sound great, but the opposite is true. I know that things are going to change-30 years from now, I don’t know what we’ll be recording on. Maybe a tomato, I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter-certain principles will always apply. They applied two hundred years ago when Mozart was alive-you have to really be an artist. And being an artist means that you have to woodshed, you have to put time in, you have to practice. That is where good sounds will always come from-how you record them is irrelevant. A great performance transcends all that.

Be. Do. Have.

That short quote from the book has stuck with me ever since I first read Behind the Glass. It’s become a mantra of sorts for me, making sure I keep my priorities in order as I progress in my career as a producer.

Owning gear can quickly become a distraction. Focus on constantly sharpening your skills. That is your real asset as a record producer.

And grabbing a copy of Behind the Glass for yourself isn’t a bad idea either. Here’s a preview with links to buy.

Seth Godin says that everything you do is marketing. I think he’s right. So if that’s true, then how you interface with people throughout the record making process is everything as far as your career is concerned.

Everything you do-every reaction you have to a good or bad situation, how relaxed you seem, how focused you seem, they way you respond to people, the way you listen to people, they way you respond when your ideas aren’t used, the way you respond when your ideas are used-shapes your reputation and personality as a record maker. Through this reputation and personality you’re inadvertently “branding” yourself.

You can learn all the information in the text books, and regurgitate that information verbatim. You can learn everything about the circuitry of all the most popular equipment, and even build a lot of it yourself. You can know everything there is to know about gain staging, acoustics, phase, mic placement, or gear components. You can even know all there is to know about harmony, key changes, scales, tempo, or time signatures. But if you don’t have people skills you won’t be making records with people.

I’ve seen people who knew more than anyone else about all of the above and beyond, get passed over for people who did not know as much but were very creative and had great people skills.

The trouble with the people who know everything is that they get hung on the verbatim part. If it does not look and feel exactly like what they know it’s supposed to, exactly what the science says it’s supposed to look and feel like, then it’s wrong.

Text on pages and what you “know” are just a tiny spec of dust in the universe of record making. You have to have people skills. You have to be able to speak the language of creativity. You have to open your mind to other perspectives. You have to throw out the legalistic thinking of what is “right” and what is “wrong.” You have to be able to sympathize and empathize with people.

So how are your people skills?

A little over a year ago I published a post titled, 5 Tips To Make Your Recording Sessions More Efficient (Vol. 1). The idea was to create a topical theme which would serve as an ongoing series. I didn’t intend to wait this long to post a second installment, but nevertheless here it is.

As I said in the first post of this series, these tips are meant to be five individual tips, not a step-by-step process.

Have Preproduction Sessions
If you’ve been hired to produce someone else’s project, scheduling in a few days of preproduction before the first day of tracking will improve your productivity and workflow-once actually in the studio-100 percent. Find some time to meet with the artist or band to talk about the vision of the project and how you plan to approach making the record. Focus in on specific parts and instrumentation that may need to be ironed out ahead of time, before you enter the studio to record. Have the band rehearse and A/B any changes that have been suggested, both to be certain that the change is a good change, and so that everyone can become familiar with the new way to play the song.

If you’re a part of an indie band who is going full DIY, not hiring a producer, it’s still more than highly beneficial to go through this preproduction process as a band. Talk about the vision as a group to make sure everyone is on the same wavelength, and rehearse all the songs so that they can be performed as confidently as possible when it is time to record. You want to make sure you capture the performances in a way that is congruent with the vision. This process has to be a collaboration between everyone.

Wear headphones when dialing in a cue mix
And make sure you’re listening to the cue mix. This way you will hear exactly what the musicians are hearing, and you have an accurate frame of reference when creating the mix which will serve as the “space” for the musicians to perform in. If there is not an extra pair of headphones for you to use, the next best option is to simply listen to the cue mix over the main monitors.

Set up talkback mics
This will require extra resources in terms of mics and preamps, but if you can afford it, it’s worth it. Setting up talkback mics, mics which allow the person being recorded to talk back to the engineer, keeps everyone from having to run back and forth from room to room to communicate with one another. Or worse, having to yell all throughout the recording space. Setting up talkback mics will make the communication easier to understand, and you won’t have to interrupt the flow of the session.

Take Notes
When I was on staff at Quad Recording Studios, projects would often come in where I would have to transfer 20-30 year old tape into Pro Tools. And all too often these tapes would have hardly any documentation. It’s amazing what new type of swear language you can invent when it’s 3am, and you’re in the middle of one of these projects with no map.

You need to be taking as many notes as possible all throughout the recording process. Document all takes, parts, arrangements, equipment, settings, lyrics, alternate lyrics, spontaneous ideas, and anything else you can think of that’s relevant. It may seem pointless at the time, but trust me, when you go to mix the project, or if you hand the project off to someone else, or if you revisit the project after months of being archived, you will thank yourself. And you won’t get that horrible tightness in your chest that usually shows up just after having this epiphany. Most importantly you will appreciate the favor you did for yourself when word gets around town about how organized you are.

Name your tracks and audio files
Name your tracks and files! Keep them in a specific folder! Don’t put them on your system drive! Here’s another source for a massive panic attack. When editing, transferring files, mixing, or any one of the endless tasks that take place during the record making process, the last thing you want is an Audio Files folder full of generically named files, such as “Audio 1″ “Audio 2″ “Audio 3″ etc. You’re only going to make things harder for yourself on all fronts if you do this. Especially if something goes wrong and some files turn up missing. And if you think you can simply hand the project off to a “professional” who can sort this out for you, think again. You will most likely have to pay through the nose in fees because of the tremendous amount of extra time and work it will take to straighten this out. Most importantly you will not be doing favors for your reputation.

Hopefully a couple of these tips were useful. With any luck the next installment of this series won’t take me another year to get around to publishing. Don’t forget to go back and check out the first post in this series here: [5 Tips To Make Your Recording Sessions More Efficient (Vol. 1)] And if you would like to post your own tips, feel free to do so in the comments. I’d also be glad to take your tips via email. Send them to me at stinson[AT]producernotes[DOT]com. I’ll post them in my next edition(s) of this series along with a credit to you, so make sure to include a link to your website and how you would like to be represented in the credit.

There are so many magazines, books, and blogs on the subject of producing and recording music. Throughout the years I’ve read my fair share of all these books, often times focusing on each and every technical step to the point of overcomplicating the learning process for myself.

Unfortunately most of these published works put a heavy focus on the “A,B,C’s,” and the “tips and tricks” aspect of record making as if the process of recording can be simplified down to a homogenized operation-with a strict right and wrong attached to that process.

Or that there is some magic bullet that will work for any and all situations. And because some hit record-maker thought up this trick, if you use it, everything the trick is applied to will magically be a hit.

Granted, I have written a few “step-by-step” posts myself, and I think that in the grand scheme of things, there is powerful knowledge and wisdom that can be garnered from learning about the tricks that the hit-makers invented (but you have to understand the theories behind why it works).

But what I really try to shine light on with Producer Notes is the underlying artistic and human qualities within creating and recording music. Every situation has a specific context. Each one of these contexts requires an artistic choice which is congruent with that record, and that artist’s identity and vision. When you understand, really understand, the underlying scientific theories which compose the environment in which you are making these choices, you will realize an empowerment that hit-makers experience every day.

But to get there, ironically, you have to first DO-Learn By Doing

Certainly there is a scientific base point upon which pretty much all recording concepts were invented. But that does not make recording any less of an art form than the underlying scientific base point of music itself makes playing an instrument.

Producing and recording is mostly art, and a little bit science. Approach it that way. Take risks. Think up your own ways to do things. Don’t worry if you’re breaking some scientific theory. And Don’t carbon copy the hit-makers tricks. Study them like a musician studies other musician’s compositions-to better understand music. Record-making should not be cheapened to a “one, two, three” process. There is no “right.” There is no “wrong.” And tricks are not invented to be applied to all things. That also cheapens the trade.

Photo by www.photos8.com. Licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Do you know where the front of the piano is? It apparently turns out that too many engineers don’t. And it turns out that I was one of them.

The other day, I opened up an email I got from Stumble Upon to peruse some new links, and came across this gem on Daniel Farris’s blog: Piano Recording: The Dumbest Popular Wisdom in Modern Record Making

Now I have not actually done any research on the piano to fact check Daniel’s post, so take all this with a grain of salt (I have some questions, too. Like what about the upright piano? Where’s the front of this instrument?).

The reason I felt inspired to share this idea with you, is because reading Daniel’s post caused me to have some epiphanies about the general understanding of capturing recordings in stereo, which I hope to further dissect and discuss. Whether or not Daniel’s post originates from knowledge that actually does reside in the history books, the ideas shared in his post are still valid in the field of creative recording, and illuminates a technique worth significant study, practice, and use. Not to mention that whenever you attend a piano recital, the instrument is positioned as Daniel has described.

For now I simply wanted to share this learning experience. Here’s the link to Daniel’s blog post: [http://danielfarris.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/piano-recording-the-dumbest-popular-wisdom-in-modern-record-making/]

Photo by woodleywonderworks. Licensed under a Creative Commons License.

After publishing my post a couple weeks ago, Record-Making Purgatory, I got to thinking about some examples of overdubbing ideas that may help spark creativity. If you’re currently stuck in a “purgatory predicament,” perhaps these suggestions will snap you out of it.

1) Overdub a second snare
Try putting an additional snare track over or under the original snare. Use a different snare/tuning/timber, and have the drummer (or anyone, really) perform this the entire length of the track. You may need to slightly edit the timing of the track later to line it up closer to the original. In the mix there are a lot of different options-wild EQ and compression settings, huge reverb, small reverb, gated, expanded, wild delay settings, or leave it totally natural. Do whatever you feel, but get creative.

2) Overdub a floor tom
Try this in sections of the song. Maybe there is a breakdown that it would fit nicely into. Maybe you simply reinforce the drum fills. If you go with the latter choice, and you know you are going to do this on the tracking day, you can plan ahead by yanking some direct mics off the drum kit to use elsewhere. Again, in the mixing phase your options are wide open to your complete creativity.

3) Overdub another part on bass
Usually when people think up parts to add to an arrangement, they never think to see what this may sound like on bass guitar. Don’t overlook this option. We did this on a project I was involved in a while back, and it was a brilliant idea.

4) Double the bass guitar with a synth bass
This can add a sub-harmonic, distorted texture under the bass. In the mix tuck it just under the original bass to make it all blend in, sounding as one part. The combined tracks can sound like the most unique bass guitar anyone has ever heard.

5) Reamp vocals
Kind of like using a synth to add a sub-harmonic texture to the bass, try adding a somewhat subliminal timber to the vocal. It will require you to obtain possession of a reamp box of some sort. I’m pleased with this one: www.reamp.com. In the mix, blend this new track under the original vocal, add a little EQ magic to the top end, and you will get a nice touch of added presence to the lead vocal (or backgrounds if you’d rather).

Hope these five ideas inspire your creative vision to help you escape the dreaded record-making purgatory. I may actually take my own advice, and try some of these ideas out on a project I’m currently working on.

I would love to know how this turns out for you. If you end up trying some of these ideas out, post links to your recordings in the comments for all of us to hear. And if you have any other creative overdub ideas that you would like share, please leave those in the comments as well.

They’re not going to steal your idea. Because it’s impossible to steal mastery of a trade.

You can’t out out “George Martin” George Martin. Or out “Prince” Prince

YOU are the magic puzzle piece that makes it all work. Don’t worry about giving away the secret to the sauce. No one can make it all work like you, because you are the magician. You are the integral piece that connects all the dots.

What you need to do is engage with your audience. Show them how it works. Expand the enthusiasm of your fans by discussing the build of whatever it is that drew them in in the first place.

“Want to know how we got the guitar to solo to sound like the end of the world? Modulated octave fuzz split through two amps. Check out my new video where I show you how.”

“Want to know we got the background vocals to sound so huge? MS and Blumlein stereo mic’ing. Head over to my blog where I explain that, along with many other recording and mixing techniques.”

They will go from enthusiastic to completely addicted, spreading your ideas, your name, and your mastery around in the process.

No one can out “You” You.

Photo by brokinhrt2. Licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Tracking day is the big day. You just committed a lot of money to the studio to make a record, and there’s no turning back now. It’s possibly the most exciting part of a project, because you’re still anticipating everything-imagining how glorious the end result will sound-yet simultaneously the project has come to fruition, because the basic tracks are being recorded right now.

Your overdubs are different. Now you’re off the big studio’s clock. The excitement from the tracking day has had time to settle, and now you’re simply putting in “another day at the office.”

This middle phase of has the potential to become record-making purgatory, where everyone is stuck with their own form of writer’s block. The artist can become unsure of themselves, bouncing from one extreme idea to another looking for direction. The A&R guy can become nervous, wondering if his project is losing competence. This can end up putting immense pressure on you to save the project.

So use the overdubs for what they are: a place take liberties. Do things that stretch the limits. Use unfamiliar gear and techniques. Employ methods that promote creative thinking; techniques that challenge writer’s block.

Overdubs are the pivital moment. They can make or break a record. It can be that one stroke of red amongst a canvas of gray. Don’t miss the opportunity to make a statement by introducing the sonic character which becomes the standard for the genre, or the hook that takes the song from average to platinum-selling hit.

Worst case scenario is that you end up with a track or two that don’t get used. You can always trim the fat, but you can’t add what’s not there.

The studio is the recordist’s instrument. It’s your moment to really dive into your creative outlet. You got into this line of work because it’s supposed to be fun. This is definitely one of your chances to make good on that.

I’ve got some friends who are a little bit older than me, and have been making records longer than me. It’s great to have these friends, as they are my mentors. They teach me things on a near daily basis. They challenge me to keep my production skills sharp.

I also have a group of friends who are a little bit younger than me for whom I act as the mentor. The (maybe not so) ironic thing is that they teach me just as much-and sometimes more-than I teach them.

This happens in three main ways:

1. They ask me questions, and I have my knowledge and skills tested because I have to come up with the “correct” answer and/or good advice.
2. They ask me questions, and I don’t know the answer. I research it, I teach it to them, I learn something new.
3. They flat out teach me something I knew nothing about.

I not only keep my skills sharp by keeping in touch with my mentors, I also constantly have my skills sharpened by the people whom I teach. It’s great to focus on networking with people who have been making records longer than you, and picking their brains for knowledge. But what action are you taking to put yourself in a position in which you can learn by teaching someone who has less experience than you?

Photo by foxypar4. Licensed under a Creative Commons license.