6. Recording

We could spend all day writing about recording your songs, the ins and outs of the process and the pros and cons of different ways of recording, and we’d still never cover all of the bases. So here are a few very basic starters for people looking at recording their first demo material. All of the points below depend on what you want and how picky you are, obviously: depending on time and money restraints, you could go right from one-track, one-mic recording straight into a dictaphone right up to a month at Abbey Road, depending on how much you want to pay.

First demo recordings can get away with sounding extremely ropey as long as there are good ideas in there – records you’re planning on releasing should obviously have a sound quality that approximates to the quality of songs if possible. This is another reason why it’s a good idea to call a demo a demo, and not bill something that isn’t good enough quality as an EP, or an album.

First things first, though – most of the time it’s vital that your songs are fully-formed and thoroughly rehearsed before you think about booking any studio time. You’ll waste a lot of time, effort and money if the band can’t play their parts properly, or if you’re still writing your two or three demo tracks when you go into the studio, in a rush to get something out.

6.1. What should I look for in a studio?

Every studio will have its own advantages and disadvantages, but here are some of the main points to consider:

• An experienced engineer, affable enough that you can stand to be in his company for long periods of time. This is crucial: a good engineer can get you a good sound out of two tins tied together with string. They’ll also know their own equipment much better than you will, and will be a large part of the difference between a studio recording and a home recording. Obviously, if you’re just starting out, this could be a bit hit and miss, so cast your net around, ask for recommendations and see who’s around. You’re primarily looking for someone with whom you can work happily enough, who has demonstrable experience, a location in which you are comfortable, and good enough equipment to ensure an appropriate level of recording quality.
• A decent recording space - reasonable size, with good acoustics.
• The right recording medium. Make a decision on analogue vs digital (or maybe both), depending on your style of music.
• The right price, balancing what you can afford with what’s a sensible price for what you want to achieve with the recordings.

6.2. How much should I spend?

How much to spend? How long is a piece of gaffa tape? Three days in a good quality recording studio, with an experienced engineer/producer can cost you around £500. It might cost you £700. It might cost £300. You may be able to find a ‘project’ studio that will only charge you about £200, or someone with a home setup and a lot of patience who’s willing to do it for even less. Only spend what you can afford, and always consider what you are actually going to do with the recordings when considering what to pay – if you are going to sell them at gigs/give them to mates/use them as gig-getting demos, then you can get away with a lower quality recording than if you are recording for a label who want to release your material. If you can’t afford a professional studio, at least try and borrow some decent mics and hire a rehearsal studio to record guitars (rather than your bedroom).

6.3. How long will it take?

It depends what you want, how picky you are and how prepared you are. Recording time is very expensive - be as prepared and rehearsed as you possibly can without over-rehearsing. You should try to find a balance between cramming too much in one session and wasting time and money, but bear in mind that it will almost always take longer than you think it will – recordings will find a way of expanding to fill whatever period of time you spend in the studio. There are no rules here, but expect to get no more than four songs recorded and roughly mixed over a session of three days. If you are new to the studio, it may be best to prepare four or five songs that you want to record, but be ready to stop at three if time is running away with you.

6.4. How does the recording process work?

Without going into an unnecessary level of detail, you’ll want to go in knowing exactly what you want to do, tell the engineer as clearly as you can, decide with him what order to do things in and then do exactly what he tells you, when he tells you to. Enormous patience is required. If it looks like things are going astray, say something, but sulks, hissy fits and ‘personality clashes’ will hold everything up.

It’s important to work in a way that you are comfortable, though sessions will often run in a similar way – you’ll arrive, unpack the kit, and have a chat with the owner/engineer about what you want to do, what the arrangements are, etc. Next, you set up and record some drum tracks, perhaps with a guide vocal and even bass/guitar parts. Often, you’ll follow this by recording the bass parts, then guitar parts/keyboard parts, and finally the vocals. Obviously this will vary according to your lineup and your preference – there’s nothing stopping you recording the bass parts at the same time as the drums, for example, and it’s not unheard of for guide vocals to turn out be the take used in the final mix.

After all the tracks are recorded, you’ll need some time to mix them. It can be a good idea to have a break and book another session for mixing to give your ears a break, but that’s not always possible – you’ll need to be comfortable and focussed for a long time during mixing, and it can be a good idea for band members to take turns at the desk with the engineer/producer during mixing, to avoid your ears becoming ‘tired’, so you can’t tell if anything sounds good, or even if it’s different from what you were listening to an hour ago.

6.5. What kind of quality does my demo need to be?

As before, this depends on what you want to do with it. If you’re planning on using it as a demo to get gigs, you can get away with a lower quality recording than if you are planning to release the tracks. Some bands can sound great recorded in a garage with two broken mics, but as a rule, you need your recording to be as clear and well played/produced as possible. After all, your eight-piece post-rock band won’t get gigs based on a recording where you can’t hear any of the guitars and the keyboards are louder than the drums. While sound recording needn’t be great, it goes without saying the ideas and the musical content must be as good as you can get them.

6.6. What is mastering and does my demo need to be mastered?

Essentially, mastering is very complex EQing to make your tracks sound beefier. You recording should come back from mastering sounding louder, fuller, warmer, bassier, etc. This is great, and can really make a difference to a good quality recording, but, again, is only necessary in some circumstances. The majority of records that are released in any format are mastered (and vinyl mastering is distinct from CD mastering, as recordings are mastered specifically to suit the idiosyncrasies of vinyl). So your gig-getting demo wouldn’t usually need to be mastered. If you have the budget, then it’s a good idea, but bear in mind that even the most expensive mastering suite cannot make a poor quality recording into a masterpiece. You’re better off spending the money on getting the recording right in the first place.

6.7. Can’t I just record it at home?

Of course you can! If you have some half-decent equipment, and a working knowledge of using mics, then a home recording can be the equal of a lower-cost recording studio. And technology is getting cheaper and easier to use all the time, so for producing a rough demo to get gigs and interest in the band up, it can be a perfect choice. Whether it’s a practical option for you may partially depend upon the style of music you make – a two piece electronica act will be able to record at home with far great ease than the eight-piece post-rock band mentioned above. Also remember that going to a good studio will provide you with better quality equipment than you have at home, and the experience of the engineer/produce – a factor that can be very important in producing good results. Drums and vocals can also prove to be a problem on the home recording front.

But if you can’t afford to go to a professional studio, then by all means try the DIY route. Try to borrow or hire some decent mics. Don’t record everything in your bedroom, unless you want your recording to sound all stuffy and cramped (although you may want this!) Try out different locations. If at all possible, use some kind of digital medium for recording. It’s much easier to record at an amateur level using digital recording media. It needn’t be expensive: most PCs will run FASoft’s N-Track Studio, as one example, and you can buy a copy online for £30-40.