What's your approach to recording?

[AndyR]

My approach at the moment is:

Go in the broom-cupboard (studio) thinking about recording.
Decide it's not time yet.
Leave without switching the BR on.
Has been for some time...


However, I am playing guitar A HUGE AMOUNT and having a lot of fun. Just no songwriting.

Pretty much, I usually only record when I have an arranged song that I want to hear myself. Sometimes I might write a new one - using the studio and some of the methods described by others above - while I'm trying to record the other one! But usually I only turn the kit on when I have a completed and arranged song. I then use the multi-tracker to have rehearsals and band practices for the musicians (me) until we know how to play what's in my head. By the time I know how to do that, it's pretty much recorded.

[Geir]

My approach at the moment is:

Go in the broom-cupboard (studio) thinking about recording.
Decide it's not time yet.
Leave without switching the BR on.
Has been for some time...

.

sadly that has been my approach this year as well

[Flash Harry]

I have been recording a bit of live music on multi track straight out of a mixer recently. This has taught me a great deal about delivering live sound in a venue such as a pub or a club or latterly outdoors. It's been fascinating.
The recording process is pretty straight forward, signal levels, mic positioning etc..
The really fascinating stuff is what to do with the raw recorded signal to make it sound good. I could fill 10 pages. If anyone is interested let me know and I'll produce something.

[Farrell Jackson]

I have been recording a bit of live music on multi track straight out of a mixer recently. This has taught me a great deal about delivering live sound in a venue such as a pub or a club or latterly outdoors. It's been fascinating.
The recording process is pretty straight forward, signal levels, mic positioning etc..
The really fascinating stuff is what to do with the raw recorded signal to make it sound good. I could fill 10 pages. If anyone is interested let me know and I'll produce something.

Flash, are you also playing in the band while you're recording live or just running the sound? I've done both in the past and found just running the sound while recording much more enjoyable instead of trying play, sing and keep an eye on the mixer/recorder. Although I did enjoyed both. Do you find what you've learned to be applicable to the studio?

Farrell

[Flash Harry]

....are you also playing in the band while you're recording live or just running the sound?

A bit of both, once set up, all I need to do is hit record...

Do you find what you've learned to be applicable to the studio?

Farrell

Some, I have improved the power in the kick drum, the fullness and punch in the bass and various dynamics and EQ bits and pieces.

Mostly I have found that noise on stage is your enemy and you need to control it. This includes instruments being played too loudly and monitoring noise. Things that you seldom struggle with in a studio setting.

[Hook]

Very interesting read and I find I relate and can identify with much of what's being said. I record with so many different approaches that I can't say that there is one way I do things.
At first it was all about getting the song down everything else was extra. As I became a better player/engineer & producer it did become more fun to produce and play more but still in essence it is/was about finding the song and then the next one.
Sometimes the lyrics are first, sometimes the music. I like to build tracks off a LITLR recodings and I like to write to existing drum tracks. I love layering and recording my Hook songs but I have struggled with recoding my kids music (job) over this summer.
Over the last 3 months I've written a bunch of songs the 1st month. Then set out to record them . I now have 15 songs tracked out on my Tascam DP24sd ( I know,I'm finally using it & it's exciting & I love it) and am in the midst of mixing and mastering.
I have a completely new studio set up and have been spending much more time EQing and trying to find the right mix. I tried a new mic for lead vocals on this cd , a Shure beta 58, and I think its really good but a little tinty. I'm having to learn a new board and use a different appriach... much learning going on...and hopefully some improvement on my skills. This is probably my last attempt at selling my music and my 1st attempt at having merch at a show( big show at The Straz Center  here in town on Oct 8th). I have the Square and can take credit cards so I'm gonna have some shirts made and a few other items +this new disc...hopefully. gonna have a barcode,shrinkwrap..the works.
I still think I'm able to get quality recordings done in the car and hope to continue to do that forever. There are no rules and I like it that way.
I just got some new monitors yesterday, JBL 3 series and the gu at Guitar Center started talking room treatments and shit...I know it makes a difference but I think too much importance is put on the slickness of music now days and not on the creativity.
No Rules!
The only advise I could offer anyone is, if you find that you've done something the same way forever and you're bored or stuck, what's it gonna hurt to try something different.
No rules!

[Blooby]

I find it laughable that what I do could even be considered "an approach." I am usually very pinched for recording time so I just force myself to do so. All my weird little instrumentals are make-it-up-as-I-go affairs. It's probably painfully apparent, but such is life. Oh, and usually there is scotch involved.

The second method is that John will come over, and I throw some chords his way. His off-filter ability to come up with something quick and interesting astounds me. And usually, there is scotch involved.

Lately, I've been on a bit of a pedal binge, so the new sounds are inspiring. It may be a while, but I imagine my next few posts will sound odder than usual.

Blooby

[Mach]

No Rules!
The only advise I could offer anyone is, if you find that you've done something the same way forever and you're bored or stuck, what's it gonna hurt to try something different.
No rules!

I like that philosophy.

That pretty much sums it up for me. I just record stuff and go back to it later and find something that may work. Sometimes it's by accident and you'll think how did I do that? Then after re-recording tracks for a sub-mix to work off of, the mixing concept usually starts the same with channel strips and finding a good gain staging level. After that, there are so many things you can do to achieve what you're after in a mix.

EQ & Compression are great starting points, especially on the main stereo output. Comp on the main makes for a tighter mixing session IMO. I know that these are just basic concepts that everyone knows, but as Hook mentioned NO RULES! So, as far as recording goes, just try and find what works best for you.

Gary

[Rolow]

Interesting that there are so many different sequences here.  I guess that shows there is no right or wrong sequence.  Whatever works for you.

The first thing I do is record a "scratch" track.  That's a guitar and vocal track that accomplishes two things.  First it helps me determine what the bpm should be.  Also, this track, which contains the lyrics, is a guide for the first few instruments I track.  While listening to both the scratch track and click I get the rhythm track down.  Still using the scratch and click, I put the bass down next, then the drums.  I now no longer need the click, but might still use the scratch to help me know where I am in the song.  Then comes whatever I want to put in: keyboards, lead guitar, mandolin, whatever.  The lead vox and then backing vox are last.

I want to add something I stumbled onto which works real well for creating harmonic guitar breaks.  I start by improvising to what I have so far.  Once I find what I like, I try to memorize it so I can double track.  At first I just wanted to double track for fullness.  But I found by accident that during certain sections, like a string of notes, if I start the second guitar a measure later than the first I have created a canon, you know, like row your boat.  This harmonizes great.  Having fallen into this, I now plan for certain sections, to stard one guitar late to create cool harmonies.

Thanks for all the ideas and assistance.


Ron