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Finding a local studio for vanity album?
I've been writing and recording my own stuff on GarageBand for quite a few decades. With the Covid lockdown I added several more songs that I think are worth the time and money to record a lot better than I can. I can manage some rudimentary GB recordings, but my hearing loss on low and high frequencies is pretty moderate and with one ear far worse than the other I worry about panning properly. And that's just for starters - it's a bit late in the day to work up those 10,000 hours to train my poor ears further than I have so far.
Having no idea how to even start, does anyone have any tips on finding a local studio who wouldn't scoff at the idea of some old geezer recording some simple songwriter/acoustic tracks well enough to put on iTunes? What might I budget for that? How much time per song could I expect to take? What would be the availability of vocalists who might do the vocal track better than I? Would a studio or sound tech simply take my GB tracks and clean them up? I have zero expectations that my stuff will find an audience, but it's kind of a personal legacy notion to have something tangible to listen back on as "after a few decades of playing here's where I ended up." As you can imagine I'm starting at ground zero so any thoughts would be appreciated.
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Larrivee OO-05, OOV-03, OO-44R & Strat |
#2
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If there are people in your area who perform music similar to your own, I'd start by seeking them out and asking if they know of a small studio that might work for you.
But before you do contact the studio, know what you'll require of the the person you hire. If you'll need bass or background vox, or something you cannot provide yourself, you should find out if the person you hire can do it or if you'll have to hire from the outside. I'd also inquire about the gear on hand. You may have a choice of places in the end and the gear might factor into your decision. Lastly, ask the studio to either send you or point you to examples of their work. It's good to know what they're capable of ahead of time.
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Jim 2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi 2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood 2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar 2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce 2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce 1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos. YouTube |
#3
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Larrivee OO-05, OOV-03, OO-44R & Strat |
#4
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Where are you located? Maybe someone here can suggest a studio.
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#5
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Call up any recording studio you see listed in your local listings. If they have a web site with a list of recordings they've done just give a listen, but more than that you just need to tell them: I'd like to do some recording with acoustic guitar and voice, and whatever else you'd like to include. It really comes down to your budget vs their hourly rate, right, and make sure they're following a good Covid19 disinfecting protocol! I finished my last CD just after having Covid19, and my engineer producer is a germaphobe to begin with, so I felt comfortable knowing that he'd be fussier than me! Any good studio may turn out, of course, to just be a very clean full length mirror with great lighting. Whether or not YOU will like what you're 'seeing' is another story. Clearly you're used to hearing yourself, so that is probably NOT an issue. Any studio worth their salt is there to help you sound & play the best that you can. It will definitely feel different when you're only wearing the hat of an artist instead of engineer! Don't wait any longer. Just do it, and enjoy the journey! Best regards, Howard Emerson
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My New Website! |
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And! I'm already getting cold feet at the thought of venturing outside my cosy safe & comfortable bedroom studio and wonder how I'd manage to put down a decent take. Thinking more, perhaps what I actually want is someone who'd be willing to take my GarageBand stems and mix and eq them properly which try as I might I have a hard time doing. A Reddit response may lead me to one. So, I guess it's my own challenge to get past my stagefright to do a studio session . . . Thx for letting me think out loud.
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Larrivee OO-05, OOV-03, OO-44R & Strat |
#7
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This is extremely common, and almost any studio should be willing to do this. Even fully pro recordings are often done in home studios or other remote locations, with someone at a better equipped studio doing the mix.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#8
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Speaking from experience on both sides of the studio microphone, sitting in front of the mic adds pressure and you're going to make mistakes. The person who doesn't make mistakes is a very rare species. Behind the mic, the person recording you has a goal... to make you sound as good as possible. They're not going to hammer you for making mistakes because that just kills the vibe. They're going to encourage you, try to make you comfortable, and try to bring the best out of you. They want you to be so floored by end result you'll want to record more. They'll want you to think highly of them because that's how they generate more business. Put the worry of embarrassment out of you head. Everyone who has recorded has been embarrassed in the studio at some point. Laugh at your mistakes and redo the parts you got wrong. Composite tracks are your friend and any competent mix engineer can make the parts flow together seamlessly. Quote:
The initial intimidation you're feeling is normal but once you're in the studio and you've put a few mistakes behind you, it will go away.
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Jim 2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi 2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood 2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar 2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce 2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce 1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos. YouTube |
#9
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Great stuff here, thanks.
jim1960 - I'd swear you've been talking to my parents behind my back, but they passed on a while ago <grin> You do reading between the lines pretty well! I'm not even gonna try arguing your points cause you'll just nail me again. But it's true that getting myself out of my comfort zone takes a lot and I'll likely exhaust the home studio notion a bit more. I've set up speakers for my recording setup to get me away from relying on headphones which I'm guessing fatigue my ear. Will see how that goes. I imagine a simple visit to the 3 studios I've gotten leads on would go a long way to get comfortable with the idea. Thanks all for the input!
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Larrivee OO-05, OOV-03, OO-44R & Strat |
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You can take some of the pressure off yourself by thinking of it as a learning experience. I've yet to use any track I've recorded in someone else's studio - I've just never been happy with the performance, but I learned a ton each time I've done it just watching how different engineers work. Even pros who work in the studio all the time don't always get a good take on the first session, or even the umpteenth attempt, so don't worry about it. Just enjoy the process and learn from it. If you happen to get a great take of something, that's a bonus.
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#11
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I swear I don't even own a Ouija Board.
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Jim 2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi 2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood 2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar 2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce 2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce 1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos. YouTube |
#12
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Love it. (And it sounds a lot better than the related "polishing" metaphor.)
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"I know in the morning that it's gonna be good, when I stick out my elbows and they don't bump wood." - Bill Kirchen |
#13
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I must've been hungry.
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Jim 2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi 2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood 2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar 2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce 2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce 1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos. YouTube |
#14
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In the Houston area there are a couple of ads for studios on Craigslist
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Ever since the advent of Protools I've been taking advantage of my producer/engineer's extreme editing abilities. I am almost always nervous in front of microphones, but I don't let it stop me from getting into the studio when only high quality reproduction will do. Fred Guarino (owner/engineer) knows that once I start playing that if I screw up, most of the time I'll stop for a second, and start from where I was or just prior, and then we stitch it together. He'll just let me continue playing until I say otherwise. Most of the time I play with no click track because I'm the only instrument, although I may overdub another guitar or a bottleneck track. This makes it a cinch to get a complete take with a minimum of fuss on my part. When and if you decide to start auditioning potential studios, make arrangements with the studio for an hour of time with your guitar so that you can actually try what I'm referring to. Sitting in a chair, in situ, with a mic and headphones on will give you a real world feel of what to expect, and believe me you'll be nervous and overwhelmed at that moment. Just do it, roll with it, and the engineer & room that makes you feel the most at-home is the one you should consider using. Life is too short. Best regards, Howard Emerson
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My New Website! |