Top Tips for Home Recording

So having listened to around 200 new songs this month varying from hip-hop to country, Via Death metal and saccharine pop I notice a simple thing that makes me want to keep on listening rather than press skip. Its recording. Now I know most can’t afford to rent out Abbey Road and home recording is quicker and cheaper but there is always one flaw.
Let me put it this way, if you are going to record one track well (notice that word) and mix it to a level where people will happily part with their cash and not feel ripped off then you should expect to spend 1 day in a studio with a proper engineer. If you are doing it at home you should aim to finish a single track in 3-4 days. You must strive for perfection and scrutinise every single detail. Mix, remix, re-re-remix is the order of the day. Now I have 100’s of tips and opinions on this but here’s a few that I was reminded of by 90% of the tracks I have recently listened to.

Mics

Here is one area not to scrimp. Microphones make or break a track, even if it is just for vocals. I strongly recommend buying a good quality mic simply for recording so it does not get damaged in the live arena. Personally I don’t think you can go wrong with Shure but shop around as prices vary dramatically. I have seen the Shure SM-57 (great for recording) as low as £46!

Reverb

It seems that people discover reverb and realise it can hide a manner of sins. DON’T overdo it. I have heard so many lead vocals lately where the singer sounds like they are performing in a tunnel. Learn the art of reverb, experiment and get others view on different levels –It is far better to redo a vocal over and over than try to mask a poor performance with a tonne of reverb.

Volumes

It does amaze me that people don’t play with these throughout a track. Nothing makes a song sound flatter than a “One size fits all” approach. Boost the chorus, build the intro, and drop the middle 8. Playing with volumes is guaranteed to grab the listener’s attention and make you sound more dynamic. Don’t overdo it as when it comes to volumes a little change makes a big difference.

Vocal

I don’t know if people are shy or other musicians fight harder to be heard but face facts, most people when they first listen to a new piece of music are focusing (albeit subconsciously) on the vocal track. Push it to the front and make sure you hear every word, every refrain – if your bass player thinks it is too loud it is probably just right!

Drums

Drums are a nightmare to record. You need tonnes of good mikes, loads of tracks and somewhere relatively sound proof to avoid horrible, song ruining “White Noise” (that horrible underlying hiss). I am quite a big advocate of quality drum machines (a good one nowadays will set you back around £100). It never loses beat, never speeds up and never tries to have sex with the lead singer’s girlfriend (only joking drummers!) seriously add some effects and you can get it to sound live- this is vital so it does not sound too mechanical and stale. Look into it

Compression

Most modern multi-track recorders or software packages have compression and I am a fan. Again don’t overdo it but experiment with it. Many people don’t understand what they are trying to achieve with compression. It is used to tighten the peaks and drops to make a more dynamic sound. A good understanding and use of compression effects will make you sound very professional.

So there are a few tips and I promise to do another blog with more soon. Do you have any top home recording tips? If so let me know via the comments section – let’s help each other out people.

Till the next time