Home Recording Tips

We’ve compiled some recording hints for those of you recording your own stuff at home. It doesn’t matter whether you record on to an old 4-Track tape machine, a computer based system or wax cylinder.. the same rules usually apply!

Getting the simple things right is the key to a smooth session and a good recording.

1. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. If you know your material and your arrangements you’ll save time and money and make time in the studio more productive and enjoyable for everyone.

2. Re-string your guitars, re-skin your drums. If you can set them up yourelf then do it. If not then pay a guitar shop to do it. Top studios regulalry hire in gear if the artists equipment isn’t up to standard. A crap guitar is still going to sound crap even if its recorded through the best gear!

3. Make sure you have a guitar tuner with you while you record. It’s absolutely critical to tune before every take. Nothing worse than doing a great take then realising your out of tune! When you layer up parts in a multitrack recording any tuning issues will become apparent and will generally make your recording sound less good!Putting down your initial tracks to a click track or a metronome is always a good idea. Its much easier to add tracks to a multitrack when what your’re playing to is in time! Subtle tempo shifts can be good but big timing issues are one of the major differences between a piece of music that sounds ‘right’ and one that sounds a bit unprofessional.

4. If you’re recording with a mic try and get your mic as close to the sound source as possible. Unless you’re trying to get an ambient/roomy sound, a close mic sound will generally be a bit more useful when you’re trying to mix your song. If you’re recording on to a computer you’ll probably have some plug-in effects you can use on your sounds. In this case you’re definitely better off with a close mic’d sound as you’ll be able to do more with it.

5. A good studio trick when recording guitar is to mic your cab up in another room. Put the head in the control room (or wherever your recording gear is) with you so you can adjust the settings easily. This is handy for overdubbing guitar parts as you can then hear exactly whats going on in the mix

6. Another classic problem with home and small studio recording is the old “It sounded different when I played it at home.” Its tricky to get consistant sounding recordings and mixes, that’s why people pay big bucks for studio design. To get round the problem try setting up 2 sets of speakers so that you can listen on both as you’re recording and mixing. Headphones will also give you another perspective. If you listen to music in your car then take a rough mix to the car and listen to it there… people do this a lot even in top studios! Once you’ve done a few recordings or mixes in the same place you’ll get to know how your listening environmnent sounds. For example, your studio might might create ‘standing waves’ in the low frequencies which make certain bass notes or the bottom end of your track seem really loud, so in your mix you’ve turned the bass right down. Then, when you play your recording somewhere else, the bass seems really quiet or is missing something. Once you know this you can try and work round it or try and set up some accoustic damping.. Not always possible if you’re studio is your bedroom!

7. Distortion can be friend and foe! Nice distortion is possibly a question of taste but generally a bit of analogue distortion or harmonic distortion is quite nice. It sounds good on guitars, vocals, almost anything in fact. When it doesn’t sound so good is when your recording levels are wrong and you’ve ‘clipped’ or distorted the input stage of your recording device. Setting your input gain level is really important. When you’re setting up your levels try playing and recording the loudest section that you’re about to record. Then have a listen back, check your meters and listen to how it sounds. If you’re input level is too high you’ll hear crackles, pops and general badness. If you record on to a digital system you’ll see the meters go red in the loud bits. Turn the input level on your recording device and try again until your recording sounds good. Bear in mind that you don’t want to turn your input levels down too much as then you’ll record your signal at too low a level. This will make it difficult to use. Essentially you will have also recorded ‘noise’ the background noise of the recorder which will be audible when you turn up the track in the mix or try and effects, compression or E.Q.

Top Unsigned Band Advice

Quick Advice
1. Pick your band members wisely (the easiest way to avoid bad band chemistry)
Talent isn't everything. Sounding good is only half the battle - you need to gel as a band. If you're having fun together, the audience will feel it. If the guitarist and singer can't stand each other, the crowd will pick up on that, too. You might be able to fake your way through it, but you better be great at it. Otherwise, your audience won't respond well.

2. Know your goals.
If you each know what you want out of the band, you'll have a lot less problems. If you agree on what you want (just playing locally versus becoming world famous versus something in between) then you're all set. But what if the drummer loves playing shows, the singer desperately wants to be famous, and the bassist is just hoping to pick up a date? Well, now you know that your drummer will say yes to any kind of tour, the singer will want to tour in big cities, and the bassist will want big crowds and post-show mixers. Know what will make everyone happy, and go for it.

3. Let go of the egos.

Just because it's your idea, doesn't mean it's the best one. Be flexible - especially with the minor stuff. Does it really matter if the guitarist wants to move the third song on the set list up a spot? Be civil to each other, and try not to take anything too personally. Remember, you are in this to have fun, right?

4. Know when to cut your losses.
If someone in your band isn't working out, know when to say goodbye. Don't avoid it because no one wants to be the bad guy. Draw straws if you have to, or approach it together, but take care of it. It's always better than the alternative - practices becoming further apart until one day you realize you broke up without knowing it.

5. Have fun.
It will solve virtually any problem.

In it for the long term?

Bands and artists should always try and remain self-sufficient and look after their own affairs as much as possible. Sustainability, the most demanding aspect of longevity, is down to a band’s continued belief in why they formed in the first place - the scene that inspired them and in turn the music that inspires the fan base. A fan base will care for a band and keep them alive, so bands and artists must care for them back with a true to themselves attitude and great music. Nurturing this fan base and realising its importance is crucial.

This months Band of the Month is South Coast 80's tinged rockers; My Fallen Opera. Here is their interview!

Well done for winning Band Assists Act of the month! How would you describe the My Fallen Opera Sound?


GR - First off thank you for selecting us to be band of the month, we are very flattered to have been chosen. We would like to be thought of as an Electro - Goth - EBM band, a kind of English missing link between Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails.

JM – We have been influenced by many different bands and genres and believe that you can hear elements of them all in the music we produce.


"Big Mouth" is an awesome track can you let us in on the story behind it?


MFO - At its basic level it’s about having a strong desire to tell someone how you feel then feeling remorseful afterwards. We’ve all been there at some point.

You have such a pretty unique sound - was that a conscious decision? How did you come up with it?

GR- That's all down to John, he's like some music programmer mad scientist.

JM - I grew up with alternative music but would always prefer the remixes on the b sides of the singles etc. We wanted to try to create something that has these remix qualities. This is reflected in our writing process.


What is your writing process?

GR- Initially I'll come up with a chord progression on the guitar or synth and develop a melody from free forming lyrics over the top until I hit upon what I call a statement of intent for example take the chorus to Housedown with the chorus lyrics "Tonight while
you are asleep I'll creep up your stairs and burn your housedown." A clear statement of intent. From there. I'll develop the theme and structure and once I am happy I'll send the individual WAV files to John and let him work his magic.

JM – It’s a long process. Once I receive the files I will build on the elements and rework them, adding new synth parts and drums some times reworking the arrangement. Then the track is put to bed and revisited a month later to see if it needs any final tweeks and adjustments.



What do you find most difficult about being an unsigned act?

MFO - Getting people to listen. It was difficult before the internet for unsigned acts but now with the ease of the internet there is so much choice out there for the listener, a lot of great talent in all genres suffer from the overwhelming competition.


What is your top tip for other acts?

GR-To have integrity and stay true to your artistic vision, be respectful of other acts unsigned or otherwise and try not to take bad reviews to heart, sorry that was four tips.

JM – Have a good time writing music and write for yourself.

What is your fantasy band line up (Vocals, guitar, Bass and Drums)

GR- The answer to this question has been in constant evolution since I was 13, but right now...
Vocals - Trent Reznor - Nine Inch Nails.
Guitar - Matt Bellemy - Muse
Bass - Chris Wolstenholme - Muse, but if Chris was sick then Stefan Olsdal from Placebo
Drums - Dave Grohl

JM –
Drums and programming - Liam Howlett
Guitar – Josh Homme
Bass - Jeordie White
Vocal – Mark Hockings (mesh)



Tell us an amusing Band Story!

GR- It's not much of a story but it did make John laugh a lot. We got a review recently that
stated that my "Rapping"??? was not very good. I really thought I was the next Jay Z too.

JM- We met by chance at a night club when I saved Gordon from a fate worse than death!


Proudest moment so far in My Fallen Opera?

GR- I think completing our Three Stitches demo, John and I have been working on these tracks for quite a while and We are our biggest critics, so to have a finished product is great sense of achievement.

JM – Receiving positive positive comments from fans. Its great knowing that people get what we are doing!

What are your views on Band Assist?

MFO - We are in full support of Band Assist, it refreshing to come across a website that really cares about new artists and has their best intentions at heart.


What’s next for you?

MFO - With the demo finished we are in the process and submitting it to various websites and sending them the old fashioned way to a selected few labels who we feel represent us best. Then we'll just need wait and see if peopleenjoy what we do. We're trying to encourage people on our website www.myfallenopera.co.uk to let us know what they think about our music. Without interaction between the artist and the fans cyber space can be a lonely place.

Join us on Facebook

Hello All
Just a quick one - we have joined Facebook. It is very early days but we need some friends. This will be a great place to interact with us and other acts in the same boat plus an awesome place to advertise.

Click Here

Its too LOOOOOUUUUDDDD!!!!!

Someone always plays too loud at band practice. It is one of those things that tears bands apart and makes band members hate one another. This is sad and we can add it to the long list of easy things to avoid that can be taken care of very easily. If someone is playing too loud the first thing to do is take it back to square one. Have only the drummer play and then add the main chord change instrument (probably rhythm guitar). Slowly turn the chord change instrument up until you have a good level. Then one by one add each new instrument and repeat this procedure until everyone is happy with the levels.

At times this is going to mean some people need to stand closer to their own amps or move them up to ear level to compensate for hearing loss and/or ego problems. This easy technique can make you sound better as well as save your bands relationship.

Selling Out or Moving up?

In the history of modern music there are plenty of well-known, almost classic examples of talented, inspired, oftentimes experimental musicians who at some point in their career have decided to change direction and to begin making commercially orientated music deliberately designed to have a wide mass appeal as possible – Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Phil Collins, even Metallica, and the list goes on.

When this happens to a well-known act, there is at least a sense of gratitude in their fans for the fact that a band had still managed to record and release a few albums where they sound like no-one else - genuine, sincere and unique. It's a different story when an unsigned band who you have known, whose music you have admired and who you have hoped would get signed so that a wider audience would hear their inimitable music, suddenly decides to abandon true creativity and makes a calculated move for pure commercial success. You start feeling melancholy knowing that their early material which was honest and daring will remain buried and undiscovered.

All musicians want to be signed and be successful, but all need to establish what their priorities are - to expand creativity and develop as serious musicians or to target the teeny or mainstream market in a hope to get a profitable record deal as well as recognition which most likely will be short-lived. What most people forget is that if you are really smart and not afraid of hard work you can still become successful and win respect as well. Real talent doesn't need to compromise much. A truly talented musician can still forge a long-lasting career out of music that he or she believes in, but this is what people forget when they are tempted by a quick reward.

The reason why most talented bands struggle for years without getting signed isn't because there is something wrong with their style or because their genre isn't 'in' or trendy. Sincerity has always been in fashion. A sincere musician will never stray in a wrong direction. He or she will never have to worry about style, gimmicks or publicity stunts. The only thing that talented and genuine bands need to work on are usually instrumental skill, clarity of expression and an ability to write in a way that people can easily remember their music, and if it's all in place, trends and fashions will not matter.

It is doubly disappointing when people try to sell out at a young age, because it will inevitably damage them both as musicians and individuals. It is often managers and A&R people who pressure young bands to write simple, trendy stuff and to sideline their truly creative and experimental ideas. If there are any young musicians reading this, I have only one thing to say to them - don't let other people's greed, vanity and short-sightedness ruin your talent and damage your self-respect.

Awesome Performance

Now I am totally against any form of organised dance routine but a bit of choreography wouldn't go a miss here!!