Music
Music Production Notes
studio style song production step by step:
constant tempo: working with a metronome
01) Select a song to record
02) Write down the lyrics, chart the chord and rhythm changes
03) Practice to a metronome and find a Beat Per Minute rate that suits the song and your playing.
04) Schedule a date to record.
05) Make sure the producer and engineer know the key, time signature, bpm so that the project file is set properly from the begining.
06) Practice to the metronome in the studio setting with the monitors to get a feel for what everything sounds like through the system. Request level adjustments between the various sources until you are comfortable.
07) Perform a few takes of the first track(s) and then stop to listen. Listen for things you can improve in your performance and things the engineer may improve. Remember raw tracks do not sound familiar like finished mixes... learn to be tolerant and to look for the characteristics you can change before the mix. Don't start mixing too early.
08) If the performance was well synched to the metronome then you can use all the advanced editing features of a DAW to assemble a "perfect take" from multiple takes in a very quick and efficient manner.
09) Add and layer as many tracks as the song inspires.
10) Mix the levels and add effects to taste.)
11) Export a mixed down Stereo version in CD Audio, .wav or .mp3 format.
variable mapped tempo: rhythm programing to emphasize musical feel while employing the latest editing efficiencies.
01) Select a song to record
02) Write down the lyrics, chart the chord and rhythm changes
03) Chart out or program a series of tempos and changes as suits your song. You can use loop samples, a drum machine or MIDI. The final goal is to establish a MIDI tempo map and form markers in your song's project file on our DAW.
Many musicians have specific collaborators or service providers known as programmers that lay out these tempo maps. Any time spent at this stage magnifies efficiencies when editing tracks later. You do your own tempo mapping, we can help, or you can find a third party specialist.
04) schedule a recording date.
05) Make sure the producer and engineer are provided with a tempo mapped MIDI file with the correct key and time signature so that the project file is set properly from the begining.
06) Practice to the metronome or your loops in the studio setting with the monitors to get a feel for what everything sounds like through the system. Request level adjustments between the various sources until you are comfortable.
07) Perform a few takes of the first track(s) and then stop to listen. Listen for things you can improve in your performance and things the engineer may improve. Remember raw tracks do not sound familiar like finished mixes... learn to be tolerant and to look for the characteristics you can change before the mix. Don't start mixing too early.
08) If the performance was well synched to the best then you can use all the advanced editing features of a DAW to assemble a "perfect take" from multiple takes in a very quick and efficient manner. You can also identfy and replicate loops from the longer takes and use them in the song where the form is the same.
09) Add and layer as many tracks as the song inspires.
10) Mix the levels and add effects to taste.)
11) Export a mixed down Stereo version in CD Audio, .wav or .mp3 format.
live performance tempo mapped after the fact:
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