rock / pop bands

Making a Recording

The traditional way to make a recording with a band is pay for recording sessions in an unfamiliar studio where time is money, the acoustics feel strange and where it feels alien to perform.  It doesn't have to be like that. 

As an alternative approach, I bring the digital recording equipment to a suitable rehearsal room / performing venue of your choice and together we can create a unique CD that you will be proud of.

• My prices for a typical rock band recording project with up to six hours recording time (including set-up) plus up to 4 hours of mixing, editing and mastering of a master CD start at £299. I do not charge VAT.

Why Record a CD with Your Band?

• To have a demo product for your prospective customers in order to generate interest and bookings for work.

• To raise money by selling CDs/Tapes to audiences / friends / parents at a profit.

• To demonstrate your ability to others.

• For the enjoyment and experience of making a recording.

• To have a permanent record / souvenir of your event.

• For improvement/rehearsal purposes.

• For the enjoyment and experience of making a recording.

Recording a Gig?

Let’s face it; you probably perform best at a live gig in front of a responsive audience at your favourite venue.  However, if you have ever tried to record your own band live the chances are that you were disappointed with the results.  Why not let me capture this performance and the atmosphere on my 24-track digital recording system.  If needed I can split up to 8 direct feeds from your existing PA set-up and combine these with my own microphones to capture the live sound and feel of the band and audience.  All instruments can be individually miked up (or I can use DI) so that each part of the band can be balanced and mixed later.

Within the limits of the 24-track recorder, I usually record drums with multiple microphones to help achieve a detailed sound.  At mixdown I can add compression, EQ and reverb to get a punchy sound as part of the overall mixes.

You should be aware that there are some limitations to this approach as sound from some instruments will bleed into other microphones e.g.  the drums will be picked up by just about every mic on stage.  This limits our options for editing or muting mistakes.

It may be possible for some quieter parts e.g. vocals or solos to be overdubbed later at my studio but this will add time and expense to the project.  See the Studio Recording page for more information.

Rehearsal Room Recording?

This approach involves recording in your rehearsal room or other suitable hall / venue.  The band performs together as if playing live as a unit.  We can do this in almost any location where the band sounds good and I can operate as a stand-alone recording system or linked with your own PA system.  All instruments are individually miked up (or we can use DI) so that each part can be balanced and mixed later.  This offers the advantage over full live recording that you get the chance to re-take if you make errors or feel you could do it better.  You may need to re-record just the problem section or the whole piece to remove the error.  Sound from some instruments will bleed into other microphones e.g. the drums will be picked up by just about every mic in the room, but we can screen the drums off more than you could in a live situation.

It is often a good idea for some parts e.g. vocals or solos to be overdubbed at the session and I can provide several pairs of monitor headphones to ensure a clean take.  You might do the backing track with a guide vocal then come back for an overdubbed vocal with additional harmonies later.  The vocal part is often the most important part of a song recording so it has to be just right.

How Long?

Including the initial set-up, the recording of a straightforward, standard length (3-4 minute) song could easily take 3 hours using the as-live approach and 5-6 hours if there are overdubs.  The more complex the recording e.g. recording guide-tracks, adding extra parts or doubling tracks all require extra time.  The simpler the songs and arrangements and the better you play, the less time it will take.  To get the best results you will need to be well prepared before the session.

• Choose songs that work well with the band and that everyone is can play well.

• Rehearse the songs thoroughly beforehand.

• Make sure your equipment is in good condition – e.g. fit new strings to guitars, oil squeaky kick drum pedals, damp or fix rattling hardware on amps & drums, etc.

Please contact me now to discuss any recording requirements you may have.