10 tips for recording at home
What a time to be alive! It's now the new norm for up-and-coming musicians to produce their own albums since it's becoming cheaper and cheaper to buy top-notch recording gear.
There is no denying it's a great time to be a recording artist, but recording your own work presents many challenges.
Here are a few tips to help you get the highest quality possible on a low budget.
Don't worry about the software at first
When you decide you want to start recording you will surely be bombarded with advertisements or suggestions from people to buy a 700 dollar software that will make you sound like GOD.
Having a really nice software down the line might be a good thing, but in the early stages you would be better off investing your money in a decent microphone and audio interface combo and using a free software like Audacity or Garage Band.
You really shouldn't need to use a software all that much if your initial recording is good. (And even if you want to do some cool production tricks, Garage Band and Audacity are both surprisingly capable softwares.)
Dynamic mics
Dynamic microphones are a beautiful thing. They are mainly used for live performances because they only pick up a small area as opposed to a condenser or room mic. Though they may be used primarily for live shows, they come in handy when recording at home.
The biggest disadvantage of recording at home is that you will most likely be recording in a room with poor acoustics, thus you want to record as little of the room as possible.
A good place to start is the classic SM58 mic for a measly 100 dollars. It is perfect for recording in a loud or poor recording space and can be used for vocals as well as instrument recordings.
If you're lucky enough to have a nice quiet space to record in then go ahead and dive into the world of condenser mics.
But beware! Condenser mics are very sensitive microphones and will record every sound in the room, and even the sounds outside of your room.
Make sure the levels are perfect before you record
One of the worst things you can do as a recording artist is have your audio interface turned up way too high. If you're using a digital interface and turn up the input too high then no matter what you do during the mixing stage, IT WILL NOT SOUND GOOD.
So, first things first, make sure you have the right levels on your interface. A good sound engineer should have the mix almost perfect just from recording at the appropriate levels.
Try different mic placements
You would be amazed at how much a sound can change by moving a microphone an inch. Mic position is a very real aspect of a good recording, so you need to start practicing different techniques.
You should also never become too attached to one mic position forever. What works one day might not work the next day. Always be alert and aware of the way the mic sounds on the day of recording.
OVERDUB, OVERDUB, OVERDUB
Don't be too proud to use the great invention of overdubbing in music. If you take my advice and use dynamic mics (since you'll be recording in a bad room), all the instruments shouldn't overlap a whole lot into each other's recordings, thus making it very easy to go back later and fix some bad spots in your performance by punching in a correct recording.
Save the alcohol and smokes for the after party
Don't get me wrong, I love using a cocktail or two to get the creative juices flowing while I'm writing and composing, but as good as it feels to write while buzzed, recording doesn't exactly work the same way.
When you're recording you need to be on top of your game, so be sure to get a good night's rest and drink plenty of fluids before recording (especially if you're a singer!).
After you nail your take, by all means, it's time to have a few drinks!
Use effects sparingly in the beginning
At first, it will be very exciting to learn of all the different processing techniques you can use like Reverb and Delay, but a common problem with beginner recording artists is overusing effects.
I'm not saying don't try new things, but you should first learn how to master the recording process, then you can turn your focus on post recording processing techniques. Nothing makes a mix sound amateur more than an overdone reverb!
Use as much digital sound as possible
The fact of the matter is that recording in a poor space is a handicap. The more sounds you record for a track, the more there is a potential for a poor mix.
There is no shame in utilizing the wonderful world of digital instruments to help keep your mix as clean and clear as possible.
Go ahead and dive into using drum machines, synths and keys, and even some samples! It will help your mix a ton if you only have to record one or two sounds on your own.
Hire a pro for Mixing and Mastering
There also is no shame in getting a little bit of help on the tail end of things. So much goes into a song sounding good that it really doesn't make sense for one person to do it all. I would suggest focusing on one aspect of making a song, either recording, mixing, or mastering. It's hard to be amazing at all three, but being great at one is definitely within your reach.
There are so many people out there who can help you mix and master your songs after you've recorded them for reasonable prices. Heck, you can even get a robot to do mastering for you and they actually do a decent job!
Keep learning
Probably the best piece of advice I can give a new recording artist is to be prepared for a long journey of reading and watching informative videos. There is so much information out there to help you learn the ins and outs of recording, so don't ever stop being a student and keep learning!
I hope this article helps you guys get a feeling for what is to come in your newfound hobby of recording music! Check out some of my Amazon picks below for some good starting recording equipment . Good luck fellow DIYers!