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David Mellor
Publisher of Record-Producer.com
http://www.record-producer.com
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50 Great Record Producer tips...
(All of these tips are compatible with the educational standard of NVQ Level 1 for Sound Engineering and Music Technology. They are also appropriate background material for NVQ Level 2 and Level 3. )
1. Set your target.
No-one ever got to be big by thinking small. Decide now exactly when you intend to move out of your home studio into the professional world.
2. Finish building your studio.
So many people turn studio-building into the thing they spend most time on. You need to finish doing that and start recording.
So you'll need to...
3. Get yourself one great microphone.
You can buy a great microphone from around $100 and that's all the mics you need to succeed. There are good reasons for some people having more, but you need to know that they apply to you.
4. One computer for work/play/Internet, another for recording.
If you record using a computer, invest in an additional computer that you'll use for music alone. That way, you won't get viruses, worms, system crashes etc. You'll just make great music every day.
5. Don't upgrade your software after you have got it working.
Once everything is working, just leave things as they are. You'll learn the software you have and you will use it efficiently to make great music.
6. Don't buy new software.
See the point above. Once you have a good system set up, work on your music, not your software. Makes sense, doesn't it?
7. Copy the professionals.
There's a path to success already mapped out for you. If you use the same equipment as the pros (which is now affordable), then you're on the same playing field.
8. Don't copy the professionals.
See above...Ifyou want to take a chance that you could come up with an exciting new sound that no-one has ever heard before. But it's a higher-risk strategy.
9. Stop reading recording magazines.
Magazines have to put out a new issue every month, so they have to convince buyers that there really is something new around. Really, it's just the same old stuff recycled.
10. Invest in e-books from Record-Producer.com.
Well, we would say that. But we don't have a monthly schedule. We have worked on and polished our products to perfection. And when something really new does happen, we update right away, unlike printed books that are already out of date on the day they are published.
11. Decide whether a computer is right for you.
You don't have to use a computer to record. There are many standalone recording workstations that can give just as good results - and they are easier to use and don't catch viruses.
12. Buy only one keyboard.
If you write songs, listen to successful artists. The instrumentation is in the background. One good keyboard is all you need to give you a wide enough range of sounds.
13. Buy as many keyboards and modules as you can afford.
See above... If you want to compose music for film and TV, or if you are into dance music and don't use vocals all that much.
14. Strategize your career.
Your first choice might be to be a famous artist or producer. But if you don't make that, you could be a TV music composer - there's money and success in that too.
15. Ask yourself whether you are a musician or technology expert.
There are lots of sound-related careers outside of music - live sound, radio, television, film etc. You could be working the same equipment but you don't need any musical skills.
16. Get trained.
Most successful producers started out in a studio. They learned hands-on from the experts. This type of work isn't easy to get, and if you can't get it you need proper training to bring yourself up to the same level.
17. Don't get trained.
See above... If you learn the technique of 'benchmarking' and apply it effectively, you will be able to get sounds exactly like the pros get.
18. Set up a soundproofed studio.
If you can work in peace and quiet and not have to worry about annoying your neighbors, you will get much better work done.
19. Don't set up a soundproofed studio.
See above... If it isn't possible for you to set up a soundproofed studio, bear in mind that great songs have been written and recorded in studios that have no acoustic treatment at all. Don't let the lack of a soundproofed studio hold you back.
20. Tidy your cables.
Get your system set up. Get it working. Test it every way you can, then tie down the cables so you don't trip over them. You can waste a lot of time among cables.
21. Don't let the cat in your studio.
A tried and tested (the wrong way) Record-Producer.com tip! Those cables never did come clean again.
22. Beware of rodent damage.
Serious this time. Record-Producer.com has observed the damage squirrels (also known as tree-rats) are capable of. Extreme!
23. Point the microphone at the sound source.
There's so much myth and mystique about microphones. That's rule number one above.
24. Place the microphone closer than the natural listening distance.
Microphones can't 'focus' like the ear and brain can, so they have to be placed closer to get a clear sound.
25. Experiment with microphone positioning. There are no federal laws!
Textbooks tend to say there are standard microphone positions for different instruments. Don't be satisfied until you have tried them yourself, and also tried alternatives that may in fact be better.
26. Ignore the textbooks completely!
Well, that's what recording engineers often say. In fact, textbooks are usually reasonably accurate - they're just overburdened with detail and stuff you don't need to know.
27. Don't download plug-in effects.
Except from reputable sources. A rogue download could trash your computer and everything you are working on.
28. Don't go overboard on software.
There is a lot of cheap software around and some of it is good. But you really need to concentrate on your music, not the latest plug-in.
29. Don't expect anyone to want to listen.
The truth is that there is already enough music around. No-one really wants any more. Get this in your mind and then do battle! Now you know it's tough, you stand a better chance out there.
30. Get your music heard.
If you perform, then perform. Learn how to please a crowd. That will get you massively more attention than your recordings.
31. Get your music heard (part 2).
If you produce dance or hip hop music, get your recordings pressed onto vinyl and get DJs to play them. Learn how to excite the dance floor.
32. Learn how to please a crowd.
It's worth saying twice. You gotta get out there!
33. Be entertaining.
You can achieve success by giving people enjoyment.
34. Be arty.
You can achieve success by gaining 'artistic credibility', whether or not anyone actually really enjoys what you do.
35. Be cool.
You can achieve success by being cool regardless of the quality of your work. People will want to be near you and feel the chill.
36. Yes really!
Referring to the three points above.
37. Make a copy of your recordings.
This applies especially if you record on computer. You put so much effort into your recordings. One day your computer will crash. But that's OK, everything's copied. Isn't it?
38. Make great demo CDs.
As well as great music, learn how to make professional-looking CDs using nothing more than a home computer and printer. Amateurish-looking CDs don't get listened to - there are just too many around.
39. Don't make demo cassettes.
Cassettes are as dead as the dodo-bird.
40. Make people listen to your demo.
You don't mail it. You find out who the industry exec is you want to target, bump into him 'accidentally' in a bar and twist his arm until he listens on the CD Walkman you just happen to have with you. If he's a she, be more polite.
41. You need a really good pair of bad loudspeakers.
Duh?? Well, everyone listens on pretty bad speakers at home, so you need a pair in the studio. However, they have to be sort of 'averagely' bad so you can compensate and your recordings sound good anywhere.
42. Do not master your recordings!
Do not! Do not! Do not! Oh, go on then...
43. More on mastering...
Mastering comes after mixing. Get your mix right and hand over to a pro mastering engineer who will make it sound better. He can make a second-rate mix sound OK. You cannot; neither can I, and neither can anyone who isn't doing mastering every day of their lives. But then show me an engineer who hasn't at least tried.
44. Tune in to genre and style.
Don't waste your time making music that no-one will want to listen to, or hardly anyone. The industry wants music to supply current demands. Listen to recent successes and incorporate their sound into your style. Be original, but in a style that sells.
45. Don't rush.
Pro recording engineers work at a measured pace. They will try anything out. If it doesn't work, they'll trash it and try again. But each time is another step towards the finished master.
46. Work with a partner.
Few professional recordings are made alone. Two minds are better than one and it's great to exchange and develop ideas.
47. Never be satisfied.
Make the best recording you can and finish it. Don't just leave it unfinished because it's not turning out quite the way you wanted. When you have done all you can, assess it and work out what you can do better next time.
48. Prepare for success.
Allow time to imagine what it is going to be like when you are successful. But don't spend all your time dreaming - allow your ambitions to motivate you.
49. Learn everything you can about recording.
Stating the obvious perhaps, but knowledge is power.
Last tip coming... got to be a biggie!
50. Record, Record, Record!
Told to Record-Producer.com by an extremely successful producer. That was his number one tip - keep on recording, developing and getting better all the time.
So that's it - fifty great tips to get you started. You can find out much more back at Record-Producer.com
And don't forget to look out for your Record-Producer.com Newsletter!
David Mellor
Publisher, Record-Producer.com
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