THE 7 STEPS TO STUDIO SUCCESS

by Buzz Bahlaw,
Copyright Buzz Bahlaw, Producer/Engineer.

1. Planning and Practice
Practice makes perfect, so the saying goes - so practice, practice, practice! Valuable time is lost in studios and lots of projects don't arrive at the standard they could have reached because some members of the group insist on using the recording session as a rehearsal studio. Know what you're going to do.. and have it planned out in steps of how you're going to do it.

2. Know where your music is going
If you want to play acoustic gigs around town, just bring your acoustic guitar and yourself. If you want to compete with Foo Fighters or Paramore, there's a  fair bit more homework to be done. Bring CDs or mp3s of artists' tracks that you love to listen to and aspire to compete with. This will give the recording engineer a clear picture of where you're aiming, therefore from the 1st step, things are going in the right direction.... as basic as the microphone choice & how tight to tune your snare drum etc.. etc..

3. Have realistic expectations
If you want to sound like a charting artist, $200 is not going to get you there. Have a good chat with your sound engineer and get them to honestly work out how long it's going to take to achieve the standard you want. You can prepare by saving up for it or be realistic about what you can afford at the time.

4. Choose the right Studio
Listen to recordings done by the studio you are choosing and compare them to the music in the same market you are aiming for. If you want to sound like a dirty garage band, that's fine... then choose the appropriate studio/engineer that can create that sound. if you want to sound like 3 Doors Down, the dirty garage band studio would not be your first choice.

5. Health
Get plenty of sleep the night before. It's important to be alert when recording... I personally would have a few early nights before a recording session. Contrary to studio myth.. the more alert you are, the better you're going to play.. and the more creative you're going to be.

6. Relax
When the record button is pressed, a lot of people think they have to try "extra hard". This added tension causes bum notes, timing issues, and undue stress.. when you try too hard, your muscles tense up and prevent you from moving naturally.. whether it's your vocal cord muscles tightening up which causes notes to be flat, or whether it's your fingers on the fret board trying to do that great riff.. relax, loosen up .. drink plenty of water... and minimal stimulants (coke, coffee, energy drinks etc).

7. Have Fun
If you're not having fun, you're doing something wrong.

Buzz Bahlaw has been assisting Musicians for over a decade and operates The Demo Studio in Melbourne and works as a Freelance Engineer out of many hi-end studios. He can be called upon for advice on (03) 9502 7900 or email buzz@thedemostudio.com.au

This article has been written by Buzz Bahlaw and cannot be reused, replicated or re-written in any form without the permission of it's copyright author.
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