As part of an Independent Study at our school, we've been working in a local recording studio to lay down tracks for some of our favorite original songs. This has been our first time recording semi-professionally, and there's definitely a learning curve involved. So far, we've had two, two hour sessions, and we've got a few more coming up. It takes about two hours to get one song done, so hopefully by the end we'll have enough for an EP. After all these years, we're finally recording!
Having only played live before, we've come to rely on each other for cues, timing, and vocalization. That all changes in the studio. Instead of performing together in one take, we lay down a track for each instrument and each vocal part. Usually, we'll start with the baritone uke part. It can be difficult to match the rhythm to a click track, and sometimes we have to do multiple takes. It's important to get that foundation track down, because all other tracks will be built off of it.
The place we actually record is actually a tiny closet with soundproof padding on the inside. It's quite small and dark, and you just have to sing or play into a microphone, while the track plays in your headphones. It took a little getting used to, and it can feel a bit isolating, but we're all right with it now.
The lineup for recording usually goes like this: ukulele, piano, melody vocals, harmony vocals. It's certainly a change to not be playing together continuously; we're very used to being able to play off of each other. But we've managed to adjust.
After each part is recorded, the person who owns the studio will mix it down so all the parts fit together, and tweak parts that were slightly off during recording. If something really isn't right we'll record it again, but it's amazing what you can fix in the program. We'll listen to it once or twice, make adjustments, and then the next part will go into the studio. Once all the parts have been recorded, we'll mix everything down, nit pick a few things, and then we've got a recording! It's very cool to hear the best version of ourselves playing out before us.
Another great thing we've been able to do is add extra tracks that we just can't perform live. For example, on Silver Lining we were able to add a flute track. Obviously, when we're playing live Marika can't manage piano AND flute at the same time, so it's great to be able to insert that extra layer that adds something new to the recording. We're also able to double up vocals to accentuate different parts, and really add all these little embellishments we've only dreamed about.
If you're a young musician interested in recording your music, here's my advice: don't wait! Research a couple studios in the area, contact the owners, and make it happen. You'll probably be able to meet with them to check out their studio, get a sense of what capabilities they have, and assess if they're right for you. Obviously, there's the issue of paying for their time, but sometimes they'll give you a discounted rate because they know you're a young person just starting out.
As for us, we're excited to finally have some of our music recorded and ready for CDs! Stay tuned for more updates.
Having only played live before, we've come to rely on each other for cues, timing, and vocalization. That all changes in the studio. Instead of performing together in one take, we lay down a track for each instrument and each vocal part. Usually, we'll start with the baritone uke part. It can be difficult to match the rhythm to a click track, and sometimes we have to do multiple takes. It's important to get that foundation track down, because all other tracks will be built off of it.
The place we actually record is actually a tiny closet with soundproof padding on the inside. It's quite small and dark, and you just have to sing or play into a microphone, while the track plays in your headphones. It took a little getting used to, and it can feel a bit isolating, but we're all right with it now.
The lineup for recording usually goes like this: ukulele, piano, melody vocals, harmony vocals. It's certainly a change to not be playing together continuously; we're very used to being able to play off of each other. But we've managed to adjust.
After each part is recorded, the person who owns the studio will mix it down so all the parts fit together, and tweak parts that were slightly off during recording. If something really isn't right we'll record it again, but it's amazing what you can fix in the program. We'll listen to it once or twice, make adjustments, and then the next part will go into the studio. Once all the parts have been recorded, we'll mix everything down, nit pick a few things, and then we've got a recording! It's very cool to hear the best version of ourselves playing out before us.
Another great thing we've been able to do is add extra tracks that we just can't perform live. For example, on Silver Lining we were able to add a flute track. Obviously, when we're playing live Marika can't manage piano AND flute at the same time, so it's great to be able to insert that extra layer that adds something new to the recording. We're also able to double up vocals to accentuate different parts, and really add all these little embellishments we've only dreamed about.
If you're a young musician interested in recording your music, here's my advice: don't wait! Research a couple studios in the area, contact the owners, and make it happen. You'll probably be able to meet with them to check out their studio, get a sense of what capabilities they have, and assess if they're right for you. Obviously, there's the issue of paying for their time, but sometimes they'll give you a discounted rate because they know you're a young person just starting out.
As for us, we're excited to finally have some of our music recorded and ready for CDs! Stay tuned for more updates.