How To Page 2

RECORDING

Recording is the big step into the industry. It takes a lot of courage and is fraught with hidden snares for the unwary. Many artists take the giant leap and record a whole CD of ten or twelve tracks. I recommend against this. How do you know you will like the Producer? The studio? The musicians? I strongly recommend that you chose one or two tracks and concentrate on getting them perfect. You can then release a single to radio and wait to accurately gauge the response. If you tantalize the taste buds of the listening audience and woo both listeners and media, then you can go back into the studio and let them have the full deal. I know of one well-known band in the US who released 10 singles in a row before they got a Top 10 hit. They then released the Album and within a short time, had a Gold Record (1,000,000 sales in the US). They acknowledge that if they had released the Album first, the poor response to the first single would have crushed sales.

Budget

Whatever you intend to spend, expect that your budget will blow out by up to 20% before you get your brand new CD in your hands. There is always something else you can add, another take, another instrument, another mix. Where do you draw the line? How good is good enough? If you actually DO come in within your budget, you will have a handy nest egg to use for promotion, but DO NOT EXPECT IT!

Publicity, advertising and single releases will cost a lot of money. There are a lot of hidden costs. Have you considered where you will stay during the recording sessions? A motel? Fuel expenses? Food?

If you ask other artists what their recordings cost, you may get a range of responses. Some are extremely reticent to tell the truth. Some wish to overvalue the work, thinking that a $20,000 project sounds more impressive than $10,000. Others are actually humiliated that their $10,000 project blew out by an extra $8,000. Ask questions of as many people as you can. Ask questions about Producers; would the artist use him/her again? Why? Why not?

You could spend $1,000 or $1,000,000. It all comes down to the Producer, the Studio and the quality. An experienced Producer will know pretty well how much it will cost to record a project. The better the Producer, the higher the costs, the better the result, the more chances you have to make your mark. But there are still no guarantees that you will get your money back.

Your research should have told you what to expect. Your bank balance will tell you the rest. Remember, you should never gamble that you will recover that money. Cynically, this may be the biggest hit your wallet will ever have, and it could be all for an "ego trip".

Your recording budget will be divided into parts.

Producer (the guy who calls the shots)

Engineer (the guy who pushes the buttons - the technical ear)

Studio Time (rent of the studio)

Musicians (usually paid for a "call-out", not by the hour - remember that if you want "a little banjo there".)

Rehearsal (pre-recording sessions with Producer and key musicians)

Mixing Phase (usually in the same studio)

Mastering Phase (usually in a specialist studio)

Graphic Design (the artwork for the CD sleeve)

Pressing (getting the CD manufactured -will also insert the sleeve)

AMCOS Fees (if you record works by other people)

Producer

Australia now has a wealth of excellent producers of many diverse styles of Country Music. Choosing rightly or wrongly can make or break your career. It is worth the money to choose one of the best. Harry-down-the-road can never open the doors that having the right name on the Album sleeve will. This is not a cynical comment. It is fact. The best Producers have the most knowledge of the industry. They are not just interested in a mechanical assembly line to shuffle the maximum number of artists through their doors in any given time. The best Producers know that their reputation will be either enhanced or damaged by the results they achieve. They have a personal interest in you being successful.

Listen to recently released CDs by the artists who closely resemble your intended "style", find out who produced them and go for that person. Don't ask a "Bush Ballad" Producer to work on a "Country Rock" track. It MAY work, but I rather doubt it. Your best chance is sticking with the "tried and true".

You will have to fit into his schedule and it may mean a wait of several months, but as you are just recording one or two tracks (aren't you?) the time waiting may be shorter. Have a meeting with the Producer. Discuss the project, let him listen to your rough demos and listen to the advice he gives. Let HIM select the tracks to record. He knows the industry best.

Get a legal contract! Discuss the budget. Discuss the musicians. Plan everything. Plan for mistakes. Who is responsible for the various problems that may happen during the sessions? Power blackouts? Musician faults such as string breakage? Setting-up time?

Ask your Producer if you may observe a session or two to see how things work. Sitting in on a session is a good way to learn, but remember, SHUT UP, SIT QUIETLY and ask your questions LATER!

Studio / Engineer

Your Producer will guide you here. Trust his judgment. A Producer is only as good as his Engineer, so, by definition, the best Producers use the best Engineers.

Musicians

Equally, your Producer will have worked with a great many musicians and will have excellent advice in the choice of session players. However, if you are also a musician, you have the hard decision as to whether to play on the CD yourself or leave it to the professionals. You may think you will save money by playing yourself, but the studio is a whole different world to stage work or strumming along at home. It may take fifty "takes" for you to get a part right, where a professional would take two or three. Basically, you should be pretty darned good to attempt it.

On the other hand, some professional session musicians may be jaded. They may not have the passion that you yourself have and the performance may feel… uninspired. However, after fifty takes you might be a bit flat yourself. Discuss this with the Producer.

Will you ever be able to reproduce the studio sound on stage? It would be stunning to have Tommy Emmanuel ripping up your guitar solo, but can you ever reproduce this live? One suggestion is to mix a Karaoke track, minus the lead vocals. These are often used when performing on Television shows. Discuss this with your Producer too.

Speaking The Language

The studio is a foreign country. They speak a language that you might think is not English. Words like "Take", "Track", "Cans", "Pop" and "Bed" might mean something very different than what you think. Do you know the difference between "Echo" and "Reverb"? Between "Distortion" and "Overdrive"? This is what you pay your Producer for.

Rehearsal

A session should be held to run through the songs to be recorded, allowing the key musicians to familiarize themselves with the light and shade, the dramatics of the song. Some studios have "rehearsal rooms" set aside for this purpose.

Sessions

"Bed Tracks" are laid down first: drums, bass and rhythm guitar. You will be required to sing a "Guide Vocal" at the same time. Your efforts will be recorded over later so don't worry about getting your part perfect.

Other musicians will come in to add life and colour to the track.

Then it is your turn to stand in front of the big mike and make magic. Your hands go clammy, your throat goes dry, you forget your words. Everyone does it; even the "stars" get nervous in front of the mike. It helps if you ask for the "cans" (the headphones) to have a good dose of reverb coming back at you. Close your eyes and visualise what the song is trying to say. Expect many stops and starts. The best "take" is usually not the first, nor is it usually the last.

Extra dressing comes after this, such as harmonies and instrumental fills.

Mixing

After all the tracks are laid, the Engineer and the Producer will "mix" the song. This step layers the tracks together in the most pleasing manner. This is usually done in the same studio. When they are finished you will have a "Master" track.

Karaoke

This is the time to remind the Producer that you require a Karaoke version, exactly like the final mix, but minus the lead vocals.

Mastering

After the song is mixed, it must be "mastered". (Not to be confused with the "Master" track you already have.) Your "Master" tape will be taken to the Mastering Studio where specialist technicians with sophisticated equipment examine the frequencies, the overall dynamics and loudness, to ready the song for the marketplace.

Indexing Track Selection

Should you be working on a full Album, now is the time to decide the "Track Index", to decide which track should come first, second, third, last. Always remember that the first track on an album should be an attention-grabbing introduction to your work. The intro should be exciting and punchy, a "listen-to-me" demand. DJs get a lot of CDs coming over their desks every week. Sometimes they get a very short listen and are discarded before the first chorus.

If you have done a pre-release single, this should sit at number two or three. Don't let the intensity fade for the first four songs. Try to ensure that every song is strong and memorable. Always finish with a bang! The last song must have a "play me again" quality, perhaps a catchy fun tune or a hunting lullaby.

Sleeve Design, Artwork & Photography

During the recording sessions, you should also have been working with the Graphic Artist on the Sleeve Design and artwork. Let's be frank here. If you're not a beauty, think of alternatives to a portrait photo for the cover. A little thought can supply many options. It is, however, better to show yourself than show an ambiguous photo of a guitar. Perhaps something arty and clever?

A friend (who is very pretty) was photographed (seemingly) naked under a bed of flowers. It was beautiful and very beguiling. Another friend (not so pretty) had, on his album cover, a woman's dressing table with lots of clutter and a photo frame with his picture on it covered by a big red lipstick kiss. You could still see his face, but it didn't dominate. It was amusing and also very clever. Think outside the square.

Male or female, it is well worth the money to have a "glamour photo" session. (Remember to tell the studio that it for press releases and the CD cover, as you will have to OWN the negatives and the right to use the photos outright.) Don't go wild with the curling iron if your hair is normally straight. Look like yourself! Just… without the flaws. That goes for the guys too. Don't let them go overboard with the misty special effects. The photo must not be fuzzy. Get three good photos in different poses and costumes.

Now that you have decided on the track selection, give these details to the Graphic Artist. He/she will design the sleeve, tray-back and the CD itself.

Ensure that your CD is issued with a BARCODE. Ask your Producer for help with this. Ensure that the barcode is included on the tray-back design.

You will have to decide on a CD ID number. This is found on the spine of the CD tray and must always be readable if the CD faces UP. Your code might be the first three letters of your name and some numbers like MIN 0304 (Minter 2003 4th month) or any other code unique to you.

You should have decided, back in the budgeting phase, on whether to supply the words with the CD sleeve. If the songs are all originals, it is perhaps a good idea, but it will add to the cost. Include your website address and contact details. If this is your home address, don't let the consumer know. Indicate it is your "Management" contact address.

Ensure that all songs are correctly accredited to their writers. If you have written some of the songs yourself, register them with APRA (Australian Performing Rights Association). Venues and Radio Stations pay for a licence to use copyright music. This money is collected by APRA and remitted to the authors of the music. Songwriters receive a small payment every time their song is played on radio, or performed, whoever sings it. It is very important to get this step right or you are preventing them from receiving money they have due. If you don't know who wrote the song, a phone call to a helpful DJ may help, or, failing that, call APRA. Don't guess; know for sure.

Pressing

With the mastering done and the artwork ready, the project will be sent off to be "pressed". Of course, CDs aren't actually pressed like old vinyl records and the proper term is "manufactured", but most people still use the term "pressed" for the process.

For every track not written by yourself, you must pay "mechanical copyright" or AMCOS Fees. This fee will be paid to the owner of the copyright for each song. Whether you press 100 or 1000 CDs, the cost is X cents per copy pressed. Naturally, it is perhaps better to do a short run of 250 or 500 CDs before forking out all that cash. Balance this against the deal offered to you by the manufacturing company.

The company will also put the CDs together with the sleeve and tray-back, so in just a few days you will be the proud owner of X number CDs, all ready for the next big step, Publicity.