Basic Tracking

So you wanna record and release an independent CD?

Here is part one of a series about the step-by-step process of recording and releasing an independent CD.

Step one - finding the right studio and getting prepared to record the basic tracks. In Colorado, a band or artist has lots of choices when it comes to recording. Not only do we have the luxury of some high quality professional studios, we also have a lot of production guys out there with more than adequate home studio setups. With the cost of recording gear dropping drastically over the last 5 years, it's been a reality to build a good low-cost recording studio that can produce really nice sounding finished product, as long as the guy twisting the knobs knows how to use the gear and also knows how to get good tones on the instruments being recorded. So how much does it cost per hour to record? Typically anywhere from $20 an hour to $100 an hour, depending on where you're doing it and who is engineering it. The average price generally falls into the $40-$50 an hour range.

When deciding on a studio and who is the right one for you, ask for a sampler CD of music they have recorded in their studio. Find out what they specialize in and if you think they can capture what you would like your end product to sound like within the budget you have allotted for the recording. How much is it going to cost to record a full CD of music? That depends on how prepared you are as a band or performer and how efficient you are in the studio. Most bands have lots of timing and performance issues that are more noticeable in the recording process than they are live. These can be fixed with digital editing in the studio if you want to pay somebody to sit there and correct all of your mistakes. You can also rehearse your butts off and eliminate the majority of the timing issues so the tedious process of editing is minimized. Another area to pay close attention to is how good your instruments sound. Using crappy sounding instruments creates a crappy sounding finished product. Drums are a big part of this. There are a handful of drummers in Colorado who have consistent, good sounding drums in the studio. Many of the local recordings typically have drum sounds that are lacking. It would serve all 1st and 2nd time studio drummers to hire Larry Thompson, Christian Teele or Kenny James, to name a few, for an afternoon to discuss all the elements of drum tuning, how to get good drum sounds, and how to be efficient and comfortable in a studio environment.

Capturing well-recorded basic tracks is the first step to making a good sounding CD. Not every studio is right for every band. Be sure to research your options thoroughly before making your decision. Rushing this process will produce similar results to rushing the beat of a song - it may be adequate and acceptable for some, but for those who pay attention and know the difference, it will be noticeable and obvious.