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by Alex Cosper (2/15/2014) Music production is the real key to crafting hit songs. The Beatles were great songwriters and performers but a big part of their success also had to do with how George Martin produced their recordings. He just happened to know a lot of classical musical and orchestras, which product extra musical creativity to their recordings. The Motown Sound was another milestone in recording production history that generated a string of big hits, partly using innovative production ideas. Studying recording technology history is a great way to dive into knowlege about recording. Here are more tips to help you either become a better producer or learn the recording process better. - Learn to listen to music objectively once it's recorded. - Try to capture the best performance after having the artist warm up. - Decide beforehand if the recording will require a lot of electronics and effects. - Don't turn simple arrangements into complicated productions that take several months to record. - Record voices and instruments dry with no effects, then add effects later so that the mix can be flexible. - Make sure the artist has rehearsed the song adequately before recording. - Try to limit the amount of punch-ins on vocals. If it takes all day, it means the singer needs more practice. - The goal should be to record accurate performances instead of fixing everything in the mix. - Artists should work with producers that care about their music. - Producers should only work with artists that are ready to be heard by the public to maintain professional credibility. - When it comes to adjusting EQ during recording or mixing, it's better to reduce than to add. - High pass filters can cut low end frequencies while low pass filters cut high end frequencies. - Drums and bass should handle most of the low end while vocals usually occupy the midrange. - Doubling a vocal is a good way to strengthen the vocal, as long as both tracks are sung in unison. - To save time, vocal harmonies should be well rehearsed instead of improvised in the studio. - If the production is meant to showcase lyrics and melody then the one instrument and vocal can be sufficient. - Drums should be recorded first, then the bass, then other instruments, then lead vocals. - Each recording session should have a specific goal so that time is used efficiently. - Once all the elements are recorded, the producer needs to listen to every measure carefully. - It's important to listen to a mix on various sound systems, in which it may sound different on different systems. - Rerecord anything that sounds off-key or out of time musically and then do a remix. - Once you are happy with a final mix, the next phase is mastering, so that levels and frequencies sound crisp and enjoyable. - To improve production skills, listen to professional interviews and check into recording arts schools. |
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