Career Songwriter

When it’s time to record a few tunes, it can be a daunting task to decide how to go about it. Over the years I’ve learned a few hard lessons, and I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned from the perspective of an artist and songwriter recording her own material. To make sure I’ve got my facts straight, I’ve asked my long-term recording engineer Jan Teddy to help me out.

Major facilities are appealing in that they offer the gear and the service we’d like, but can place somewhat of a strain on our budget. Home studios are great if the system is working and we’re well versed in how to achieve the sound we need from production to engineering. But as anyone who has built a home studio knows, it often takes a huge time investment with a long learning curve to come to the point we’re recording our music without too much resistance from technology and the process.

In my most frustrated moments, I’ll admit I’ve wished technology had stopped growing with the introduction of the 4-track tape. Fortunately for me and many other artists and songwriters recording their material, my wishes don’t come true and we can get close to the sound of a major facility right in our basement or office, at least in terms of the equipment. The know-how of an experienced engineer/producer is unfortunately not duplicated quite as easily. I have a few opinions based on personal experience and the experience of colleagues that I’d like to share on choosing and building a recording process. However, as with everything you read, do your own research and learn from those around you as well as take into account your own experiences. My thoughts here are only guidelines, and so please use this information to strengthen your craft and business rather than limit it.

One mistake I have made myself and watch other songwriters make is going out and buying a recording system that requires more of an investment than the buyer is willing to make. I’m not only talking about money but rather time and energy into the art itself of recording. Recording, arranging, editing and mixing as well as production are arts that are as deeply complex as writing great songs time after time, and so it can be very wise to get real about your expectations. As many years as you’ve dedicated to becoming a better writer is how many years someone skilled in mix engineering has dedicated to being a good mixer. Now, that’s not to say you can’t be both a decent songwriter and producer, or songwriter and mix engineer. However, being great in more than one of these disciplines is unusual. Also, you are depriving yourself of the second or outside opinion which is part of the producer’s job description. Particularly with songs you have lived with and played for a long time, your objectivity in terms of quality control and emotional impact will most likely be limited. And if your approach to the recording arts is not as intuitive as your writing, there is a good chance you will experience the frustration of having sunk a hefty down-payment into a system that left you screaming into your pillow at night, unable to make music for lack of an understanding of the gear.

The degree to which you outfit your studio can depend a lot on budget as well. There is a wide range of hardwares and softwares out there that all offer the same basic service, but to varying degrees of financial investment. Technology is constantly changing, and what was cutting edge one year may be old news 6 months later. The important thing to remember is that trying to stay current with the latest gear may only leave your pockets empty and your studio constantly under renovation. Don’t let your gear determine what you want to create with your music, but let your music determine what you need from your gear. In the end, the best studio for you is one that allows you to create the music you want to create. For some, that’s a more serious personal studio, and for others, it’s just the bare bones.

Below are some options you might consider when researching a studio setup that’s right for you. I’ve listed some prices next to the options as ballpark figures.

Personal Studio Option 1 (about $1500)
-Apple iMac ($1000)
-Digidesign Mbox Mini ($250)
-Rode NT1-A ($250)

Personal Studio Option 2 (about $3,000)
-Apple MacBook ($1500)
-Firewire Hard Drive such as Gtech ($300)
-Digidesign Mbox 2 or M-Powered ($400)
-Shure SM58 ($150)
-Rode NT2000 ($600)
-Headphones ($50)

Serious Personal Studio (about $6,500)
-Apple MacBook Pro ($2000)
-Firewire Hard Drive such as Gtech ($300)
-Less “High Performance) Firewire Hard Drive for backup ($100)
-Digidesign 002 or 003 ($1200)
-API LunchBox w/API 512c x 2 ($2,000)
-Rode NT2000 ($600)
-Rode NT4 ($500)
-Headphones x 2 ($100)
-Pop Filter ($25)
-Mic Stand ($25)

As you can see above, some of the elements of a personal studio are:
-Computer (Mac or PC)
-Computer Performance (RAM, Hard Drive)
-Audio Interface (Motu, RME, Frontier Designs, M-audio, Presonus, Apogee)
-Optional Pre-Amp (API, Manley, Universal Audio, Focusrite)
-Microphones (Neumann, Shure/AKG, Rode, Peluso, Studio Projects, etc.)
-Accessories (Pop Filter, DI, Mic Stand, Headphones, etc.)

Then there are software options to consider:

Softwares include Apple Garage Band, Fruity Loops for starters, and Ableton Live or Propellerheads Reason for a little more well-rounded approach. You may have heard of DigiDesign Pro Tools LE/M/HD, which is the industry standard, proprietary. Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo, Apple Logic (which is mac only), and MOTU Digital Performer are all softwares used by professionals in major facilities, as well as more serious home or project studios. The main point of having specifically Protools in your studio is a matter of compatibility, since they have been the guys that have been there from the very beginning, and are therefore the most widely distributed software/hardware solution. Many great records have been made on Logic, Cubase, Digital Performer, etc. These software solutions are quite comparable to ProTools, especially the LE version, but there is something to be said for the ability to go back and forth between your home studio and a world class facility without compatibility headaches. The other consideration to be made are driver conflicts … it just doesn’t matter how good the software feels, and your hardware sounds if they don’t play well together. Yet again a point for Digidesign’s ProTools, since hardware and software are specifically created for each other.
Frequently, audio interfaces will actually come with a lite version (really a teaser) of a particular software. Play with that and see if it appeals to the way you think, work, and create. After spending about 100 hours with it and things still feel awkward, maybe it’s time to try something else.

If all this seems a little overwhelming to you, (and there’s no shame in simply being a great songwriter), I encourage you to become familiar with the most basic recording setups, read a couple books, and stay clear of too many radical commentaries in online recording newsgroups/blog sites. Most of the guys that I really want to hear opinions from are busy …making records Whether you find yourself at your friend’s house recording, or at a major facility, you’ll be glad you took the time to understand a little about signal flow, patchbays, compression, microphone basics, etc. You’ll be able to empathize a bit more with the engineer tracking your session as well.

If you do choose to go the way of a major facility, consider your options here, too. How much you shell out for those gleaming platinum-record lined hallways depends on how much time you spend there. The more you rehearse before the studio, the more money you’ll save. Studios charge by the day, sometimes by the hour, whichever you’ve working out with them, and the cost can range from $50 - $250 per hour. Many times day rates are less expensive. My advice would be hiring and engineer that works in that particular room all the time. For one, it will ensure that the engineer frequently works in high end facilities, and at the same time this person will know the ins and outs of that particular room. That will save time and save you money. Most larger studios will be able to connect you with an engineer like this.

You might decide to record a solo demo if you’re a singer/songwriter, thus cutting out the cost of hiring a full band. You might decide to use a full band but only record an EP instead of a full album. Fewer songs mean less time investment and less money.

In my experience, I’m happier with the final product when I’ve done adequate pre-production, over-budgeted the time it will take to record, and hired musicians capable of achieving the sound I want. I would personally rather record two songs with musicians and an engineer I can count on in a decent facility, than record 4 songs in an expensive facility with buddies of mine who mean well but can’t execute what I need them to get on tape. For you, the situation may be different, but I encourage you to give it some thought. The more you know going into the recording process, the better your experiences throughout this exciting leap into the next phase of your music career.

A student of mine recently asked a question that many of us consider as we embark on a songwriting career. I’d like to share it with you, and offer some advice from my own experience. The question is:

“Is it common practice for (unknown) writers to contribute some money to the recording costs of a song? More specifically, a company wants to produce one of my songs and they are asking me for $350. I was just curious if you knew if that was something that often happens, or if that’s a bad deal.”

Let me start by saying it is common practice for all writers, known and unknown, to contribute money to the recording costs of a demo. It is not common practice for songwriters to contribute money to the recording costs on a record. There is a distinct difference between the two, so let me outline just a few of those differences.
A demo is a recording we songwriters invest in for the purpose of pitching to various artists. It is a representation of our work, like a portfolio. When I record a demo, I book session players, a day in the studio, an engineer, and each of these people is paid a fee for their work. A demo is not sold for profit, and no royalties are to be gained from my demo. When a writer is backed by a publisher or label, that writer/artist still pays for expenses such as studio time, etc. The caveat is that because it’s written into our contracts as recoupable items, services the label or publisher pays for up front but we pay for as the sale of our music brings in money, we sometimes overlook the fact that we’re still paying for the process. The label or publisher is just the investor, constantly assessing whether you as an artist or writer is a risk they are willing to take.

When you’re faced with a proposition from another company to record your songs, I encourage you to consider what that company is going to do for you. If the company only serves as a demo house, a studio with musician(s) that churn out a demo of your song for you, then that’s essentially the same as having a producer. All you’re doing is hiring out the pesky details of finding and hiring musicians, a place to record, an engineer, etc. If you’ve heard other demos from this company and you feel their sound would be a great match for your songs, then this service may be valuable for you. The trouble is that many companies out there, and individuals in the business of producing music, don’t care whether they can add anything to your music. They are simply out there to lay down some cheap tracks underneath what they view as just another songwriter without the resources to record their own music.

If the individual or company boasts the ability to get your music into the hands of industry professionals, then there are a few questions you should ask. First, ask them to provide you with the contact information of the people they will forward your music to. Without being able to follow up with the folks who supposedly listened to your music, you not only have no way of knowing if they actually did listen, but you also have no way of forming a relationship with these people if they did listen and like your music. Rarely will a music professional such as a producer, publisher, music supervisor, label exec, etc., track you down about your music – even if they liked it. You can imagine the incredible volume of music these people have to listen to each day, and so the key is to keep yourself as visible as possible so that when opportunities do arise, you are there to remind that person your music would be perfect for those opportunities.

Another important consideration when farming your songs out to be produced by others is the ownership of the master. Demand that you own the master. The production house is simply work for hire, and you are paying them to function as a producer, organizing the bits and pieces of the recording process. There should be no lingering fees such as royalties if the song is placed in a film/TV or on someone else’s record.

The bottom line comes down to relationship. If you believe after a continued relationship with a point person at the company who wishes to record your song, that the song will be demoed with care, then go for it. Typical demo costs depend on the process, whether live musicians were used, a facility was rented, etc. You’re paying for the time and resources of those involved, and so you can estimate the value fairly accurately by taking into account the process in which your song is demoed.

In all cases, I encourage you to keep building your network of musical contacts. Find friends who have the equipment to record. Start with a basic guitar/vocal or piano/vocal and get a sense for the areas in which your songs need to improve before sinking serious money into a full-fledged demo. My final advice is, if a point person at a company is not willing to invest more than the 3.5 hrs it may take to record your song, then you may be disappointed in the results. Build relationships that pave the way for your music to evolve and flourish.