In this video, Grammy Nominee Marc D. Nelson (known for his work with Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz) discusses 5 crucial concepts found inside Warren Huart and Jerry Hammack’s #1 Best-Selling book ‘Home Studio Recording: The Complete Guide.’
These are tips you probably won’t find in conventional audio textbooks.
They are the lessons learned from years of hands-on experience in the music industry: producing, recording, mixing, and working with artists every single day.
Some of these tips might surprise you!
So, let’s dive right in…
1. The psychology of working with artists is just as important as your engineering skills.
Especially when first starting out, our main focus is on honing our craft. We want to learn how to achieve the absolute best sound imaginable.
While building skills is crucial, and we encourage every engineer to do so, there’s a second layer to music production, wich is equally important—the art of working with artists!
Music production is a creative process, so the way you conduct yourself in a session, how you communicate with artists, as well as your ability to inspire amazing performances and ideas are crucial skills to be honed.
Artists tend to prefer to work with engineers who are a easy to be around, great communicators, and who manage to create an inspirational studio environment.
So next time you run a session, pay extra attention to this topic!
2. Gear is not everything.
On our quest to create top-notch recordings and mixes, it’s easy fall into the trap of relying on gear to make it happen.
A new plugin is released, which sounds promising? – We gotta have it.
Want to add a 6th guitar to your existing collection of 5? – Why not?
The fact is, compared to performance, skill, and creativity, gear plays a minor role in the quality of your music.
Instead of chasing the latest and greatest gear, master the equipment you own and build a studio that perfectly aligns with your production style and the artists you work with.
Or, as Eric Valentine (Good Charlotte, Queens Of The Stone Age) put it in ‘Home Studio Recording: The Complete Guide’:
‘I only want things at my studio that I absolutely have to have. There is no excess here. It’s really good. There’s something about it that makes the process go forward.’
3. Always be recording.
Is the band rehearsing in the studio?
– Hit record!
Is the singer warming up for their ‘real performance’?
– Hit record!
Sometimes, the most magical moments happen when you least expect them. And if you’ve missed your chance to capture them, it’s dang near impossible to get them back.
In today’s day and age, it costs you absolutely nothing to record as many takes as you like. So be sure you’re always tracking.
Sowhen the drummer plays a super cool fill by accident – you’ll have it ready!
4. Less Microphones is More.
In today’s day and age, the track count in our DAWs is unlimited and high-quality microphones are a lot cheaper than they used to be.
So why not put up 30 mics in a session?
The fact is, the more mics you put up, the more likely you are to run into phase issues (sound waves canceling each other out).
That’s why, counterintuitively, a setup with a few well-placed microphones will often sound bigger and more ‘alive’ than one using a lot of microphones.
– Try it out!
5. Commit to your ideas.
When you have a sound you like, commit to it and move on.
Leaving yourself with too many options can get you into a huge mess, and you are likely to lose your musical vision in the process.
Marc calls this ‘the Devil’s triangle.’
Not committing to sounds and a ‘we can et to that later’ mentality heavily limits the way we express ourselves.
Remember: There is beauty in imperfection.
A lot of super successful records were the result of happy accidents or even mistakes.
Perfection isn’t what we strive for with music. It’s expressing an energy, a feeling in the moment, that our listeners can relate to.
So: Commit to your ideas.
With time, you will gain more confidence, learn what works for you and what doesn’t.
Committing is the fastest way to grow as a producer… and by committing you’ll make room for magic to happen.
Want to more actionable Music Production Advice?
Check out ‘Home Studio Recording: The Complete Guide’
