Why Did You Start Your Recording Studio?

[brandondrury]

Here's my latest article:

Why Did You Start Your Recording Studio?

http://www.recordingreview.com/artic...ng-Studio.html


Brandon

[Futant55]

I started because I thought it would get me in good with the ladies, but all it wound up getting me was stuck in a room with no airconditioning and a bunch of sweaty guys for hours on end. Where did I go wrong.J/k

[brandondrury]

started because I thought it would get me in good with the ladies, but all it wound up getting me was stuck in a room with no airconditioning and a bunch of sweaty guys for hours on end. Where did I go wrong.J/k

Yeah, a recording studio is probably a better place to pick up dudes.

Brandon

[AfaraWayland]

I want to work in a studio. The real deal. Like Blackbird, etc...

Earning a staff gig in a major studio takes years.

Most employers want on the job experience.

Why wait for the experience? Start earning points now by perfecting your craft at home, on your own time, whenever and where ever you can.

[brandondrury]

Agreed.

I think a lot of people get excited by the "real thing" that they don't realize that the process isn't any different in a garage or in a big place. The sound of the room is different. Working in a pro facility is easier as everything is designed specifically for the purpose at hand.

Of course, the big one is shitty bands usually don't pay $5,000 per day for studio time so you the odds of recording with real bands is pretty good.

After that, there are no differences in the process. I'd say that the difference between recording at home vs recording in a pro studio in terms of the actual process is about like the difference between crank windows and power windows in your car. That's it.

So anyone waiting around to start recording in a real place is full of shit. They just don't want to record.

Brandon

[kyleknapp]

I started mine just so I could have creative control over mixing my latest album (most of the tracking was done in a "real" studio). I'm enjoying doing it, and I'm learning a lot, but I'm not sure whether it'll be a practical career pursuit or anything like that, as I'm indecisive, anal about details, and generally slow. Still, now that I'm starting to get a clue about how this is done, I'll probably record future projects here, for myself and possibly for friends.

[sp4585]

Originally Posted by kyleknapp

I started mine just so I could have creative control over mixing my latest album (most of the tracking was done in a "real" studio). I'm enjoying doing it, and I'm learning a lot, but I'm not sure whether it'll be a practical career pursuit or anything like that, as I'm indecisive, anal about details, and generally slow. Still, now that I'm starting to get a clue about how this is done, I'll probably record future projects here, for myself and possibly for friends.

Perhaps you would have a better feeling about things as an engineer/producer if the bands/musicians you were recording were people that came to you professionally and not as friends/yourself. You would be more decisive because it would be necessary and possible... maybe.

[raygodinez]

Well, first off let me say thank you Brandon for a website that cuts through the huge layers of greasy BS that is always floating above the true info needed to start recording at home. I agree with you 100% about Cubase, and the Shure mics. Currently at home I am using the FirePod with Cubase SX3, shure and AT mics and my prized baby: the Neumann TLM 103(for vocals, and acoustic guitar this thing cannot be beat) with no issues.

The home recording was started out of necissity due to the unrealistic costs of pro studios. I work closely with my brother, Danny Godinez (www.dannyband.com and somewhere on myspace), guitarist, signer-songwriter, currently working out of the Seattle area. For the price of a demo session I figured we could pretty much set up home studio. Best decision I have ever made. Lots of fun. We have been recording like mad ever since. Everything you hear on the web has been recorded at home (I know, sounds like it). Definitely Lo-Fi, but pleasing to the ear.

I'm not a real stickler about mids too bright, lows to dark, lowering Hz here, raising Hz there, for the main reason of: I don't really understand it. I just know what sounds good to my ears. Case in point, listen to the new Go! Team record (Thunder, Lightning, Strike!). That thing sounds awful, but rocks with personality. It was recorded in the basement of the brainchild of the band (Ian something) from whom I give you this quote: "Everything was slammed to tape with the levels bleeding red!". Not that I am advocating that type of recording, but rather, ultimately, it is true what they say: Garbage in - Garbage out".

I like what the Flaming Lips say about the studio as well, which essentially is that the studio is just another instrument to use in making music. Love midi and samples in that respect. For the type of music I am recording and making, drums are not needed. I tried to do it once and man, what a nightmare! Too cumbersome. It just came out sounding really "old fashion". Cymbals are such a sonic real estate hog.

Still, I am looking forward to day that I can understand difference about Hz that, too bright this, etc. Have any good suggestions for a night class or something like that in the Seattle area covering recording and mixing?

Once again, thanks for the site. A really nice resource.

[studiodekadent]

So I could retain complete control of my own musical vision during the process of realizing it.

And also because I could potentially make some money from the investment.

[Charlie_M]

I set up my little space – which I couldn’t really call a studio per se – as a way to capture songs that I planned to write (have written a few by now – it’s a blast!). My concept of the thing has changed a bit over time. Honestly I think I came in with too low of expectations. I had no idea of the quality of sound you can get in a home rig with relatively inexpensive components. So now I’m really intrigued by the whole thing, and looking to see how good of a quality job I can actually do with this meager set of gear I have and the far-from-ideal space it occupies.