Myth 1:  Musicians and singers are considered professional because they do it ‘full-time’ or ‘for a living’.

In actual fact, the people that are making money and working full time as musicians and singers are able to do so due to the fact they are professional.  Just because they do it full time or as their main form of income doesn’t make them professional, it’s how they act and the disciplines they’ve developed that makes them professional.

Myth 2:  You have to be an amazing musician and singer to be a professional.

Although it is true that you need to be at a certain level to be able to carry out what a professional needs to do to get the job done, talent and music knowledge alone doesn’t make you a professional even if you’re the best in the world.

Myth 3:  You need to have years of experience on stage or in the studio to be considered a professional.

Experience is valuable, but experience alone doesn’t make you professional.  If you don’t act professionally, you won’t get a shot on a professional stage or in a studio inthe first place.

Very basically being a ‘professional’ is more about how you act and your attitude than what you know or what you’ve done.  Although it is very important to be ‘good’ and always striving for excellence in your given craft, it’s not the only attribute required.

There are many very talented musicians and singers that aren’t performing on a professional stage because they don’t understand the discipline required to be a professional.  Some of these disciplines include; being organised and on time to rehearsals and performances, knowing the songs and words, performing always in context and always striving to expand musical knowledge and ability just to name a few.

To see a true professional in action (..or not), CLICK HERE.

Why is it so important to have good sound?

Sound is one of the most important aspects of a modern performance.  Good sound ensures that the lyrics and music can be heard and understood by an audience.  It can also take an audience on a journey or spark emotion.

‘Great sound should go unnoticed’

• To not be a distraction from the band; musically and lyrically
• To insure the experience for the audience is the best it can be or what the artist or band are creatively going for

What do I need to know to do sound?

• Be able to hear
• Understand signal flow
• Know to use your equipment
• Know mic’ing technique
• Be attentive and alert at all times
• Be methodical in processes
• Be able to troubleshoot problems

What is Sound Check?

Sound check is the most important time for the sound engineer.  It’s where 98% of the work is done.  This is the time for the sound person to hear each instrument and voice by themselves and be able to adjust each input to sound the best it can.  This is the place to sort out feedback issues, to ensure the band and singers can hear themselves and are comfortable on stage.  This also requires the patience and cooperation of the band and singers and communication is key.

EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE….

Yes, the good news is you’re only experience away from becoming a great sound engineer.  Do it as much as possible and you will get quicker in your processes and your ear will be fine-tuned to recognise frequencies and the smallest feedback.  Listen to music and try to define sounds for yourself.  There are many books and Internet resources if you wish to get into more detail, but for now, enjoy the learning process….  It never ends…..

Tip 1  – First The Song!
That’s right, the first thing you need is a great song.  We’re all guilty of thinking all of our songs are great, but unfortunately that isn’t always the truth.  The best way to write a hit is to keep writing songs.  Songwriting takes practice, just as a guitarist needs to practice to get better at their instrument.  There are certain formulas to follow depending on your genre of music.  You could fast-track your experience by investing in a good songwriting course.  Listen and take note of professional songwriters or bands in your genre and compare your song to their songs.  Listen to details like, how long does their song go for?  What are they writing about? Listen for the musical and lyrical hooks then apply it to your songs format.  The final outcome of the recording will depend on whether you’ve thought about these components.

Tip 2 – Record a DEMO at home
Before you step foot in a professional studio where you’re paying for every hour,  it’s beneficial to record your song or songs at home first.  What this will allow you to do is critically listen to your song.  Don’t be afraid to re-write based on what you hear.  If there’s anything you think could be better, work on it.  There are also professional songwriters that will critique your songs for a fee.  They may suggest ways of strengthening your ideas or fixing parts to make more sense.  This usually is really helpful as well as your song will be heard with fresh ears.  It’s important to keep an open mind.  This ‘dodgy’ recording will also allow you to work out different guitar parts and vocal layers.  It makes for an easier and quicker recording session when these parts have been worked out beforehand.  It will give your producer something to work with and tweak for a better product.

Tip 3 – Don’t Be Too Precious
Be prepared for things to change, normally that’s the exciting part.  Quite often when you get into a professional studio, you’ll be working with a producer or engineer who will have a lot of experience in the industry.  They will most probably suggest ways of achieving the sound you’ve described to them.  This might be in the form of a certain recording technique you may not have heard of or even an extra or replacement guitar part, let them do their job.  It’s all about trust between you and the professionals you’re working with.  This is why it’s so important to find a studio, engineer or producer you feel comfortable with.  Visit the studio and listen to other recordings they’ve produced and make sure you’re happy with that quality and their personality.  Don’t forget that these guys are there to help you achieve the best possible outcome for your project too.

So there’s 3 tips to achieve your awesome recording.  Write a great song or group of songs, critique your own demo or send it to a professional songwriter to critique it, then let the pros be pros and expect some things to change for the better in the studio.  Hopefully, when your radio-ready recording is completed and falls into the right hands, all your dreams will be realised!

Mastering is a process that some artists often skip if they’re on a budget and, honestly, done badly, mastering can make your material sound worse than what it did before. It’s a fact that mastering is a must for those artists who wish to have any kind of radio play or even to make a good impression with a paying fan. You don’t want someone who bought your CD to have to adjust the volume or bass and treble of their stereo to compensate for an unbalanced sound. So what betters your chance of a successful mastering experience and what should you expect to happen to your songs?

Well, first lets talk about the art of mastering. Known as the ‘black art’ of the recording domain, it all starts with the mastering engineer! This guy or gal has to have a precise and experienced ear. Attention to detail is paramount to have any chance of correcting and manipulating the sonic performance of your music for its betterment. The equipment used in mastering is also as well-tuned as the engineer’s ear. The referencing tools and processes required are often tedious and repetitive, but are key to creating a quality acceptable by radio and industry.

We put a lot of trust in these guys and process and sometimes, expect miracles. If you have ever sent your album, EP or single to a mastering suite and got it back disappointed, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

The basic truth is, the better the quality that goes in, the better the quality that comes out. In other words, take time with your recording and your mixes. Ensure that every instrument, vocal and sound effect is exactly where you want it and reference against other professional recordings, then, expect it to change… Yes that’s right, mastering can, and probably will change your mixes slightly. This is why quite often a mastering engineer will ask you to provide a few different mixes of your song. For example, they may ask you for 3 mixes of your song with vocals normal, higher and lower than you would normally have them.

This happens because process like maximising and limiting reduce or squash your dynamic range (softest point vs loudest point). This mostly affects things like vocals or snare cracks, but is not limited to just those. To combat this type of surprise, it’s a good idea to, once you’ve done a first or second mix of your song, insert a brick wall limiter over the master buss in your project file and turn up the input gain so it gets louder. From here, listen to what’s being affected. Are the vocals too loud or too soft? Have you lost the drums? You can adjust accordingly. After you’ve tweaked the mix, take off the limiter and bounce out that mix. It may not sound the best as it is, but you can be sure that when it comes back to you, things will all be clear.

So, in a nutshell, take time in mixing and reference to other recordings as much as you can. Do a mix with limiting on the master buss. Send it to a good mastering studio or engineer. Expect a little change. Get the awesomeness back, and rock on….. Did I just say rock on?