It has been quite awhile since my last article and I just figured it was time to get out the ol' pad and paper and start writing. Actually, it was time to get the ol' boss off of my back. Rich has been hounding me for a year. It isn't enough that I edit the newsletter. Apparently he wants me to be editing some of my own stuff, as well. It's sick how some people abuse their power, isn't it?
So what I needed was a topic, something that not only would pique the interest of our readers but could also lend itself to several more articles down the line. The big boss is appeased.
For about a year now, I have been working on my own demo album. I have had that goal in mind for quite awhile but didn't start seriously pursuing it until last year. Late summer is the deadline and with lyrics and vocals in the works, I feel that it's an attainable goal. Let me tell you how I got to this point.
First and foremost, we need some equipment. Assuming we're all home recording enthusiasts here, let's make a list of the stuff needed to make a professional quality demo. I own an eight-track recorder, but a four-track will do the job just fine. A small mixer is an invaluable investment (a mixer is not mandatory if buying a four track, as most four tracks include mixers built in) as are real studio monitors, and not home stereo speakers. Stereo speakers are made to enhance the sound while studio monitors give you a realistic reproduction of what you've laid down on tape.
So far, along with the cost of a power amp (home stereo receivers work fine), we're in for a good twelve to thirteen hundred dollars. Gasp! Just remember that you could easily spend well over that much in a professional recording studio. Now we need a few microphones.
The Shure SM-58 is the mic of choice here. It does everything well. It's great on vocals. It does a decent job on acoustic guitars and it can even be used to mic a guitar amp. What the heck, buy two of 'em! Let's get to the drums.
With drums there are a few options: buy a drum machine or record them live. If you choose the latter, borrow a couple more microphones and use two of the SM-58's as your overheads and one each on the snare and the kick. Use
separate tracks for each and two separate tracks for the overheads in stereo.
We are out of tracks, right? This is where a DAT recorder comes in. There are several reasons for spacing out the drums in this way. Each track can have its own EQ and compression, and along with reverbs, delays, etc., this offers much more flexibility when you mix down to the DAT.
A DAT recorder is very similar to a cassette deck. It is a two-track recorder with the only difference being that it is digital. This makes for an excellent mixdown deck: clean, quiet, and pristine. The DAT is one of the most important parts of your recording chain. If you don't buy one (the cheapest ones go for about five-hundred dollars), borrow one. I do.
After you have mixed your four drum tracks to the DAT, remember when mixing back into two tracks of your four-track recorder to use new tape. This is for two reasons. It makes for higher fidelity in the final product and saves the original recording if you ever need it again. Do this every time you mix to the DAT and back. It takes up some tape to do this but tape is well worth the price of not having something if and when you ever need it.
By now you should have a good idea of what you'll need to start recording your own demo. We didn't really go into specific brands. Most of the companies out there are good. More importantly, find something that has the features that you want. This is where sometimes the products will differ. In the next newsletter we will begin recording our "beds". These include the drums, bass, rhythm guitars, keyboards, etc., and are just as they sound. Soft, comfortable places for your valuable ideas to lie. Remember, tape is cheap, your music isn't. So until next time, keep the recording light on.