Song creation to mastering.


1. Finish writing your song.
You are not finished writing your song until, you have completed the music and lyrics, set the song structure and arrangement, and selected which instruments will be in the song.

2. Rehearse your material.
When you hit record you should be easily able to play / sing your part without error. Ideally, you want to capture a performance and not piece together takes.

3. Record a demo.
A demo is not something you send to record labels. It is a blueprint for your recording sessions. It is where you sort out which sounds, timbres and tones work well together, and where you refine the arrangement. A rough sketch recording is not a demo. Your finished demo should sound like a well mixed and mastered song/album.

4. Recording sesssion.
This is where you want to get things perfect. Do not get caught in the "we will fix it in the mix" trap. If something is not working, it is best to fix it at the recording stage and rerecord what is not working.

5. Mixing session:
Think of mixing as the final part of your arrangement. It is where you balance out which sounds, instruments and voices are dominant or subtle in the mix and where you position each player and singer on a stereo stage. Think of you mixing engineer as the final band member who will shape your bands overall sound and how it is presented. If you discover something simply will not work during mixing, go back to the recording sessions, re-record and get it right there.

6. Mastering
Keep in mind that mastering affects your entire mix. While mastering can be used to reveal problems in the mix, it cannot correct problems with individual instrument levels. If you encounter problems in the mastering phase of production, it is always best to go back and correct it in the mix.




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