For those that record themselves...

[evan]

I love to write and record! Funnily enough, I started both at the same time. The first time I picked up the guitar to try write something I recorded it, with a tiny little computer mic shoved inside it (it actually didn't sound bad, either). I've never been able to do away with it since. Sure, I sometimes write the basic song structure with a guitar, but all the accompanying instrumentation and more detailed features of the song only make it on the recording. I'm not a very good musician and usually work alone, so this works perfectly for me. And the great part about writing-recording is you can begin with the smallest, superficial idea of what you want to do, and it can flourish in unexpected directions when you start building things up. I've built songs around one-bar basslines, which wouldn't have been easy to conceptualize without recording it first.

[lyman]

i record in spurts. currently, i don't have a home studio set up and ready to record at any moment's notice. i've moved a couple times recently, and space (apartment) wasn't always conducive to keeping everything set up. so a lot of my stuff is boxed up.

furthermore, i usually wait until a song is at least developed to the point where i'd be comfortable performing it solo with acoustic/vocals. and when i do get into a recording mode, i work on a few songs at a time. not always the same instruments (i might do vocals on one song, bass on another, and guitar on both or something) since songs reveal themselves at different rates, i find.

how you go about the creative process is an important thing for any artist to consider. maybe recording a handful of songs at once, doing all the percussion then all the keyboards or whatever, results in them being more sonically cohesive. if you're using the same signal chain for each song, similar mic placement, and are in a similar mind set, this might result in the songs having a similar sound. this could be what you want for an EP or album. for some people, recording one song at a time might allow the songs to take on lives of their own. and that's a cool thing too.

how you approach the writing and recording stages of music is as much a factor as the technical detail stuff, like preamp selection and use of reverb while mixing.

[vvv]

Bands aside, starting about 1990 with a Porta 2, I have nearly every year ended up with "an album" of stuff, usually 10-20 songs. Alright, sometimes two (the year I divorced ) and only once none (the year I married! )

But when digital came along, my "albums" went from being a collection of 4-track demos that I half-arsed sequenced to an attempt at true production, including things like planned sequencing, lead-ins and outs, "mastering" and even gasp! liner notes and credits.

And, digital gave me in my little home-studio the ability to more easily edit, re-mix, and re-record individual tracks as well as duplicate CD's and present the "albums" a bit more aesthetically and commercially finished.

But I still write and record one or maybe four at a time (if I'm waiting for collaboraters to send stuff), and I prefer presenting work in an album format.

[KennyLusk]

I record as I write and sometimes I'll even begin to track a tune that isn't even completely written. Also, as you acquire new pre's, mics, etc., you may find that the evolution of your sound integrates with the projects own evolution just perfectly. Instead of going back to re-record songs with your new pre's you might just continue on with the new gear. And when you listen back 2 months later to something you did without that magic pre you might find that your skills were mojo enough and that the new pre is just a new favorite tool.

Whether you're a pro or an amateur, you should enjoy your own mojo as an engineer AND artist IMO.

[curtiswyant]

i record in spurts. currently, i don't have a home studio set up and ready to record at any moment's notice. i've moved a couple times recently, and space (apartment) wasn't always conducive to keeping everything set up. so a lot of my stuff is boxed up.

furthermore, i usually wait until a song is at least developed to the point where i'd be comfortable performing it solo with acoustic/vocals. and when i do get into a recording mode, i work on a few songs at a time. not always the same instruments (i might do vocals on one song, bass on another, and guitar on both or something) since songs reveal themselves at different rates, i find.

how you go about the creative process is an important thing for any artist to consider. maybe recording a handful of songs at once, doing all the percussion then all the keyboards or whatever, results in them being more sonically cohesive. if you're using the same signal chain for each song, similar mic placement, and are in a similar mind set, this might result in the songs having a similar sound. this could be what you want for an EP or album. for some people, recording one song at a time might allow the songs to take on lives of their own. and that's a cool thing too.

how you approach the writing and recording stages of music is as much a factor as the technical detail stuff, like preamp selection and use of reverb while mixing.

this is what I tend to do. I like my "albums" to have a cohesive sound, so if I do one song at a time, I would never know when to end one album and begin another. Also, I usually hear the song completely finished in my head while I'm writing it, production-wise. I make more notes about production/sounds while writing than lyrics and chords!

[digital eagle audio]

my method is completely half-assed:
i write them as i record them - meaning that i usually come up with a riff or basic idea, record it, decide on the song's form, loop what i've got until it resembles a scratch track, and then do the same for everything else.
then, once it resembles the song i want it to be, i rerecord each part as a performance, and then work on embellishments.
for vocals, drums, and brass, i'm taking all of the songs to the studio where i intern, because let's face it - my apt. doesn't have dbx's, distressors, fairchilds, u47's or a nice room.
then i mix everything afterwards.

[Ben Logan]

I'm in the "completely half-arsed club" as described above. When I get a new tune idea, I head straight out to the garage to lay it down. Make up the drum, bass, and guitar parts right there on the spot.

Without fail, my tunes tend to sound like a bunch of drunks playing in different room together - if that's possible (kind of like going to different schools together). But, I've been slowly getting better over the years - that's what I'm in it for - slow and steady improvement of the craft.

When I get five tunes together, I piece together some artwork and pass out an "EP" to pals. I'm almost finished with my website, so I'll throw 'em up there from now on too.

[digital eagle audio]

yeah, i've been working on my ep for a while.
it's really fucking hard to get it all together by myself!
i've made charts of what needs to be done and all that, i think i may actually have to make a schedule . . .
with deadlines.

[Karlos the Jackal]

Half-assed here, too, recording this and that as I go.

It often goes like this: I'll get out a drum machine and figure out the basic structure -- simple changes from verse to chorus and back, so I can listen to it while playing and singing along, figuring out the structure in more detail.

Then I record a scratchy track with drum machine, autoharp and some keys, and I play that over and over again while figuring out what to do with the arrangement and (often) trying to finish up the lyrics (sometimes it works well to listen to the tune while singing outloud any fool thing that pops into my head).

Then I re-record whatever needs it -- I often tempo-map the drums so I can trade them out easily (same with sequenced keys).

Then, once I'm about 90% done, I lose interest and move on to something else.

--K

[Mark]

Lacking any means of synchronising my drum machine to tape I am forced to pre plan everything.

[stinkpot]

I'm in the half assed club as well. However, once I get the song fleshed out that way, I'll play it for a while (live, rehearsals, etc.) then record it. If I'm going for an album/ e.p. thing, it's been kind of cool to have the songs recorded at different times, but then do a big mixing session. I've found that that helps me to preserve each song's individual character, and then mixing the group gives it a bit of cohesiveness.
But that's just little ol' me.

[Aeroplane Audio]

I find it very hard to write whole songs all by myself...usually i'll need a loopstation pedal or a quick 4 track recorder or something to kind of lay things out in front of me so i can listen to it.

As a result, I usualyl go into the studio with about 60-70% of my stuff being little "fragments" of songs that i know i want to use somehow, with the rest being songs that are actualyl complete and written.

So, in that sense, i have a stockpile, just not of actual songs. And it tends to work out very well.

As far as continuity goes...i try not to worry about it too much. As long as you're not intentionally trying to make every song sound radically differnt from the other, all of your stuff should have the same basic feel, even if you get a bunch of new equipment in the middle. Why? Because new equipment or no, all the songs were still recorded by the same person (you).

You have a "sound", whether you know it or not.

[digital eagle audio]

dude, last night was insane with the half-asserie:
i was trying to get the bassline down on this song, and all of a sudden had a badass idea for the horns (yeah, i'm going into a commercial studio for brass and drums), so while i was working that out on the midi keyboard, i realized what i was playing would sound much better on concertina, so it ended up being that for a while until i realized that what i was playing would be perfect for this set of lyricas that i'd been trying to put to music for weeks. so basically, four hours later, i had no bassline, no brass arrangement, no concertina part, and a whole new song to try and put together.
i really need better organizational skills.

[logancircle]

I record the main tracks (guitar/voc live to an electronic drum beat) as I write them, then come back later to add parts when the inspiration hits. It seems to make sense cos they'll sound fresh, but you can still use those later moments of inspiration. If you're going to be adding any drums or percussion def use a click or a elec drum beat.

[knobtwirler]

If I waited to record songs after all of them were done I'd never record anything.