First Live Session Coming Up / Some Advice or Guidance?

hithere · Post by **hithere** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:25 pm

Hey guys, don't post here much but read a lot and figured this may be a good place to ask.

I am a "solo" artist, for years I have recorded myself, and had friends do drum tracks in a proper studio. Mostly playing all of the other instruments myself and getting friends to back me live. Generally recording at home can be a lonely and overly long process of overcoming obstacles that most home studio recordists here are probably very familiar with. Besides the obvious gear/acoustic shortcomings not having other ears when tracking / arranging is probably the worst.

Also paying the majority of studio time when doing track by track recording by one's self is rough.

I have a pretty solid group of people backing me right now. I show them the chords, we got the basics of a song down in about 15 minutes, and you just can't help but smile as a control freak who is often sitting programming drums for hours on demos.

In all my years of being a musician I have never tracked live. I have a pretty good idea of what to expect from sitting in on some of these types of sessions, but I have never been the artist in the situation.

I love music production, I also love different types of production, from shiny super tight modern stuff, to my old school Neil Young and Tom Petty type stuff.

One of my hugest influences from a work ethic standpoint is Ryan Adams, the guy has famously cranked out records like no tomorrow, most of which from basic research start out live off the floor.

I myself am somewhat of an erratic songwriter myself and like to work quickly.

I have some fear going into this session, as it cuts the safety netting right off of a musician from this generation who isn't used to working this way.

Any zen advice to keep in mind from you guys as the artist?

Trick Fall · Post by **Trick Fall** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:24 pm

Are you going to a studio? Or are you recording at home? If you are going to a studio it's nice to not have to wear both hats. (performer and engineer) I'd say just relax and have a good time. There's nothing better then playing in a decent live room and vibing off of the other players. It's also nice to be playing live, but in a way where you can hear yourselves really well.

hithere · Post by **hithere** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:38 pm

It will be in a studio with a great live room and enough iso booths for all the instruments. Also will be done digitally so any small corrections/punches should be pretty easy.

Have been listening to The Raconteurs records today on vinyl, which I have the read the core was tracked live, so much energy.

Also gonna keep a click on the drummer the entire session, but may be interesting to some takes without one for reference.

Trick Fall · Post by **Trick Fall** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:46 pm

Lots of great stuff was done live in a room. The best stuff of I've done was recorded live with either no separation or just some gobos. The separation and meticulous thing is cool too, but I'd rather just have the band cranking in a room together with bleed.

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 5:28 pm

It sounds like you've picked a room and engineer you should be happy with. If you and the band have rehearsed and can keep relaxed, you should have a great time.

lyman · Post by **lyman** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:41 am

Don't be married to the idea of how things are going to go. Once you're in the thick of it, things change and it pays to be flexible.

Get in an extra rehearsal before recording.

Trick Fall · Post by **Trick Fall** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:11 am

lyman wrote:Don't be married to the idea of how things are going to go. Once you're in the thick of it, things change and it pays to be flexible.

Get in an extra rehearsal before recording.

Excellent advice

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:26 am

if it's energy you're after, i would NOT have the drummer play to a click.

try without the click first, see how it goes. it'll probably go fine. i can play to a click no problem, but i've made records both with and without them, and i don't need to tell you which ones have a better feel.

A.David.MacKinnon · Post by **A.David.MacKinnon** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:09 am

MoreSpaceEcho wrote:if it's energy you're after, i would NOT have the drummer play to a click.

try without the click first, see how it goes. it'll probably go fine. i can play to a click no problem, but i've made records both with and without them, and i don't need to tell you which ones have a better feel.

^^^^This.
I like to use a click at the top of each tune as a tempo reference but shut it off once the band starts playing. If each take starts at the right tempo you'll be amazed to discover that they'll speed up and slow down consistently in the same places every time and it's usually no problem editing between takes if you need to.

cjogo · Post by **cjogo** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:34 pm

Years at recording live -- all direct to DAW -- no overdubs ... no click in 30 years https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... o34K-2vJmk

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:17 pm

pick/voice your drums, cymbals, guitars and amps, etc with the utmost care

cjogo · Post by **cjogo** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:44 pm

We do a minimum of micing the drums -- have lots of gobo's and go direct with the bass & guitars

Even a little isolation will help

jstark · Post by **jstark** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 2:41 pm

enough iso booths for all the instruments

embrace bleed.

cjogo · Post by **cjogo** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 4:15 pm

jstark wrote:
enough iso booths for all the instruments
embrace bleed.

Sorry didn't mean actual "booths" -- we just use well padded walls we roll around. Just to keep like the grand piano from the congas ....trap set from vocalist ...etc

You can see in the photos above ...

Message Board

First Live Session Coming Up / Some Advice or Guidance?

First Live Session Coming Up / Some Advice or Guidance?

yes

Who is online