The Ten commandments of Recording
Handed down by Steve Friedman of Melville Park Studio
- I. Knowest Thy Purpose
- Be clear on why you are making the recording and on what you
intend to do with it. Artists often waste a lot of time and money
because they don't know what they want, and therefore don't know what
to do or when to stop.
- II. Thou Shalt Not Expect Too Much From Thy Recordings
- Your career also depends on your song writing, playing &
singing skills, gigging, stage presentation, booking, promotion,
publicity, distribution, and contacts. An album is only part of the
picture.
- III. Thou Shalt Not Overspend
- Promotion, distribution, gigging and travel cost money. Spending
it all on recording is like buying a Ferrari and not having money left
to buy gas for it.
- IV. Thou Shalt Not Interrupt Thy Career Whilst Recording
- Disappear into the studio for six months and nobody will remember
you when you emerge. Don't stop writing and gigging!
- V. Thou Shalt Not Rehearse In The Studio
- If you can't play it in your bedroom, you won't be able to play
it in the studio.
- VI. Thou Shalt Not Confuse Thy Friends With Studio Musicians
- You think your pals sound great jammin' in your kitchen. Put them
under the microscope of a studio mixdown session and you may be in for
a shock!
- VII.Thou Shalt Not Try To Be Thine Own Engineer
- Self-recording is a good way to prepare for a project, but a bad
way to do one. I've seen artists spend a year on an album at home that
could have been made better in a week at my studio. Confucius say "Man
who re-invent wheel spend much time going in circles."
- VIII.Thou Shalt Not Expect More Than Thou Payest For
- Cheap recordings sound cheap.
- IX. Lay Thy Tribute At The Altar of Time, And Not At The
Altar of Fancy Gear
- It's better to take all the time you need at a modest studio with
rates you can comfortably afford, than to rush and cut corners at a
state-of-the-art studio with a high hourly rate.
- X. Thou Shalt Remember To Enjoy Thyself
- Success in the music business is so rare, it's foolish to even
try if you're not having fun!