Maybe this is your first time using a producer, or maybe you’ve worked with some before and have had wildly different experiences, some good and some not so good.  Your song is important and it may be tough to know what you’re getting into.  So let me break down what the approach will be when we are working together to make your song the best it can be!

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Beginnings

All we need to get started is a simple voice memo/recording of your song.  Just your voice maybe with a piano or guitar or something.  Don’t be worried about quality or the right sounds or anything like that, this is just something to help me get an idea of the song. At some point I will ask for just your voice recorded to a click track, this will help us hear the song in context as it is being filled out!  Again, not worried about quality or even the correct lyrics, and this can be done at home or with me in the studio.   

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Updates

Most updates on the song will be uploaded to a space where we can organize and keep everything we’ve done, likely Boombox.io and/or Dropbox. Your feedback can be done right on the site with timestamp options for quick and clear communication. 

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The first couple of updates I send will be the “bones” of the song. I want to be sure I’m heading in the right direction before we add too many elements.  These “bones” may be a main piano hook, or maybe the drums/percussion, or it could be nailing the sound of a synth that plays throughout the whole song.. Whatever serves the song best.  Then we get into the other elements that will fill the song out and make it sound full and professional.

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*Something to keep in mind as you are hearing these updates is that the song is not mixed yet. You may hear things you want to change such as volume, panning, sounds being too harsh or too muddy, you hate the way your vocal sounds... All of these things will be addressed in the mixing phase.  Try to focus on the general production at this point! 

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Vocal Recording

Once we’ve both signed off on the production it’s time for the final vocals.  I have a post on how to capture a great vocal recording at home, but there are likely mics and gear in the studio that you don’t have at home, plus doing this in the studio is always the most fun!  It’s not an extra cost, so if you’re able to, it’s best to come in for a vocal day and work on this together (if travel allows, I know a lot of times we are working remote). 

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Mixing

Now is the time to get your song clear and audibly pleasing.  Mixes will be sent through the same method as the production updates. 

Things to listen for in mixing:

1.  Volume of individual tracks

2.  Panning of individual tracks (left and right)

3.  Where things “sit” in the mix together

4.  How things sound, not what they are doing

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Things to NOT listen for in mixing:

1.  The overall loudness of the song. 

  • The mix will sound quiet to you compared to other songs on the radio, the loudness of the song is one of the things that is handled during mastering.  

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Mastering

The final phase!  This will add the volume to your song as well as bring out some sparkle and width and make it ready for it's distribution destination (streaming, CD, etc.).  This file is the one that you will upload to the distribution site of your choosing.  

Congratulations, your song is finished!