What to Expect in a Recording Session
A recording session is the process of capturing performances on a recording device. Each instrument usually gets recorded onto its own track or group of tracks. This is why recording is often called tracking. Tracking is just another name for recording.
In a professional studio, the engineer will work closely with you to capture the best possible performance. Expect to do multiple takes and review your performance along the way. Ideally, you will have no concerns about how you performed your parts before you move on to the next song. Good communication with the engineer is vital to ensure your vision is met. Don’t stress over mistakes; tracking is about capturing the best version of your performance.
If you've never participated in a recording session before, the best way you can remove any uncertainty about your session is to meet with your engineer for a pre-production meeting and discuss any questions or concerns you have. You can also discuss your musical vision which will help the recording engineer be prepared for your recording sessions.
There are some specific ways you can prepare for an amazing recording session that will maximize your time in the studio. You can read about it in detail in the article below. But here is a quick summary.
- finish writing your songs
- be well-rehearsed
- plan and prepare your instruments
- discuss your project with your engineer
Lastly, it's worth mentioning the important step that follows the recording process, which is mixing.
Recording vs Mixing
In most modern music production, there are two distinct phases: recording and mixing. Mixing is the process of transforming the raw recorded performances into well-balanced, polished tracks that you are proud to share with the world. Mixing seeks to achieve a cohesive musical vision that sounds great and showcases each performer's part in the way it was intended.
Mixing is typically done by the mix engineer alone after the performers have completed the recording process. Mixing will often take longer to complete than recording. When the mix engineer is done mixing, the performers will evaluate the mixed tracks and provide feedback so the engineer can make any needed revisions.
It's common for performers to have to wait for weeks or months after their recording session to hear the first mixed version of their songs. While it's possible for recording engineers to provide a raw mix the day of a recording session, it's not always a good use of time and money to do so.
Types of Tracking: Live vs Overdub
There are two primary methods of recording performances of multiple instruments, such as a band: live recording and overdubbing.
Live Recording: the band plays live, as if performing a live show, and the live performance is recorded in real-time.
Overdubbing: each musician plays their part alone, listening to parts already recorded by the other musicians, usually starting with the drums and rhythm instruments, followed by vocals and additional layers.
Any combination of live recording and overdubbed recording is possible, so discuss with your recording engineer to find the ideal process for your project.
Read more about Live vs Overdub Recording in the article below.
Factors to Consider
- Scheduling
Recording live requires all performers to be available, not only for the live recording, but also for the setup and soundcheck. A good recording engineer will schedule the live tracking session so that each muscian can arrive when needed to minimize sitting around. For example, the drummer may be scheduled to arrive a few hours before anyone else, since the drum recording setup is so involved. And the singer may be scheduled to arrive last, since their setup requires little time. Overdub recording, by contrast, only requires one performer to be available, which makes scheduling studio time easier.
- Performance Mistakes
When recording live, since all instruments will be recorded simultaneously, if one performer makes a mistake, it could require the entire band to re-record in order to fix the mistake. It can also be harder to notice mistakes since everyone is playing at once. Overdub recording, by contrast, allows each performer to correct any mistakes as they go with ease.
Consider your specific needs and discuss the options with your recording and mixing engineers.
