Record making is a ground up process, where the foundation formed in an earlier phase impacts the later stages.  Recording, Mixing, and Mastering all have equal importance in regards to function, but without a good recording the last two stages will be wrestling with the material, as opposed to working in concert with it.

The final key to maximizing success in the studio is to be prepared.  This goes beyond the act of rehearsal and into the part of the mind that is responsible for organization and anticipation.  Having a detailed plan that allows for flexibility gives a band a roadmap to follow, while being able to deal with unforeseen events both large and small.  The vast majority of people would not want to take a week’s journey without their GPS, why would a band allow itself to blindly navigate the studio environment?

While it is best for a band to wait and save up enough cash to afford the sound they are after, sometimes certain circumstances, and situations place the group outside of the linear professional studio experience (all elements of the production taking place inside professional areas).  This does not mean that the finished product the band is seeking to create has to sound unprofessional.

When a band feels they are able to play through all of their songs comfortably, with a low rate of error, and each song they have written is fully developed, they are prepared to record.  The question is with who?

As the musicians wipe the sweat from their brows, they internally ask if they did all they could do to display the best of themselves on the recording.  The answer any musician hopes to give is a resounding yes.  The question is how does a musician create the environment in which success has a greater chance of being attained?

The first chords of the night pierced through the air, igniting the spirit of the crowd.  Our hearts lockstep with the drums, the bass the blood of our pulse, and as Ragan, backed by Chris Cresswell (filling in for Chris Wollard), unleashed their voices, our minds attuned to their message.

  Communication is a two way street where the groundwork is laid before the musician employs the engineer.  Assuming the prospective client researched their production options, the next step should be a discussion where the prospect addresses the following:

Then there are others who want to display a living, breathing band.  One that requires a great deal of time and refinement to have taken place before the record button is pressed.  A realized form that builds a connection to its audience solely through its pure musicianship.  Every time the listener plays an album born from these circumstances, they become guests to a private concert.

They had captured the crowd, and we were glad to be their prisoners.  As they summoned us to kneel with them for the song’s finale, the gathering awaited the crescendo.

I am happy to announce that I will be marrying my lovely fiancée this weekend!  Look for the Phantom Center Media blog to return to its weekly Tuesday schedule by mid-October.

Acquiring the highest end of sonic tools is not indicative of a musician's ability, skill is.  Skill forged from endless hours of practice and learning.  From experimentation, finding lessons in failures and successes, from learning how to pair natural ability with learned technique.

There is no modern day excuse to arrive at a music event unprepared and unprotected.  If you want to stay a music lover who is unimpeded by hearing damage and hearing loss, then I recommend you keep a copy of the OSHA chart on your cell phone, and a pair of earplugs in your ears.

To grow in the music world you must turn down negative static and allow yourself to find beauty in both musical and non-musical pursuits.  An engineer will find themselves lost at sea if they cannot navigate a genre that they have not developed an appreciation for.  Clients come from varied musical backgrounds, and in order to fulfill their needs, an engineer must mine a touchstone from the elements they are presented with.

 Little Big Beat Studio has produced a YouTube channel (LittleBigBeatLive)  that ups the ante on the live recording format.  They have introduced video capture of performances, and have brought in small, live audiences (equipped with headphones) who sit feet away from the musicians.  The performance space is set up in the fashion of a living room, creating a level of intimacy few music fans and musicians get to experience.  As the audience take to seats that surround the performers they bear witnesses to the power of live music, the talent radiating from the musicians, and the power of recording live.  

Stagnation is death to people who are involved in the record making process.  Continuing to learn and grow is essential for both artistic, as well as vocational, survival and fulfillment.  Take a page from Ken Sluiter and place the future into your own hands.

Part of the art of record making is knowing when to declare a piece of music complete.

From bundle deals, to sales, and freeware, plug-ins can be readily amassed.  Through sheer numbers they can easily inundate the user with a plethora of options that can result in menu diving during sessions, and by nature of the surplus of tools, create situations where the engineer is unfamiliar with the plug-in at hand.  This issue can be remedied when the engineer treats plug-ins like analog gear.