Tricks for a Fruitful Recording Studio Session

Getting your song to a recording studio session should be one of the proudest moments of your life as it indicates all the hard work you have put to get your tracks to the masses. However, this is not the time to rest on your laurels as you still have to ensure that the final product is a song with the potential of becoming a chart topper. This is only possible if you prepare yourself adequately in terms of your vocal ability, state of mind, song arrangement as well as the effectiveness of all musical instruments to be used.

Preparing your song

By the time you bring your song to the studio for recording, it should be ideally a finished product complete with a tempo and key. This includes lyrics, which should be all completed including the verses and choruses. It is vital that you understand the structure of the song by knowing at what point to begin your choruses or verses. A recording studio is never the right place to start rehearsing your song to hear how each of the parts sound as this would amount to a waste of valuable time.
Preparing a demo of your song – on your phone or recorder – will give you an idea of how your song will sound like when done in a recording studio. You can then identify the weak parts of your song and rectify them before you take it to the studio.

Get yourself in the right frame of mind

Watch what you eat as you prepare for your session in the studio; some foods can clog your voice pipes causing your body to create a lot of mucus, which consequently affects your vocal skills. Foods that are a no-no for you include dairy foods, alcohol, carbonated beverages, spicy and fatty foods. Also, pay attention to what you wear as some clothes that are synthetic or stiff often make noise when brush against something. Such ‘noises’ might be captured by the ultra-sensitive microphones in studio, ultimately interfering with the quality of the recording.
A goodnight’s sleep before your day in the studio is paramount to a successful recording session as are bottled water (at room temperature), lip balm, pen/pencil and notebook. If the recording session is set to last long, carrying some honey or green tea with you would help keep your vocals in good condition. You will also get yourself in the right frame of mind if you show up early at the studio to get enough time to warm up before hitting the recording booth.

Inspect your recording instruments

The instruments to be used in recording your tracks should be in working condition; it’s your duty to inspect them beforehand. Some of the common problems faced by artists when it comes to instruments include broken keys, dodgy reeds, worn-out guitar strings and old drum skins among others. Checking your instruments gives you the option of renting other instruments in case you come upon an error that could interfere with your final product.
Preparing adequately for your time in the booth will save time by cutting off the chances of delays that can eat up the studio time you have paid for.