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Most recording occurs in a studio, and the design of that facility has a major effect on the quality of the recordings made there.

In this episode, I discuss some of the things that I think are most important for a successful studio. I don’t get into room design, soundproofing and sound conditioning, or even much of the infrastructure of studios and control rooms. I’ve covered a lot of that in previous episodes. Instead, I focus on the real-world, practical, aspects of what it takes – and what it costs – to make a professional studio.

I also talk about the viability of a studio as a commercial venture, and offer some thoughts on what it takes to run and studio that makes money and stays in business.

If you are happy with the results you get from recording at home, much of this will not apply to you. However, I believe everyone who records always wants an expanded and improved facility. These thoughts might inspire you to strive for something better.

Of course, building a studio is expensive – much more expensive than residential or standard commercial construction. Even renovating an existing building is expensive. I hope anyone with aspirations for building a truly professional-sounding studio will find insights here.

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Monitor speakers are a necessity for most of our recording. But I have always had a problem with the sound of speakers, and I explain why in this episode.

Speakers always exist in a space with  boundaries, even outside. Our control rooms tend to be small, and making a small room sound good for performing or listening is a challenge. The monitor speakers and the control room form a system. The acoustics of the room have a big impact on the sound.

I also compare the sound of headphones or earbuds with speakers, and provide some advantages and disadvantages of each.

And I talk about immersive formats, like Dolby Atmos and the increased requirements for the speakers and the room.

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Vinyl record sales have been increasing every year for a while now. Today, vinyl outsells CDs. Fans like vinyl for its unique sound, and the large format of the jacket.

Record pressing plants are busy! Most are backlogged for months.

The process of converting your digital mix to a vinyl record is complicated. The entire system of phonograph records is plagued by many deficiencies, which makes cutting the master lacquer disc a challenging art.

How we record and mix has impact on how good the vinyl record will sound. In this episode, I explain some of the fundamentals of the master disc-cutting process and provide some insight on how that process will change the sound of your recording.

I explain some factors in recording and mixing that will result in better-sounding vinyl records. These procedures are not complicated, but understanding these techniques will help you and your clients get the most out of the vinyl medium.

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If you are working as a recording engineer, how did you learn your craft? A formal recording program? As an intern with an accomplished engineer? Or maybe you figured it out on your own.

All are valid ways to get started. Many successful engineers used more than one approach.

In this episode, I look at the various approaches, their pros and cons, and suggest ways that you might further your own education.

Learning the art of recording requires time and effort -- and some innate talent. The key is to find the ways to develop your talent and keep on learning and growing.

By the way, this is the 100th episode of My Take On Music Recording. It has taken over four-and-a-half years to reach that mark, but it seems like I just started. Each episode has been a lot of work, but I have enjoyed creating every one of them. Thanks for helping me to achieve this milestone.

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Using a single microphone, or one stereo mic, to record a musical performance all at once without any overdubbing can result in a recording that is very compelling to the listener. When everyone is performing in the same space at the same time, usually without headphones, there is a musical interaction that occurs that we often lose in the typical session using lots of mics, extreme isolation, and many overdubs.

It’s not for every song or composition. Some music benefits from the usual recording approach. But with a group of players who can play in perfect balance, the result can be amazing, both musically and sonically.

It’s an approach that pushes your engineering talents to their limit. You are doing all the tracking and mixing at the same time, with no ability to change things later.

It is also very demanding of the performers, because if anyone makes a mistake, the take is ruined. But I think the results are worth it, for those situations where it makes sense.

In this episode, I describe several approaches to single-point pickup recording, including a hybrid method that combine single-point with traditional techniques. Some examples can be heard in the releases on the Outer Marker Records label. Here is the link where you can listen to examples:

https://www.nativedsd.com/label/outer-marker-records/

And here is the link to a video that compares both a single-point pickup plus the traditional multi-mic, multi-track method, recorded simultaneously:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eLP1G4LnM0

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When you are just starting out in recording music, you are likely to need microphones. And if you have been recording for a while, you may feel the need to add to you microphone collection.

But how do you make those choices? In this episode, I look at the criteria that I think are important in picking mics to add to your studio. Simply choosing a mic that is what other people use, or was on a hit record, is not always the best way to go about this.

I provide a logical approach to adding to your mic collection, with some real-world examples.

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Joseph Arnold is a talented violinist that has played on a variety of projects I have produced. He is also an excellent writer, who just published his first book, titled, “Soul Force: How to discover your artistic purpose, create more freely, and make art that matters.”

In this conversation, Joseph talks about his career path, his pursuit of art, and how his concepts of Soul Force guided him in his journey. We discuss his book, and its value to anyone who wants to create, well, anything.

Joseph also demonstrates on violin a few short examples of the many musical genres he enjoys playing.

For another great interview with Joseph, watch this conversation with Dennis Tardan:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHB3yIG2C78

And here is a link to purchase Soulforce:  https://tinyurl.com/d2a283xr

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In this last of three episodes on the art of producing, I talk about my process for mixing. It is all part of the concept of a song from the beginning. Mixing is where everything comes together to create the version of the song that the artist and I have had.

As an over-simplification, my approach is to turn up the things I like and turn down, or mute, the things I don’t like. But the details are much more complex than that and I explain what I do and why.

I combine the mastering process with mixing. The result is ready for distribution, whether it is in a digital format or for a vinyl record.

The album used in this example is “Time To Be Brave,” by Corrie Lynn Green. You can listen for free to an mp3 version of all the songs at Native DSD, and purchase a download of the album in a variety of digital formats.

https://www.nativedsd.com/label/outer-marker-records/

And learn more about our record label, Outer Marker, at:

https://www.outermarkerrecords.com/

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This is the second of three episodes on the Art of Producing. In this one, I talk about the mics and equipment I use in my studio, and the reasons why.

The example used for this series features an album project for singer-songwriter Corrie Lynn Green. It is an acoustic-based project, although there are some electric guitars and bass on some songs. I explain why I make certain decisions for this project, and how a recording with a different artist or genre would require a different approach.

Corrie’s album, “Time To Be Brave,” will be released on Outer Marker Records on September 6, 2024, and distributed by Native DSD as a download purchase only. But you can listen to all the songs for free (in mp3) on the Native DSD web site.  https://www.nativedsd.com/label/outer-marker-records/

The third and final episode of this series on producing will look at mixing and mastering.

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The art of producing a record requires knowledge of music, mastering the technical aspects of the recording process, and an ability to work with people.

This is the first of a three-part series about producing. In this episode, I talk about the role of the producer, using a typical album project for Corrie Lynn Green as an example. Not all productions will follow this example, since there are many different styles of music, different artists and musicians, that you may encounter.

My approach to producing and recording is not typical in many ways. I point this out in the episode, and encourage people to find what works best for them.

By the way, "My Take On Music Recording" is now carried by YouTube Podcasts. Just like any podcast provider, this is audio only. You can find it on YouTube by searching for "Fearn" under "Podcasts." All 94 episodes to date are available, and each new one will be added.

The dozens of other podcast providers will continue, of course.

email: [email protected]
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https://dwfearn.com/