The time you spend for recording should be used properly, so a basic understanding of the recording process would help especially if you're into a recording studio for the first time.

If you have some tracks (pre-production or tracks recorded into another studio), they are to be taken care first and loaded into the workstation. From the sound point of view, recording each instrument separately is desirable because it provides easier control of leakage into the microphones. This doesn’t mean that a band will not play together; let’s not forget that the most important thing is to capture a great performance. The recording will be done in stages whenever necessary; the drums and the bass first (with all people playing together if that's what they want), than the other instruments and voices as overdubs.

While for rock, alternative, and pop this is a typical way of recording, in jazz, all the players are generally recorded at the same time, the way they play is more interactive and capturing the feel is very important even tough sound wise it may not be the best (leakage, phase problems, etc).

As far as getting the sound right, once you have your instrument set up and ready for recording, the engineer will try to determine the best position of the microphone. This process takes some time; while there are some general rules for capturing the sound, let’s not forget that every instrument and microphone has their own characteristics. The sound is mostly in the hands of the player and the way he prepares his instrument for recording. The engineer will help you with some tips (like gels and rings for drums, or a different amp or cabinet for recording guitars). 

As a principle for recording vocals, the engineer will usually try with a couple of mics to see which one fits the voice better. While generally large condensers like Neumann, AKG, Telefunken, Lawson, Sony, etc are the norm, sometimes a cheaper mic can prove to be the right tool. In deciding which mic suits the voice better, only use your ears. Don’t fall for the mistake of picking up the Neumann no matter what. Experimentation is a major factor in getting a great sound; it takes more time but it can bring something unique to your project, creating your particular sound.

Always listen to what you have recorded; you don’t want to discover there are some problems when the engineer does the mixing and come back for more recording. While this is costly, the sound will be probably different; it is almost impossible to match the previous set up. So, listen to everything at the end of any recording session. Sometimes people are tired, but this is an effort that always pays off.

Questions, info, contact:  peterkramer@mountaincable.net or call 905-312-0234