If you have never been in to a studio to record, or hired a studio to produce a song, this post is for you. Whether you just have a poem, or a fully composed masterpiece, it's good to know if spending money to further these ideas will be worth it. In my experience as an independent artist that produces all our own music, recording musical ideas no matter how crude, is the first step to preparing for the studio.
Our two recent songs we released ("No Privacy Hotel" and "The Mirror") both started out as a cappella recordings from an iPhone. The recordings were in tune, had structure, words and melody. I then went to work and wrote all the music around Diana's melody and vibe, taking her notes along the way.
Even when I am producing music for other artists, it always starts with a recording, or recording a live performance in the studio. Going to the studio to record the scratch version of your song is not as cost effective as recording it yourself, but sometimes recording it yourself is not enough. For instance, if you are an accomplished guitar player and the guitar part you wrote for your song is well developed but you are not a session guitar player, going to the studio to record an isolated scratch guitar part would be the best way to provide the session guitar player with what they need to track your guitar part the way you want it. With a little training and technology, you can create your own isolated guitar tracks at home, without having to buy anything, but I'll save that for another blog post.
Every producer you meet will have their own style, creative process, and vibe. Some will be able to take your poem and turn it into a masterpiece. Some will be able to make you sound like the best rapper that ever lived. I personally like to work with singer-songwriters that want their words to be heard, their voice to be out front, and the music to match the vibe and energy they imagine in their head.
When you go looking for a producer to work with: have a recording you can share, know what they are capable of - by listening to their music, and most importantly, make contact with them and ask some questions. There is no substitute for human connection.
So how do you know if you are ready for the studio? Once you have found a producer who makes the kind of music you like, can work with your song ideas and recordings, and has the creative process that enables your authenticity to shine through, you are ready to make some history!