Recording Theory

I have class on Monday nights at George Mason University. I'm currently taking Macroeconomics and I'm in pursuance of a Masters in either Public Policy or Economics, tho they tell me there is the conbination "Public Choice" that I might want to consider. Anyway, last night just before class started I was talking to Ben. He is a fellow drummer that I met at Firehouse Grill and he has a band that has changed people and names many times over the past couple years. But always he and his guitarist are together. I think they are very good guys. He was telling me about his timing; he thinks he can't keep time to a metronome. He thinks it's especially bad when they are recording, he just doesn't like how it sounds.

Now, I'm no recording engineer. I have never taken a class. But I have been in several different studios and watched closely what the engineers do. It's a definite art form that I don't intend to master (I just want to record music my way and I don't care if you like it or not). These guys know their stuff and I can tell you it takes a lifetime to master these specific skills. One producer told me once that you never have the same guy master a recording that has just mixed it, AND the guy that masters it better have at least 10 years experience and some grey hair. I believe him. However, I also believe in the power of technology and I think the Mastering programs out there today have advanced enough that you can get a comparable sound without needing the years of experience and specific color hair. I said comparable, not better.

The reason I bring this up is because I've been day dreaming about recording for years now. And I've also learned a lot from the guys I have worked with. I have come up with a theory that I wasn't sure was entirely a new idea but telling Ben about it really seemed to open his mind about how to finish his recording process.

I told him to start a recording with a metronome and the singer/guitarist. Essentially record a real track but use it as a scratch track. Then track the rhythm sections but also use them as scratch tracks, each of them. When all of that is done, re-record everything but without the metronome. Have the guitarist go in there and play with the rhythm section only. Then have the rhythm section play again to just the guitarist and the other half of the rhythm section. When all is done have the singers record their final tracks and then mix only those last tracks.

The reason I like this is because good music to me is about feel. The musicians need to feel the music and not feel chained to a metronome to make the beet fit. Listening to the music is the most important part. But you also don't want foolish unkept music... usually. So using the metronome as a guide is important, but not for the track you want recorded... you want to follow the music. Ben seemed very receptive to this thought. And it had me thinking just how often recording engineers and musicians recorded this way. I know studio time is expensive so when not as rich musicians go into a studio they try to record the best version on the first take, but if I'm going to have my own studio, I might as well make the time factor work for me. I may not have the greatest skills or equipment, but I'll make the best out of what I do have to work with.