Nice blog and some very good information. As a producer/engineer/musician myself I see a lot of people doing the complete opposite to what you’re saying and taking too much on themselves. I never producer/engineer and perform at the same time. very important to keep those 2 roles separate I think…. and we shouldn’t underestimate the role of the producer (not that producers should get a big head though) :-).

Personally I’d say rather than thinking of which studio to use it’s more like what space to use. Leave the equipment choice to the engineer. I’ve just done a record in a bungalow and it turned out better than when we started doing it in the studio. Sound, feel, quality, enjoyment. Everything.

Also I’d say don’t be as cautious as you’re suggesting. If you’re used to playing with delays and reverbs and FX and that’s how you want it to sound, DO IT. Put it on. make a decision. You’re going to have to at some point. Some of the best sounds I’ve got are form things I couldn’t change, like too much spill on a mic or a mics fallen over, or whatever. Take a risk, you’ll soon find that you gett good at making decisions on the spot.

I’ve got a couple of Blogs I’ve written myself about Mastering and Studio stuff at http://www.sonnyengineer.com. Blessay 03 in the pipeline on Studio Professionalism.

Sonny.

Thanks for the tips. Yesterday I went to record an acoustic song with two guitars and one vocal in a professional studio and we still got it wrong! Turns out the “finer” details of our playing were never revealed before when we rehearsed in the bedroom or even when we recorded using budget gear. Even though I knew about preparation for the studio before, I never really knew until I actually went to a studio to record.

Will keep your article for future reference.

Cheers,

Great post. I’m going through the recording process right now, so from my experience, there are just a few things I would add:

1) If you’re a guitar player ask your engineer to record both your amp tone and a direct signal. Later on, if you’re unhappy with your tone, you can reamp, and either go with the new tone or combine it with your original.

2) As best you can, make sure your engineer is musical and can help with judging timing and groove. If your engineer is only about the “sound” and not about the “feel” you will regret it!

Jeff