A couple of months ago, Annalee asked me to produce her first record of original music. Annalee is a highly accomplished musician who plays piano, sings, and writes. We worked together as teacher and student when she was in high school. Now, she performs around Seattle and teaches at Creative Music Adventures.
I asked Annalee if I could share the process of bringing this recording to life through a series of posts to help others who might be interested in recording their own music—or helping their students make recordings. She kindly agreed, so here’s the first part of the series:
Preparing for the Recording Process
Unless you have a lot of money or time, it’s crucial to have your music and arrangements fully worked out before the recording starts. Big-name artists with large budgets can afford to rent studios for brainstorming and trial-and-error sessions. Similarly, those working on home setups might spend years perfecting a single track or album.
However, if you’re on a modest budget and working with a band or other musicians, the best results come from thorough preparation. Here are some essential steps to save time, money, and frustration before you start recording:
- Become a Student
Find someone you trust who will be honest with you—this could be a producer, teacher, friend, or someone in the industry you admire. Ask them to critique your songs and poke holes in what you’ve created. It’s like having a friend who tells you when you’ve got food stuck on your face—they’re helping you look your best. This person should be your sole confidant for this role to avoid too many cooks in the kitchen. Listen to their feedback with an open mind, even if it means reevaluating lyrics, arrangements, or structures. Ultimately, the goal is to make your record the best it can be. - Rehearse and Practice
Recording involves a lot of non-musical work, so don’t skimp on rehearsals. Make sure the band knows the material inside and out. Rehearsals aren’t just about technical execution but also about energy and emotion. Perfectly played parts can still sound lifeless if they lack feeling. Practice your individual parts thoroughly so you can perform confidently and with freedom during the session. - Play the Material at Gigs
Book a few shows before the recording sessions and record the performances. Pay attention to audience reactions—if their interest wanes, consider adjusting the arrangements to maintain engagement. - Record Demos
Create demo recordings of each song, capturing the best takes from rehearsals over time. Use these as references to identify parts of songs or arrangements that might need tweaking. Share these demos with your producer or trusted confidant for additional feedback. They can also help plan the studio setup. - Write Charts (Bonus Tip)
Preparing charts for your music can be a lifesaver. No matter how well-rehearsed everyone is, unexpected issues can arise in the studio—musicians might forget parts, or sections that worked live might not translate well in recordings. Having charts on hand ensures everyone stays on track. For Annalee’s session, she transcribed her band’s parts using Sibelius, including key sections and scores. This preparation allowed us to refine the arrangements and add elements like horn parts before recording.
Stay Tuned
Subscribe to the blog for the next part of this series. Part 2 is coming soon!