Getting good sound quality in the recording process is made up of some really technical stuff. In the extreme, the professional studio recording process is left entirely up to the engineer and the producer of the recording. Taking on the job of making sound recordings in a private recording studio at home can be daunting, but it can be done – remembering that, in the recording process, “practice makes perfect.”

In either the professional or the private recording process, the first consideration has to be the equipment. Equipment, naturally, is critical to the quality of a recording.

Before stepping into the studio for a professional recording process, be prepared! Talk with the engineer beforehand so you understand the expectations of the recording process. Make sure your equipment is in top condition, prepare a roster of songs, and know your music. Very helpful to preparation for a recording process will be the making of a simple boom box rehearsal recording and listening to it, so you have a basic knowledge of your sound and the sound you want to project before even leaving home.

After the basic tracks have been laid down, phase one of the recording process, the overdubbing begins. Additions of solos, background vocals, and instrumentals are added as you listen to and play along with original track tapings made during the recording process. This can be a lengthy, involved process as sounds are microscopically scrutinized. This can be an enormously taxing, so be as prepared for phase one as possible to save time and energy with this phase of the recording process. Remain flexible with choices and variations, however. Creativity may be sacrificed in some cases, but don’t let that bother you. Move on.

When everything has been completed to the satisfaction of engineer and/or producer in the actual recording process, the mixing begins. Tracks will be blended, equalized, reverbed, and enhanced, resulting in a two-track master recording. The master achieved in the recording process is a collaborative effort that should result in a product that satisfies the artist(s) as well as the producer and the engineer.

For those setting up their own recording process in a home studio, this can be fun and exciting. First, read extensively and know as much about equipment as possible before purchasing anything or even beginning to set up for the recording process at home. You will never know too much about equipment and how it works, but keep equipment as simple as possible and limit yourself to the essentials.

A good (not expensive) microphone will be the first consideration. Microphones can cost anywhere from and $200 to $2000, but you will not need an expensive one. Lesser mics often give good sound quality for any recording process, and other equipment can effectively tweak mic sound, if needed.

You may need a compressor (non-software, though software is improving) that will automatically adjust sound level variations due to movement and dynamics of vocalists during a recording process. You will need a mixer with preamps, equalizer, level and pan controls, etc., and you will need a digital audio multi-track recorder. You will also need speakers and headphones to listen to your work; a mix down tape deck, CD recorder, or DAT machine; and a compilation of cables, surge protectors, and a power supply - all of which are all essential to the effective recording process.

Sequencing the equipment to get the best sound recording can make the difference in whether the quality is good or not good. A common error in the vocal recording process is getting the sound level settings right. Setting levels for sound is best done using a compressor after the preamp in the layering of your equipment. The compressor will automatically adjust the level of sound that reaches the recording during the recording process. Sound level settings will depend on microphone sensitivity, the dynamics of the voice being recorded, the “trim” level on the preamp, and the compression settings.

Be sure to make a second recording as a backup before proceeding to the mixing phase of the recording process!

Compressing again after everything has been recorded can be done as you prepare the mix. Preserve the most natural sound possible. Getting the best sound in the first phase of the recording process is important, as “fixing,” though possible in many cases, does not give the best result – nor is it easy.

Whether in the professional studio or in your own studio at home, enjoy your recording process to the fullest.

This article provides a simplified overview of the recording process. If you would like to submit an article about the recording process or any other music-related subject, please feel free to do so here at Media Positive Radio.