Tips for a successful recording
These hints and tips won't just apply to here, so whether you decide to use In Phase Studio or not, then these are a few little pieces of advice which can help your session run smoothly and maximise the time you have...
This might sound like a silly tip but if you are recording a song, make sure it is in a finished state before you arrive. Unless you have a lot of money to freely and carelessly spend, everyone should be ready to perform the song in its entirety, not waiting while somebody figures out a chord progression for the chorus or bridge... Remember, time is money!
Make sure everybody involved is well rehearsed. For example, making sure your drummer can confidently play to a click. Make sure you all know the structure and arrangement of the song you are planning to record. Make sure you know your parts inside out, back to front, upside down and can play it well. I'm sure we would all rather play through the songs smoothly without any hesitation and issues as opposed to stopping and 'remembering' it as we go. Again, remember, time is money!
Don't over complicate your parts just to 'sound cool'. A solid performance of something slightly simpler will come across much much better than something which is too difficult and played sloppily.
Think ahead and be sensible the evening before. I know it can be exciting, and believe me, I will almost definitely be just as excited to have you but not if you've been up all night drinking Jack Daniels and turn up an hour late in yesterday's dirty clothes, falling through the door with a hangover and breaking expensive equipment – Not cool...
This ties in with number 4 – Get a good night's sleep and come in fresh. Once we are set up, warmed up, in tune and ready to go, chances are your best performances will be towards the beginning when you are feeling awake and ready from a refreshing night's sleep, not after 2 hours' kip on your mate's sofa, several hours in and suffering from sleep deprivation.
Make sure your instrument and equipment is in the best condition it can be. This includes having new strings on guitars for example, the same applies to drum heads.
Be prepared to take time setting up properly, not just plug in, switch on and go with whatever state or setting your gear arrived in. It's better to take some time and capture a great sound, rather than something “that'll do”. The same goes for mic placement. If it means making some adjustments to the position of the mic inside the bass drum, it will be worth it if it means getting a much more punchy sound for your rock song!
There's no such thing as a silly question (usually), so don't be afraid to ask if you are unsure of anything or if there is something on your mind. We're all here to have a good time and recording should be a fun and relaxed experience!
Bring a chord chart and lyric sheet. This isn't essential but it can help the engineer running the session follow the song and your singer if he/she knows what is supposed to be being performed (e.g. good diction, articulation...)
Have fun! - Enjoy your time in the studio. We're all here because we love music, whether it be pop, rock, jazz, an arrangement for a string quartet... We are around to help and support each other, and have a good time!