Yeamon! Its ya Favorite Engineer /Producer (J.REESE). I've been in this game long enough to see the shift from analog to digital, and let me tell you, we've come a long way. Today, I'm gonna break down my process for turning a beat and lyrics into a full-fledged Song.
Pre-Production: Getting Your Ducks in a Row
First things first, we gotta talk about beat selection. I can't tell you how many times I've had artists roll up with a YouTube beat that sounds like it was recorded underwater. Here's the deal:
Always aim for at least 320 kbps MP3 quality.
Be wary of those YouTube beats. Some producers intentionally upload lower quality versions to push you towards their paid offerings on sites like Beat Stars.
If possible, get the beat straight from the source. Each conversion can mess with the quality.
I wrote a whole blog post about MP3 quality and sample rates - check it out if you want to dive deeper. ---> here
Setting Up Shop: The Technical Stuff
Once we've got a solid beat, it's time to get technical:
I load everything into ProTools. Used to rock with Cubase back in the day, but ProTools is my jam now.
Finding the tempo and key of the beat is crucial, especially if we're gonna use autotune.
I've got a template set up with all my auxiliary buses ready to roll. Trust me, it saves a ton of time.
Laying It Down: The Recording Process
This is where the rubber meets the road:
We start with a mic check. Old school, I know, but it works.
For main vocals, I usually do 2-4 takes.
Hooks get special treatment: main vocal, ad-libs, and sometimes what I call the "telephone track" with some saturation and distortion.
Here's a pro tip: Be prepared! I've seen it all - from artists who have every ad-lib written out (talk about OCD!) to those who want to freestyle everything. The prepared ones almost always come out on top.
Piecing It Together: Editing and Arrangement
Now we've got all the pieces, it's time to assemble the puzzle:
I'm tracking and mixing at the same time here. It's all about getting those levels right from the get-go.
This is where I might throw in some beat drops or skips to keep things interesting.
We review the whole song and start really digging into the mix.
Polishing the Diamond: The Mix
This is where a good track becomes great:
I'm all about those Waves bundle plugins. They're digital, but they sound just like the analog gear I used to use.
My go-to's are the CLA 1176 for compression, FabFilter for EQ, and the Waves SSL stuff.
I record vocals with a U87 mic. Love the sound it gives.
The Biggest Challenge I See?
Hands down, it's lack of preparation. Some artists show up without a beat picked out or lyrics written. Sure, freestyling is an art form, but it can be a real time-killer in the studio.
On the flip side, when an artist comes in prepared - beat ready, lyrics memorized, maybe even ad-libs written out - that's when the magic happens. Those sessions flow like butter and often produce the best results.
Remember, even with all our fancy digital tools, "garbage in, garbage out" still applies. The more prepared you are, the better your track will be.
Wrapping It Up
Over the years, I've fine-tuned these steps into a well-oiled machine. It's almost like clockwork now. Following this process, your session will flow smoothly, and we'll get the best possible results.
Whether you're in Southeast North Carolina or anywhere else, if you're serious about your music career and want that high-quality, industry-competitive sound, I've got you covered. Let's make some magic happen in the studio!
Ready to take your music to the next level? Hit me up and let's get to work!
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