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How I recorded an album on my own, in my room
- zelienople 7y agoI tried to post a correction on Medium, but they wanted me to create an account. So I created an account to post the correction and they still wouldn't let me post, something about either my profile wasn't complete or I hadn't done enough to allow posting. Great business model. Outsource the content creation to the peons but then implement draconian restrictions so you have to jump through hoops to make a positive contribution. Anyway, the correction is, the book "Set Your Voice Free" is by Roger Love, not Robert Love as stated in the article. Helpful for anyone looking for it because Robert Love writes Linux books that contain very little information about improving your singing voice. I don't understand why anyone would be suckered into creating value for a place like Medium when they are so obviously exploitative.
- romes 7y agohey, thank you for noting! i'll fix it right away. this is my first time using medium as well. I think i might abandon the account and repost the story on my blog. thanks again :)
- l0c0b0x 7y agoIf you repost, please update here :) Thanks for the detailed info--looking at doing this myself.
- romes 7y agoHey! I posted it on my blog - I want to redesign it, however, its working:: https://alt-romes.github.io/#/march2020/-M2VLHK-TP_orVo9_FjI https://alt-romes.github.io/#/march2020/-M2VLHK-TP_orVo9_FjI
- peglasaurus 7y agoMedium is a bit backwards. Their intention is to clean up commenting but all it really does is raise the bar of entry such that people often don't even bother regardless of intent. A lot of medium posts/articles that should have opposing views as comments are often one sided echo chambers because of this.
- briefcomment 7y agoThat's some atmospheric shoegaze. Very nice!
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- mimes70 7y agoGreat article (and nice music). Wish I had read this pointers years ago, when I still had a lot of free time. Maybe a nice hobby for corona quarantine time :-)
- duncan-donuts 7y agoI’m definitely planning on writing a lot of music over the next month
- romes 7y agolet's go! if you wanna share when you're finished send a text to email or social media (check last line of the post)
- duncan-donuts 7y agoYou bet!
- beckler 7y agoI do some mixing for live events on occasion, and I had a guy tell me once that no mix is ever done, but every mix is eventually abandoned. Honestly, it's true. You can sink an incredible amount of time into mixing and still not be happy with it.
- redis_mlc 7y agoPro mixers generally finish in a day or maybe two, which is why producers choose them.
- beckler 7y agoPro mixers also have lots of presets and tool chains already setup that they always go-to. It's not that they could just finish a mix in a day, it's that they have a lot of their tooling already roughly setup, and they just have to dial it in. It still takes time to create and setup those chains/presets.
- lostgame 7y agoYes but the law of diminishing returns is especially prevalent, here. For a serious, scientific, by-the-numbers mixing technician, the amount of quality increase versus the amount of time spent more often than not hits a massive bell curve fairly early on - particularly if it is not that technician’s original material.
- xinsight 7y agoI've heard the same rule with film editing. The editing is never done, you just run out of time.
- redis_mlc 7y ago1) Since record labels generally haven't given an advance to a new artist for a decade, almost all albums and Youtubes are now done "in your room." 2) The Yamaha AG03 is a mixing console more intended for live gigs. If you're mainly doing home studio recoding, then most people get a Focusrite 2i2 or Yamaha/Steinberg UR22 and do mixing in the DAW (computer program.) The UR22 has MIDI-in and out. Synths often have a built-in audio interface for microphones or guitars, though sometimes without phantom power. Otherwise, the how-to is pretty typical of how it's done. Note that the author was already quite a musician, having been in a band. YMMV!
- romes 7y ago1) Interesting note, I hadn't thought much about it - I don't know much about labels, the only one I follow is 4AD and what they post, I listen to. However, they're not that talked about. 2) I'll have to look into these - thanks for telling me! 3) Unfortunately I think playing simple chords in a band, when you and the two other musicians are 17, doesn't really qualify as being quite the musician ahaha thank you still!
- swatts 7y agoI don't think you'll see any appreciable difference in conversion quality by switching audio interfaces at this level, particularly with the style of music you are making (which is great by the way, well done!). It all comes down to workflow, and it seems you're getting it done just fine with the Yamaha. I'd look to upgrade if you find yourself needing more inputs. The more obvious upgrade would be a new microphone to replace the Kenwood you are currently using. An SM-58 will last you a lifetime or if you have a bit more to spend something like an SM7b will be a great investment particularly recording in untreated spaces. Also, you could try recording the midi information of your electric drum kit and then loosely quantising/editing the takes to retain the feel. You can map these to Logics in-built drums which are pretty great. Congrats on finishing a body of work, most don't get that far!
- romes 7y agoThank you for your suggestions, and specifically on the microphone one. I wanted to get a new one but I was having some difficulty choosing a good one for me. I will look into this. And thank you for your nice words!
- moomin 7y agoIt’s surprising how many albums are made in home studios these days. Most of David Byrne’s stuff, Jagged Little Pill...
- duncan-donuts 7y agoAnother thing I find pretty amazing is how much guitar work is 100% digital these days. The progress in DSP technology has allowed thousands of sounds available to the masses. $500 goes a long way these days which wasn’t true a decade ago.
- iakov 7y agoAnd those digital units are not only "legit" sounding, but also much more flexible and hassle-free. Lighter, with instant preset recall, different input/output routing. I love this tech, really, and the fact that it brings people closer to making music.
- grujicd 7y agoCan both of you share what is now used for guitar sounds?
- swatts 7y agoThe Strymon Iridium is fantastic, if you have more to spend and want more flexibility Kemper profilers are hard to beat. AxeFX also gets a lot of love. On the more budget end most audio interfaces these days will have a Hi-Z input for guitar, there are many great amp/stompbox emulation plugins these days.
- jongold 7y agoI adorrrrre my Iridium. I have Guitar Rig & Bias FX and a bunch of other sims, but the Iridium is really special. The sound is _inspiring_ - in that it makes me want to just sit and play guitar for hours on end because it sounds so damn good. It's expensive and I try to not be a gear addict, but imo investing that much in my joy was money well spent.
- viburnum 7y agoYou should keep at it, that was not bad at all.
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- Niccizero 7y agoReminders me than one of my favourite albums ever, Sheena Ringo's Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana was recorded entirely by her in her apartment with Mac and some cheap hardware.
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- reggieband 7y agoFinishing an entire album is a great achievement. Even with the tremendous improvements and price reductions in modern home-recording equipment there is still numerous hours of effort required. It is a marathon like effort and anyone who completes it should feel proud.
- bane 7y agoThere's some fantastic artists on youtube who produce in similar circumstances. Here's one of my favorite examples (the video was also made in the artist's room) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYv6-5VmNEM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYv6-5VmNEM
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- wnscooke 7y agoThe artists name is Mree, and it's her cover of Walking on a Dream by Empire of the Sun. It's worth the click, and now you know to what you'll be clicking.
- bane 7y agoha, yeah thanks! If you aren't familiar with the original song she's covering https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eimgRedLkkU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eimgRedLkkU
- hnruss 7y agoA few of my own home recording tips: - Use a condenser microphone with a pop filter for vocals - Use 2 matched condenser mics for acoustic instruments, separated by twice the distance to the instrument, pan them left and right - Use a dozen cheap foam panels to reduce unwanted room sound (placed closer to the vocals/instrument depending on situation). I tacked mine to a sheet of plywood so that it could be moved around. - Eat a banana before singing to help improve vocal quality - It will never sound as good as you want, but the most important thing is the performance. People will put up with imperfect recordings if the performance is good.
- lemiffe 7y agoWhy the banana though?
- hnruss 7y agoI read it somewhere a long time ago... if I recall, it supposedly helps get vocal cords to the right tension and maybe gives them a slight coating.
- l0c0b0x 7y agoHadn't heard about bananas being good for the vocal cords, but did hear milk was a big no-no. Oddly enough, I just searched for bananas and vocal cords and one of the first links debated that :\ https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/are-bananas-good-or-bad-for-singers/ https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/are-bananas-good-or-bad-f...
- hnruss 7y agoI have a feeling it’s fairly subjective, but good to read up on. I’ll definitely try pineapple next time (as recommended in the article).
- blattimwind 7y agoWhile eating a banana should most certainly not result in a banana-grease coat on your vocal cords, it will be all over your throat. Might just be a little bit like hand lotion for it.
- thorin 7y agoAssuming I already have a guitar, bass and electric piano (with midi) how much would I have to spend on bits and pieces to do something similar. I have a couple of low spec windows laptops so might well need a new machine as well? Guess the main costs would be the digital interface and software plus a new computer maybe (does it really gave to be a mac!!)
- filoleg 7y ago> How I recorded an album on my own, in my room Didn't read the article, but a Windows/macOS computer with a DAW + audio interface (for recording instruments + if you decide to get nice headphones that require a pre-amp) + midi controller + some virtual synths/samples, and you should be good to go. There are plenty of decent free synth/samples, so I wouldn't count it as an absolute necessity to spend money on synths. The only reason I say "Windows or macOS" is because of driver compatibility with your equipment + choice of DAWs, with the most widely used ones being macOS/Windows only. Even thought you have a piano that is midi compatible, you might want a separate MIDI controller, so that it is smaller + has pads + knobs to control various parameters. I have a piano with MIDI-out as well, but found it to be super inconvenient to work with compared to an actual midi controller. My personal affordable recommendation that isn't just basic barebones stuff is Arturia Minilab MKII (currently $109 on Amazon). Got it myself a couple of months ago, still very happy with the purchase. Regarding an audio interface, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is very robust and is heavily recommended (currently $159 on Amazon). It might be a little bit more than the basic needs, but it gives you a bit of a room to grow. And the basic version is just $109 (Scarlett Solo), so I feel like an extra $50 is worth it, given that you probably won't have a need (but def might be tempted to) to buy another one pretty much ever.
- swatts 7y agoI think you'd be best seeing how far you can get with your current laptops before upgrading. On the software front Reaper would be an excellent choice on Windows, very cheap and CPU efficient. Cheap audio interfaces have come a very long way, I'd look at what's being sold second hand in your area. Something with a Hi-Z input if you're wanting to record your guitars directly though the interface.
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- cmrdsprklpny 7y agoI cannot help but mention Jacob Collier, who self-produced an album (called "In My Room") and won 2 Grammys with it. https://youtu.be/4v3zyPEy-Po?list=PLHX_dBxnc8z-EeR431dUujzqeFdMaeoGq https://youtu.be/4v3zyPEy-Po?list=PLHX_dBxnc8z-EeR431dUujzqe...
- palijer 7y agoThis is exactly the reason why I switched careers from audio tech to development. Funny seeing this posted here. I believe there was a post last night on mass amateurization - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_amateurization https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_amateurization But yeah, you do not need a lot of professional equipment or specialized knowledge now to create great records. I am not at all bemoaning this fact, I love that creating music is more and more open for all, music is a very human quality we should all have access to.
- SOLAR_FIELDS 7y agoOne of the more famous “in your room” records is Sufjan Stevens’ Illinoise. Highly critically acclaimed album involving many instruments that was mostly recorded on a Shure SM57 in a Manhattan apartment. And this isn’t your bedroom EDM album, this is an album that well over 20 different classically trained musicians played on. https://www.google.com/amp/s/pitchfork.com/thepitch/822-inside-the-recording-sessions-for-sufjan-stevens-illinois/amp/ https://www.google.com/amp/s/pitchfork.com/thepitch/822-insi... https://www.sageaudio.com/blog/recording/two-critically-acclaimed-albums-recorded-100-microphone.php https://www.sageaudio.com/blog/recording/two-critically-accl...
- jmiskovic 7y agoWell, in couple of rooms, studios and a church. Thanks for introducing me to the album, some awesome music.
- thirdsun 7y ago> This is exactly the reason why I switched careers from audio tech to development. Funny seeing this posted here. I think the barrier to entry is even lower in development. While audio production requires at least some investment due to high hardware demands and expensive software/instruments, you can probably start learning development with the computer you already have and you'll have immediate access to a huge range of high quality development tools and in-depth documentation. Those are excellent conditions for newcomers and amateurs. The difference is that people are actually willing to pay for software development as opposed to music, which seems to be increasingly taken for granted and somewhat devalued.
- woodandsteel 7y agoA four year old teaches a couple of lessons on how to use Garage Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK1PjOx9XoI&list=PLkx9TVrdk-e5AiYUz9K_Tcvmq4mrr1BmU&index=2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK1PjOx9XoI&list=PLkx9TVrdk-... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhDbrdwjj7c&list=PLkx9TVrdk-e5AiYUz9K_Tcvmq4mrr1BmU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhDbrdwjj7c&list=PLkx9TVrdk-...
- easymodex 7y agoThis is great, exactly what I've been trying to do but there's never enough time and now the second kid is on the way... I guess I'll have to just find that extra time somehow because you got me excited again. One question: What did you use for the guitar amp? I personally use Guitar rig and I keep getting lost in all those infinite guitar sounds. I'm worried my songs won't sound cohesive if I experiment too much and have a different setup (or several) for each song. Do you just pick a few sets like a clean sounding one, dirty sounding one and stick with them through the whole record (maybe add some unique effects here and there) or does it not matter?
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- dsr_ 7y agoRule of thumb for any sound situation, live or recorded: give yourself a limited palette so you can sound consistent. If you want an album to sound like it's all one piece, you use the same instrument and processing for it all the way through -- except for that one time that you want to highlight it. In visual terms, you want the grass on the left side of the painting to be the same as the grass on the right side of the painting, unless you deliberately want to say something about the grass. You should only be drawing people's attention to what you want them to be looking at.
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- ambivalents 7y agoJust on the first track, but this is quite good! Thanks for sharing your process.
- tchaffee 7y agoGood article and I like the music. BTW "Reverse Glimpse" gets stuck for me. Just a black screen and it will not play. It stops the playlist there too.
- andrew999 7y agoThis is a great writeup. I did something similar to this. 80 songs. Everything this author says about the process is pretty much the same that i experienced, but it took me a year to figure it out and another year and a half to write and record all the music. about one song a week. Oh except I did drums differently, I found somthinig called Fat Drums (or something), a midi-based drum machine, and basically i finger drummed on my usb keyboard into a track on my DAW. it was fantastic, absolutely indistinguishable from a human drummer. oh also i used ableton as a daw, it is really good, but really anything could work. and like this author discovered, you can spend way too much time redoing takes, so i took a lot of pride on doing one or two takes and moving on. kept the creative process flowing. in fact after 80 songs, maybe 12 i thought were actually pretty good, so we formed a band, learned those songs, and played live locally for a year or so. it was fun. great job romes!!!
- highhedgehog 7y agoI have Addictive Drums 2 and used it even live on my e-drums. It just sounds amazing.
- DigitalSea 7y agoGreat write-up. People don't realise, this was instrumental to the success of Billie Eilish. She and her brother make their music in a tiny bedroom studio and you can't argue with the results. The trove of available VST plugins for mastering, mixing and instruments are vast and most of them are affordable for those who are serious about pursuing bedroom recording.
- superasn 7y agoReally neat article. The part about promoting your music seems really hard. I have 0 knowledge about music industry but I've heard there are some sites like Submithub that promote your music to blogs for a small fee. Maybe you can try that. A few reviews from music blogger can help you get more fans.
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- jdminhbg 7y agoOn a similar note, here's a two-minute video by Calvin Harris on how he made "Slide": https://twitter.com/CalvinHarris/status/843563157280903168 https://twitter.com/CalvinHarris/status/843563157280903168 It's kind of crazy to see that while he has some slightly nicer instruments than me, he mostly does the same thing I do, only with a couple orders of magnitude more talent and a Dropbox with Frank Ocean and Migos vox in it.
- danbmil99 7y agoOne thing I believe is not mentioned in the article is your monitoring and mixing set up. I didn't see any reference to headphones, speakers Etc This makes a pretty big difference in the mixing and mastering phases.
- danbmil99 7y agoOne more question. Did you consider possibly releasing this material under a Creative Commons rather than a commercial license?
- romes 7y agoHey! No, it did not cross my mind - where do you release Creative Commons music? As a goal I wanted to have my friends listening and sharing the music where they usually listen to it. If you want to chat about it contact me (see last line of post for contacts)
- danbmil99 7y agoCreative Commons doesn't mean you can't put it on Spotify iTunes Etc. It just means it can also be distributed on platforms that aren't part of the music industry copyright and licensing system. One advantage of doing it this way is so your music is widely available even if the platform of the day goes away and you're not on top of it to migrate to whatever's current. Check out more about this here https://creativecommons.org/about/program-areas/arts-culture/arts-culture-resources/legalmusicforvideos/ https://creativecommons.org/about/program-areas/arts-culture...
- laurieg 7y agoWonderful to see such a detailed run down! I scrolled straight to the singing part to see if there were any nuggets of wisdom. I've been singing with a teacher for 6 months and it still seems impossible. Everything is so indirect and there is no obvious path to getting better. Are there any people here who have improved their singing skills significantly? What did you do?
- jongold 7y agoYup! I went from "I don't even sing karaoke or sing in the shower" to really liking my voice, performing super comfortably in public & preparing to record my first studio EP. I guess it's been 3-4 years at this point. I had a musical background which definitely helped, but the main thing is I desperately wanted to be able to sing. The main thing you can do is take weekly vocal lessons with a good vocal teacher who you vibe with and practice every day. I didn't have lessons for that whole time, but the periods where I have had a teacher I got better quicker way better than when I just practiced by myself. The cool thing is that singing unlocks songwriting, and songwriting is absolutely transformative as a self-care practice. It's also infinitely more fun to sing your own songs than covers. But also performing your own songs gives you a drive to get better at singing. Virtuous cycle. edit: here's a recent song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrd7Uvm2h00 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrd7Uvm2h00
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- leafario2 7y agoJacob Collier has an album called 'In My Room'
- flak48 7y agoOf which 2 tracks won Grammys
- pell 7y agoPaz is a nice song.
- antman 7y agoWhat would someome need to change to this setup for hosting karaoke nights?