Music Biz 101
December 2002

Music Biz 101
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By Charlie Dahan

Producing and pressing your own CD has become easier and cheaper over the past few years that many ‘Do It Yourself” artists / labels are releasing music that is close in quality to any product released by a major or independent label. The reason for this is two-fold. First, the barrier of money that it takes to produce a master in a top-notch studio dropped so much lately with technology such as pro-tools available to the average consumer for a reasonable price (in fact, you can get a limited 8 track studio for free at www.protools.com). But most important for this new phenomenon lies in the fact that most artists enter the studio well prepared to record their music.

The recording of an album can be broken into six separate events: pre-production, tracking, overdubbing, mixing, mastering and releasing.

The first and the most important in setting the tone to how your recording will turn out is the pre-production period. The artist spends this time dedicated to writing, arranging, rehearsing and testing the material that they intend on recording.

This process should never take place in the studio in which you plan on recording, as you will be wasting a serious amount of cash. The time should be spent either in a rehearsal / demo studio or in your basement, garage, or wherever you won’t get arrested for disturbing the peace. You’ll save considerable money and not feel the pressure of finishing up because the clock is ticking.

Record companies spend this time discussing and analyzing the repertoire with a critical ear aimed towards the quality of the song, which ones make sense to record, which ones need fine-tuning and which ones should be scrapped. Usually there will be a producer present for these discussions, but just because you do not have a record company and / or a producer helping you to pick and work on your material does not mean that this step should be skipped. Entering the studio prepared will not only yield you a better quality product, but also save you a ton of money and time that could be better spent developing your career.

This brings us to the million dollar question…do you really need a producer. I cannot say with any more emphasis than “YES!”

Now, you don’t need to run out and try to get Glen Ballard, Phil Ramone or Mutt Lange to work with you or to try to bring Phil Spector out of hiding or Jerry Wexler out of retirement. But it is essential to have an impartial third party who knows how to get the best performances out of you on tape (or onto the hard drive) and what makes a good recording and what makes an average recording. There are a ton of young and hungry people out there with production / studio experience or established producers who if they like your music will make you a deal of a lifetime just to work with you. Be sure when you do find one that you are comfortable with them and you see eye to eye about your approach and goals with your music. Anyone can call themselves a producer and many artists try to produce themselves, but that is like a good friend of mine, Grammy award winning producer Dennis Walker once said “An artist producing their own album is a kin to me trying to hit a Randy Johnson fastball every year on Thanksgiving, I think someone who hits a baseball for a living has a significantly better chance of succeeding because they have the experience and they are always working their craft than I do with my one shot a year at his 100 mile an hour pitch.”

Spend your pre-production time wisely and, well, productively. Actively write, jam, critique and re-arrange your material. Seek out a producer who can both help guide you towards creating the best work you can. This portion of the recording process can be the difference between advancing your career and slamming the brakes on it.

Next issue we will discuss my favorite time in the studio, the laying down of the basic tracks.

Charlie Dahan is a professor of music business and history studies at Oneonta State College as well as a freelance A&R consultant and writer. He has been a part of over 70 commercial releases and has two Grammy nominations from his work with the Skatalites. He also owns Larchmont Recordings, a new label set to debut its first recording in the Fall of 2002.