Preproduction
copyright 1997 by Monte Nordstrom
from issue # 44 - Cosmic Debris Musicians Magazine - Sept '97
Artists announcing to their public, "I'm in preproduction for my
upcoming CD release" may tend to bewilder the musical
layman. That's o.k. because chances are the artist is
somewhat confused too. Here is an outline for the
arcane science of preproduction that may be useful to
recording artists just starting out an independant
project and also for people trying to understand
why these artists are busy doing what appears to
be nothing. This is a thumbnail sketch of the
creative process in action (as opposed to
inaction).
I know I've touched on the subject of
preproduction in a previous article, but I'm in the
process myself at the moment and as usual, have
a couple of notebooks rapidly filling up with data,
so this is current in my concentration. There are
several coexistant considerations when starting
a project, and the amount of work you do in
preparation will save you money in the long run.
Your budget is the bottom line. You have to be
aware of the costs before you start because if
you run out of cash, the wheels will fall off your
wagon. So an adequate budget is the basic
requirement. How you get it is your problem but
if you have some capital or equity and your credit
is good, and if you are fairly business-oriented,
you can get it together. {Collective groan from
87% of the singer/songwriters out there}. Yes, I
know its tough, BUT if your material is good,
there may be someone you know that would be
willing to risk $ or help in some way.
You can get 300 CD's manufactured for under
$700 now. Contact a manufacturer regarding the
artwork specs and they'll provide you with the
necessary info for the cover art requirements. A
graphic artist will be able to put it all together for
you for a reasonable cost. You'll have to get a
quote on their price. It will cost you less if you can
provide all the text on a computer disc file.
Getting your graphics, text & artwork to a "camera
ready" state with 4 colour separations will run you
around $300. Printing will cost around $400. Your
recording budget is another flexible cost. What
you spend on tracking really depends on how you
go about it. Mastering will cost around $275. I
wouldn't bother too much with manufacturing
tapes, they don't sell. Fifty units will be sufficient
for a first run if you want them.
This puts your manufacturing costs at around
$1800, and your recording cost will be on top of
that. If you have a handle on your recording
budget you can see how it shapes from this point.
Not to lose sight of the musical reason for all
this number crunching, step one is song
selection. Assuming the artist (here-to-fore
referred to in the first person) has a catalogue of
material to choose from, will have to consider a
number of angles to pick the most suitable songs.
To present a cohesive collection of tunes is a
daunting task unless you're John Hiatt or Sheryl
Crow. And I'm sure they've gone through their
share of sweat & misdirection to get to this point
in their careers.
Individual songs will have to have their lyric,
melody & chord structure fine-tuned. This can be
well accomplished by performing the material in
a "live" setting or by privately playing them to a
select critical audience with a professional
viewpoint.
Its not a bad idea when you are polishing a
song, to experiment with a variety of approaches
to it. Try different styles, time signatures, tempi &
keys. Even if its just for fun. Country, reggae,
blues, jazz, hard rock or ballad treatments may
bring out a nuance previously overlooked or
unconsidered. I got this advice from Big Miller,
and it's a good exercise. When you find the ideal
mode for your creation then try out types of
instrumentation. If you are a group, this will be a
given for the most part, but keep an open mind.
Sometimes an unusual instrument will bring
out the hidden quality of a song. Think of Leonard
Cohen and his use of the balailaika or Simon &
Garfunkel's "The Boxer" with its bass harmonica
(as a couple of examples). This will be something
to consider further down the line, but as I always
say, be receptive.
Some people try to assemble a collection that
holds together in a fairly narrow category. This
pleases programmers, marketers & fans of that
particular genre. I'm the wrong guy to discuss this
point because I don't necessarily believe in the
practise. You WILL be confronted with this
concept once you release your finished project.
Be ready to get the big question, "What kind of
music is it?" Answers: Good music. My music.
Use your ears, Dumbo. If your answer to this
question is "Rockin'pop'n'rollin' bluesy
reggae-jazz fusion inspired by the works of Wilf
Carter & Wild Man Fischer", don't tell 'em that I
sent you. I have enough problems, thankyou.
The next step is the DEMO or demonstration
tape. This a very important tool for the recording
artist because the demo will show you what's
needed or superfluous with your material. With
the advent of reasonably priced digital multitrack
systems there is now an abundance of cheap 4-
track (& even 8-track) analog porta-studios on the
market. These are great for working out the
bumps before going into full production. Note:
have a listen to Bruce Springsteen's album,
"Nebraska". It was recorded on a Tascam 144 4-
Track cassette recorder, and offers a decidedly
personal ambience to this particular material.
Sometimes a minimalistic approach is very
powerful. Also, consider renting a digital
multitrack setup, because your demo may evolve
into a releasable recording. Producer, Phil
Ramone uses 3 linked DA88s & a 24-track
Mackie board as his medium and works from his
home via fiber-optics! You can too! Hey honey,
pass me another bucket of money...
One should be careful not to do too much on
the demo or it will become difficult to reproduce
when you are tracking for real. Remember, first
takes can be very strong, so don't lose your best
performance by overtraining.
Another tip, if you are a performing artist is to
videotape your performance either onstage or in
rehearsal. It will show you what the audience
sees from their perspective. This is very revealing
and will sometimes cause you to drastically
rework a piece, so it's a useful endeavor. It will
also improve your stage presence.
Next, you will have to decide how to record
your material. Obviously there are many ways to
go about this procedure so carefully weigh the
considerations. There is nothing more frustrating
than to be locked into a studio or other method
that turns out to be unsuitable.
Visit the studios available to you and talk to
people who have used these facilities. They will
be able to recommend a situation or direct you to
a viable alternative. Take notes and assess the
collected data to your own requirements.
Depending on the end use for your project, you
may want to look at alternatives to the tradtional
Producer/Engineer route.
If you have the technical ability to do it yourself
(DIY), there are a few options. If your tunes are
already polished, and you & your band are
playing the spots off it "live", it may be a lot
cheaper to do a "live off the floor" studio
recording OR even hire an engineer to capture
your performance at a gig with a supportive
audience. One problem with a so-called live club
recording is that you won't easily get the chance
for alternate takes unless you collect recordings
from a series of gigs, then you have to deal with
having variant ambient concerns.
It is not unreasonable to use a combination of
recording methods to get your song quota
together. You could focus on two or three songs
in a studio multi-track situation, aiming for
"airplay", and then fill out the balance with less
expensive live tracks or even an unplugged or
solo representation, providing you maintain a
consistant level of quality.
Another plan is to get your recording
equipment together and set it up in your home or
another private location. This can be a good deal
but you'll need the know-how to pull it off
effectively. Shop around, get quotes from pros,
from rental sources and make your decision
based on your needs, skill and budget ability.
One of my next projects will involve a blend of
recording methods. My drum beds will be
recorded in a particular studio with an engineer
whom I trust to get the drum sound I want. I will
do my overdubs & stacking on my digital 8 track
system in a variety of private locations. I plan on
doing my vocal tracks in another studio, taking
advantage of their ambience & selection of
superior vocal microphones. Mixdown will take
place in a studio with a comfortable atmosphere,
a good variety of monitors and a wide choice of
expensive outboard effects. Mastering will take
place using Sonic Solutions at Mark Franklin's
Media Magic in Victoria. I will get the best value
for my needs by blending.
Getting back to your budget - you will have to
price studio time, equipment rentals and
professional wages. Don't minimalize your
artwork or design costs. There's no point in
putting out an indie CD without adequate packaging.
It's what gets your product into the hand of the
prospective buyer and that's the business end of the
equation.
When you're not focusing on the music, think
about the hard copy of your release. Try out different
concepts with a cut & paste method and use laser
copiers to get it into the shape where you are
satisfied.
Remember you're competing with the Major$ and
there's an overwhelming glut of product flooding the
marketplace. Be realistic with your sales projections.
Be financially prepared to pay out your backers with
minimum sales numbers. $12 x 300 gets you in the
neighbourhood, but the units don't exactly fly off the
shelves. You will have to be careful with generated
income and bank it in a pay-back account, otherwise
it will evaporate. If you break even on a release you're
doing well, so don't count chickens.
If you don't have a clear concept of the expenses
required to pull this off, and you don't have a fall-back
contingency if your minimum sales projections come
up short, you'll have some 'splaining to do' to your
backers, family & former friends. Be prepared.
Next time you pick up a CD, consider the work it
takes to get it to its finished shrink-wrapped state.
Support independant artists. This is frontline culture,
folks. CIAO!
Note: Monte Nordstrom has produced over 75 demos and has recorded 8 albums to
date (Nov '99). He performs regularly at numerous venues on Canada's West Coast.
Email Monte at:
nordstro@islandnet.com
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