Occasionally one can get lost in a the sheer possibilities at a recording studio. In modern studios you have infinite tonal possibilities. YOU know what your drums are supposed to sound like, but when a recording engineer joins you, their idea of what your drums sound like can quietly overrule you. The engineer likes one sounds and after hearing 2hrs or drum tones your ears are tired and you acquiesce. Plus the clock is ticking. The longer you mess around, the more it costs you.

So today start creating a Tone Board before you start recording. If there is a song that has the tonal qualities you like, make note of it. Get the artist, album, song, and time that your favourite tone appears. As you listen to more music you’ll gather more items for your tone board.

Before recording, have a listen to all of the songs/tones that you’ve got. Let your engineer and/or producer listen to those songs as well. You’ll not only have a solid starting point for your recordings but you’ll also be able to be very specific with the people you’re paying. This will save you money!

If you listen to music via your phone you could tweet, email, or note pad the songs to remember them. If you’re a paper and pen person make sure to keep those notes organized. Creating a Tone Board probably won’t change your life, but it will give you a head start in the studio and tune your ears to think about why you like a tone and how it was created.

Music Consciousness
Voyno