So, you’re deciding whether you should record your next music project all by yourself at home or head to a professional recording studio. Cost is usually one of the biggest factors in making that decision for most artists, but that is just one of the factors that plays a part in how your project turns out. Many artists that are asking themselves this question have perhaps not recorded in a professional studio before, so here are five reasons why you might consider recording in a studio and not in your bedroom, basement, or garage.
#1 – Sound Quality
As artists, we care about our sound and the quality of the recording. We know that there is always subjectivity in what “sounds good,” but we also understand that there is a certain minimum level and standard of quality that must be met in order for our music to be taken seriously and be considered for broadcast mediums like radio and television. This is where having a proper recording environment along with the right equipment can prove crucial in reaching that high quality of sound.
Professional studios have been built from the ground up with proper isolation, acoustics, and equipment in mind. The recording rooms are designed to properly control the sound in order to capture the best possible recordings. Our homes were never built with those concepts in mind. It’s why we can hear planes, trains and cars going by and why no parent wants their child to play drums. The isolation between rooms is nowhere near ideal. Microphones can pick up even the most subtle sounds like air coming out of a vent. These sounds can and usually do get amplified many times throughout the recording, mixing and mastering process. This is of no concern in a professional studio.
Having professional grade microphones, preamps, converters, and effects processors make a huge difference in the quality of sound. If you don’t get a good sound going, then the output is going to suffer as well. There is only so much editing and “magic” that can be done by an engineer to clean up whatever messes are made in the tracking phase. Speaking of engineers, this leads to reason number two.
#2 – Professional Engineer
Professional studios usually employ professional recording engineers. These engineers are crucial in making sure the sound you are looking to achieve is captured correctly. The engineers know the gear they have and are using inside and out and are able to make quick and effective choices in decisions like what microphone to use and how to properly mic up the drum kit or grand piano.
Having an engineer in the room also allows you as an artist to simply focus on the music itself and to make sure you and/or your bandmates are putting your all in getting the best take possible. The engineer’s job is to also make sure that they are capturing the best takes possible and they are also listening for anything that could make the recording sound bad. This can be anything from making sure you are not too close or too far from the microphone to ensuring everyone is playing and singing on time.
An engineer is a highly valuable asset in a recording session and having one on your project is highly recommended. At the very least, they serve as an outsider perspective and can offer an unbiased opinion to your performance and the music itself. This is important when you may have done everything up until this point all by yourself.
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#3 – Ability to Experiment
In the studio, you will find that there are many options for microphones, effects, instruments, and even rooms. This is a great opportunity to be able to experiment with different sounds and signal chains. Engineers that see artists come in to record in a studio for the very first time after only recording themselves in their own bedroom get to witness the artist’s face light up when they hear themselves in such a different environment. It’s not uncommon at all to watch artists become inspired just by a sound they hear or an effect that was placed on their voice or instrument. The studio is and should be used as a creative playground. There are tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in gear and instruments in many professional studios. This is an opportunity for you to record and create on some items most can only dream of owning one day. Use it to your advantage!
#4 – Create New Relationships
Recording studios can spawn not only new business relationships but also long-lasting creative friendships. As a solo artist, you might find a potential future band member from a session player you hired through the studio. You may have found an engineer that makes you sound killer and is easy to work with. You may meet another artist that’s looking for an act to tour with that was recording in another room and they just happened to be walking by your room when the door was open. The recording studio is a creative hub and that is something that is extremely hard to recreate in your own home. Music and the arts in general are communal. The more people you can surround yourself with, the more your art has opportunity to be experienced.
#5 – The Experience
In the end, there is one thing that comes out of both recording in a studio or recording at home and that is an experience. Recording at home creates a comfortable environment and a convenience of not having to leave your home. That is a certain type of experience, but there is another experience that might push you out of your comfort zone or inspire you differently and that is achieved in going to a studio. To make a comparison; you can watch a concert online in the comfort of your own home. You might even invite some friends over to experience it with you, but how does that experience compare to going to a live concert. Will you hear it the same way? Will you feel the power of the speakers and subs the same? Will you meet any new friends that have a common interest? That is the type of difference in experience you can have by going to a studio, and that is something worth paying for.
Budget tends to be a huge deterrent from artists booking a studio, but it is because so many factors are overlooked. Money will always be spent but money can always be made as well. If you are creative with your budgets, you can achieve a lot. In a time where social media content is pretty much a prerequisite for the job, you can use a place like a recording studio to create content for months to come all from one session. Hire a videographer to document the process. Take lots of photos, not just of yourself/your band but of the engineers and staff you’re working with. Tag them in your posts. Create a team that will feel like they are part of you and your project. For that extra bit of money you spend on a studio, you will have created not only a greater experience for yourself, but you will have increased the value of each dollar spent as well.
Recording and releasing music under the artist name Songsbury, Mat Teofilo is a Toronto-based singer, songwriter, guitar & piano player, and producer who just received his first gold record. The guest on Episode 368 of our weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, he has had many notable collaborations in addition to his own catalogue of music. He has also composed music for film projects and is also opening a new recording studio this year. He also spent four years living in Los Angeles.