9 Mistakes To Avoid When Recording Your Own Album
By Craig | March 12, 2008
Today was a good day. I finally began to work on our next record.
It’s been almost 18 months since we were last recording anything intended for release. That’s a long time. One of the reasons for this was that I figured we needed to place an embargo on any new recordings until “Lighting and Electrical” was finished and available to anyone in the world who might want to hear it. I knew from experience that if we had started recording new material before that point then the songs would have joined that pile of other songs that we never got finished, and I didn’t want that to happen.
So, with the album now out and the embargo duly lifted I have to say that the thought of working on a new set of songs is making me very happy, very excited and a little nervous - and all at the same time. I am happy because making music with the others makes me very happy. I’m excited because it’s been a while since we were recording and it’s a chance to show what we’re made of, a challenge. Lastly, I’m nervous because I know there is a long journey and some hard work ahead of us. Still, it feels liberating to finally be out of the traps and it’s made me give some thought to the process ahead…something we could have benefited from the first time around.
Without going into too much detail, the whole process for recording and releasing “Lighting and Electrical” was absolutely torturous and I say that without the slightest exaggeration. The experience was perhaps the first and only time in my life when my over-developed stubborn streak actually came in handy. I learned a lot during the whole process, and mainly that a lot of the delays I moaned about were ultimately down to our own stupidity. A little patience would have been useful at times, too.
So, for the benefit of anyone about to embark on recording their own album, on their own and also to serve as a behavioural mantra for our own second album, here are some things I’ve learned from all the mistakes we made last time. I’ll add a complimentary post listing all the mistakes we made after we finished recording in the next day or so.
Off we go, then….
9 Mistakes To Avoid When Recording Your Own Album
by the band that made them all.
1: That Odd Buzzing Noise Will Come Out In The Mix
..and one day there will be free jetpacks for us all. No matter how good you think that last take was, if your singer kicked the mike stand halfway through or the small change was rubbing against the keys in your pockets then you need to think about starting that take again.
2: If You Are Having Drums, You Might Want To Record Them First
You may think you’ve nailed that guitar part to that click track but there are two people who won’t share your confidence. The first person is the drummer and he will till you all about this when he comes to play along to the song. The second is the person who will spend weeks going through the all the component drum audio files, making miniscule adjustments to the placement of a kick beat here and a high hat there. When I say weeks, I mean WEEKS…easily enough weeks to fill a month or two.
3: “Hey, Shall We Tune-up?”
This one sounds teeth-grindingly obvious, doesn’t it. Oh yes, so obvious in fact that you’d laugh at anyone who made such a stupid error.
*cough*
Moving on, then…
4: Effects Breed Like Rabbits
It might not sound the way you hear it in your head but if you cave in now and add that tiny bit of distortion - just to make yourself feel better about everything - then imagine how great you’ll be feeling when you come to the mix and you can’t get rid of it. Record EVERYTHING dry.
5: “You Sound Like You’ve Got A Cold…”
If you didn’t have a cold when you recorded the vocals for the other 9 tracks, why do you want to do record the vocal for this one now?
6: Clean Out Yer Ears
If you’ve listened back to that rough mix more than 10 times today then it’s probably time to go out, meet your pals and get drunk. Additionally, when you all come back from the your night out your friends will probably be in the mood for some ELO or possibly some Fu Manchu. That track without vocals and that piano part littered with cack-handed mistakes will be waiting patiently for you tomorrow - it ain’t going nowhere.
7: Less Is More
These days home studios can be augmented with a dazzling array of plugins that enable you to have thousands and thousands of sounds and instruments at your fingertips. You are limited only by your imagination, but remember that this cuts both ways.
8: Organise, Label & File
At some stage, when you’ve recorded your last vocal or overdub, you’ll want to think about mixing your album. When this point comes it is waaay too late and entirely pointless to have the bright idea of giving audio files sensible names and putting them into folders that, say, represent the names of the different songs they come from.
9: Back-Up
Death, Taxes and At-That-Crucial-Point computer malfunction. They come to us all in the end. Do it daily, weekly or monthly….but make sure you do it.
Now….go and make a great record!
Topics: The 2nd Album, Music, Apropos of Nowt | 3 Comments »
Taking the FOTS cavalcade of mishap to Twitter.
By Craig | March 9, 2008
We enter a new realm today. Rather than having to wait for updates on our self-inflicted failure and disappointment to be posted on this here website, you’ll now be able to tune in to rolling, as-it-goes-wrong coverage via a Twitter account.
Here’s how I came to this most considered of decisions:
Twitter is something I’ve been aware of for a while but have never felt the need to use, so naturally I dismissed it out of hand. Then, of course, I started using it anyway and now, approximately 24 hours later, I’m now going to commit to something stupid and quioxtic that involves using it on a daily basis and probably forever. Something like….oh, i dunno…announcing that I’ll be documenting everything related to Friends of the Stars via the medium of Twitter.
(You can see the faultless logic involved there, though, can’t you?)
If you are an existing Twitter user then the username you are looking for is craig_fots.
If you are unfamiliar with what Twitter is or does then depending on who you choose to believe you are either technosocially hopeless or alternatively incredibly cool for not knowing. Yep, it’s another one of those things. It’s not a ‘new’ thing (in interweb terms) and the main arguements for and against were made over a year ago.
So, tune in and be privvy to exclusive updates on broken strings, missed rehearsals, aborted recording sessions and anything I happen to Twitter whilst I’m drunk. For my part, I’m looking forward to finding out what the average Friends of the Stars fan (or interested party) is doing at any given moment.
I’ve just Twittered (I have Twuttered?) the fact that I’m going to be Twittering everything FOTS related.
Topics: Interactive Tools, Promotion, Internet Doohickeys | No Comments »
Thank You London!
By Craig | March 8, 2008
Well, ok, 30-odd people in London….
Just a note to say Hello and Thank You to all the kind people who saw us play and gave us such a cool reception last week at London’s 12 Bar Club, and especially to those who bought CDs!
Hopefully we’ll see you again soon.
Topics: That London, Live | No Comments »
There’s Only One Dorian Wood - 21st March 2008
By Craig | February 27, 2008
DORIAN WOOD (USA)
DORIAN WOOD (UK)
FRIENDS OF THE STARS
+ STEP OFF DJs
Doors open 7pm, £3 entry
The Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham
******************************************************************************
In the late 1990s in California Dorian Wood decided to track down his worldwide namesakes using the interweb and eventually got in touch with Birmingham-based Dorian Wood. Finding someone who shares your slightly out-of-the-ordinary name on the other side of the globe would be one thing, but to find out that you are both involved in the creation of strange and beautiful music is something quite altogether different.
On Good Friday 21st March 2008 we are bringing together these unique two talents to play on the same bill for the very first time.
Friends of the Stars and Commercially Inviable cordially invite you to kick off your Easter weekend with a night of music, dancing and collaboration.
If your name is also Dorian Wood then you’ll receive FREE entry but proof of identity will be required.
Boringly-named individuals will need £3 to gain access.
We hope to see you there.
******************************************************************************
DORIAN WOOD (USA)
His recently-released Bolka album is without doubt one of the best things we’ve all heard in a long time and really, really deserves to be heard by a much wider audience. Dorian has a voice that is really beautiful and he writes songs that call to mind Rufus Wainwright, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Anthony Hegarty - all rolled into one.
LISTEN: Dorian Wood - “Well, Well, Well”
THEY SAY: “Wry, wistful and deliciously eerie, BOLKA is a valentine to the brokenhearted”
DORIAN WOOD (UK)
One half of the marvellous and frightening TeaTowel, the Friends of the Stars remixer of choice and the man behind the world’s only and best Happy Hardcore covers band, Pete_Prescription. Dorian will be playing brand new compositions freshly minted in his Kings Heath studio so expect Krautrock, Melody, Noise or something else entirely.
LISTEN: Friends of the Stars - “Feelin’ Blue” - Remixed by Dorian Wood
THEY SAY: “Elevator Music for people descending into hell”
FRIENDS OF THE STARS
Commercially Inviable Since 2000, this alt-country 3-piece have harmonies, tunes and hooks in abundance and after surviving over 7 years of mild success and self-inflicted disappointment they bring you songs from ”Lighting and Electrical”, their first full-length album.
LISTEN: Friends of the Stars - “Old Souls”
THEY SAY: “Their new disc is packed with the kind of authentically sad, lovely, and whiskey-drenched tunes that are tragically absent from the modern country FM dial.”
******************************************************************************
INFORMATION:
Email info@friendsofthestars.co.uk
Call +44 (0) 7740 358 162
******************************************************************************
USEFUL LINKS:
******************************************************************************
DIRECTIONS:
LOCATION ON MULTIMAP.COM FOR DIRECTIONS
******************************************************************************
Topics: Collaboration, Birmingham, Live | 2 Comments »
Photographically Available Since 2000…
By Craig | February 26, 2008
Having finally figured out how to use the fabulous if somewhat cumbersome Lightbox application, I’ve given the Friends of the Stars photo page a makeover.
It now contains images and artwork that document the last 7 years, 1 month and 26 days of great tunes and piss-poor organisation. If you click on any of the little thumbnails on the page then strange computer magic should happen.
Happy viewing!
Topics: Images | No Comments »
Greetings to readers of Anyone’s Guess
By Craig | February 25, 2008
San Francisco-based music and culture blog Anyone’s Guess have posted a nice review of the ”Lighting & Electrical” album and included a pretty accurate assessment of our business acumen into the bargain.
“Friends of the stars have a fine operation going, which is to say no operation at all. They make music, pretty durn good music at that, and let the audience take care of themselves.”
Harsh but fair, I think.
Topics: Reviews | No Comments »
Photographs, January 2008
By Craig | February 24, 2008
Howdy,
Here are some recent photos, including one of the lesser spotted Executive Producer Robson in what can only be described as a coquettish pose. Hang on to your hats, kids
Topics: Images, Collaboration | No Comments »
Greetings to readers of Hypeful
By Craig | February 21, 2008
The nice folks at Hypeful.com have not only given”Lighting & Electrical” a glowing review on their site but have also labelled us as a “Band To Watch”. Amongst other things they had this to say:
“Their new disc is packed with the kind of authentically sad, lovely, and whiskey-drenched tunes that are tragically absent from the modern country FM dial.”
To read the full review and explore what else Hypeful has to offer then click here.
Thanks to the guys at Hypeful for the kind words
x
Topics: Reviews | No Comments »
Calling all micro-philanthropes…
By Craig | February 19, 2008
Some dude in America is selling his entire record collection on eBay - The collection contains over 6 million titles spread across 3 million records and a boat load of CDs, cassettes and 8-track cartridges. The seller will only let it go as a whole and will not let buyers cherrypick.
I would give mine and your right arm to own this. Seriously.
The starting bid is $3m and so by my calculations we will need to shift around 45,000 copies of “Lighting and Electrical” in order to be the succesful bidder.
Here’s a link to our shop and remember, folks, every purchase counts.
Topics: Apropos of Nowt, Collaboration | No Comments »
Sunshine
By Craig | February 18, 2008
When the weather is like it is today then crushing disappointment in the music biz can wait.
I’m off outside to plant some roses at the allotment
x
Topics: Apropos of Nowt | No Comments »