Practice With A Click

Find out the bpm’s of your songs and try having band practices with a click running through the PA. If not the whole band then at least the drummer should practice with a click, especially if he’s never played with a click before. 95% of all recordings done at Telekon are done using a click track. Knowing the bpm’s (beats per minute) of your songs before coming in will not only help to save time in the studio, but will prepare you ahead of time.

Bring In Lyric Sheets

Bringing in lyric sheets will help the engineer to follow along and make sure your words are being heard clearly. Your engineer is your best friend. You want to make sure that he knows the words your trying to say, even before you say them.

Know Your Background Vocals

Many projects get bogged down during background vocal recording phase. If you have people singing background vocals who do not sing any lead vocals at all, then special attention should be given to this area during rehearsal. The problem is this: what sounds perfectly acceptable at the gig through the stage monitors is all of a sudden exposed to the intense scrutiny of the recording studio. A lot of times things that always sounded fine now sound pretty ragged. The most common problem areas are intonation (singing in tune). Pay particular attention to group cut-offs at the end of long held notes. Designate someone (usually the lead singer) to direct the cutoffs via a hand or some other visual signal. If you think this may be a problem area, it’s ok to have your lead vocalist do the backgrounds himself. It is very common for the lead singer to sing all the backing vocals. After all he/she is most likely the best singer in the band.

Get Your Rest

Get a good amount of sleep the night before you come in. You want to come in the studio with a clear mind, and be able to focus on what needs to be done.

Guitar/Bass Maintenance

I highly recommend having your guitars and basses set-up a few days before recording. Most good places require a few days notice so this should be one of your first priorities. A setup includes all the adjustments to get the best action and intonation from your guitar. If your intonation is off it will make a huge difference in the sound of your instrument. Try to have this completed at least 3-5 days before coming in so your strings can get broken in. Telekon Studios has their guitars set-up every 6 months. Check our Links section for recommended places throughout the valley.

Drums Maintenance

The key to a good drum sound lies in a good sounding drum kit. I highly recommend getting new heads (both top and bottoms) before coming to the studio. Put them on and tune them a day or two before you come in, and check them again once you’re in the studio. Telekon can assist you with tuning if necessary. Check for squeaks and rattles or any other unwanted noise.

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