Preproduction is an important part of the recording production process. This is when your production ideas begin to take form before entering the studio. Preproduction includes deciding which songs you want to record, arrangements and instrumentation. Demos are often included in the preproduction process, because they allow the producer and artist to musically sketch out a song quickly in order to generate ideas before recording its final version in the studio.
Every recording starts with basic tracks. While these can vary greatly, typically basic tracks start with drums and a guitar or a single guitar recorded alongside a click track (metronome or electronic timekeeper). Basic tracks serve as the foundation of the song: you can build instruments upon this foundation. Drums are often recorded for basic tracks since they essentially provide the rhythmic backbone to the rest of the song. Many artists will record a scratch vocal during basic tracking to serve as a guide for the rest of the players; eventually, the scratch will be replaced by a final vocal track.
Throughout the recording process, instrumental sounds are captured either by microphones or via cables that hook into a recording device. Depending on what instrument you are recording at the time, there are many ways to capture its sound. For instance, voice is always recorded on a microphone. Every mic offers a distinct take on voice. Try a series of microphones until you find one that captures the kind of vocal sound you hope to achieve.
Once basic tracking is complete, often overdubs are required. Overdubbing is the process of layering instruments on top of existing tracks in a recording session. For instance, an artist can overdub a keyboard part to a song that already has drums, bass and guitar. To overdub a part, an artist simply plays along with the song in real time. Overdubs often take up most studio recording time, since artists and producers alike tend to redo overdubs until they are both happy with the final outcome of the track.
During recording, your recording device will register a level for each specific track you record. A guitar track, for instance, will show the volume of the track. All recording devices include a gain function, which allows the producer to set the volume level of an instrument as its signal enters the recording device. Set the gain so that the instrument signal is strong but not too strong; otherwise, it will distort.
The mixing stage follows recording. During the mixing process, a producer or mixer manipulates the recorded tracks, sets volumes and equalizes tones and adds effects where necessary to enhance the song's overall sound and feel. Mixing can be at least as time consuming as recording, since many different components must be considered. Similarly, a mix can drastically change depending on an artist's or producer's inclinations. One mix of a song can have a very quiet vocal, for instance, while a separate mix of the same song might have the vocal loud.
Mastering is the final step in the production process. It involves the setting of the overall volume and equalization levels of an entire album. Mastering ensures no one song sounds unnaturally louder than another, and provides a seamless quality to a collection of songs.
Consider having a track sheet on hand during the production process. This is simply a sheet of paper that lists where each instrument is assigned. For instance, a lead vocal might be assigned to track 1 on your recording device. Keeping a simple log like this will make the recording process that much easier.