Been a While!

Boy, it's been a while since I've blogged last! I spent the past 8 months touring and didn't even do one post!

What a whirlwind of a tour that was. I WAS (obviously) able to get the trailer via Kickstarter. Brandon, Buddy, Boris, and I had a great time touring all the way out to the west coast, down the west coast, and back. We met so many cool people, heard so much good music, reconnected with old friends, saw beautiful sights, and dragged that trailer through places a trailer probably shouldn't have gone! We braved the snow of Colorado, cruised through the desert, and enjoyed the salty breeze of the ocean. It was, however, a lot of work!

If we weren't driving, I was gigging, booking, or promoting. We had to miss the redwoods to make it to a gig on time, and failed to meet up with a friend or two, due to time restraints. Driving took up most of the time.

We got in a car accident on the way to the very last gig, where I was to compete for the Grassy Hill New Folk Contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Brandon drove all night from Talequah, OK, down to Kerrville, TX, through tornado warnings, hydroplaning, and barely being able to see on account of so much rain! Once the rain stopped, he fell asleep, and we rear-ended a Dollar General truck. Needless to say, I did not perform my best at the contest. I learned my lesson, and will be taking driving long distances more into account when planning tour routes. It was, however, a last minute change this time, as I didn't know I was accepted into the contest until just a couple of weeks before. Live and learn, though!

After our 5 month stint, we returned home, and I traded Brandon and the dogs for the rest of my band. The Sisters Sweet set out on a 5 week tour out to Colorado, which went swimmingly. The second tour was way more rough. The gigs were not as great, and my air conditioner broke right as we headed south. It was a long, hot tour. Touring will bring out the best and worst in people, and personalities will clash! Unfortunately, due to musical and personal differences, we lost half of the band after the 2nd tour.

I learned that touring is hard. You're constantly working all the time. If you think it's a vacation, think again. If you travel with company, it can make or break your relationship. For Brandon and I, our relationship grew stronger. We are more in love than ever. I couldn't ask for a better partner. Touring also brought me a lot of self-reflection. I had to do some work on myself to be able to handle new situations. I had to ask myself why certain situations annoyed me, or brought me down. I had to learn to "go with the flow."

I do think the tour has benefited my musical career. Though I didn't "make it big" while on tour, I met some good people, made connections, and learned what it is to be a full-time, touring musician. I know that touring will get easier, as my connections grow stronger, and as I get better at booking and planning. It's a slow process, and I truly believe that persistence is key.

For now, the plan is for Emily and I to continue playing shows as a duo, still under the name, "The Sisters Sweet." We're going to stay regional for a while, and work on perfecting our duo show, and maybe hire a musician or two for certain shows. We're laying low for the winter, honing our craft. Hopefully you'll see some videos, new songs, and recordings from us soon. Thanks for continuing to follow my journey as an indie musician!

Hoping this Kickstarter works!

If you've been following me on Facebook or Twitter, you'll know that I am planning a year-long tour starting in December. I'm giving up my home and getting rid of most of my material possessions to live on the road for a year and tour the U.S. I've been wanting to do this for a while now, but until now, I haven't had the guts. I've put together a Kickstarter campaign to try and raise the funds to buy a travel trailer to live in while I'm on the road. I set the goal at $5,000. I really hope this works! Otherwise, I will be living with my husband and two dogs out of a car for a year. In any case, I think it's worth it.

The last crowdfund that I did was through Indiegogo, because I had problems getting my Amazon business account verified, so Kickstarter wouldn't let me launch. I got it all figured out for this time, though, after 2 hours on the phone being passed around by representatives from Amazon. Turns out that a long time ago, I set up an account with the same email address as my current account, and Amazon got confused. Anyway, the issue has been fixed and I launched the Kickstarter campaign this morning. I'm a little nervous, though, because when I did the Indiegogo fundraiser, I only raised half of the money that I had hoped to. It was a good thing that I used Indiegogo in that case, because it was enough to get my new album, Human Conditions, pressed and packaged. I was hoping to also get my debut album, The Gate, re-mastered and re-pressed, but I did not reach that funding goal. But, I've made more fans since then, and I hope generated more buzz this time. I'm trying out some new tactics this time too. If it works out, I'll definitely share them. My first Kickstarter project was a success, but it was for less than half of the amount of this current one. We shall see!

The first part of the tour is being planned. I'm going to Colorado first, and then making my way out to the West Coast. After that, I'll probably do another southern route, just to keep interest going there. My goal is to tour the entire U.S. this year. I've always wanted to travel, and I really just want to share my music with the world. I think my music is a positive force in this world, and there needs to be more conscious music out there. Michael Franti, Nahko Bear, and that whole crew are really doing an amazing job of spreading messages of unity and peace, and I hope to do the same someday.

Thanks so much to you guys and gals who read my blog! If you'd like to see me keep going, and keep pushing my music out there, please donate what you can. If I can get everyone I know to just donate $5, I'll reach my goal for sure! Please help spread the word! Here's the link to my Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/candylee/candy-lees-follow-your-bliss-tour

I posted the Kickstarter video to YouTube, but there's also a link within the video to my Kickstarter page where donations can be made!

Little Gems, Rich Experiences, Amazing People

Little Gems, Rich Experiences, Amazing People. These are some of the cool things about DIY touring. You may think you know what you're in for when you check out a venue's website, but you never really know until you physically arrive. You never know who you're going to meet, what you're going to eat or drink, or what you'll see. You don't know what the sound is going to be like, what the venue owners will be like, how you'll be received by the audience, or if the venue will want you back, or if you'll want to go back.

I just spent the past weekend in Springfield, Mo, where I performed a variety of different places, to a diverse demographic of people. After that weekend, I am now in love with Springfield. Everywhere that I played, the venue owners were very appreciative and accommodating. The people were kind and welcoming. The other musicians that I met along the way were eager to swap contacts, network, and make plans for future possible shows together, or to at least come see each other play.

I spent my first night in Springfield playing at the Millsap Farms Thursday Pizza Night. When I first got there, I knew I was going to like it. I drove down a dirt road, past a greenhouse, and a farm, then a house, and down to a little plot of land surrounded by trees. There were picnic tables set up garnished with real table cloths of varying shapes, colors, and patterns. There were lights strung up above the tables in rows from tree to tree that light up the entire outdoor dining area. Off to the side were wood burning stoves made out of what appeared to be brick and adobe, for the pizzas to be fired in. Curtis Millsap (he and his wife, Sarah own the farm), was manning the ovens with a long handled, wooden pizza peel. In front of them were tables lined up in work stations where the women and girls prepared the assortment of toppings for the different types of pizzas. These weren't just regular pepperoni and cheese pizzas, but pizzas made with homemade dough, homemade red sauce, pesto and ricotta cheese, veggies like cucumber and eggplant straight from the garden.


A long line of pizza-hungry customers lined up at the station as they waited for their pizza to be fired. Everyone sat at the picnic tables, which faced the handcrafted stage, where I was set up. I played to a happy crowd, as people socialized, children played, cats lounged, and dogs sniffed around for unlucky veggies and scraps that had found their way onto the ground. What a rich experience for everyone. I thought that this is what life must have been like before TV and internet. People getting together to make food, listen to music, and spend time with their friends and family. Though the crowd was not fully attentive, it didn't bother me because at that moment, I was there to add to the experience. It wasn't all about me, but I was glad to be a part of it. Sometimes people clapped after songs. There was an attentive group of ladies seated in front with their folding camp chairs, who clapped and enjoyed. There were some people who bought CDs and asked for stickers to hear me again later, and that was more than enough to let me know that people appreciated the presence of my music.

When I was done, I was made me a special gluten free vegan pizza with eggplant, cucumber, fresh tomato and onion. It was so fresh and delicious! Curtis and Sarah gave me advice about other musicians in the area I should befriend and make connections with. I sat by the fire pit for a minute where the kids were telling stories. Then Sarah brought me over to the greenhouse storage, where she invited me to take home a box of fresh produce, such as tomato, peppers, eggplant, squash, grapes, and purple potatoes. What an amazing night!

My second day was spent booking. I went to Mama Jean's natural food store, which was amazing, but their internet was out, so I spent most of my day in the Starbucks sitting area inside Barnes and Noble. I got a text from my sister-in-law, Shawnee, who is the amazing person who hooked me up with two venues to play at. I was scheduled to play at her place of employment, Tea Bar and Bites the next day, but she told me I was welcome to come play that evening also. So, I did.

Tea Bar and Bites is probably the cutest place I've ever been to. There are tea pots and aprons everywhere, the decor is so homey, and the lighting romantic. The architecture reminded me of a labyrinth. The entrance room is tiny, but there are more rooms behind, that branch off into other rooms. I played in the middle room, which was small and could normally only sit about 4 people. No one sat in there while I played, but the people in the other rooms could hear me, and said nice things and left tips. The food was delicious, and so was the tea! The owner is very nice and a big fan of my music. Overall it was a very pleasant experience.

That same night, I played at Lindbergs Bar which is more of the standard music venue, with a stage,
lighting, and a nice sound system. It was a slow night in there. There was a cold snap that weekend, but who knows if people were deterred by the weather or not. I certainly didn't expect to bring too many people out, as I had never played Springfield before. The girl who played before me, Sabrina Deets, was am-a-zing. Her music is much different than mine. She's a rocker. She kind of reminded me of my friend, Tiffany Christopher, in a way. She played some originals, but some good old 90's rock too- stuff I could sing along too. She played electric guitar, and could sing Janice Joplin's Bobby McGee and make it sound good. And I've never seen a girl play Led Zeppelin and freaking rock it! She also played a Jefferson Airplane song that I don't know the name of, but references Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass. I tried to take good pictures of her, but I'm just now learning how to use my camera. (One of these days I'll take a class, or look up some YouTube videos instead of just fiddling around with it!)

I didn't really want to follow her act, but I did. The small crowd enjoyed it, and the bar owner said I should definitely come back and that Springfield is gonna love me :) I met some other cool people while I was there who were also musicians. They had come for the event just before our performance, where they have a songwriting circle based on a book club. I think it's a monthly event? They read the book, just like a book club would do, and instead of simply having a discussion about it, each musician writes a song about it to perform at the circle. It sounds like a really neat idea and something I hope to attend someday!

The next day was a Saturday. I had 3 gigs scheduled for that day! I woke up early and froze my little but off at the Farmers Market of the Ozarks. My hands were numb and my body was shivering, so I know my performance was not up to par, but the market-goers and vendors were appreciative. They have a cool set up there. I got to plug into the PA which was set up to speakers all around the market. So, even if people weren't directly passing by me, they could still hear my music. On the particular morning I was playing, they were having an iron chef event with the chefs from some of the local restaurants. The tasting table was set up right next to me. Everything smelled so good! I didn't have time to take pictures because I had to break down and drive straight to my next gig, back at Tea Bar and Bites again. The market coordinator made sure to tell me that she and the vendors really enjoyed my performance and definitely want me back!

My performance at Tea Bar and Bites was different this time. I was set up outside in the courtyard and played during lunch. Unfortunately, it was bad timing because the spa right next door had a bunch of massages scheduled, and the clients did not particularly want to hear my music. So, eventually, after turning my PA down a few times, I had to play acoustic. The people on the patio still enjoyed it, and I still got to eat an amazing lunch.

My final performance that day was in Reeds Spring (about an hour away from Springfield) at a new venue called Take 5. The crowd was small, but appreciative. The restaurant owner and staff were very nice and accommodating. The stage was nice, set up with a nice PA, and the room is sound proofed, so everything sounds really clean. I enjoyed performing there, and I hope business continues to pick up and the venue becomes established, because it really is a nice place. It was almost like a listening room, the way it was set up, and with the smaller audience, which was nice for me.

I drove home that night to pick up Brandon so that he could see me play the next morning, and come visit with his sister. We didn't get but 3 hours of sleep that night, so I was exhausted by the time I got to The Aviary to play my last Springfield gig of this trip. My voice was also hoarse from singing so much over the weekend, and from getting less sleep than I should have to give my voice time to recover. But, the show must go on, and it did. The Aviary was super fancy and nice. I didn't make many tips that day, but the owner and staff really appreciated the music. They don't normally have music there, so I think it was a bit of a surprise for the costumers. It was nice to have my husband, sister-in-law, and her two friends there cheering me on. And I got a delicious meal out of it. So, a positive experience all around!

I look forward to going back to Springfield, and look forward to all of the experiences in my other travels to come! I'm excited to meet new people, see new places, and blog about it ;) I hope this encourages DIY musicians to plan out little tours, even though they may not be playing big venues yet. You have to start somewhere, and why not enjoy the journey, and the richness that each new place has to offer?

Rejection and Perseverance

I've come to learn one of the greatest hurdles that people in any kind of creative work situation have to face is rejection. It's something I've come to know well since going into music full-time. I've sent out countless booking inquiry emails that have either never been responded to, or have said that my music isn't suitable for their venue, or that I don't have a big enough draw to play at their venue. One time I got an email with the reply that was just. "NA. Thanks, [booking agent's name]." But I often wonder if the emails that warrant no response  have simply not gone through to the venue, or if they are ignored because I don't fit the bill and the venue doesn't think I deserve a response. I really wish I'd hear back either way, because if I don't hear back, I'll just keep on emailing with follow up emails. 

I've also been rejected in submitting my songs for contests via the internet. I use Reverbnation.com everyday to share my press-kits with venues, and for posting short notifications because its linked with all my social networks and posts to them automatically. Reverbnation often encourages me to submit to "opportunities" online or in my area.  A lot of the "opportunities" are songwriting contests, or radio airplay contests, or submissions to festivals, etc. I would say 99% of the time, I get rejected when submitting my songs to these "opportunities." It makes me wonder if my music is appealing enough to actually make it. I think to myself, "Maybe my style just isn't what they're looking for," or "Maybe I don't have a large enough number of fans on my social networking sites for them to even consider my song." I really don't know.


I recently paid $35 to submit to a house concert festival in Florida that will take place this April. I thought I was a shoe-in. I met all of the requirements, but I just got my rejection email yesterday. Apparently the festival judges weren't looking at "the totality of [my] talent or career." It was more about the quality of the videos I was asked to submit and the connection the hosts could make according to my performance in the videos, so the email said. What they were looking for were videos recored during other house concerts that show audience response. I don't have any of those kind of videos yet, so I guess I shouldn't have submitted at all. I was hoping to get my foot in the door in the house concert scene through the festival. That's always the hardest part about being a musician. It's a catch 22 situation. Venues won't book you until you have a fan base. How are you supposed to get a fan base going if you don't have any venues to play at to acquire fans?

With all of this rejection come the voices in my head telling me, "You're not good enough. Your music isn't appealing to enough people. There are too many other singer/songwriters out there that are better than you." But then I remember that I'm doing music because I love to, and because I have a positive message to spread through my music. And there are people who enjoy my music! I must keep an attitude of perseverance because when all of the other songwriters that face rejection have given up, I'll be the one still going strong. I'll be the last one standing. (Not literally, so to speak, but it's a good visualization for me.) I have to remember that some of the most successful people in the world started from nothing, were rejected time and time again, but kept going because they believed in themselves, and because giving up was not an option.                                                                                                                             


So, now I look forward to rejection, because it means that I'm one step closer to finding my path. I learn and adapt. I find where my music doesn't work and where it does. It's all a learning experience. So, come on rejection! Do your best! I'm going to keep on persevering, find my niche and rise above!

Another Year Older, But Another Year Wiser Too

Wow! What a trip. I got pretty caught up in the whole turning 30 thing for the past few weeks. I started having a bit of an existential crisis. I'm not sure if it's like this for everyone, but for me, the milestone of 30 caused a big journey of introspection. With society telling me that by 30 I'm supposed to have everything figured out, and have a stable source of income, etc., I was feeling a little down on myself. One of the hardest things as a musician, and what I'm told makes or breaks an artist, is the ability to stick with it. I've made the commitment to see this through, but that little voice of self-doubt in my head was more overwhelming than ever. "You're too old to make it as a musician," it said. "You started too late in the game." "You're music just isn't catchy or poppy enough." "You'll never be able to support yourself doing music full time. You're just fooling yourself." Ouch! I am my own worst critic.

However, I've come to realize a few things. Staying positive is the main thing. When that voice tells you that you can't do it, don't ignore it. Accept it and use it to fuel your passion. If you give up, you'll never forgive yourself. I've learned to ask myself what really is important to me. Do I wish to give up my dream to take on a 9-5 job just so that I can be "stable"; so that society accepts me as "successful"? Heck no!

I've never been a materialistic person. In fact, more and more I've come to despise material possessions because to me, it's not an even trade. Work your life away so that you can afford "nice things"? I'd rather cherish that time than be a hoarder. I'd rather use my time to create something positive. The big question I've been asking myself is, "You're 30, what have you got to show for it?" Well, I don't have material possessions to validate my success, but I do have experiences and memories that I wouldn't trade for anything. I've come from being a shy kid who couldn't even get the guts to order food at a restaurant, to now performing, often solo, at least 3 times a week. Personally, I think that's a being accomplishment in itself. And the ability to follow my bliss is priceless.

Now that my birthday has finally come and gone, and my inner struggle has worked itself out, I'm feeling more optimistic than ever! I've had so much support from my family and friends. They all pitched in to get me a battery powered street amp for busking. That really meant a lot to me. And my husband hand made me a cajon (a box drum that you sit on and play). But I think what really put me in high spirits was seeing one of my favorite bands perform. Which after this experience, I've come to believe that I need to go see my favorite bands perform more often. I've been a bit out of touch doing my own thing that I haven't had time to enjoy other people's music.

Seeing The Wood Brothers live last night was amazing. Those guys are no spring chickens. They don't have any sort of gimmicks. They're not super attractive dudes. They just stay true to their music and use their talents well. They write honest songs, and people dig it! There were so many people singing along to their songs last night. It was truly inspiring.

I hope one day to be an inspiration to others also. I know the only way to do that is to press on, learn from my experience and keep a positive attitude, even when that little voice tries to put me down. I've got to remember that age has nothing to do with musical success. It's all about the time you put in, and being true to oneself. Some of my favorite artists have been around for a decade before they "made it." To me, "making it" would be the ability to play at any house concert or venue I desired, and to play at festivals around the U.S. I might be 40 by the time that happens, but it will be another 10 years well spent! Each year, I'm "another year older, but another year wiser too."

Social Net-WORKING

Over the past few weeks I've spent far more time online trying to book shows than I have actually spent playing shows. I'm trying to plan out a tour for October, as well as a tour for November. I've been putting all of my booking methods to work:  contacting venues that I find through local newspapers, urbanspoon.com, and through contacting my friends who have bands that play in the areas that I want to book shows. I also discovered the search tool on the Reverbnation website. I'm able to look up both venues and bands by city. I also broke down and got the entire Indie Venue Bible that includes all regions of the US and Canada. (For those of you who don't know, the Indie Venue Bible is a list of venues for unsigned artists, such as myself, with links to the venue websites).

I had recently thought that I had more luck scouring the internet by myself than relying on the Indie Venue Bible (IVB), but it's actually a really useful tool. When I did my pressing/packaging through Oasis, I was given 1 free region of the IVB, and after a bout of no responses from the venues I had already contacted through my other methods of booking, I decided to give it another shot. It actually is quite useful, as there were venues listed that I wouldn't have found otherwise. And the cool thing about IVB is that each venue is listed with the genres of music that each venue hosts. I went ahead and bought the full bundle, which is around $50. It not only includes the list of venues, but tips for touring and information on music business related topics. It also includes a list of promotional contacts for each city, such as newspapers, radio stations, etc. that will get the word about your upcoming shows. I haven't had time since I downloaded the entire IVB to put it to good use, but I'm about to today. We'll see how well it works!

In addition to all of this, I've also been trying to utilize my "social networks," both on and offline. I've started to post things on my Facebook wall like, "Does anybody know any bands in Nashville I could open for?" or "Does anybody know anybody in Memphis?" I've actually gotten a few gigs by doing this so far! I've also contacted my friends who live in the area I'm trying to go, to see if they know anyone who would host a house show, etc. I've gotten a few, "maybe next time"s on that. 

I would say for about every 20 venues that I contact, I actually get a reply back. Two thirds of those replies either say that they are booked already, no longer have music, or that my music doesn't fit the genre of music they're going for. I probably would be getting a lot more responses, and have had a lot more success in booking had I gotten to it sooner. A lot of venues book 5 to 6 months in advance. So my lesson here is to start early! 

When signing up for the "opportunities" on Reverbnation, such as contests for radio airplay or placement or write-ups in music blogs or magazines, I'm constantly reminded to make my press-kit look professional. A good press-kit should include a good bio, press write-ups, quality recordings, and quality, high-resolution photos. I had most of those things except for the photos, so the other day I had a photo shoot with the amazing Jeremy Scott, and the pictures turned out great! They definitely help to make me look more professional. Hopefully they will help in getting me more gigs. Unfortunately, it's not all about the music. Appearances, and connections seem to have a bigger role in getting gigs than actual talent.

I've also learned that I'm going to have to start from scratch in all of these new cities. I have a good credibility here in Arkansas, but few venues want to book a band that doesn't have a following in the area. What venues are mostly concerned about is the number of bodies you can get in the door. How many people can you get to pay a cover charge? How many people can you get drinking? That's the music business! I guess that's why it's important to try and pair up with local bands so that you can essentially "steal their fans." Always bring a mailing list and have anyone who tells you they enjoyed the music sign up! Then you can email and notify your new fans when you'll be in town again. The hope is that you gradually get those numbers up through touring in the same areas, and eventually build a big enough fan base that venues will book you!

I'm still in the learning process of all of this booking business. We'll see if I can get it in gear! Thanks for joining me as I spill out all of this nonsense. Keeping this blog helps me to make sense of it all ;)

Recording is a Process

I was asked a while ago to do a blog post about my recording process. If you have been keeping up with my blog, you'll know that I do pretty much everything related to my music; booking, promotion, recording, etc., myself. I recorded my last two albums by myself, and mixed them myself too. I did however, get my latest album, "Human Conditions," mastered professionally (wonderful work by Darren Crisp). I highly recommend hiring a professional to master your recording, if you wish to distribute it online or sell hard copies.

In previous years, it was much more difficult for musicians to record themselves, and most people either did a low fi, 8 track type recording, or they went into a professional studio. But with today's programs, such as logic or pro-tools, it's much easier, and much more cost efficient, for musicians to record themselves. I also prefer a sound in between a low-fi and professional sound. Professional recording studios often produce recordings that sound a little too polished for my personal liking. I like a little bit of home-made feel. So, if you're an aspiring recording artist, or you'd just like to experiment and record yourself for fun, here's a little bit of direction on how to get started.

EQUIPMENT:
Here's a list of all the equipment you'll need to record an album, Candy Lee style:

1. A Mac computer- I have an iMac, but I've seen people record using, Mac laptops, such as the Macbook Pro. I've not tried recording on a PC, and don't know anyone else who has, but I'm sure it's possible with the right program.

2. Recording software -(I used Garageband for my first album, and upgraded to Logic for my second).

3. A USB interface- I use a simple M-Audio Fast Track. It has one input for a mic, and one for a guitar. There is also an input for headphones, but I just plugged my headphones directly into my computer.

4. A decent mic- I use an Audio-Technica cardioid capacitor microphone. My model is the AT2035. It's just under $200. You can pay more money for a better mic, but if you don't have a real, sound proof recording studio, it doesn't make sense to.

You'll also need the accessories to go with your mic, to keep it in place, and keep it protected from jostling, etc., during the recording process, such as:
- boom mic stand
- shock mount (Mine came with my microphone. I believe they usually do.)
- mic (or xlr) cable




I also use a pop filter, which protects vocal recordings from harsh "s" or "p" sounds. The pop filter will just mount on to your mic stand, and be placed in between your mouth and the mic.








5. A decent pair of headphones- I have Shure studio headphones that are okay. I'd like to find some that do a better job of isolating sound in and out of the headphones. For recording purposes, close-backed headphones are preferred. These headphones keep the sound from the track you're hearing in your headphones from bleeding through to mic as you're recording. Unfortunately, during mixing and postproduction, it's recommended to use open-backed headphones for a more natural sound.
5. An instrument- which ever yours may be. If it's acoustic, record it via mic. I have an electric/acoustic guitar, meaning that I can plug it in for shows for better sound quality through the PA and more freedom in my range of motion (rather than being stuck right in front of a mic for my guitar amplification). If you have an electric/acoustic guitar, I recommend recording via mic, rather than plugging direct through the built in pickup. The sound is much better and richer. Some people both mic and plug in to record their acoustic/electric guitars. Some people use two microphones to get an even richer sound. There are a bunch of recording techniques out there. The best thing to do is research online, or get some how-to books on home recording, and then experiment with positioning of the mic to your guitar, to see what sounds the best for your particular guitar or instrument, which produces the sound you're looking for, etc.

I did record some electric instruments on both of my albums- bass guitar, and electric guitar. For those, obviously, I plugged them in direct to my audio interface.

PROCESS:
If you go into a studio, or you have an amazing home studio that is sound proofed, with multiple sound proof rooms, you'll have the ability to record live with your band members. If you don't, you will have sound bleed, and won't be able to re-record over, or "punch in," any mess-ups on any particular instrument or vocals. If your band is that practiced, and tight that you can record everything in one take, more power to ya! I recorded so many different musicians on this album that aren't in my band, and a lot of the instrumentation was being written as we recorded. May of the performers were just improving on the album. Plus, I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to recording my own guitar and vocals and will do multiple takes of each until I get them right, so I prefer to record in layers, which means that I record each instrument separately, one at a time, one instrument per track.

SETTING UP:
My set up is quite simple. It all revolves around access to my computer. I need to be able to play my guitar one second, and click the mouse, or use the keyboard the next. Usually if I'm recording guitar, I keep it in my lap, as I click on the mouse to start or stop the track, etc.

Firstly, though, I plug my interface into the USB, in my Mac. Then I plug my cable into the instrument or mic and into the interface. My mic is phantom powered, so there is a phantom power switch on the interface that needs to be switched on. (Note: if you buy a phantom powered mic, make sure you have an interface that can handle it!)

Don't forget to plug in your headphones, or you will get a terrible feedback from your mic and your computer speakers!

When I record acoustic guitar, I set up the mic so that it is level with the sound hole of the guitar, then I move it over a few inches up the neck of the guitar. Placing the mic directly in front of the sound hole will produce a sound that's way to boomy. Again, experiment with the positioning of the mic to your guitar and see what works best for you.

When I record vocals, I place the mic level with my mouth, I place the pop filter in front of the mic, and I sing into the mic about a hand's distance away (the hand is completely spread out from thumb, to pinky). When you are recording, be sure to watch if any of your vocals or instruments are "peaking out." If the signal is too strong, it causes a distorted sound and sometimes clips the sound. Make sure that your signal is strong but never clipping. There should be a light on your interface that lights up if you are clipping the sound.

I can't really go into all of the details of setting up Logic, as it is pretty complex, and I'm still a beginner at it. Plus, if you have a different program, it wouldn't be of any use to you. The best thing to do if a program is new to you is to look up how-to videos on YouTube. That's how I learned Logic. I think it's a bit more direct, faster, and easier for me as a visual learner, than reading an entire book on Logic. My favorite how-to videos on Logic are from Mitchel Pigsley on YouTube. Sometimes simply Google-ing your question is even more effective. If you have Logic, and have any questions for me, feel free to leave me a comment and I'll do my best to answer.


RECORDING IN LAYERS:

When recording in layers it is best to use a "click track." A click track is basically a metronome that gives little ticks in your headphones to keep you in time. If you plan on punching in, a click track is the best way to go. It makes it easier to repeat sections also (I do this with backing vocals, such as oohs and ahs, so that I don't have to sing them in each new section of the song where I want them to go). If all of your tracks are in time, everything should sync up, if you're punching in over a mess up, or copying and pasting tracks you'd like to repeat.

Once I've got my click track set up, I record what's called a "scratch track." This is basically a rough draft of vocals and guitar (just sang and played in the same track) to begin with, which will latter be scrapped. Guitar and vocals will be recorded better later. On "Human Conditions," I recorded scratch tracks so that the drummer could lay down his beats first.

This is the order in which I record my tracks.

1. scratch track
2. drums
3. bass
4. guitar
5. vocals
6. supplemental instruments

I usually like to get my rhythm section good and tight before I record my guitar. I like to be able to follow drums and bass. (I may even edit a note or two on drums or bass if there is anything that is particularly off). I feel that the music flows better that way, and it's actually easier for me to record. I record my vocals before any other supplemental instruments because in my music, the vocals are the most important. I have many layers of vocals and want to make sure that those vocals are not covered up by other instruments. However, most bands will record vocals last.

***I was lucky in that both the upright bass player and the string player on "Human Conditions" recorded themselves and had their own recording set up. I'm not sure if it would have turned out as good as it did. I do know that the upright bassist had both a mic and a pick up to record. The string player did record in layers, but I think he had a multiple mic situation also.

MIXING:

Mixing is a whole separate beast. It requires a tuned ear and a lot of patience. It's not something I can explain or do a tutorial on. It's all about listening, and learning. I just try to create a sound that allows each instrument to be heard, and turn up the vocals so that they just rest on top of the music, and aren't blaring over the music or lost behind the music.

I also make good use of panning, which is positioning the instruments toward right and left speakers to create a more distinct and full sound. If everything is positioned in the center, it sounds muddy. I normally put drums and bass in center, then pan the guitar and other instruments. I put the main vocals in center and pan the harmonies and backing vocals so they are present but not overbearing. I listen to the recording on multiple sound systems over and over again, until I get the sound that is the best across the systems.

There's also the issue of equalizing (EQ), which takes a lot of patience and fine tuning, but is very important. You want to make sure that each instrument can be heard- the high instruments have enough treble that they stand out, but not so much that the frequency hurst your ears; the bass has enough bass to be heard and rounds out the over all sound of the mix, but doesn't sound boomy. Take the unnecessary frequencies in each instrument out to clean up the sound, such as the treble out of the low instruments like bass and cello, and the bass out of the high instruments, like guitar and mandolin. It also depends on how many instruments are in the mix, as to how you EQ the instruments. It's all about the overall sound, rather than EQing the instruments so that they sound good individually.

A good mix also uses a small amount of compression and reverb.

Again, I recommend watching as many tutorial videos on the subject as possible, especially ones that are specific to the program you'll be using.


EXAMPLE:

Here's an example of a simple recording that I video taped to show how layering works. Thanks for reading my blog, and let me know if you have any questions. I'm not an expert by any means, but I'd like to help you get started if I can!