I’m a professional.
Unlike many musicians out there, I’ve been fortunate enough to produce and mix albums at a professional recording studio for the last 16 years.
It has the perfect dimensions. It has all of the perfect gear. It has everything you could want in a studio.
Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for many people.
Lots of artists are not able to pay a producer or book time at a studio. I’ve encountered many bands where that’s the case.
And even though I don’t end up producing an album for them, I still want to give them some tips to make their recording sound professional.
If I can help enough musicians make great records, it’s better for the industry as a whole.
So here are some tips I’ve given musicians about recording at home…
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Control the Bass
The most important thing in any audio situation is the low end.
Bass frequencies are a beast and can quickly ruin your recordings. It’s the number-one thing you need to get under control.
They can make your control room not neutral and unreliable. Bass has a tendency to build up in the corners and the back of the room, so always block off the corners.
You can use bass cubes or you can put 2x4s across the corners of the room and stuff pillows, blankets, etc. behind them.
Another great way to get the bass under control is to set up a control room, ensuring you’re closet is at the back of the room. You can turn the closet into a big bass trap — just open the door and fill the closet with pillows, blankets, clothes, or bass trap materials.
It’s a home recording studio setup that may take time. But it’s worth it.
Use Reference Tracks
It would be very naïve to think you can have a professional mix in just a few hours without a reference track.
It’s also very easy to get lost while mixing. You might find yourself working on a song for 8 hours, only to realize it’s worse than when you started.
This is where reference tracks come into play.
So compare your mix to a professionally mixed song at equal volumes. This practice will give you a good idea of what you need to do to make your song sound better.
For example, if you’re riding the vocal for an hour or two, it’s very easy to have a tendency to make it too loud. It’s the only thing your brain is focusing on.
But if you have a reference you can compare it to, you’ll know very quickly how your vocals sound.
More Is Not Always Better
When producing, it’s easy to keep adding layers and building it up. But that’s not always the best thing to do.
Let your song breathe and have dynamics. Let it tell the story effectively.
Just because you have a million different sounds to play with, doesn’t mean they should all be in one song.
Even if you have great home recording studio equipment, it doesn’t mean you know how to produce a great song.
If you want to make something sound big and wide, less is more. If you mute the track, and nothing happens, that track probably doesn’t need to be there.
The Lyrics Are Always Most Important
The lyrics are more important than your recording techniques, your studio, or your mixing skills. They’re always the most important thing in the song.
Every song you remember from decades ago has a strong hook. That’s why you remember them.
When you go to concerts, it’s the lyrics people are shouting. If your lyrics are no good, you could be wasting your time.
So work on your songwriting. Keep trying to get better.
A good test is to read through the lyrics by themselves, no music. Do you get confused anywhere, or does it flow nicely? In the end, this is what will make or break your recording.
These tips for recording at home, if you do them right, will drastically improve your songs. Trust me, I’m a professional.
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Travis Huisman is a longtime record producer at the Grammy-nominated Catamount Recording in Cedar Falls, IA. With credits on the Billboard charts including The Avey Grouws Band, Kris Lager Band, and hundreds more.
Great article - very practical and helpful! Using reference tracks is an excellent tip - once I started doing that my mixes got a lot better! If you’re working on a mix for a long time your ears can get tired too - checking back in with the reference tracks (a song with a similar sound to what you’re going for) can help. Also I like to take a break for a few minutes after an hour or so - go outside and walk around for a few minutes, get some fresh air and give your ears a rest!
Taking a break is for sure important. Gotta step away and come back to the mix with fresh ears. Thanks for reading, Tim!