| You play in a Band or are a Music composer or | | | | backing vocals. (This is the stage to let your |
| dream of becoming one... Your next big step is going | | | | imagination soar!) The possibilities are limitless. |
| to be making a timeless album... | | | | Once the lead parts of the song are recorded we |
| Despite how far or near this event looks to you | | | | can move on to the next part. |
| these seven steps should be clear to you in your | | | | STEP 4: Music Production: |
| mind. Helps to have a clear picture of the future you | | | | At this stage you may still want to nail a particular |
| are about to embark on... | | | | feel and add more instruments and effects. You may |
| STEP 1: Ideation | | | | add or edit certain effects to the various musical |
| The initial spark can come anywhere. Typically one | | | | parts you have recorded so far. The amount of |
| band member or the composer will come up with a | | | | processing you can do for each of the tracks you |
| starting point which is typically a guitar riff or a | | | | have recorded is again endless. |
| musical piece on the Keyboards or the Piano. It is | | | | A word of caution: There is a point of time whereby |
| best to have all band members participate in the | | | | you will not achieve much by spending sleepless |
| ideation stage so that the band is truly greater than | | | | nights tweaking some process into the tracks. Just |
| the sum of the parts. However typically in many | | | | be aware when to move on to the next stage! |
| bands there is one person who is the creative | | | | There are bands and composers who spend forever |
| director of the entire show. | | | | trapped in production! Just see where you draw the |
| As an individual composer your initial spark can come | | | | line between perfectionism and paranoia. |
| from many sources including the songs and musical | | | | STEP 5: Mixing |
| genres that you are currently listening. This is not the | | | | This is where you give everything you have |
| same as being "inspired" or illegally ripping off | | | | produced so far to a mix engineer and give him a |
| someone's musical work. However keep listening to | | | | basic idea of what you want to achieve in terms of |
| new genres of music to have an open mind and | | | | the sound. The Mix Engineer will thereafter mix the |
| greater exposure. | | | | song and give it the correct treatment. A mix |
| STEP 2: Background Arrangement | | | | engineer's tool is of course the multiple Channel Mixer. |
| Once you have an initial starting point you will need | | | | In a typical professional setting it could be a 24 |
| to arrange other pieces of music around the initial riff. | | | | channel mixer with the ability to process any number |
| Say for example you have a killer guitar riff (Say a | | | | of tracks. |
| progression of chords) you may want to start the | | | | STEP 6: Mastering |
| song with it or use it as the verse or chorus or main | | | | Once you are through with each of the above 5 |
| melody. | | | | Steps for each song that you want on your album |
| The other pieced of music will act to support the | | | | you are ready to move into the penultimate step |
| rest of the song. For example if you use your initial | | | | which is Mastering the Album. |
| riff in the chorus you may want to use a lighter | | | | The tracks which are produced so far are sent to a |
| version (say an arpeggio version) of the progression | | | | Mastering Facility where the final EQ adjustment |
| or some complementary riff for the verse. Other | | | | including equalizing the loudness of all the tracks takes |
| derived musical pieces could become the bridge or | | | | place. The tools for this purpose used are Mastering |
| the intro to the song. | | | | Boxes. |
| Once you have figured out the pieces of music you | | | | STEP 7: Replication |
| will have to arrange the entire background of the | | | | The Mastered Tracks that are so produced are then |
| song from the start to the finish as you want it. | | | | finally sent to (hopefully!) your label company for final |
| Arranging is mostly done on computers using a very | | | | replication and distribution into hopefully millions of |
| powerful computers say for example a machine with | | | | CDs. |
| a 4/8 Core Intel/Mac processor. Various software like | | | | Of course now that you album is ready for |
| Logic can be used for arrangements. However if you | | | | distribution you will have to make a huge effort to |
| are recording demo versions at home this can be | | | | promote the album. That would require a lot many |
| done on much less powerful machines... even of your | | | | steps and in case you are an independent artist |
| laptop! | | | | without the backing of a Music Label these initial |
| STEP 3: Recording | | | | steps are going to be a very difficult. Yet there is no |
| Now as a composer or a band you need to bring in | | | | need to lose hope if you are a band or composer |
| other instruments and/or vocals and record them | | | | who has found his sound the audience is out there. |
| separately. | | | | Make the effort and reach out to your audience. Use |
| For example you feel your composition could use a | | | | the internet to promote your music. |
| sitar solo in between or a Carnatic vocalist for | | | | |