Who here has taken a track from a concept through to getting it cut on vinyl and/or distributed? I'm curious to know what stages are involved. I've been reading a couple of books on mixing and mastering (this and this) and it seems that unless you're a shithot audio engineer, you really should get the track professionally mixed down + mastered when you're happy with the arrangement. When that's done, what's involved in getting it cut and distributed? Is all of this taken care of if you get a record deal? If so, how have people landed them? Were you approached after playing some of your own stuff off CD? If you haven't got one, what's your plan of attack for getting your stuff heard? Is it all about networking? Or does talent get snapped up?
I know this is a pretty vague question, but I'd be really interested to hear people's stories.
The stages of producing a track
some total crap gets signed and some brilliance gets left behind, it depends on the market and the label i guess
was searching DOA grid for a post elhornet replied to which answere dall your questions pretty well, coudlnt find it
was searching DOA grid for a post elhornet replied to which answere dall your questions pretty well, coudlnt find it
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Ag3nT[]0raNg3
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i blame solar flares.Spherix wrote:some total crap gets signed and some brilliance gets left behind, it depends on the market and the label i guess
was searching DOA grid for a post elhornet replied to which answere dall your questions pretty well, coudlnt find it
and the distros.
but mostly solar flares.
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Nick Thayer
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Once you've got a tune written that you're happy with, there are a number of avenues to go down
Mixing / Mastering / Cutting:
Yes, it is well worth getting stuff done by professionals, and there a couple of stages.
Its worth getting a rough mix done by somebody with a little experience in these things. There are quite a few people in Melbourne who will do this for a pretty reasonable fee (of whom I am one).
Then there is studio mastering. This is generally done in shit-hot studios by enigneers who know exactly what that particular room sounds like, and who spend their lives in there. This is quite expensive.
When that's done, it is then mastered again for vinyl before it is cut.
For instance:
I write a tune at home, give it a rough mastering job myself which cleans up the mix and lets me play it out. In a club environment, the difference between this rough master and a final version is noticeable, but it wouldn't be obvious to most people in there.
Then, I give the parts (i.e. Kick, Snare, Hat, Bass etc etc) to my label Floating Point, and generall try and be in the studio up there when it is mixed properly. Then that is sent to UK where it is mastered for vinyl and cut.
Getting Contracts:
There is very little chance in hell that someone will hear you play one of your tunes in a DJ set and offer to sign it. The best way is to send stuff to all the labels you can think of. They all have postal addresses on their websites. Then, follow up after a couple of weeks.
Getting feedback is the best way to progress as a producer too, so ask opinions of people who don't work at labels, but who's opinion is worthwhile and you trust.
That should get you started.
Mixing / Mastering / Cutting:
Yes, it is well worth getting stuff done by professionals, and there a couple of stages.
Its worth getting a rough mix done by somebody with a little experience in these things. There are quite a few people in Melbourne who will do this for a pretty reasonable fee (of whom I am one).
Then there is studio mastering. This is generally done in shit-hot studios by enigneers who know exactly what that particular room sounds like, and who spend their lives in there. This is quite expensive.
When that's done, it is then mastered again for vinyl before it is cut.
For instance:
I write a tune at home, give it a rough mastering job myself which cleans up the mix and lets me play it out. In a club environment, the difference between this rough master and a final version is noticeable, but it wouldn't be obvious to most people in there.
Then, I give the parts (i.e. Kick, Snare, Hat, Bass etc etc) to my label Floating Point, and generall try and be in the studio up there when it is mixed properly. Then that is sent to UK where it is mastered for vinyl and cut.
Getting Contracts:
There is very little chance in hell that someone will hear you play one of your tunes in a DJ set and offer to sign it. The best way is to send stuff to all the labels you can think of. They all have postal addresses on their websites. Then, follow up after a couple of weeks.
Getting feedback is the best way to progress as a producer too, so ask opinions of people who don't work at labels, but who's opinion is worthwhile and you trust.
That should get you started.
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http://www.myspace.com/djnickthayer
http://www.myspace.com/beatselectric
In Istanbul, we won it 5 times.....
Late Show 4 Eva
http://www.myspace.com/djnickthayer
http://www.myspace.com/beatselectric
In Istanbul, we won it 5 times.....
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a1studmuffin
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