My Workflow
Audio Production is no different than a Product Development. Project Management defined rules applies here.
Session Planning
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Any audio production requires attention to detail and starts from the beginning. Whether the project will be recorded at my end, in a home studio, or professional studio, needs to be clarified.
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It starts with what Digital Audio Workstation will be used, Bit Rate, and How the Audio Files will be shared.
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The genre in most cases defines the style of the music but again, the style is defined mostly by the producer. Another important part is to know the philosophy behind the song.
Tracking & Mixing
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It is always good to clarify how the project will be set up in the DAW. Will any external loop or media file be used in the project? Where will the tracking take place - in my studio or some other studio?
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Every track will be recorded either using outboard gear or using realtime plugins to get even smooth audio recordings at -18 to -12 dB.
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It is essential to know what type of sound the client is after. Often this can be clarified by using a reference song or starting from the ground and trying to create a signature sound.
Mastering
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Mastering is done in-house or through external Mastering Engineers depending on the requirements. The goal is here to make the final mix louder and sound perfect on all platforms.
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Like the mix, depending on the ultimate requirement, what the final song will sound like will require a reference song. But I can come up with a new sounding master too.
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I use various industry reknowned plugins for Master to add analog nuance and coloration to the final mix.
Production & Launch
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All the effort to produce music comes to fruition when it is available on various streaming and physical media platform for large groups of listeners to hear at the best possible bit rate.
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I believe an artist’s creation should also follow the old-school methodology by having CD and Vinyl produced for the fan base.