July 2024 Guitar Newsletter : A Day In The Studio
The month of June offered a new experience for me. The Fox Hill Troubadours, a band that I recently joined, are finishing up an EP and invited me to play on 3 of their original songs. I’d like to use this experience to look at a recording session and some of it’s components like song preparation, knowing the tonal options of your guitar, making sure your equipment is functioning and dealing with mistakes and unpredictable situations in the studio.
Prior to the recording date, I warmed up by importing the songs the Troubadours had recorded onto my Spire Isotope, a basic 8 track home recording app, and began recording ideas over them. Playing live with a band versus laying down additional tracks on a preexisting format are two separate worlds, and my task was to fuse them together. I wanted to capture the adventurous feel the band has live and yet avoid errors and present a polished product. In terms of figuring out what parts to come up with, the main objective was simple: What would best suit the song and add energy and emotion? This meant also trying out new ideas and ultimately refining any nuggets I stumbled across, and it paid off because I became way more aware and critical of what I was playing.
While recording at home, I tuned into my array of possible guitar tones and followed guiding questions like what guitar would work best for each song and would it sound good to have different guitars for the lead and rhythm parts. There are so many options also in regards to amplification, microphones and effect pedals. Even what type of string gauge, pick or slide you use can change the sound dramatically. An electric guitar has a variety of pickups to choose from, and adjusting the volume and tone knobs have drastic consequences. In hindsight, the Covid Pandemic had one positive outcome for me in terms of musical growth. Like many other musicians, I was stuck at home busy with intense home recording. That resulted in understanding all my gear and tonal options nearly to a T. Thanks to countless hours of highly experimental recording trials I know how to quickly conjure up a sound I might have in my head. Strange how things pan out and serve other purposes than initially planned!
Having all your gear up and running is quintessential for a recording gig because you don’t want to waste time in the studio troubleshooting. That means all guitars need to be functioning properly with good intonation, a new set of strings, no unwanted noise from faulty pickups, toggle switches, volume or tone knobs. Thank goodness for guitar luthiers that are experts at setting up instruments to your specifications.
Dustin Busch
Dave Helmer
My gear worked flawlessly except for one pedal that in the past had already proven an enigma to me, the Joyo Vintage Phase pedal. I love the Waylon Jennings effect I get from it, but it is a bit unpredictable. I have had issues with it reacting oddly with other pedals and amplifiers ultimately producing unwanted AM radio signals! It took many trials and errors to get it to a reliable point, and I have used it numerous times without any issues. Not this time! All of sudden in Jon’s studio I noticed a low cycling hum that would occur every 10 seconds when the pedal was activated. Even though you can’t hear it in the mix along with the band, it did become audible at the very end of a song. Thank goodness for Jon, who knows how to work his recording software well and edited the unwanted noise without much trouble. Murphy’s law at work and this unexpected problem are a good segue way into the importance of a healthy mindset in the studio.
Despite having played the songs numerous times with the recordings, live with the band and coming into the studio with pre-planned parts, I made mistakes that I didn’t anticipate. I always tell my students, there is so much room for error when playing an instrument, and that’s OK! Instead of freezing up and getting insecure, just give it another shot. The guys encouraged me to release any frustration by letting out my best Bavarian swearwords. Fortunately, thanks again to Jon, we could easily adjust minor mistakes or redo any parts that were questionable.
I was fortunate to find myself in a setting that allowed me to express any new ideas that came to me in the moment. Capturing a spontaneous creative spark on a recording is a wonderful and mysterious event! You can’t force it, and like a double rainbow, it is not predictable. I was pleasantly surprised when I got lucky and nailed an extended guitar solo in one take. That means the musician, or the entire band, records the song from beginning to end and keeps the whole thing, blunders and all, capturing the feel of the moment. The advantage to this is that it sounds like one stream of consciousness, and all the ideas are connected in a flowing manner with emotional power behind it. However, that approach is risky and the opposite of having every note thought out beforehand. It is walking a tightrope between the comfort zone and the possible benefits of taking risk
I hope this month’s newsletter helps shed some insight into what it means to record in a studio. These days it is easier then ever to start your own recording project be it in your bedroom or in a more professional setting. You’ll make new discoveries about your playing abilities, the art of song writing and how technology and sound work together. The psychological aspect of how to deal with pressure and things not going as planned along with working harmoniously with others is also part of the package and offers much personal growth.
This summer has me playing out quite a bit, and it would be wonderful to see you at a show or two so say hi if you stop by. You can always find my show dates and venues on Facebook or instagram. Keep an eye out for the Troubadours first Ep, and please check out our CD release party at North Liberty’s Club 76 on Friday, August 9th. Prost!
Chris
