Anyone here ever made a whole album alone?

[Johnny Favorite]

composed, arranged, played, mixed and mastered all by yourself?

Care to share any tips or thoughts about the process?

And, most important, was it worth it?

[AnthonyRochester]

Yes, I've done it.
You need to have a very wide range of skills, and you need to be good at doing all of those things. When I started doing it, I wasn't good at doing all of those things, but after doing 3 albums like that, I certainly developed in areas where I was weaker. So, don't expect it to turn out great the first time.

Also you can suffer from being too close to the songs with little objectivity. Be careful not to spend too long on songs, and don't be too much of a perfectionist with the details, because you will lose the big picture. Its better to sacrifice perfect engineering and have good songs instead of making songs that lose their artistic focus because you tweaked them for too long.

[AnthonyRochester]

and to answer the last question - it was worth it in that it has developed my skills a lot, except that it hasn't helped me learn how to work with other people.

The best thing about doing everything yourself is that you have complete control (you get to make all the decisions).
The worst thing about doing everything yourself is that you have complete control (and no one else can give input or broaden the project).

[warhead]

The first "serious" undertaking I ever had was 8 songs of mine, playing every instrument (drums, bass, guitar) to lay down the songs in my head on my 4 track cassette. This was around 1992 or 1993 and is the last time I ever actually tackled so much work on my own! I still have my cassette mixdowns, it was sort of post 80's metal stuff with some pretty strong riffs I'm proud of, but it was exhaustive work.

I had just lost my job and was on unemployment for almost 2 months before finding another, I spent all my time on it...

War

[Rokus666]

ego is so easy to **** up doing things by yourself.

[decibike]

I've done it. Its fun, and you learn a lot about all stages in the process of making an album interact. I really enjoy playing in bands, but the freedom of these solo projects is thumbsup.

The best thing to give your compositions, playing, mixing and mastering an "objective" judgement is time:
Record all your sketches of new songs on a cassette/minidisc etc.
Don't listen to these songs for a couple of months. Same goes for performance, mixing and mastering. If you have the time to refresh your ears between these stages, the lack of bandmates/producers to bounce off your ideas is somehow compensated.

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by Johnny Favorite

composed, arranged, played, mixed and mastered all by yourself?

Care to share any tips or thoughts about the process?

And, most important, was it worth it?

Yeah, sure. (I did not do a thousand run stamping, though.) I played everything myself (or had robots play them, in the case of drums and some other MIDI parts) and I had a pal come in to do some sax and lifted some conga tracks from an album I recorded for one of my clients -- with his permission, of course -- and did everything else.

I sold a relatively small number of copies via on demand pressing (through the old Mp3.com), scores, maybe in the very low hundreds, and had over 50,000 track listens/downloads there. (And probably at least 5 or 10 of them actually listened all the way through. ) I've had another 40-50K downloads at other sites from that material and some other stuff. [In fact the current first track on page in my 'mutant roots pop' link in my sig line is the lead track from that album, which first came out in late '99 or early 2000.]

Did I make any money? A little. Not that I ever much expected to.

I went through a commercial music/recording program in the early 80s and the first thing I learned was that, by and large, if you don't tour, you aren't going to sell many records (particularly if you don't do straight commercial pop/rock, and I most certainly don't). So, by that measure, I guess I really got more out of it than I ever dreamed.

And that and four bucks will buy me a cup of coffee.



With regard to skills, etc, I had already worked in commercial studios (and had a little 4 track reel rig in the 80s and a 16 track ADAT project studio in the 90s) so when I moved to DAW in '97, there was certainly a learning curve, but I already knew how to mix and what the finished product should sound like.

Mastering, you should pardon the expression, wasn't a sweetening/fix-it processes back when I started -- it was all about preparing the masters for vinyl stamping plates [although some sweetening or fixes were typically available] -- so the whole competitive loudness thing, while I'd read about the 45 RPM single loudness wars [and well-remembered the horrid sound that those loudness wars produced on 50s-60s singles] was a little new to me in practical terms. But it wasn't long after I burned my first CD-R in '96 and put it in the changer that I realized my stuff wasn't as squeezed as even the pro releases of that day -- and they had buckets of dynamic range, compared to the squashed stuff that passes for "mastered" recordings today.

In those days I 'mastered' by bringing the mix files into Sound Forge. I wasn't crazy about the built-in compression, though, by a stretch. After I got some plugs I really liked, I simply switched over to 'mastering' the mix file in Sonar. Then, I thought, gee, I'm mixing in the box -- why not just put my favorite EQ and my favorite compressor and throw them in a buss and 'master' right in the project? That way, if I have to 'go back to the mix' -- I'm already there.


Possibly the most important lesson I had to learn -- coming from commercial studios where time is money and there's never enough of either to really drill things in, seems like -- is that you have to have discipline about calling a track finished and learn to move on. Nothing will ever be perfect. But when you have 'endless time' and the freedom to tweak out over it -- you can make a project last forever.

Happily I had the (rather unfortunate) example of a local "genius" (a wunderkind, classically trained prodigy who worshipped Zappa) who took over a decade recording his first album -- by the time I heard it, it was amazingly dated, and he was still not quite finished. I don't know if he ever actually put it out. If he did, I never heard about it... So I vowed not to make that mistake. And no one listening to my stuff would ever accuse me of being overly slick, I'm pretty sure.

[EDIT: I crack me up. A couple years before that album I recorded an album of [shhh] rock songs [my last fling, I considered it a nostalgia trip] but it never made it past copies made on my cassette stack. Really, by the time I was finished withe short album [10 songs] I really was sick of rock, or at least the way I was approaching it (still, a couple of tracks I was kinda proud of and they held up ok in a nostalgic kind of way). Since the album above, I've released not quite another couple albums of material but have simply released them on the web as mp3 singles. But swear I'm gonna buckle down and package a bunch up and throw them on iTunes/etc via TuneCore -- if only so's I can hear myself on Rhapsody. ]

[seaneldon]

I am doing this very thing. I've gotten started with this like 10 times in the last 5 years and never made it all the way through. One hat tries to overshadow the other hats while the other hats are trying to overshadow the first hat...if that makes any sense.

Why it rules:

1) Complete control over everything. And I get to play bass!

2) I only have to deal with one ego and its one that I'm fond of.

3) Even though everything is done in overdub, it's all coming from MY internal metronome/swing and the tracks will have an inherent groove even if I don't want them to.

Why it sucks:

1) Complete control over everything. And I have to play drums!

2) When you don't have a band to play with, the writing and arranging process is far more trial and error. You don't REALLY know what that guitar part is going to sound like until you put it on the track with the rest of the tracks. Lots of retracking and overdubbing to work out/rethink arrangement on the fly. This makes the whole process take about 4 times longer than it would if there was 4 guys in the studio. Think of it as having an entire band playing in your head, making mistakes.

3) Moving mics while you're playing is hard, and in most cases impossible. I've taken a liking to recording a minute of direct guitar, and then reamping to move the mic to the right spot. When the mic is where it should be, I plug the guitar in and play it live. With drums I like to have someone else hit them while I work on overhead positioning but alas that can't always happen.

I'll probably start a thread about my whole process soon, as a lot of the basic tracking has come together. Lots of pictures, track sheets, audio, etc.

Is it worth it? I feel like I'm making some of my best music right now and all I'm currently worried about is capturing it immediately. I will more than likely release it through a couple avenues but honestly I'll end up giving most/all of it away for free or through donations. I never intend to play any of this stuff live because I don't want to deal with being in a band anymore and I only have so many limbs.

[IntenseJim]

I'm doing this now.

Was it worth it? Sure. Why not? It's fun. It can be frustrating but so is anything in life. The main drawback is the lack of synergistic collaboration with others; but then again there's very little fighting and when I show up the whole band is there. I missing being in a good band but putting one together is just too much of a pain in the ass right now.

-I can't drum to save my life. Stephen Hawking can hit the skins better than me. have my sons do some drumming; the rest I use drum machines.
-I can play really slow simple keyboard parts.
-I'm trying to find a singer for vox; my g/f sings well but not in the style I need for the CD.

Regarding Sean's post, I move the mics around with my prehensile phallus. Works like a charm.

[Backhousepro]

I did it in 2004 — however, the album was all electronica, which eliminated the reference points of traditional rock recording, hence no unsatisfying performances on instruments that I am not as well-versed on. The nice part was mixing it — I didn't have to explain why certain musical elements should be brought into the foreground as opposed to being left in the background where they didn't belong — it's happened when I trusted other people to mix — not that they weren't talented, but they didn't know what I had in mind when I composed the pieces. However, sometimes a different perspective makes for a mix with excellent ideas that I wouldn't have thought of, so there's advantages to both processes. As such, I've hit upon a mixing strategy that includes both — I let my friend, who's a very talented engineer and mixer have at the songs by himself first, then I get involved to fine-tune the mixes from a musical standpoint in terms of harmonic balances, voice-leading, transitions of melody carried from one instrument to another (sometimes a bass line isn't just a bass line), and etc.

The experience taught me many things; the most important lesson being that music, like sex, is better when done with partners.

-B-

[jeremy.c.]

I did two recordings and like Backhousepro it was electronic, all of the strings and piano were samples so I could clean up my less than stellar performances in the box. It isn't as nuanced or clean as I would make it now, but I roundly consider it my artistic pursuit (it was used by a modern multimedia dance company) so I had a lot of leeway. The music was dense was more about mood and less about a direct/sparse statement. I also had no background in mixing or mastering, but did it anyway and it turned out really well all things considered. If I could sing I might be undertaking a more traditional rock style album on my own. But I am also really enjoying collaborating lately too. It takes some of the pressure off of me to finish in places I get stuck and it brings out parts that I never would have ever imagined in a song.
I think very few people have enough objectivity to completely do their own thing (trust, my first two were very self indulgent), I would recommend against it, at least get someone who can give insight and an objective ear, and take their advice!!!

[travisbrown]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

I am doing this very thing. I've gotten started with this like 10 times in the last 5 years and never made it all the way through.

I've gotten started five times in the last ten years and never made it all the way through.

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by travisbrown

I've gotten started five times in the last ten years and never made it all the way through.

You should sign to my label, "Unfinished Records"

My current project has yet to make use of any compression or limiting, by the way. Instead, I'm being overly anal-retentive about dynamics between instruments. I will also not be self-mastering.

[Mortal Engines]

Yes, my last 2 CDs were made entirely at home, alone....from tracking, to mixing, to mastering....I used a lot of loops for drums (I also programmed them quite a bit with either Reason or Reaktor Modules) but, I did tend to just use little snippets of different loops (a kick pattern from here....snares from there....hats from somewhere else) to pull them all together. It took three and a half years. I guess I would suggest patience and tenacity. There was a bit of downtime during that period as well. Part of the second CD was actually a live radio show which worked out pretty well for me. I am working on some new stuff now...I expect it to go a little bit faster but, I am trying some new stuff and it always takes more time than one would expect when you are learning on the job. Also only about a third of what I ever start is actually ever finished or what I would call "release worthy".

MySpace.com - Mortal Engines - PORTLAND, Oregon - www.myspace.com/mortal_engines

[travisbrown]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

You should sign to my label, "Unfinished Records"

My current project has yet to make use of any compression or limiting, by the way. Instead, I'm being overly anal-retentive about dynamics between instruments. I will also not be self-mastering.

By the time I'm done, I'm just going to put out a "best of" album, cause I figure all I'll have left is the best from each attempt.

[roger]

you probably know your strengths/weaknesses already....if you don't then you will by the time you are done.....and this alone is worth the experience! it's great to hone your skills and being objective about your own stuff is probably the hardest thing to do....and some say being a producer is being able to facilitate/recognise THE take...once again it's great practice doing this with your own stuff. i am selfish and mostly record myself....i only record bands/artists that i enjoy: that way i can put my heart into it....no polishing turds etc. so enjoy it! it's not easy getting levels for multi-mic'ed drums etc so it's worth getting a mate in for drum tracking etc...or like others you may just wanna use samples or loops etc. if it turns out to be a masterpiece then do yourself a favour and PAY to get it mastered! enjoy
r o g

[decibike]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

I'll probably start a thread about my whole process soon, as a lot of the basic tracking has come together. Lots of pictures, track sheets, audio, etc.
.

great! looking forward to this thread, Seaneldon thumbsup

Indeed, it's very hard to move mics or have a good judgement on the recorded sound when you're musician and engineer at the same time. After lots of recording myself-sessions I just stick to certain mic techniques that have proven to be succesfull. Trial and error.

So there's lots of people doing this at home, in some cases they sell a modest amount of cds. (no live shows) Do you know of any bigger commercial release that has been made this way? Prince, J Mascis and Trent Reznor can write and play an entire album by themselves, but they didnt mix or master their projects, did they?

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by decibike

After lots of recording myself-sessions I just stick to certain mic techniques that have proven to be succesfull. Trial and error.

I can't "+1" this enough.

Also, let's not forget those magical moments where there is no error. Trial and instant success! That's more like it!

[BrandRecordingCo]

I wrote, arranged, produced, recorded and mixed an entire album myself. I played all instruments myself and sang. There was no drum programming or anything, all instruments were actually played, however, some sounds were replaced to beef them up a bit. 12 songs in the pop/rock genre. They were some of the first songs I really ever wrote, and it ended up being my debut album. I am 23 years old and just finished it a few months back.

The experience was extremely exhausting, and VERY hard!!! The hardest part is MIXING your own stuff. However, I learned so much about recording and mixing. Why? I had no time limit. I had no budget. I created the entire album at my house and it was great. I would sometimes do close to 20 mix revisions on each song until I got it to my liking. It was so exhausting, but so worth it. It is an awesome way to learn to mix and learn your system.

Click here to check out my myspace to hear some of it (although myspace quality is complete crap!)

I did, however, send it off for mastering. I sent it to Stephen Marsh Mastering and Stephanie Villa mastered the album.

[theblue1]

Big props to you guys who can play your own drums. If you can do it, it can really give a bit more of a personal stamp your work. That said, I've heard more than a few tracks by guys who probably shouldn't. Heaven knows, I know better. Bongos is about the most I can handle.

[Kim Bjäle]

I have done it several times. If your good enough playing the instruments you know it will work out. Though, the times I`ve done it I found it to get too monotone. You can really hear the same timing and so on.... But I`ve found a technique. I listen to an artist that I like on their instrument and implement it to the production I`m working with at the moment and try to copy it in some ways. Then it works fine...

[gearaddict]

I do it every day...and I must say that at some times It actually gets frickin boring....I think I would like anoter persons ideas..maby then I would get songs done instead of hanging on here all day!!!

[gearaddict]

Oh ya...I also have only finished 3 songs in 7 months...and I think they suck now!!!..I think I need to get out of this basement for a while!!!!lol

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by gearaddict

I do it every day...and I must say that at some times It actually gets frickin boring....I think I would like anoter persons ideas..maby then I would get songs done instead of hanging on here all day!!!

I've definitely suffered from setting up 8 mics on various instruments around the room before realizing I don't actually have any inspiration. Very, very sad when that happens. When I'm recording someone else, I can just sit at the console with my head down and work gets done. The same work cannot be done when I don't want to play!

[decibike]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

I can't "+1" this enough.

Also, let's not forget those magical moments where there is no error. Trial and instant success! That's more like it!

Sean, we should do an album together. Oops, wrong thread. sorry

Besides using tested and proven mic techniques; there's always the possibility to put a second or a third fun mic in front of the same source in some kind of experimental technique. There's always the first mic as a "safety net". I put room mics on just about any source. It's hard to judge every single mic when you're on your own but in a lot of cases, these experimental extra mics are instant succes.

Great thread. keep em coming!

[BudgetMC]

I did this a couple of times... back before I had kids! Don't have the time for such projects since. The band was sort of an alter-ego thing. My brother and I came up with the name and wrote the first song almost as a joke. I recorded the first CD in less than a month (and, er, it sounded that way but this was back around 2000, so Low-Fi was, er, in vogue.), but I was pretty tickled with it all... I did vocals, guitars, bass and drums. Heck, I did the graphics for the CD. My brother and I did co-write a bunch of the songs... and he helped with mastering.

Like theBlue1, we put it up on MP3.com and were surprised by the result. Broke the Alt-Country top ten and even sold a fair number of CD's. Heck, made some money, since that was when MP3.com was paying you for plays... ah, the days of Dot Com glory!

We decided to do another CD. Spent a few months on that one. It came out just in time for MP3.com to tube. I've kept the alter ego going ever since... and am even thinking about another CD, once the kids get bigger.

Here's a tune from the first CD:

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by decibike

Besides using tested and proven mic techniques; there's always the possibility to put a second or a third fun mic in front of the same source in some kind of experimental technique.

My FAVORITE secret in overdubbing myself repeatedly is to have the entire "band" set up and mic'd at all times. If I've got 8 mics in the room, that's 7 choices for natural room reverb on guitar amps, vocals, keys...

[indravayu]

I am working on an album now where I am doing everything (writing, arranging, playing, engineering, mixing, mastering, graphic design) except the drums (hired a merc for that and recorded the tracks in a nice studio with a professional engineer). It's taking me forever to finish (been working on it for over a year nwo), but I am learning a lot in the process and it's the best quality stuff that I have ever recorded.

- Chris

[seaneldon]

We should get everyone in this thread who is in the process of doing a "MORE ME!!!!" album in for a contest. Whoever posts a link to their finished album first loses.

[BudgetMC]

Here's a tune from the second CD, and the cover art, too.