Donny Hathaway

Donny Hathaway

Photo: Stephen Verona/Getty Images

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How Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" Became An Eternal Holiday Classic

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Donnita Hathaway, the daughter of the R&B and soul legend, tells GRAMMY.com why the iconic holiday song, which celebrated its 50-year anniversary last month, remains one of the all-time classics in that winter wonderland genre
Lior Phillips
GRAMMYs
Jan 13, 2021 - 9:07 pm

Christmas has always been a time of hope and potential, of love and joy. A time when family comes together and everything else stops so the world can focus on what really matters. And more than any other holiday, a song can evoke that feeling in a single moment. 

Nobody knows that quite as well as Donnita Hathaway, whose father, R&B and soul legend Donny Hathaway, released one of the all-time classics in that winter wonderland genre: "This Christmas," which celebrated its 50-year anniversary last month. "It's absolutely amazing to have 'This Christmas' celebrated every holiday season for the last 50 years," she tells GRAMMY.com. "It's humbling that this original song performed by my father and written by my godmother has that impact every year. And this year, in the midst of a pandemic, it's so special to feel the love from people saying that they're cueing up the song as a way to celebrate."

Born in Chicago in 1945, Donny Hathaway was initiated into the world of music at an early age. Reared by his grandmother, a gospel singer, in St. Louis, Hathaway joined the church choir at the age of 3; he later went on to study piano, eventually earning a scholarship to study music at Howard University. But after working on projects with legends including Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield and The Staple Singers, Hathaway left school to carve out his own voice and pursue a career in the music industry.

Only five months after his widely adored debut album, Everything Is Everything, Hathaway released "This Christmas" as a single in December 1970. Though it has touched hearts all around the world, the track particularly feels like it taps into the core of the Midwestern Christmases of Hathaway's childhood: the warmth of gathering with loved ones around a chimney fire, the twinkle of a special someone's eye underneath the mistletoe, the streetlights reflecting off the mounds of snow out the window. "Fireside is blazing bright/We're caroling through the night/And this Christmas will be a very special Christmas for me," Hathaway smiles as the horn section roars to life.

"This Christmas" was especially important for the distinct leap forward the song took for Christmas music released by a Black artist. "Up until then African American music wasn't represented in Christmas," percussionist Ric Powell told the Chicago Sun-Times in 2009. "There was Nat King Cole and Charles Brown's 'I'll Be Home For Christmas.' During the mid-1960s, James Brown was also cutting holiday tracks like 'Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto,' but they were more in the self-contained funky spirit of the Godfather of Soul than Christmas."

But "This Christmas" could extend beyond any box due to its unabashed sincerity and heart. "Donny was very upbeat during the session. He knew what he wanted to do musically and the impact he wanted to make with this song," Powell continues.

The song didn't necessarily take the world by storm on its initial release, but its appearance on the 1991 Soul Christmas compilation gave "This Christmas" the wider following it deserved. And while Hathaway's version of the song earned its place in the heart of the holidays, "This Christmas" has spread limitless cheer through countless covers. Takes on the track have spread across the decades, with everyone from Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Stevie Wonder through to *NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, Usher and Mary J. Blige releasing their own versions. 

"The top artists from so many different genres have covered the song, and it's so gratifying to see his musical peers honor his work," Donnita Hathaway says of her father's iconic song. "But the magic of Donny Hathaway will always make his version essential. There's the technical ability, but then there's the soul of a person that just pierces through and makes you smile, makes you want to be with that loved one. Every time I hear the song, it's almost like I can see him and feel the joy and contentment that are the essence of the holidays."

Lalah Hathaway On Father Donny Hathaway's Legacy

Within years of releasing "This Christmas," Hathaway's career grew to ever-increasing peaks. His 1972 duet album with Roberta Flack, Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, reached No. 3 on the U.S. charts and featured "Where Is The Love," which would go on to earn a GRAMMY for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus at the 15th GRAMMY Awards in 1973. Hathaway's ability to swirl soul, R&B, jazz and more into an undeniable blend—all while standing strong with his trenchant social commentary—made his ascent rapid and powerful. 

That combination earned Hathaway a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, 40 years after his passing. "When I learned that he was earning that honor, I just jumped for joy," Donnita Hathaway says. "You can't get any higher than a Lifetime Achievement recognition from the Recording Academy. And then [in 2020], Roberta Flack was acknowledged as well, and to have both of them back to back has really been amazing and beautiful."

But even as Hathaway's profile grew in the '70s, he suffered from flares of depression and was eventually diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. After stretches of relative success and struggle with his mental health, Hathaway was found dead outside his New York hotel in 1979, from an apparent suicide having fallen from his balcony.

While "This Christmas" is a massive element within Hathaway's expansive career, so, too, is his family's advocacy for mental health in music and art. In 2015, Donnita launched the Donnie Hathaway Legacy Project, which is devoted to honoring her father's legacy and shining a light on the importance of mental health through art, nutrition, self-care and mindfulness. "I didn't want his life to be in vain," she explained. "If I can help someone, help the mental anguish that someone may go through, then I've done my job. I lost my dad at 2, and I lost my mom at 19. I realized what happens when your heart breaks and you don't heal it. I wanted this to be a worldwide initiative that focuses on holistic tools like music, because music is a healing tool."

As many struggle with mental health over the holidays every year, "This Christmas" can be even more comforting. Donnita Hathaway's plan is to spin off a mental health initiative called Friends Christmas, which urges people to look out for loved ones, friends and even strangers over the holidays to make sure everyone has a "very special Christmas." 

"So many people have lost loved ones, lost jobs, can't be with their family members," she explains. "We need to talk about how we can make Christmas special for everyone. It helps that we can always look at 'This Christmas' as an inspiration, even throughout the year, to make sure everyone is feeling special. And it always comes back to my dad's music, while also acknowledging his life and the things that troubled him as a way to prevent that from happening to our loved ones and friends."

Lalah Hathaway On Mental Health Awareness: "You Can Never Look At A Person And See What They're Going Through"

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Photo of Elaine Martone at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards in 2020

Elaine Martone at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards in 2020

 

Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

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How Elaine Martone Overcame Self-Doubt And Became A Legendary Classical & Jazz Producer

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Women may be underrepresented in the production world, but one of its very best in classical and jazz is Elaine Martone—she opens up to GRAMMY.com about her life and career
Lior Phillips
Membership
May 14, 2021 - 10:56 am

Elaine Martone had her sights set on a life in the orchestra early on, but her quest to become a musician was missing one thing. With a degree in performance in hand from Ithaca College, while working her way into shape to audition for orchestras as an oboist, she took on a job at the classical music label Telarc as a way to earn a living while auditioning. She settled in Cleveland, Ohio, because the Cleveland Orchestra was there, and oboists with whom she studied.

But although her musical talents ran deep, "I lacked self-confidence," Martone tells GRAMMY.com. "And if a musician doesn't have confidence in themself, nobody's going to give that to them."

Rather than let that hurdle be her downfall, she dug deeper into her work at Telarc to figure out how she could create and bolster that confidence in other musicians. Martone built a GRAMMY-winning career as a recording producer specializing in classical and jazz. "Funnily enough, I'm actually producing the Cleveland Orchestra's online season now," she chuckles. "My life has made a nice full circle."

At the time she joined Telarc, the label had been in business less than three years. Founded by Jack Renner and Robert Woods (who Martone later married), the label was built for audiophiles and passionately focused on its music niche. "This was before the advent of CDs, but we were already recording with digital technology. By the time CDs came out, we were poised with high-quality recordings. And it was in Cleveland, an unusual place for a record label," Martone says with a laugh. "I knew I was on the ground floor of something cool."

Martone quickly grasped the intricacies of the recording process and learning to edit and produce recording sessions—an unusual role for a woman in the industry, both then and now. But Telarc was a new enough venture with plenty of opportunities, and its founders nurtured and encouraged her growth. Over time, the staff grew to about 50 and Martone ran the production department of 12.

"I never felt held back as a woman. I felt very lucky to grow a department and hire the right people," she says. "A key skill for my work as a producer is that I'm nurturing. I like being of service, including mentoring young women. Women represented about half of my staff."

Throughout her decades-long career, Martone indulged in her passion for orchestral music and produced essential records for legends in that genre and others. Due to her nurturing style, she made close friends along the way, producing the last 18 albums by jazz bassist Ray Brown. Since 2000, she also collaborated to great acclaim with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra music director Robert Spano and has worked with the GRAMMY-winning composer Jennifer Higdon, among many others.

Early on, Martone set her sights on winning a GRAMMY before she turned 50. "My husband has 13 GRAMMYs, and he started winning them when he was 30," she says. "So, I had a long way to go to 'catch up'.  In 2006, I won Classical Producer of the Year, which is the most coveted award in my field. I also have a Latin GRAMMY, and I won a jazz GRAMMY for McCoy Tyner's Illuminations. Especially as women, we denigrate ourselves thinking that if we hide a little bit, people won't take shots at us. But I decided I wasn't going to do that back then, that I was going to play full out, and that I was going to win. Five GRAMMYs later, it's a big honor and a privilege."

Martone's ability to build relationships has been particularly key to connecting through the pandemic. "The sense of community that I've felt through the GRAMMY organization and MusiCares has been incredible and has helped out a few friends that were really in need," Martone says.

Connection-building was necessary for her production career as well. Having produced the Cleveland Orchestra in the past, the organization reached out to Martone directly to produce their virtual season. "They're arguably the greatest orchestra in the world, and they're right here," she says. "They had the bonus of my 41 years of experience.  I've needed to use all of that. I have been so proud of all of us in this creative community because we kept hope and inspiration alive."

Taking that inspiration, Martone approached the Orchestra's virtual season seeing opportunities to create a new experience rather than seeing limitations. "Cleveland Clinic was advising the Orchestra, and that included not using winds or brass," she says. "So we started with 42 string musicians distanced nine feet apart. That's no way to make a very good ensemble, but the thing that's beautiful about the Cleveland Orchestra is their sense of blend and ensemble and being able to respond very nimbly. Producing what amounted to two records a week in this virtual season has been a production schedule on steroids."

Another of Martone's pandemic highlights has been producing new records from the GRAMMY-winning percussion ensemble Third Coast Percussion and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra harpist Elisabeth Remy Johnson. "Elisabeth messaged me and said she was interested in a record with all women composers, composers who were neglected like Amy Beach and Fanny Mendelssohn," Martone explains. "We worked remotely during the Pandemic. The Oregon Music Festival is also considering a recording at Abbey Road in November, also with all women composers and has asked me to produce. I feel inspired and energized by these projects."

Whether in her earliest recording sessions or the heart of the pandemic, the factor uniting Martone's experiences has always been her love of the creative process—and of being in the same space as people reaching their peak. "When I'm producing, I can't be thinking of anything else at the moment," she says. "I'm in the state of flow, almost an active meditative state. That's helped me work on over 200 records. Making a difference for others and having fun makes for a life well-lived."

For the past 60 years, the Recording Academy's Chicago Chapter has recognized and celebrated the creative accomplishments of our members across the Midwest, fought for their collective rights, and supported them in times of need. We are proud of our legacies and excited to continue looking ahead. Here's to the next 60.

How Female Classical Composers Are Encouraging Gender Equality

Amythyst Kiah press photo

Amythyst Kiah

Photo: Anna Hedges

 
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Roots Musician Amythyst Kiah: From An Awkward Hobbyist To A GRAMMY-Nominated Professional

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Singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah, who was nominated for Best American Roots Song at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards in 2020, discusses her beginnings and how she found a community in the Recording Academy
Membership
Feb 11, 2021 - 11:40 am

In a brand-new editorial series, the Recording Academy has asked its Membership to reflect on their career journeys, the current state of the music industry and what we can do to collectively and positively move forward in the current social climate. Below, GRAMMY-nominated roots singer/songwriter Amythyst Kiah shares her open letter with GRAMMY.com readers.

I have been a professional musician for 10 years. Over that time, I have had to reframe my relationship with music. What was once a personal escape within the confines of my bedroom now connects me to people all over the world.

As a child, I was riddled with anxiety and uncertainty, but when I would listen to music, I would feel a vastness—a spiritual transcendence that I could not explain. I was at peace. As I got older, I realized that I was, in fact, meditating before I even knew what that was. My suburban family home was full of music; my dad was an audiophile and my mother was happy to indulge him. Because of them, I grew a powerful connection to music and was able to turn to it for comfort when my anxiety was too much.

One of the greatest gifts my parents ever gave me (besides life, of course) was my late 80’s Fender acoustic guitar. I was 13 when the social anxiety really started to set in, and playing guitar and writing were the only ways I felt comfortable expressing myself.

In my early 20’s, I learned the history of culture and roots music and started performing old-time string band music at East Tennessee State University. It was during this time that I learned that I was able to affect people with music in the same way that it affected me. With that realization came a responsibility that I wasn't ready for, but I jumped in anyway. I am grateful to my father (my mother has long since passed away) for being there for me as I struggled to tackle my anxieties and fears and transform into a performer.

I am also grateful for the Bluegrass, Old-Time, Country Music program and my professors who believed in what I was doing and gave me the skills needed to become the performer that I am today.

I used to think that I couldn’t have that feeling of peace that I felt as a child while also feeling a sense of community with others. However, after much emotional work on my part as an adult, I learned that there is a way to maintain that sense of peace and inspiration and still be of the world. Being part of a community, working together to forge relationships and help each other create and grow are crucial for us to flourish as individuals.

This is what I aim to do within the Recording Academy. Now that I am (literally) a card-carrying member as of this month, I can only say that the nervous, awkward girl from before would never have imagined this. Musically, I tend to live in a bubble and have not kept up with the current state of music until recently. I am quite green within the music industry and am excited for this incredible opportunity to learn from others.

I look forward to contributing to this community and the fans who love and support our work!

GRAMMY-Winning Singer/Songwriter And Producer Kalani Pe'a: Creating Music With Your Authenticity And Finding Your Voice

GRAMMY-Winning Singer/Songwriter And Producer Kalani Pe'a

Kalani Pe'a

Photo: Antonio Agosto

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GRAMMY-Winning Singer/Songwriter And Producer Kalani Pe'a: Creating Music With Your Authenticity And Finding Your Voice

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Two-time GRAMMY-winning Hawaiian singer/songwriter Kalani Pe'a offers advice to fellow indie artists on remaining authentic, engaging with fans online and generating income and grants during the pandemic
Membership
Feb 2, 2021 - 9:41 am

In a brand-new editorial series, the Recording Academy has asked its Membership to reflect on their career journeys, the current state of the music industry and what we can do to collectively and positively move forward in the current social climate. Below, two-time GRAMMY-winning Hawaiian singer/songwriter Kalani Pe'a shares his open letter with GRAMMY.com readers. 

When we hear the word "authenticity," we think of traditional, something new or original. We automatically assume the word exemplifies one's creativity—someone who is innovative, unique and different from the rest. I'm all about that and much more. I'm not the typical Hawaiian slack key or 'ukulele artist most people expect me to be. I am a singer who speaks Hawaiian fluently, dressed in sequin blazers and Hawaiian print bowties, singing Hawaiian, contemporary and soul music. I also do Motown in Hawaiian if I had to, because I can as a modern, two-time GRAMMY-winning Hawaiian musician.

As an independent musician who is the co-founder and CEO of Pe'a Records & Entertainment, I am proud to own all of my music. I am my own label, publishing and entertainment company. My husband, Allan B. Cool, is also the co-founder and CEO of our company. We do everything on our own. We own all publishing rights to my music and we operate our own label. I answer to no one other than my husband. 

Allan is also a two-time GRAMMY-winning co-producer on my debut and sophomore albums. I am an independent singer/songwriter who won two GRAMMY awards, making history as the first Native Hawaiian to win a GRAMMY award with my debut album, E Walea, in 2017 in the Best Regional Roots Music category. I made history again winning another GRAMMY award in 2019 with my sophomore album, No 'Ane'i. 

But it's not about the history-making. It's not about the accolades. The awards don't define the true you. Awards shouldn't be able to demonstrate the person you've become. It's about making and creating music, arranging songs, finding a safe spot or space at home and jotting down lyrics and arranging music. The Recording Academy, and winning GRAMMY awards as a Hawaiian, contemporary and soul artist, has given me the opportunity to network and build relationships with thousands of members in the Academy: musicians, songwriters, producers and engineers at the Academy's functions, especially when we celebrate once a year at the GRAMMY Awards in L.A. 

The GRAMMYs gave me a full-time job as a touring musician. I am a devoted member, and I love to listen and network with all types of musicians, music-makers and creators around the world. This pandemic has really affected many of us, where all of our shows and concerts got cancelled. We really had to learn to save or generate income in order to survive. 

The questions came to mind: How are you paying for your mortgage? Other household bills? Food? Or medical bills? If I've lost shows, what do I do next? How will I survive as a multi-GRAMMY-winning, full-time touring musician during this crisis?

I had to plan a "horizon scanning" concept. Meaning, I had to plan out goals for the entire year. Some may be short-term or long-term, but these were goals that help me reflect and embrace what was truly in my reach. I panicked for a bit, but I had to collect my fears, throw them in a bottle and send that bottle away across the ocean and hopefully never see those fears return to me. 

My life as a GRAMMY-winning artist changed forever. I left a full-time teaching job five years ago to live my dreams. During this crisis, I am applying for numerous COVID-19 relief grants and cultural, competitive and music grants to help me stay afloat as a musician. I have applied to grants to help me start my third solo project, coming out later in 2021, so that I have monies to start music video content and other digital marketing content. I don't come from any label. I have to work harder as an indie artist. The struggle is real, but I am doing my best to continue to create music each day. 

I am ready to tour again and sell out shows across Hawai'i, the West and East Coast of the U.S. and Japan. I look forward to performing in Europe in the upcoming years, sharing Hawaiian language and music across the globe. I encourage all music creators to continue finding your voice: Share it through songwriting and arranging new music. Never give up.

I encourage artists to apply for COVID-19 relief funds and grants. If you get denied the first round, never give up on these grants. There are performing arts centers who truly believe in your gift. Share and speak about it. Do grants first then loans as the last resort. When the grants for music are out there, dive into it. Prepare 3-4 hours out of the day to apply for them and also gather your best work as supportive documents. I am also uploading new and old content on all social media platforms every day. 

Whether we're stuck at home, continuously post something on social media about your music. Post a blog, an old pic, some new material, some teasers for upcoming music or projects, a piece of bread or something you drank on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. Consistently post any content, whether about music or family, during this pandemic and be engaging with your audience. Do Live feeds and talk about your music creation, sing a song or two. I was honored to have done a few Live performances. 

I am that type of musician that doesn't ask for donations or has a personal Venmo or PayPal. Every musician has their own goals and objectives when it comes to making a living. Some musicians play in bars or hotels on Maui and others are touring musicians like me. What I've done the last few months was host a 30-minute to 1-hour show. The first show was last May where I sang some of my original compositions and I had a donation link that went directly to the Alzheimer's Association. My grandmother, who turned 90 in November, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. I try my best to donate a part of my concert proceeds to the association to take care of our kupuna (elders) and their caregivers. 

My second online show was 1 hour in June, and I gave away prizes. I had local businesses and entrepreneurs, who are makers, creators and bakers of Hawai'i, donate their "art" to me, and I gave it away as prizes. Thousands tuned in and were anxious to win. I did this to build a collaboration with local businesses who are the face of Maui and Hawai'i altogether. I wanted to support the businesses during these trying times. It brought awareness to these local brands in a time like this. Many have moved to all online shopping.

Kalani Pe'a: "Music Saved My Life"

We musicians have bills to pay, so how do we stay relevant? Social media and digital marketing are important resources to stay relevant as a working musician. Get on all platforms, from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or TikTok. The audiences and target audiences vary from each platform, but engage with your audience. You have fans all over the world if you're a recording artist. Start a website, update your website or create a Wiki page. On social media, you can post 50 times a day, but consistently share your work. 

We are indie artists. We are our own label. We do everything on our own and we don't have the support like artists do with big labels. We need to be creative and authentic in our own way as indies, as music-makers, creators and shakers of today. Continue creating and making music. Our music is our medicine. The world needs that medicine during this time. Let's heal the world with our creation of music, being ourselves as the music-makers while building "bridges," not "walls" or "cages," around the world. 

Also, know your value. If Live performances on social media is what you're good at, do it. I personally refuse to have a PayPal or Venmo link; however, it's up to you as a musician. Everyone has different goals. Know your value and surround yourself with likeminded and valuable people. If you already sell $100 tickets for your shows, why do a free online concert? 

Think of strategies on how to earn your income during this pandemic. Will you create an online ticketing show? Will you have a donation link set up and sell merchandise online? Or will you help other local businesses thrive by doing gift giveaways during your little online show? 

Be the voice during this pandemic. Continue making music. Focus on value. Be authentic. Never change your sound. Never allow anyone to define your success as an indie artist and be you. 

Learn more about Kalani Pe'a and his music.

For info on grant-writing for musicians and COVID-19 relief funds for artists and musicians, visit Kalani Pe'a's official Facebook page.

Learn more about the Recording Academy's Membership.

Producer & Engineer Gena Johnson: How To Create Total Harmony In A Recording Session

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Remote (Controlled) Pt. 1

Courtesy of The Recording Academy on Facebook

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How Do I Record My Own Music? The Recording Academy's Brand-New "Remote (Controlled)" Series Is Here To Help

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In the first installment of our three-part webinar series, "Remote (Controlled)," studio professionals break down what you'll need to record at home—from preamps to pop filters to the best set of headphones
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2021 - 3:00 pm

​If you're a budding musician or producer, there will come a day when you realize it's time to step up your game. When you've poured thousands of hours into your craft, substandard audio won't cut it. To transfer your creations to a stranger's ears cleanly, you're going to need quality, affordable gear and a little bit of know-how.

That's where our brand-new "Remote (Controlled)" series is here to help. Launching today, the three-part virtual webinar series from the Recording Academy's Membership team reveals the ins-and-outs of home recording. Our first episode, premiering below, consists of two conversations with our Producers & Engineers Wing members. P&E Senior Managing Director Maureen Droney introduces the series; Washington, D.C. Chapter P&E Committee co-chairs Dan Merceruio and Carolyn Malachi lead the conversations.

In the first half of the hour-long clip, recording engineer Jake Vicious and multi-instrumentalist/producer Asha Santee discuss how to record acoustic percussion instruments, such as Cajon, bongos, and shaker. Helpfully, the pair doesn't bombard the viewer with technical jargon but rather starts with the basics: Get yourself a decent interface, microphone, cables, mic stand, a MIDI keyboard (if you need one) and a DAW (digital audio workstation) such as Logic Pro X or Pro Tools.

Whether you're an absolute beginner or already know a thing or two about recording, the discussion abounds with helpful tips, from measuring mic distance by making a hang-ten symbol to the differences between dynamic and condenser mics. (Bonus: The tips and tricks featured in the video also apply to audio for podcasting.) Because it's a lighthearted chat between friends rather than a dry dissertation, the pair illuminates and clarifies what can be a confusing subject.

"I think it's really awesome for artists to understand what happens with sound and the equipment that they use inside of studios—just so they're aware," Santee remarks at one point while adjusting a noisy condenser mic. "When situations like this happen, we know what to do."

The second half consists of an exchange between singer/songwriter and Howard University student Samiyah Muhammad and producer-engineer Marcus Marshall. While Vicious and Santee are seasoned professionals, Muhammad has a bare-bones setup—VTech headphones, a Blue Yeti USB mic and a MacBook Air loaded up with GarageBand.

Read More: Remote (Controlled): The Recording Academy’s Guide To Making Your Livestreams Look And Sound Good

With a breezy, supportive air, Marshall encourages her to research more advanced DAWs on the market. "I always suggest for people that are getting into recording to kind of try all of them and see which one works best for you," he explains. "For the most part, all of them will get you to your end result. It really just depends on what you like, what you prefer, and what some of the workflows are." Marshall also offers tips about using pop filters, eliminating background noise, and communicating with engineers to avoid headaches during the mixing and mastering processes.

"Remote (Controlled)" teaches everyday people to explore the tools at their disposal and make what might seem like a tedious act a creative opportunity. "This is great; this is great!" Santee exclaims at one point while pointing a cardioid mic at a pair of bongos. "I already feel empowered and like I'm going to get a better sound this time. Let's give it another shot!"

See below for a resource guide containing every device and system mentioned in this week's episode of "Remote (Controlled)."

Equipment Checklist

  • Microphone(s)
    • e.g. Neumann TLM 103, Sony C100, Manley Reference Cardioid, Peluso 22 251, etc.
    • Budget-friendly Recs: Shure SM58, Aston Spirit, Aston Origin, Rode NT1-A, Blue Microphones, Sennheiser MK
  • Pop Filter (Optional, but highly recommended for recording vocals)
    • Especially for condenser mics
    • e.g. Stedman Proscreen XL
  • Audio Interface 
    • e.g. Universal Audio Apollo Twin, M-Audio Fast Track, etc.
  • Headphones
    • ​Recommended: Closed-back headphones (rather than open-back), especially ones made for studio recording (rather than for listening experience, which may be EQ'd differently)
    • Look to companies like Shure, Audio-Technica, Sennheiser, AKG etc.
  • Studio Monitors (Optional)
  • Cables
    • e.g. XLR cables, 1/4-inch cables, etc.
  • DAW (Digital Audio Workstations)
    • ​e.g. Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Presonus Studio One 5 Prime (free), etc.
  • VST Plugins (Optional)
    • ​e.g. Native Instruments Komplete, etc.

Best Practices

  1. Make yourself comfortable in your space: That is how you will get your best work
  2. Find the sound sweet spot in your room. (If possible, have somebody play while you listen around the room for the best sound.)
  3. Know what kind of mic you're using and what it is typically used for; this could affect how you choose to position your mic. (Mic types: Condenser, Cardioid, Omnidirectional, etc.)
  4. Spend time with mic placement: If you don't like what you hear, move the mic—placement is key
  5. Name your tracks before you record
  6. Name your sessions in a way that gives you or somebody else a lot of information (find suggested naming conventions in the Producers & Engineers Wing's "Recommendation for Delivery of Recorded Music Projects") 
  7. Identify and eliminate environmental noise (AC, heater, television, maybe even loud jewelry, etc.) while recording

Room Treatments

  1. The biggest problems in your studio are sources of reflection (parallel walls)
  2. What can help:
    • Foam panels (cost-effective)
    • Diffusers

Delivery

  • Best session notes are detailed
    • Mic/instrument/placement (i.e. "Track 1-TLM 103, Cajon, front")
  • Know your engineer's specifications (what their sample rates are)
  • Send .wav files, don't send MP3s

TRUST YOUR EAR!

  • Do a rough mix so the engineer has a sense of how you want it to sound

Remote (Controlled): The Recording Academy’s Guide To Recording Music Remotely With A Producer & Engineer

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