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Home Studio Slip-Ups: 10 Common Mistakes And How To Fix Them

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Learn the most common home studio pitfalls and how you can avoid them so you can get back to making music
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Oct 20, 2017 - 1:43 pm

The rule of thumb for building out a recording studio is this: it will cost three times as much and take three times as long as you estimate. In my experience, this is sad but true.

Jack White's P&E Wing Speech: "Let The Music Tell You What To Do"

But for those looking avoid the pitfalls of setting up and running a functional recording and/or mixing space at home, help is on the way. Music Think Tank recently published their Top 10 Home Studio Mistakes And How To Fix Them.

The helpful list focuses on prioritizing purchases, seeking valuable feedback, staying organized, and taking action. It all starts with laying out a game plan.

"Think about what goals you have, what are you trying to achieve and figure out what will take you there," writes Emma Becker. "Make some priorities and use your budget accordingly."

To that end, be sure to stay focused on finishing the job. You will be tempted to begin working just as soon as your DAW is up and running. But don't forget about the other pieces of the studio puzzle, or you may end up with unhung acoustic panels, messy cable runs and an overall clunky workflow.

Becker also makes a great point about reference mixes. Use them!

"The fastest way to get closer to your heroes is to compare your work to theirs and get it as close as possible until you form your own taste and opinions."

Listen to those recordings you know best to gain perspective on your new environment. Want to know what the pros are using as references? Check out what GRAMMY winner Rafa Sardina (Lady Gaga, Luis Miguel, Alejandro Sanz) and 11 other top engineers name as their essential reference mixes over on SonicScoop.

Another pitfall of getting caught up in the excitement of a home studio is neglecting to stay organized. As an engineer, producer or self-recording artist, file management, as quotidian as it may sound, is of paramount importance.

"Spend a bit of time to come up with a folder structure that would work for your type of projects and force yourself to use it," says Becker, adding that creating a template project folder can save you tons of time, force you to save properly and keep your files consistent.

There is much to remember when building and running a home studio, especially considering your true intention is to focus on making music, but with these tips (and a little discipline) you can avoid some of the biggest and most common mistakes. Happy recording!

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New Year's 2018
Poll

What's Your New Year's Music Resolution?

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The New Year means a new you — how will you let music deeper into your life in 2018?
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 1, 2018 - 12:05 am

Each new year, millions of people make resolutions to be their best selves, put their past bad habits behind them and improve their lives. But why not make your resolution a musical one?

When the holiday parties are over, the confetti is swept up, and school and work resume, it's time to get back to work and make the most of 2018. The good news? Music can help!

From mastering an instrument to learning more about the craft and history of music, to supporting musicians through live shows, we want to know: What's your New Year's music resolution for 2018?

Polls

What's your New Year's music resolution for 2018?

Adele holding GRAMMY Awards

Adele

Photo: Robyn Beck/Getty Images

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What's The Difference? GRAMMY Record Of The Year Vs. Song Of The Year

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Ever wondered what distinguishes these two GRAMMY categories? Find out once and for all here
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Dec 26, 2017 - 10:41 am

Since the dawn of time, or at least since the 1st Annual GRAMMY Awards, casual music fans and uninitiated industry professionals alike have seemingly pondered the same GRAMMY question: What is the difference between Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year categories?

Adele wins Record Of The Year GRAMMY

If you've wondered this yourself, fear not, for you have arrived at the answer.

Simply put, Record Of The Year deals with a specific recording of a song and recognizes the artists, producers and engineers who contribute to that recording, while Song Of The Year deals with the composition of a song and recognizes the songwriters who wrote the song. That's it in a nutshell!

To dig a little deeper, let's look at the definition of each category, who it includes, and some recent examples.

Record Of The Year, Explained

The Record Of The Year GRAMMY goes to the artist(s), producer(s), and engineer(s) involved in crafting the specific recording (hence "record") of a song. For example, the winner at the 57th GRAMMY Awards for Record Of The Year was "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)" by Sam Smith. As the primary artist, Sam Smith received a GRAMMY, as did the three producers (including Rodney Jerkins a.k.a. "Darkchild) and the four engineers who worked on the recording, including those properly credited for recording, mixing, and mastering the record.

Sam Smith Wins Record Of The Year

Song Of The Year, Explained

The Song Of The Year award, on the other hand, goes to the songwriter(s) (hence "song) of new material (not including sampled or interpolated material) of a song. For example, at the 44th GRAMMY Awards, the winner of Song Of The Year was "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys, and as the sole writer of the song, Keys received the GRAMMY. For this reason, Song Of The Year is referred to as a songwriter's award, one of several across the 84 categories that recognize the songwriter.

"Fallin'" Wins Song Of The Year

Does that clear things up a bit? Hopefully, it does.

The Recording Academy strives to award excellence in many facets of the music creation process, thus necessitating the distinction between the year's best recording and its best song composition.

For bonus points, let's look at one more example from the 59th GRAMMY Awards. The GRAMMY for Record Of The Year went to "Hello" by Adele, earning GRAMMY gold for Adele as the artist as well as producer Greg Kurstin and the eight engineers who worked on the record. The GRAMMY for Song Of The Year also went to "Hello" — however, only the songwriters, Adele and Greg Kurstin, received the Song Of The Year GRAMMY.

So now, when you're watching the 60th GRAMMY Awards live on CBS Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, you'll be able to dazzle your friends with your insider knowledge. For a rundown of this year's nominees in both of these major categories, check out our Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year roundups.

Robot playing a piano

Robot playing a piano

Photo: VCG/Getty Images

News

Is Music Moneyball The Future Of Our Industry?

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The rising prevalence of music generated by Artificial Intelligence creates problems – or opportunities – for the music industry
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Sep 13, 2017 - 4:09 pm

Imagine a world where a computer can write music instantly to suit almost any need. As you may have already guessed, that world is here.

Programs like Amper Music and Jukedeck can pump out the jams in seconds, and with tools like Spotify's "Discover Weekly" algorithms, and artificial experts like Siri and Alexa at our fingertips, the era of music moneyball has, arguably, arrived.

While the marriage of AI and music has been decades in the making, a recent court ruling on the viral sensation "Monkey Selfie" may inadvertently provide a portal into future treatment of copyright as it applies to music created solely by AI.

In the ruling, which declared that ownership of copyright does not extend to content created by animals, the Copyright Office also deemed ineligible “[w]orks produced by a machine or mere mechanical process that operates randomly or automatically without any creative input or intervention from a human author.”

This is great news for the many artists who have devoted their lives to developing their craft, as the Copyright Office clearly recognized human input as essential element of protectable intellectual property. However, as the craze of AI mounts step for step with the creation and implementation of AI-created music, the music industry has an issue on its hands that will no doubt require some hard-thought decisions.

In a recent guest column for Hollywood Reporter, entertainment lawyer James Sammataro draws up an outline of this complex issue, presenting the good cause for excitement and trepidation alike from various factions of our business before ultimately surmising, "AI is the future of the music industry." Whether this will manifest as the next "Napster moment" or continue along the path of "plotting the dots between artist and audience…delivering a frictionless musical experience" remains to be seen.

One way or another, Sammataro points out that "the technology is a long way from producing a perennial hit like Toto’s “Africa” or a concept record like Pink Floyd’s The Wall"

Read More: 4 Top Announcements From Apple's Live Event

Mixing desk inside Nevo Sound Studios in London

Mixing desk inside Nevo Sound Studios in London

Photo: Rob Monk/Future Music Magazine/Future via Getty Images

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The Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing Shares List Of Safety Measures For Studios Preparing To Reopen

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The safety measures, which were compiled through interviews and conversations with recording studio owners, engineers and other professionals around the country, cover a range of concerns and precautions related to limiting the spread of the coronavirus
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
May 30, 2020 - 2:25 pm

The Producers & Engineers Wing, a membership division of the Recording Academy that focuses on the technical and professional matters of the recording industry, has released a detailed list of potential safety measures for studio owners, engineers and other recording professionals looking to reopen their physical locations and recording studios. 

The safety recommendations come as states across the country are beginning to reopen and physical business locations are starting to welcome customers through their doors once again after the coronavirus pandemic shut down many U.S. regions and severely shuttered the international live concert and events industry. 

The safety measures, which were compiled through interviews and conversations with recording studio owners, engineers and other professionals around the country, cover a range of concerns and precautions related to limiting the spread of the coronavirus in a studio setting, including: social distancing in recording studios, complexes and rooms; protective gear, like face coverings and disposable gloves; limitations to studio access, control rooms and/or performance spaces for personnel and visitors; routine cleaning and disinfections of frequently touched surfaces, such as workstations, and commonly used and shared equipment, like microphones; and more. 

Read: Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

In a letter accompanying the list of safety measures, Maureen Droney, Sr. Managing Director for the Producers & Engineers Wing, addressed the ongoing challenges and effects the recording industry faces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The Producers & Engineers Wing, like its membership, is resilient," she wrote in the intro letter. "The Wing has been a resource for the recording community for nearly 20 years, and will continue its work with you long after this crisis has passed. We hope this information is helpful, and wish you and your loved ones good health and safety as we navigate this crisis. 

"Knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic is constantly evolving, and, as always, we are open to, and grateful for, comments and suggestions from others in our recording community, so please feel free to contact us at pe.wing@recordingacademy.com."

The letter also recommends those looking to reopen their studios and physical locations to regularly consult the guidance provided by national, state and local government agencies, including the guidance for businesses and employers from the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC). 

David Messier, owner of Same Sky Productions, a recording studio in Austin, Texas, and Leslie Richter, a Nashville-based engineer, instigated this project, which also included thoughts and suggestions from Ivan Barias, Ann Mincieli, Michael Abbott and many others. 

The list of potential safety measures, the names of the project's contributors and Maureen Droney's letter are available in full on the Recording Academy's website.

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