first and foremost, as a digital file. MP3 and AAC are the most popular formats. Depending on where your music goes, such as Spotify, Apple Music, or any of a myriad of other Internet music sites, you need to encode your music to meet the site’s requirements. It’s a pretty simple process, but one that’s closely tied to an area most musicians would rather not have to deal with: promotion. I cover this topic in Chapter 25.
Creating CD copies
For CD copying, you can either duplicate or replicate your CDs to make copies to give or sell to your fans. Here’s a quick rundown on the differences between these two approaches (Chapter 23 explains them in detail):
Duplication: Duplication consists of burning multiple CD-Rs from an audio file. Duplication requires very little setup, so it doesn’t cost much to make smaller quantities, such as 50 to 500 CDs.
Replication: The replication process starts with producing a glass master from your finished CD-R. This master CD is then used to create CDs using special CD presses, just like the major-label releases. Replication costs a bit more for setup, but the cost to create larger quantities of CDs is lower than that for duplication. This is a good choice for quantities of 500 or more.
Embracing vinyl
Many indie musicians are also embracing vinyl as a medium for their music. There are several reasons, many of which relate to creating a more compelling product. It’s also worth mentioning that vinyl is much harder to pirate than a downloadable digital file. This is adding to appeal of vinyl records as a cost worth considering. I cover the details of making vinyl records in Chapter 23.
Promoting your music
The final and most grueling step of recording and putting out a CD is the promotion process. This is where you either make it or break it as an independent artist. To help you along, I offer ideas and insights in Chapter 25.
Chapter 2
Getting the Right Gear
IN THIS CHAPTER
For many people, building a home studio is a gradual thing. You may start out with a synthesizer and a two-track recorder and add a microphone. Then you may decide to buy a multitrack recorder. Then you trade in your stereo speakers for real studio monitors. And before you know it, you’ve invested thousands of dollars in a first-rate home studio.
When setting up your home studio, you can go a couple of routes. You can walk into your local musical instrument store or pro audio shop without any forethought, buy the pieces of gear that catch your eye, and then figure out where you may use them in your studio. (Hey, don’t laugh — I’ve done this.) Or, you can determine your goals ahead of time and research each piece of equipment before you buy it to make sure it’s the best possible solution for you at the best price point. I recommend the latter approach because you end up with only the equipment you need and not a bunch of useless gear that may only ever look good sitting in your studio.
The process of choosing the right equipment doesn’t have to be difficult. All it takes is a little self-assessment and some basic knowledge about the different equipment options. This chapter helps you discover these things. Here you explore a few different system configurations and begin to understand what can work for your situation. You also become familiar with some of the many analog extras that so many people who favor digital recording want today.
Don’t be afraid to just jump in and start recording. The way to great-sounding recordings is through hours of recording experience (not to mention having great songs with which to work).
The good news is that you’ll never run out of new equipment to drool over and you’ll never be alone in your suffering — everyone who owns a recording studio (private or commercial) suffers from GAS to some extent. The best way to keep GAS at bay is to decide on a system and buy it. Then stop looking at gear and get to work making music. After all, that’s why you bought the stuff in the first place.
Determining Your Home Studio Needs
Home studios can vary tremendously. A home studio can be simple, like a handheld digital recorder with a built-in microphone set up in the corner of your bedroom. Or you can opt for something elaborate, like a multitrack digital recorder with thousands of dollars in outboard gear and expensive instruments residing in an acoustically treated addition to your house (whew!).
Whatever your budget, your first step before purchasing a home recording system is to determine your recording goals. Use the following questions to help you uncover what you truly need (and want) in your home studio. As you answer these questions, remember that most recording studios aren’t built all at once — pieces of equipment are added slowly over time (a mic here, a preamp there). When getting your first home studio system, start with only those pieces of gear that you really need and then add on slowly as you get to know your equipment.