I firmly believe that a good song just needs a quality performance to be convincing. It is the song, all about the song, for me. Everything else is just lights. Or… darkness. Full, or empty. Big, or little. Those are words I think of when I go into production mode. When I’m on a limited budget or working with a remote setup, I take those words into consideration when I start setting up microphones. Here’s some ways that I have recorded cheaply and gotten good results. Also, I’m new to a traditional DAW since I canned Cool Edit 2.0 back in the day. So these are general philosophies that apply to bare bones budgets as well as thoughts on atmosphere in songs in general. Take them for what they’re worth. Do not waste your efforts telling me how wrong my artistic process is. Having said that, I’m more than happy to engage with folks to help them get going or to give further explanations.
Think of the room as another instrument. If it is a solo performance of a guitar and vocal, the room is a factor in the delivery and effectiveness of the performance. Certain frequencies carry better in some rooms than others. Some rooms have a natural reverb. Some have none. Take extra time to make the room a place that sounds nice, and feels nice too. Or at least, feels workable. Don’t worry so much about foam if you are on a budget, try instead, to incorporate your room as THE PLACE you get the sound you want. You might just need to simply put the mic in the right spot for decent tracking, or if you are using a cell phone, experiment with other places than the couch. Some big time vocals were recorded in Sammy Davis Jr’s bathroom. Maybe there’s a good place in your place for some simple songs.
Get to know the stuff you have. You very well could be sitting on a fortune in software and recording equipment. If you have a modern smartphone, you can download multi-track recording apps like GarageBand (iOS) or Walkband, or Bandlab, (Android). Many of these apps are free because they have extra stuff they hope to entice you with. But in my case, you can’t bleed turnips, so I’m stuck with free options. And with these apps, I’ve had a lot of luck expressing ideas. Some of the guitar I recorded straight into the cellphone has wound up on a final recording, it just worked that way. You never know, if you can fiddle with the options, and listen intently, you can get some good sounds.
Think of practice as an element for successful song delivery. This is my flaw. I take practice for granted because I’m always playing guitar. This doesn’t mean I’m always practicing. I am probably driving home habits that I need to practice away, to be honest. What I should do, is practice the songs I wrote more. Get to know them better with my hands and voice. I will do this before I make the next record. Even if a recording has static, or bad sound, if it’s tight, my ears perk up. There’s a level of professionalism to a well rehearsed, well-written song that carries through even on a bad recording. Practice makes your song spoken plainly for the most amount of people possible to understand and respect. It also helps you edit recording, in a practical sense. One less thing.
Don’t show a song to a non-musician until it’s done. I too, have been guilty of this one in the past and it has NEVER been to my benefit. Asking a non-musician to look at an incomplete song on a bad recording is like asking a baby to look at a blueprint. They just can’t do it. It takes a musical imagination on both ends to convey an incomplete idea. It is an exercise in futility. However, give that song a couple weeks in the oven with a decent recording or some quality practice, and you can knock their socks off! Songs are a complex media with many moving parts. It takes a lot to construct a modern song. There’s a lot we take for granted that some people just don’t hear unless they have trained themselves or been around musicians. Give them that respect and don’t demand them to give you feedback on unfinished work. You could be making them feel uncomfortable, and that’s the opposite of what most songs want to achieve.
Never underestimate a good tambourine, (or even a mediocre one). If there’s anything my mentor in atmospheric songwriting, Roger Brainard, has taught me; slight percussion can flavor even the simplest songs and give a ton of character. A brilliant example of this is his tune, “Death Came by to See Me Yesterday.” It is worth it to keep your eye on little things that may come in handy. I have used a bullhorn, a kazoo, a slide whistle, birds chirping outside, all sorts of tambourines, shakers, maracas, and cymbals. You don’t have to be a drummer or play on the two and four, even. But if you can capture the sound that belongs in your room, and fits in the song, then you’ve done a lot to provide what a ton of songs don’t have: atmosphere. The heavyweights think about the setting of their novels, they think about the atmosphere of their songs.
Bonus tip for Luddites (I’m with you). Get a digital recorder. Don’t worry about forcing yourself mixing on a DAW. If you focus on making quality recordings, most digital recorders mix it down fine enough for you to make great demos. Some higher end ones have mixed final products for us. You’re not left behind as a luddite, you’re just niche. The important thing is what goes into the mic for permanent record. It can always be mixed by a pro later.
I hope you are encouraged to make great songs. I want to hear them. I need them right now. To be honest, I’m struggling a little bit as I’m sure most of us are. Artistic endeavors restore me. They show me that people have something to bring to the table built inside of them that I need to hear. They’ve even gone through the trouble to hone a craft to convey their message to me. It’s purpose. I need purpose. Art gives me that. And, it doesn’t cost very much. K
Awesome points and advice Kelly!