Introduction

You’ve written a song. Or you were handed one by somebody else. It sounds great when you play it live, or the demo is very promising.

Now it’s time to record it and share it with the world!

Easy, right? That’s what I thought. I know how to play guitar, how to use a computer, that you put the microphone in front of your mouth—this should be fine.

Then reality hit me.

The first fifty recordings I tried to do were disheartening. Demotivating. Because what I heard in the real world just did not translate into what I heard in the final recording.

Audio recording is a complex skill. In fact, of all the skills I regularly practice (and tried to learn), I might even call it the hardest (combined with mixing music, perhaps).

This course starts with a chapter on why it’s the hardest. Because if you understand that, all the other tips or ideas fall into place. Then I’ll guide you through the whole process.

• Choosing equipment
• Finding the right space and placement
• Setting yourself up for success (before recording)
• Cleaning up properly after your mess (after recording)
• And specific tips for the most popular instruments (piano, guitar and drums)

I have no budget, no room, no support, nothing. I think that’s the case for most (starting) musicians. That’s why this guide focuses on how to do a lot with little money. And how to deal with absolutely everything going wrong and making every mistake imaginable.

This course assumes you have a tiny bit of experience with music, playing an instrument, or using some software to work with music. It’s mostly necessary for remarks or practical tips. If you don’t have this experience, no worries. A few hours of playing around with audio software will give you that intuition.

And as always, you only really learn a skill by doing, failing and trying again. This is an audio skill. So train your ears and listen what things sound like. Build your intuition and experience—it’s worth more than any guide on the internet.

I don’t like wasting time. So let’s start now!