How do you go about setting up/managing your projects?

[Tallicalad]

Hello!

I'm wondering and am very intrigued as to how people on here go about managing their projects!

For example I've noticed in some studios people use like a whiteboard with the name of the song and then which parts have been recorded... In that particular instance I'm wondering whether people actually bounce between projects when recording to keep things fresh, instead of staying on the same track recording drums first, bass second or whatever.

So, please share (in detail) how you go about setting up your sessions!

Cheers!

 

[aortizjr]

I think it depends on the project and what is going on.

Most small studios don't have luxury to bounce around, drums for one song, then bass, drums for the next song etc. You need enough rooms, mics, pres etc for that.

So typically it is ALL the drums for a release, then ALL Rhythm the Guitars, ALL the Bass, etc.

Well I guess back-up a bit, if doing pre-pro, then scratch guitars, or maybe a full band demo, tempo tracks and such.

Or maybe the band can't play to a click, so just mic em all up, DI, gobo, and let them rock.

Or maybe they are still some in the writing stage making me more money, so bouncing around. Or can only do 4 songs today, 5 songs next month. Or an EP this time and add them to the rest of the songs for a full length. Or it is one song, or just demos, etc etc etc.

Or sometimes even mixing, you do a bit of tracking, mostly special effects and such at that point, but it happens.

What I do is keep a folder that you can have bound paper in the middle like a notebook. I keep one per band and just take notes, cross off what has been done. Sometimes you have to summarize and start a new page. Then you just work it as it goes.

Honestly, no two projects for me have been the same. Even from the same band, even re-recording the same songs! There is always something, that is one thing I love about doing this!

 

[colonel kurtz]

cubase has a little section on each track for notes...i just make any notes related to that song all in the notepad thingy on the 1st track, which is usually the kick

 

[professorlamp]

I have an empty audio track called 'Npad' where I make a shiteload of notes and then after its all tracked/edited I begin reading the notes and mixing

 

[jimwilbourne]

I use a white board. but that's the least important part of management for me.

the most important thing is organization and work flow.
make sure to have VERY organized folders for everything. Example 1: band->album->song->Raw DI Tracks. Example 2: band->album->song->Reamped DI Tracks.
I have a folder for EVERYTHING. it's a little time consuming, but I never want to be in a situation where I need a certain element that I had before and I can't go back to it.

also, make sure your tracks & buses are very well organized and labeled (and if you're a real neat freak, have them color coded too).
I think this is just more important than the white board. you can easily spot what needs to be done and it speeds up your editing & mixing process.

in order to keep yourself from doing all this for every project, it's a good idea to set up a session template so that when you open a new project you can load a template in your DAW that's already perfectly organized.

keeping a well organized session is the best way to make sure you don't have to worry about the little and big errors so that you can focus on the music and your creation.


as for bouncing from project to project, I totally recommend it once you get good at what you do.
(I'm not going to call myself a pro. because I've only been working solo for about a year.)
but a word of caution: make sure you don't end up mixing both projects the exact same way. and that can sometimes be hard when you're bouncing from one project to another and both of which are on a schedule.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

I follow AES standard with some minor change for suite my workflow (thanks C_F_H_13, you rock man)

 

[Saculus]

Set up a ton of blank tracks

Open the Routing matrix Assign Tracks

Label Tracks

Get Sounds

Make Folder Tracks for Submixing

Save Tracklist as Template

Use template for the following songs

 

[MetalJonesy]

Harry, when ur on skype next ill chat with how i do it!