Recording your own band

[greyskull]

I make my band pay expenses, studio hire etc.

 

[bryan_kilco]

Being in a band sucks most of the time. Especially if u're the guy who write and record all the songs and someone in the band who knows shit about songwriting complains that the song has too much riffs/breakdown and that it should be chords through the whole song...

Maybe I'm a total asshole, but a lot of my ideas/songs/parts of songs - I record all by myself with programmed drums. Most of the time, I really like how some of the arrangements are. Once the rest of the band gets ahold of it and has their input, 9 times out of 10 I'm left feeling like the song isn't as good as it was prior. Maybe I'm a stubborn prick. Or maybe I have a better feel for songwriting? Sorry, getting off topic here. Carry on.

 

[Grå Värld]

Maybe I'm a total asshole, but a lot of my ideas/songs/parts of songs - I record all by myself with programmed drums. Most of the time, I really like how some of the arrangements are. Once the rest of the band gets ahold of it and has their input, 9 times out of 10 I'm left feeling like the song isn't as good as it was prior. Maybe I'm a stubborn prick. Or maybe I have a better feel for songwriting? Sorry, getting off topic here. Carry on.

I used to think like this too until I talked with the mate I co write with and we worked out our strengths and weaknesses. It ended up that I write the the riffs and record a basic demo with programmed drums and he writes lyrics and arranges the structure of the song. I have learnt to trust him because I tend to write the same structure over and over and he is good at tweaking the arrangement to be a better song. That is the goal in the end.

One thing that could work and I know you are balls deep in recording already so this may work next time is to send your bands mates the riffs without drums and see if they like the riffs and then move onto recording a demo with drums once the riffs are agreed on OR talk to the members about their actual roles eg writing member or performance member. Not everybody is good at songwriting.

I remember Jason PC charged Blood Duster to record at his studio but I suspect label money was involved. Gear for payment is great way to invest in your band/recordings.

 

[B36arin]

Well, it depends. I don't charge anything for preproduction, recording demos etc. since that's part of the creative process and there's no budget for that. But audio is my main job and I use it to pay my bills. So when I spend a month of my time working on my band's album full-time I have to charge for it, otherwise my rent doesn't get paid. I charge a lot less than I usually do and spend a hell of a lot more time than I usually do though.

I would never, ever charge my bandmates personally though, it has to come from a recording budget.