Independent vocal artists and aspiring rappers, have you ever felt like you’ve hit a wall in your music-making process? Particularly, because you’re tired of having to rely on a 3rd party to get things done?
Whether you’re struggling to get the sound you want in the recording booth, or you’re unsure of how to mix and master your tracks, the technical side of music production can be a daunting task. As a beatmaker and producer, I’m here to guide you through the process and help you start your DIY music production journey.
In this guide, I’ll be breaking down the essential steps of recording, mixing, and mastering your rap and hip hop music, and giving you the tools you need to create polished and professional-sounding tracks ON YOUR OWN. No more booking studio sessions, or paying for Mixing & Mastering simply because you don’t know how.
Keep in mind, this is a starting point. Of course, we cannot fit an entire tutorial on all 3 subjects in something as simple as a blog post. But this is a great place to start.
Recording
Planning and Preparation
The first step in creating a song is recording, and it’s important to have a clear plan and a good understanding of your equipment before entering the recording booth. Make sure to have your lyrics and song structure ready, and take the time to warm up your vocals before recording.
Microphone Placement & Technique
Microphone technique is crucial when it comes to recording vocals. Make sure to the mic is at the proper distance, speak clearly, and pay attention to your recording levels. TIP: Turn them DOWN. You can always boost a quiet recording, but you can’t [efficiently} fix clipping if you record too loud. Keeping your recording levels low can prevent distortion or a lack of clarity in your performance.
It’s also important to find the right microphone for your voice, as different microphones have different characteristics and may suit some voices better than others.
Room Acoustics
Be aware of the room you’re recording in and how it may affect the sound of your vocals. Recording in a room with poor acoustics or a lot of echo can cause your vocals to sound muddy or unclear. Some simple solutions to this include using an isolator behind / around the microphone and a pop filter, which helps to reduce plosive sounds, and using acoustic treatment to reduce echo and improve the sound of the room.
Practice and Rehearsal
Practice makes perfect, and that’s true for recording as well. Rehearsing before entering the booth can help you to be more prepared and confident when recording. It will also help you to deliver a confident and clear performance.
Mixing
Volume and Panning
Mixing generally starts adjusting the levels of individual tracks in comparison to one another. BUT, always turn EVERYTHING down to start, and create headroom (give yourself some extra space to work).
Panning of your vocals and instruments to create a cohesive and polished sounding track is another common step. Many artists miss a great opportunity to create a fuller track by not recording doubles, or extra tracks. You can pan these, and really make your voice build into the song.
Mixing is the stage that you bring all the elements together and create a balance between the vocals and instruments. It’s an opportunity to work out competing frequencies and make sure the different parts of your track stand out as you intended.
EQ and Compression
EQ
EQ (Equalization) and compression are important tools when it comes to mixing. EQ is used to adjust the frequency balance of your tracks, and can help to bring out certain elements or eliminate unnecessary / competing frequencies. For example, start by cutting anything below 60hz on your vocal tracks. Cut any frequencies that don’t play an important roll for each track—for example, the low end of your hi-hats don’t need to be there—they aren’t audible—but you might be surprised that they ARE still taking up those frequencies. Cut those extra low frequencies when you don’t need them, and the low-end of your track will go so much further.
Compression
Compression is used to control the dynamic range and make sure that the levels of your tracks are consistent throughout the song. When applied to a vocal track, it will help even out the low-volume parts with the high volume parts, ensuring everything is audible throughout. Sidechain compression is a fantastic tool to help certain tracks (or certain frequencies of tracks, if you’re using multi-band sidechaining) stand out—but this is a little too advanced to explain in one section of a blog article. (Follow along on socials for more!)
Reverb, Delay, Pitch Correction, & Other Creative Effects
Reverb and delay are effects that can be added to your tracks to create a sense of space and depth. Reverb simulates the sound of a room or space, while delay creates a sense of echo or repetition. These effects can be used to add dimension and interest to your mix. These effects are essential for setting the feel and tone of your songs. Try not to go overboard…unless that’s your goal of course.
Pitch correction and other tools are important for obvious reasons as well, and can also be used to any degree—subtle or not-so-subtle.
A Quick Note on the Importance of Mixing
Mixing is, in my humble opinion, the MOST important step in the process, as it can make or break a track. The same could of course be said of Recording. What’s the point of mixing a song that’s terrible—well… have you ever heard a song that has a talented artist, but it sounds like shit? Yep. Mixing—it’s important. It can make a bad song sound better. But a good song without proper mixing can still sound awful.
A good mix can make all the difference in the final product. A good mix will make all the elements of the track sound cohesive and polished, and can make a big difference in how the track is perceived by the listener.
A bad mix cannot be fixed by a great master. That’s why your producer needs ALL of those stems (beat stems included).
Mastering
What is Mastering? A Quick Overview
Mastering is the final step in the process and is where you add the finishing touches to your track. Mastering includes adjusting the overall volume, stereo image, and dynamic range. This process can help to bring out the best in your mix and ensure that your track sounds its best on different playback systems. It’s the final step that gives your track that polished and professional sound.
The difference between mixing and mastering is fairly simple. With mastering, you are dealing with ONE master track (rather than each track individually).
Mastering Software
There are a variety of mastering software’s available, but one of the most popular and widely used is Izotope Ozone. This software offers a variety of tools and effects that can be used to enhance your mix and give it a professional sound. It includes EQ, compression, limiting, and stereo imaging tools, among others.
Hardware is also an option, but for obvious reasons, not ideal for beginners.
Importance of Mastering
Mastering is often the last step in the process, and not quite as vital as mixing. As I stated previously, a good master can’t fix a bad mix.
But, a good mastering can help to bring out the best in your mix and make it sound professional and polished. It can also help to ensure that your track sounds good on different playback systems. And of course it helps you bring the volume up to that painfully-loud industry loudness (i.e., Google “loudness wars” and see what you find).
Tips for Mastering
When mastering, it’s important to keep in mind the overall loudness and balance of your track. Avoid over-compressing or over-limiting, as it can cause your track to sound distorted.
Don’t forget to focus on enhancing the stereo image and dynamic range of your track. It’s also important to listen to your track on different playback systems to ensure that it sounds good on all of them.
“Yeah, But What Does All of This Mean?”
I told you this was only a starting point! You have all the info you need, now go to YouTube, and start learning each individual part, and walah. You have learned how to Mix and Master for Free.
You don’t need expensive classes to learn things anymore. Though, an online course from the right producer won’t hurt!
