Applying Mixing Concepts to Music Production

I've been doing a lot of mixing lately, so I've gotten used to thinking about pre-production in the DAW. Last night I put my artist hat back on and set up a project file for recording one of my original songs.

The first thing I did after naming and saving my project file was to map out the song form using markers and a chord track. While I was doing this my engineer brain got busy...

My lead sheet is typically prepared well in advance, as it is today. I've played the song many times already. I could easily just start recording. In the past I have started with an acoustic guitar guide track, and this track usually makes it to the final record. Often it cements the song form, and I don't think anything of it.

This song is different because as I was marking up the chord track I started to hear the finished production in my head. I only have a skeletal framework. Not a lick of music is recorded, but the production is developing in my head.

Normally when I'm producing my music, questions arise such as "What is the spirit of the song?" Many songs come from an experience that has layers of emotions. I try to hold on to one solid idea while I'm exploring others.

Another one is "Where will the final recording want to be played?" I think about places I would go to hear this music and the vibration I want coming out of the speakers in these venues.

There's music in my head, and it wants to come into being. Tonight I'm looking at the markers for the different sections of the song, and asking questions like "What is the feeling behind the first section? Do I need to be introduced to this by something else? What is the significance of the section break?"

And then I realize... isn't this what a mixing engineer would ask? Well, yes it is. Perhaps the producer, the engineer, the songwriter, and the musicians all need to have answers for these questions.

Before I record anything I will know what the song is supposed to do, where it's supposed to be heard, and what each section is supposed to contribute. Selecting instruments becomes easy, and the arrangement begins falling into place. I just sort of watch it happen.