Pre Recording Requirements::..

(Please print this page out and have each member go over "their" requirements)

Drummers-

-New heads are usually your best bet, however, tuning is ultimately more important for tracking.
-Cut a large hole in the front head of your bass drum if there isn't already. softball to bowling ball size is best. (you can use an old batter head if you don't want to ruin your current head.
-Tightness is better than being flashy. In most situations, being a solid player will often sound better overall and save time in the studio.
-Practice the songs with just a bass player or just a guitar player. Be prepared for this in a recording situation. Know your changes (verses, choruses, bridge) WITHOUT a singer present. This will save studio time and will benefit every drummer in any studio situation!
-If you don't already, play the hell out of your practice pad a good month or so before your session date. Being well conditioned will pay off.
-Keep your crash cymbal playing mellow. Smashing the hell out of your cymbals will take away from everything in the mix and mud out the rest of your kit
-Playing to a "click track" will always make the rest of the recording flow smoothly and give it a real tight sound.  However, most drummers can either do it or they can't, there is no in between.  Find out if you are a click player.  Some drummers will spend hours trying to play to a click in the studio and usually end up not using it.

Guitars-

-New strings a must! Put some new strings on 1-2 days before recording. Make sure strings are well stretched before tracking.
-Tune-up. Make sure guitar and electrics are up to par. Faulty guitars can often ruin an otherwise perfect take. Use a good tuner and make sure your intonation is sound. If you are not aware of "intonation", just google it or have your guitar set-up by a professional.
-If there are two guitar players, make sure your shit is tight! Pick patterns / palm mutes should be matched exactly. Practice timing together without other band members. Listen carefully and make sure you guys are on the same page. Otherwise, a great sounding riff can be made into mumbo jumbo.
-If your gear sucks, borrow your friends. Every quality instrument makes all the difference in the studio.
-Make sure you know your parts. Be prepared to record the same part twice. If you can play the exact same thing twice, you'll add a ton of power to your guitar sound. If it's sloppy, we'll probably need to drop one of the tracks or spend a lot of time getting it right.

Bass Guitar-

-New strings for that tone!! Bass always sounds best with new strings. Put them on a couple days before recording.
-Unless you have a killer tube bass amp, plan on recording "direct" into a nice tube preamp or the bass pod. If you amp sucks, "direct" is the way to go.

Vocals-

-Bring lyrics on paper! The darndest things happen in the studio and it's not uncommon to forget the words or parts.
-Practice harmonies with the rest of the band. (backup vocalist) Practice harmonies with only an acoustic guitar so you can hear imperfections. Get it tight!!!
-Know melodies ahead of time. You must be able to sing the exact same thing twice if needed.
-Get a lot of rest before your session and drink plenty of fluids a day or so before recording.
-Think of production ideas beforehand. (little tidbits can really add a lot) Harmonizing with yourself, background sequences and or screams, etc.. Get influence from some of your favorite music.

Note: Being prepared for a recording is key!  If you're not prepared, alot of times, moral and inspiration can become negative and jeopardize the overall outcome. Recording is the most exciting and important part of being in a band so lets all be prepared and have a great session!