Hello all! I'm not sure if there is a topic on this, I looked for a bit but didn't see anything. Its kind of a specific topic... looking for answers from someone(s) who has real studio experience.
So I just got signed to a record label (contracts being written up, won't disclose the name of Label yet). But they are signing me as a Producer/Artist. I make new age hip-hop beats, and most of the time I rap/sing over my own beats. (Give me complete creative freedom). I have much experience recording my own music on my computer in my home studio. However, they are going to be putting me in a professional studio ( http://www.osceolastudios.com/flash/index_flash.html ) and are willing to buy me almost any production software. My questions deal with the best way to get my beats into the studio, and wondering how other people do this.
So the studio has a Pro ToolsHD system, running on a mac. Should I strive to convince them to get ProTools, so i can bring the actual project file in? (Theres got to be other ways as I know people use a variety of software to make beats other than ProTools. How do they get there beats in the studio?)
They are planning on buying me Ableton Live 8 right now. And they will have a mac book pro i can take to the studio. So if i used a different DAW other than ProTools, would it be a good idea to render each instrument track into a .wav file and import them into ProTools at the studio so the engineer can mix each instrument individually? (this is the way i was planning on)
Or should I just render the whole beat into one .wav file and give it to the engineer? (This seems like less freedom of mixing)
Some more questions:
Is there a certain dB level i should shoot for when rendering a beat for the studio? (I would assume leaving some top room for mixing and mastering). I think i read before that -3dB is a good peak to shoot for.
Also, if I'm making a beat for the studio, I assume i should leave off plugins like compressors and limiters and let the studio engineer do this stuff after i record. Is that good thinking?
Lastly, If I'm making a beat for someone else (and I'm not going to be in the studio), should I master it to the volume level of a real song? Most beats I hear for sale on the internet are "radio level" volume without the vocals. Does this make it more difficult in the mixing/master stage when vocals are added, or does it not matter?
I know these are a lot of questions. If you can help me answer any of these, I would great appreciate it. I'm just trying to learn how other people (pros) do it. I know it sounds funny (and maybe you don't believe me, but i don't care) that I am getting signed as a producer/artist and don't know this stuff. Its just that I've taught myself everything I know, and I've never been in a real studio to see how pros get it done.
You future Producer superstar - Sleepy C
