The process of recording music has three steps these days.
- Tracking (or more simply put, recording the individual parts of the song),
- Mixing (making all of the adjustments, tweeks, and special effects after recording), and
- Mastering (Polishing up the final product).
As a producer of my own music, I often run into the temptation to get ahead of myself in these processes. I’ll hear a song I’m writing, and want to start mixing before I’m finished writing it. The next thing I know, I’ll have mastered the thing too. Big mistake! Maybe you’ve done it too. Continue reading Tracking, Mixing, and Mastering: The Breakup