Recording is a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot of work, too. It’s so easy to put it off when you’ve got a ton of things that seem more important at the time. I find myself doing it constantly. I could record a vocal track, but I have to get my laundry done. I could lay down a few guitar parts, but I’ve gotta go to meet up with friends in an hour and I don’t want to lose track of time.
The excuses could be endless if you’re good at coming up with them. But then something inevitably happens after I put off a recording project for long enough: I start to feel bad.
I feel bad that a month has gone by and I’m no further along in my recording than I was before. Or worse, I feel bad because a few months have gone by and I haven’t even started recording a song. When I realize my song could have been finished already, it only adds to the frustration. If you’re a chronic procrastinator like me, or even if you’re not and you would just like a few tips on getting motivated, here are a couple things to remember when the recording studio beckons.
It won’t ever get done if you don’t start it
The only way to guarantee your song doesn’t get finished is to never start it in the first place! Sometimes just getting started is the hardest part, and once you’re going you find that you are inspired to keep it up. Often there is just that initial hurdle of getting the first thing recorded that’s giving you a mental block, but hearing your song get started usually reminds you of how cool it’s gonna sound when it’s complete.
Schedule a time to start recording your demo. Put it in your calendar and give it the same priority as you would any other task like going to the gym or attending a friend’s birthday party. Simply putting it on your To Do list will only make it easy to ignore!
Break big tasks into smaller chunks
The many steps of recording your music can be intimidating. There’s arranging the song, recording the instruments, recording vocals, mixing and mastering… That’s a lot to think about, and it can really make you feel unmotivated when you face all the work ahead. But every part of the recording process doesn’t have to be done all at once. You don’t have to worry about mastering your demo when you’re recording a bass part.
Break the entire process down into more manageable, less intimidating tasks that you can check off one by one. This way, you’ll be able to see your progress and feel a sense of accomplishment as each step of the recording gets done.
Don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself!
One of the most common reasons musicians put off a recording project is that they feel like they have to do everything themselves. But just because you have recording software with drum samples and mixing capabilities doesn’t mean you have to program drums, play bass, record guitar tracks, record vocals, mix your song and master it all on your own. There are many affordable ways to outsource parts of your project to professionals so that you can get a great product without breaking the bank. And you won’t have to worry about putting off what you’re not doing in the first place!
Studio Pros exists for this exact reason. We have a team of Los Angeles session musicians who will record tracks for your songs within 48 hours of your order. Talk about not putting it off… That’s the next best thing to instant gratification! Instead of procrastinating and deciding that you’ll record your demo tomorrow, let Studio Pros help you get your project done now so that you’ll have a professional, finished recording ready within a week or two. Click here to get started.