Avoiding Pitfalls of DIY'ing
Avoiding pitfalls of DIY'ing your music and how to keep the recording process exciting, efficient, and creative.
As an independent artist, it can be daunting to think about all of the different tasks, projects, and tasks that need to be accomplished from day to day and week to week.
Getting your website up and running, booking the next few gigs, scheduling social media posts, and writing and recording new music are all important considerations for your weekly to-do list.
When it comes to recording your music and getting it in to a tangible format for your fans there is a fine line between something magnetic and electric that draws people in and leaves them wanting more, and something that comes across as mediocre and easily forgotten.
This is exactly why it’s critical as an indie artist to be aware of some of the major pitfalls of DIY’ing that next recording project.
Pitfall No. 1: Mental Headspace
It can be incredibly challenging to wear the different hats of producer, engineer, AND performer all at the same time. When you are DIY’ing a project you are pretty much forced to occupy all three of these different mental spaces. Each role has different components of the process to consider and different goals to think about when moving towards the end product of a successful project.
The producer is considering things like song flow, continuity, and message. The engineer is thinking about capturing those perfectly timed drum hits, warm guitar tones, and clean vocals. The performer is thinking about execution, technical competency on the instrument, and hitting tight pitches with vocals.
It goes with out saying that trying to cram all of the considerations can be overwhelming even for the most accomplished artist.
Pitfall No. 2: Am I done yet?
When you are forced to consider all of these moving parts, tasks, and goals, it can become really easy to lose sight of the finish line. You can become lost in an endless loop of “maybe I could do this better” or “I wonder if we should try adding this instrument”. This loop can go on for days if you aren’t careful.
Allowing someone else to partner with you and take on one of these other roles, not only alleviates some of the burden for you as the artist but also adds another voice to the mix to help keep that finish line in view. Crossing the finish line of a project should be an exciting step in the process, and not one that leaves you in a mode of constant critique about what could have been done better or different.
Pitfall No. 3: No outside perspective.
An outside perspective in a recording process, whether that be an engineer or producer, can be incredibly valuable.
Not only can this person be an affirming voice in what would otherwise be an incredibly labor intensive endeavor, but they can help keep you excited about the creative process and the product that is being created.
To-do lists can get long, stress levels can get high, and your creative space can get cramped when trying to it all. This outside voice could be the “make or break” element for your project.
Recording your music should be a fun and exciting journey. Trying to DIY it all can quickly suck all of the joy of the process and even affect your momentum in furthering your music career.
So, next time you are preparing for a recording session for that new song, invest in yourself and build a team that can help keep the process exciting and create a product that you can be proud of.