Many different artists, producers and engineers have their specific production approach or how they like to go about recording a song or an album. None are wrong, they are all approaches. Last week at a convention, I got to listen to a whole bunch of guys explain why their approaches are best and why the others suck. It was annoying to say the least and I quickly jumped out of the round table of death to have more exciting conversations with others.

Sharing ideas with each other is much more effective, and yes, there are some approaches that are not right, but they may work for that person. Before I crossed the glass, as I call it, to become a producer, I got the chance to work with hundreds of them as a session drummer. I loved watching and when time permitted, hanging out for as much of the session as I could to watch how these guys worked.

I really liked to note and pay attention to everything, from how they would approach a song to how they would approach a certain personality in a player. It fascinated me. One of the reasons I love producing is because you can be a part of the music in different ways outside of the music.

Before I take on an album, I sit down with the artist and listen to their music, their ideas and the vision they have for the recording. I like to hear about the songs they have and what they are writing. I also like to cue in to the tone of their voice and their body language. For me, this helps me be able to derive if they have confidence in one song and or really need help in another.

Every album is different and every budget is different, but I do like to follow along a couple ideas that flow across most of the recordings I do. The primary idea is the palette concept.

The Palette Concept.

Whether you are a simple jazz trio that is laying down the tracks live or a funk band with five horns, two percussionists and a DJ that are working on overdubs galore, I like to use the palette concept.

I think along the lines of a palette, like a painting palette. In my mind I go back to Monet. One of my favorite paintings of all times is Bridge at Giverny 

Monet's Bridge at Giverny

I have attached a link to one of the versions Monet did of the bridge. He painted many and for some reason I was always very drawn to this painting. I liked the strokes, the points and the definition of something in the middle of nothing.

Well, let's not get all artsy here but when I think about music and mixing a song, I think about paintings. I am not a painter or  an artist in a visual sense, but I am pretty sure that when Monet was done with paintings like this one, he did not have any more green on his palette.

It is similar to tracking in music. I think that it is good to think of the tracking period as not painting the actual picture of the song, but more so, putting the colors on the palette so you can paint the tune later in mix.

When an artist has the time and the budget, I like to plan on recording a palette of sounds and ideas to be put together later during mixing. I like to take the approach that we are creating the palette before we paint the picture.

By doing this and maybe recording a couple different vocals, some extra percussion or trying out ideas, textures and sounds, you can have a great deal to work with when you construct your mix and still have the option to remove different elements.

Some people get in to the mindset that if it is recorded, it has to be a part of the song. Get away from that idea. Bring with you the idea of creating a palette of sounds and ideas to choose from. Then when you hit mix, listen to what you have,  and listen to how things work and don't work together.

Allow yourself the chance to create with a spectrum of ideas. Keep notes throughout about why you thought about adding certain parts. Keeping track of the creative process will make the choosing and mixing time easier.

Also if you feel a part fits a certain section, play it over the whole song if you have time. Give your self the ability to subtract ideas and sounds.

In the end, subtracting is easier and less expensive than having to bring players in later to go back to tracking again. Don't shortcut your creativity or your improvisation of where you imagine your song going.

Take the palette and apply it to your preproduction.

What instruments should be a part of tracking or overdubs?

What ideas would you like to get out? Don't think about how it might not fit in tracking. Remember…you are, in a sense, putting paint on to a palette. The canvas and the picture of the song comes later.

Try this approach and see how it works for you. It has been a very effective one for me and something I have applied to many recordings.