AwakenedDrummer wrote:
Programs like Cubase, Sonar & Pro Tools give you everything you need to make excellent quality recordings right at home, thus eliminating the need to go to a studio. Not to mention, you can work at your own convience. I love home recording!
As a professional recording and mix engineer, I have a few things to say about home recording, both bad and good...
Just because someone has the right gear doesn't make them a great engineer. I could buy an amazing drum kit, but it doesn't make me a great drummer. On the other hand, I've been recording and mixing music for close to 20 years, and I'm really good at it.
I'm not saying that people shouldn't buy some gear and record themselves. As a matter of fact a lot of my work these days is mixing tracks that people have cut themselves on their own systems. I'm just saying that everyone should know their own limitations. Some people are able to compose, play, produce, record, mix, and master and come up with a great finished product - others can't wear all those hats well.
Recording on your own system is a great way to experiment, and not have to be worried about the clock ticking away in the studio, though, and can be a really great way to work. Just don't limit yourself to doing it all yourself because you have the gear. I find that a lot of people will do everything themselves, right up through the mix stage, and then expect a mastering engineer to work miracles to make the mixes sound amazing. If the mixes don't already sound amazing to begin with, then mastering is not the solution - remixing the tracks is the better way to go, even if it means having them mixed by a professional.
The bottom line is do what you do well, and if there are parts of the process you don't do so well, hire someone else to do it!
