It's very complex, difficult, expensive, interesting and fun to be an independent music producer. And when you restart your music career again at the age of 50 people look at you sideways. O.k., maybe I AM nuts but I am having fun.
Volume three star...
Welcome back to the story of how I make music (books and videos too). It's August 2020
I have to admit that during the creation of the entire Change My Mind album (a process that I explained in detail in Volumes 1 and 2 of the Indie Musician's Diary), I didn't have the proper acoustic treatment in the studio. So now you know that you, too, can mix a whole album using crazy makeshift panels, propping up various mattresses in the corners of your room and creating a sound barrier behind where you stand in front of your your microphone shield. That is how I got by with my first single and with the creation of the first album.
It really wasn't a good way to do things but it was all I had. I have worked with other producers that didn't have more than a bookcase behind the microphone stand and who mixed everything in the box using earphones. They had good results and I thought I could get by with my method too.
But my sisters had donated funds towards acoustic treatment and I felt I should get around to it this summer. So my husband and I sent away for the foam sound absorbent panels, base traps and spray adhesive from Amazon and went to a Home Depot like store to get panels.
It wasn't as expensive as I feared, though and the result was amazing (coupled with a sound reducing curtain on the right side of the mixing area.
Here is what we bought for the pic above
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That made 6 panels with 12 pads on each and two corners filled with base traps. (The other two corners were either cut away by the curtain or filled with a sofa). Also, we were able to fix the angled inner roof by hanging a pleated curtain above the couch.
The difference in the sound is amazing. It sounds a bit quieter and all the echoes/reflexes are now reasonable or unnoticeable.
I wish I would have invested in this long before. The real test will come when I start recording again. (Hopefully soon). First I have to clear up some problems that occurred when I updated my Mac OS. (next chapter) and get back onto my book that is now up in 72 000 words and counting.
The plan is to work four hours a day with the book and divide the rest of the day up with music creation and housework.
