Guide to Producing an Album

What's the use of talent if you will not share it to the whole world? You have been writing songs
since you were seven, you and your band have been practicing almost everyday in your garage,
and you even have a few gigs every now and then. Don’t you think its about time you make an
album and have your share of the limelight?

You say you are just too shy to make an album because you are afraid you are not good enough
or you do not have enough money. But if you will not do it now that you're at your prime,
when do you plan to do it? With the advent of new technology, producing your album is not
as meticulous and costly as before. You can even do it entirely on your own if you know the
basic tricks of the trade. To help you get a glimpse of what it is like to make your album, here is
a step-by-step guide that you may find useful.

Choose the songs you want to include in your album

When you make an album, the first thing you need to decide is the songs you want to include in it.
You may have plenty of great songs but you have to choose the cream of the crop to include in
your debut album. You are introducing your band for the first time so you want them to hear only
the greatest songs. It is advisable, although its not the rule, to have songs with a common theme
or personality. Seven to ten tracks is enough for your first album. Do not exceed 15 tracks so
that you would not spend too much and so that the buyers would be wanting for some more.

Hire a producer and an engineer

As an independent artist, you want to do everything on your own. This gives you enough freedom
to experiment and at the same time it cuts down your expenses. However, it really pays to have a
great producer especially if you are a first-timer. The producers role can be compared to a manager
or a film director wherein he oversees the actual production of the music. He controls the recording
sessions, guides musicians, and supervises the mixing and mastering. The engineer is in-charge of
the technical aspect of the actual recording. That means, he is in-charge of the sound quality,
the mic positioning, etc. Thee people will guide you on the whole process of producing your album.