ADVICE FOR RECORDING ARTISTSTIPS FROM SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCERS

TIPS FROM SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCERS

BRUCE RETIEF, CAMILLO LOMBARD,

KURT HERMAN, PARIS ZANNOS,

VALLY EATON, MR MALLUM, TONY DRAKE,

CLINTON MANN, TIM FEDER, GERSHWIN KOEN, JK

ADVICE FOR RECORDING ARTISTS

“Have you considered finding a real job?”

Haha just kidding. Confidence. I think many people struggle with confidence, so I often spend time building them up.

Also, singing technique / coaching while recording voice. Espe-cially for inexperienced artists.

BRUCE RETIEF

2

AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER, PRODUCER, ARRANGER, SONGWRITERDISCOVERY CHANNEL, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, ZAMBEZIA, KHUMBA, FREEDOM ROAD, KIRK WHALUM, ADAM BARNARD, BLONDIE, ZWAI BALA, LOYISO BALA, NEVILLE D.

“Allow yourself to be comfortable so that we can help you find the magic”

We really just try to get out of the way of what the artist wants and what the song requires. Sometimes we need to be reminded that in order to achieve what the client wants, we must be prepared to do what hasn’t been done. This most of the time means much more than hitting the record button. Prepa-ration is important, but sometimes the conversations to get them prepared is what’s needed. Some-times it’s a counseling session. Each process is different, so allow yourself to be comfortable so that we can help you find the magic. I prefer this approach even when the deadlines are hardcore, be-cause once its printed, its forever.

SAMA-AWARD WINNING PRODUCER, ENGINEER & SONGWRITERTIMA REECE, REDD ANGEL, ECLIPSE,101, JAG, EMO ADAMS, ANATHI, KULI CHANA, EMTEE, LOYISO BALA, LLOYD CELE, RJ BENJAMIN, MANGO GROOVE, DANNY K, KABELO, NEVILLE D, GRAEME WATKINS PROJECT, IDOLS SA, MISS SA.

KURT HERMAN

3

“Articulate Your Expectations”

As an artist, make sure the producer understands exactly what your expectations are so that he/she can deliver to the best of their abilities.

AWARD WINNING PRODUCER, COMPOSER, ARRANGER, RECORDING & PERFORMING ARTISTJIMMY DLUDLU, SWAZI DLAMINI, WANDA BALOYI, NEVILLE D, LINDSAY PETERSEN, AMBITION, CARMEN EXCLUSIVE, XIXEL LANGA, DIE BURGER COMPILATION, TOPDOG SA.

CAMILLO LOMBARD

4

“Focus more on the delivery...”

If I had to choose one with regard to the recording process I would say it’s to focus more on the delivery of the performance rather than focusing too much on pitch. While pitch is important, it can be fixed, whereas a bad performance will always be a bad performance. This doesn’t mean to say that the client should sing as off-key as they want. If there’s a slightly sharp note here and a slightly flat note there, then it’s okay.

MR MALLUM

5

SAMA-NOMINATED PRODUCER, ENGINEER & RECORDING ARTISTGANG OF INSTRUMENTALS, LOYISO BALA, DANNY K, AURIOL HAYS, CHAD SAAIMAN, KEENO LEE, LLOYD JANSEN, BYRON CLARK, KYLE PETERSEN, LUCY TOPS, ACOUSTIC ELEMENT, EMILY YX, BLACK NOISE, NIGEL MORKEL, JERUSHA, KB, DONOVAN COPLEY (HOT WATER), KAMIEL EBRAHIM (ECLIPSE), GALATIA, CLINT BRINK (ACTOR), YOUNG NATIONS, DIGGY BONGZ

Most musicians feel the studio is a pressured environment. Calming nerves  is hard. A musician has to pour out their heart and soul, lay themselves bare emotionally (especially vocalists), and they have to do it on demand, and in a given time frame. I  tell my clients that all things can be fixed and re-visited to try and take pressure off. Nothing is ever final until you want it to be. If a musician can feel relaxed in the studio then she/he will deliver their best performance. That’s more challenging than the technical stuff. When it comes to song arrangements, a lot of the times it is songs that are too long that are a problem. My advice to clients is to focus on the part of the song that will move somebody emotionally…the hook, the chorus, the melody, the groove, whatever it is or all of the above…..work on those, develop them in the song to build excitement, light or shade, or emotion, and lose the long intro, or that extra verse that doesn’t add to the experience. If the listener gets to the end and wants more, you have won and that’s a very rewarding feeling both for the producer and the artist. If you can’t get the listener to the chorus and past it, well….then your “hit” song might need a bit more work!

SAMA-AWARD WINNING ENGINEER & PRODUCERJIMMY DLUDLU, JUDITH SEPHUMA, KUNJALO, ZOE MODIGA, JEREMY OLIVIER, TOP DOG

PARIS ZANNOS

6

“Don’t Neglect The Masses”

Don't make music for other musicians, make it for the masses. Artists tend to want to impress other artists and they ne-glect the masses.

LEAVEIL “VALLY” EATON

7

SAMA-NOMINATED PRODUCER, ENGINEER, SONGWRITER, RECORDING & PERFORMING ARTISTLADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO,, MANDOZA, PITCH BLACK AFRO, JAE, JERUSHA, VERD, DEZ REY, EAST COAST FLAVA, JANINE PRICE, 101, AFRO-Z, LYNDAL KEARNS.

“Market Your Music”

Concentrate on your internet marketing efforts or get someone to market your music. The industry has changed a lot. Artists no longer have to sit around and wait on major record deals and traditional marketing executives to make things happen for them. The biggest mistake so many independent artists make is that they have no marketing strategy in place when it comes to their projects. So many record labels find themselves in the same boat.

SAMA-NOMINATED PRODUCER, ENGINEER & RECORDING ARTISTSOUNDS OF SOUL, RICARDO, D’ LOW, MYNIE GROVE, HOMEBASE, BD FLAVA, LITSA, SUNA PAPA, STKS, SARA-JANE

CLINTON MANN

8

“Make Music For The People”

Never make music for your fellow artist, singer, mu-sician or producer (to impress them). Make music for the people so that they can sing along, forget about their problems and have a good time.

PRODUCER, SONGWRITER, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALISTBLAQPEARL, CHAD SAAIMAN, LLOYD JANSEN, ISAAC MONTY, JASON PRETORIUS, JONATHAN RUBAIN, CANDICE THORNTON

GERSHWIN KOEN

9

“It is easy to lose your objectivity of you get too close to your material.”

Less is more. Keep things simple. If the budget is tight, rather do an EP of 5 songs, than an album of 12. In fact, in this day and age, even spending R10 000 one song for iTunes, rather than trying to squeeze a whole album out for R10 000 may be a wiser option. Quality rather than quantity. Trust the process, and trust the producer.

We can often hear the outcome even when it may sound odd to you at first. Just because you are pay-ing for it does not mean you know better. Don’t be precious. Keep your distance from your material. It is easy to lose your objectivity of you get too close to your material. Oh, and one last thing: NEVER come to record if you are not properly prepared. It will be a much more expensive exercise if you are not ready. The studio clock does not stop while you work out your words or notes.

TONY DRAKE

10

PRODUCER, ENGINEER & KEYBOARD VIRTUOSOTHE BOYZ, DEJA VU, ALBAN PETERSEN, ROUCHELLE LIEDEMANN, RICARDO, ROESHDIEN JAZ, ANDREW YOUNG, THE GLENN ROBERTSON JAZZ BAND, MICHELLE ROBERTSON, MYLES BING, ANGIE, SELIM KAGEE (CO-PRODUCING), ROCKING HORSE (CO-PRODUCING), CHEREE (CO-PRODUCING), PAUL BUCKBY (CO-PRODUCING), CHRYSTAL SWANSON, ESTHER WILSON, TIM FEDER,  ELI SPIERS, DJ KEITH FEAT SALOME, TRACY CARTER (MURRAY), AMAZING GOSPEL SERIES, PINKSTER GOSPEL SERIES, GOSPEL SAX SERIES

“Preparation is key”

Prepare your music before recording sessions. As a producer, when I’m working with a band or group, the hardest sessions are the ones where no one is prepared.

PRODUCER, ENGINEER & SONGWRITERCLINT BRINK, JENNY AH-CHONG, RECRUIT, KEZIAH, BYRON LEVI, SHELDON MULLER, CHARLYN DAVIDS, MATTHEW MTUMBA, AJ FORTUNE, HEINRICH ISAACS

TIM FEDER

11

“Do whatever it takes to get the best performance.”

The performance is EVERYTHING. Don’t settle for an OK take! Always aim for the best take where you get the right combination of emotion, energy, tone and rhythm that fits the song. People don’t al-ways realise how hard recording can become. They think one or two takes are enough. Obviously if you are seriously talented or experienced, you will need less takes but more often than not, you would require many many different takes.

PRODUCER, SONGWRITER, RECORDING ARTIST, AUDIO EDUCATOR, RADIO HOSTMISS CELANEOUS, JACK PAROW, LADY NOIR, 3ØNTHEFLOOR

EBRAHIEM “EBI” INGLIS

12

“Collaboration Is Still Your Best Friend”

If you have the budget and it works for you, then book loads of studio time to EXPERIMENT creatively - beat-making, top-lining, scratch-tracking, harmony ideas, the works! And don’t forget to have fun.

But if you don’t have a budget, PREPARATION is key. Prepare yourself fully before you come to stu-dio. Know your song like the back of your hand! It will save you time, money and unnecessary ten-sion and frustration. And no-one can deliver well in studio when they’re stressed out.

Lastly, in these days of the “independent music revolution”, don’t be deceived. COLLABORATION is still your best friend. In fact, find some best friends and partner with them - in everything. Songwrit-ing, arrangement, choice of songs, features. Team work makes the dream work - even more so if you’re a solo artist.

JEREMY “JK” KOERIES

13

PRODUCER, SONGWRITER, MIXER.RICARDO, JUDITH SEPHUMA, KABELO MABELANE, NEVILLE D, ALLOU APRIL, SHO BARAKA, JONATHAN RUBAIN, LINKRIS, LLOYD CELE, CJAY, BRIAN TEMBA, GOLDEN YEARS ON SABC2, DEZ REY, JEROME REX, ASHLEIGH DAVIDS

© 2017 Exilic Music.

All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. For more information, visit www.exilic.co.za. For a FREE quotation, e-mail info@exilic.co.za or jk@exilic.co.za

ADVICE FOR RECORDING ARTISTS

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TIPS FROM SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC PRODUCERS

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO BRUCE RETIEF, CAMILLO LOMBARD, KURT HERMAN, PARIS ZANNOS, VALLY EATON, MR MALLUM, TONY DRAKE, CLINTON MANN, TIM FEDER, GERSHWIN KOEN, ASHLEIGH DAVIDS & JK.