The cool thing about being a songwriter today is the ability to record studio-quality songs in the comfort of your own home. Musicians are turning their computers (and even tablets) into full-fledged recording studios to create music that used to cost a fortune to make in professional studio settings. There are a number of ways this can be done, depending upon your budget and the level of quality you want to achieve.
I record some great stuff with my iPad, an iRig, and a couple of different recording apps. The process for me is pretty straightforward. I begin by writing my songs using either Songwriter HD or Notion (which allows me to notate music like Finale or Sibelius does on the computer), then I start laying down my tracks. The order depends. I might lay down a guitar part first, then the vocal. I'll mix those and then start adding the other parts, either by plugging into my iRig and playing or by using virtual instruments.
I like to keep my workflow as streamlined as possible. The least amount of software and hardware I can use to accomplish the task at hand. It's taken me a couple of years and a little money (my wife will tell you otherwise on the money part) to find the software, apps, and hardware that work best for my specific needs.
I'll be doing a series of posts in the upcoming weeks to discuss and review in detail some of the various music software, apps, and hardware I use for writing and recording. Hopefully my posts will help those of you who are struggling to find what you need to accomplish your own goals, and maybe my experiences can save you a little time and money in the process.
Some of the reviews I have planned are Finale, Finale Songwriter, Songwriter HD, Sony Acid Music Studio, Pro Tools, Notion, MusicStudio, the various iRig packages, and loop packages. Keep an eye out.
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