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5. Choosing the right venue or studio for your project

Whatever sort of recording you're undertaking, the choice of venue or studio will be one of the most important factors affecting the final result. So how do you know what sort of approach and location will be best for your project?

Mention the idea of recording and most people immediately think of a recording studio. Studios are purpose built facilities, designed to give optimum isolation from external noise, highly controlled sound and a wide range of technical facilities to cope with all the demands of modern music.

You might need to consider working in a dedicated professional studio if your programme includes lots of pop or rock items or needs extensive MIDI facilities, such as keyboards, samplers and sound modules.

However for most acoustic or classical recordings, a typical modern studio is far from ideal. For a start the "live" room probably won't be big enough to take more than a handful of musicians at once, and the acoustics are likely to be optimised for rock, pop or speech work. The chances are you'll find it very "dry" or "dead" acoustically, which makes tuning and balancing very difficult for your performers.

You may also find that the studio's technical facilities are designed for multitrack pop recording - so you'll pay for lots of technology you don't really need. You could even find that the facilities for a straightforward acoustic project are quite limited.

The method developed over many years for classical albums and broadcasts is to record "on location". This approach involves a mobile or transportable facility which can record your performance on site at any venue of your choice - and this technique is very well suited to a typical band project.

Opting for a location recording can make the sessions far more practicable since people and instruments don't need to travel far. You may also be able to choose a venue where the size and acoustics really suit your repertoire ... something which can make a big difference to the sound of your album.

Some venues such as school gymnasiums and classrooms make it almost impossible to get good results, whereas good concert halls, churches and town halls have glorious acoustics which can make a significant contribution to the recorded sound quality.

Your choice of building will depend on numerous factors such as availability, cost, the nature of the ensembles to be recorded and the style of the music. Given the importance of the location, it's worth investing time in researching local halls, public buildings, churches, hospitals and schools. You might also make enquiries via local radio stations and orchestral and session musicians to learn of suitable venues in your area.

When choosing a venue, some of the factors to bear in mind are:

• Sufficient space for the band (e.g. moveable furniture)
• The nature of the fabric of the building (stone, wood, carpet)
• The size of the room and its natural acoustic properties (e.g. reverberation time)
• Access for a truck and loading/unloading (stairs, doorways etc.)
• Parking for musicians and proximity for carrying of instruments
• Local noise (e.g. traffic, school playgrounds, bells, heating)
• Availability of a separate room nearby for the control equipment
• Adequate heat, lighting, toilet and kitchen facilities
• Security for any equipment/instruments left overnight
• Ability to leave the recording equipment in place between sessions

If you're not sure which venue will be best for your project, or whether a studio-based approach would suit you better, ask your engineer or producer to come and look at the alternatives with you. They'll be able to offer advice on acoustics, access and facilities to help you make the right decision - so you'll get the best result from your recording.

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