Episode 23: Start Your Own Recording Project

Have you ever thought about recording your own album or EP but didn’t know where to begin? This week, Karen talks to us about demystifying the process and the steps you can

take to start creating your own project. It’s important to know that you can start at anytime and that a project like this is simply a timestamp of where you are at a certain point in your life. You don’t need to be at the peak of your career and no one needs to give you permission. You have the rest of your life to create more projects but if you want to start now, do it!

The first step is creating a project like this is to have any idea and to decide what you want this to look like in the end. Will it be a tribute? Classical? New Music? Jazz? Original works? You’re only job is to find the question and answer it yourself.

The next step is to figure out the financials. Will this be a crowdfunded project or will it be something that you finance yourself? Regardless of your method, it is imperative that you know exactly how much you will actually need to fund this project. By working backwards and determining every factor, you can find a number that works for you and go from there. Karen finds that most artist tend to run out of money when it comes to marketing their project so to remember to incorporate that aspect when crunching the cost of your project. Once you have figured out the financial details, you must figure out the timeline of payments. Most projects of this sort don’t happen all at once, so it is necessary to ensure that the funds needed will be there when you need them over the span of the project.

Setting a date for the release of your project have a number of benefits. On your end, it provides a deadline and keeps you accountable for yourself and your timeline. As for your audience, it gives them a build up and time to get excited about what you’re working on and will ultimately release for their enjoyment. Having a team to work with can make something like this much more manageable and realistic. Karen has found that the bigger and the more competent the team, the better the results.

If recording in a studio is a new experience for you, it is important to prepare yourself and expect the unexpected. It can be highly stressful and uncomfortable for some to record in a studio or professional environment for the first time so you should always remember that you won’t always be perfect and that it is okay to feel vulnerable.

Finally, Karen stresses the importance of a marketing campaign. Having a clear vision and portrayal of what your audiences can expe

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