Gat3 Studios Charlotte, N.C.:Post Recording

My experience in the studio this weekend was one I would never forget!!! Although it's my third project, it was my first time being in a professional Grammy Award winning studio. Gat 3 Studio's staff and service was so hospitable, warm, and encouraging every step of the way. The owner of Gat 3, Susan Tabor, is phenomenal. The vision of the studio is just awesome!!! Just a real cool laid back environment who believes in the power of music and producing it!!!

As an independent artist, it was a learning experience. It was the firsts of many: first time working with a live band, first time having background singers, first time being in a professional studio. I was a little anxious. I did not know what to expect. We reserved the studio for the entire day. We were suppose to begin our session at 9:00 a.m. However, the process of getting the band and the singers mic, and the sound check took three hours. We did not begin recording until 12:00 p.m. We managed to record all of our songs in about six hours!!! We managed to record about seven tracks. It was awesome. At times, it was overwhelming because it was such a large group of people and dealing different personalities. But overall, the end product was great!!!

What are some of the things I learned through this process?

The first thing I learned as a gospel artist is the importance of working with like-minded people. It is important to protect your vision and to protect your dreams. So surrounding yourself with people who support your vision and believe in the gift/ministry God has given you is vital in order for you to tap into your God-given potential;destiny. I was so blessed to work with a producer, David Burgest, who saw the gift that God has given me and decided to invest in it. David worked tiredlessly to make sure everything went well in the studio.

As an upcoming artist who is passionate about ministry and not just my talent, it was great to know that my producer was not only laying tracks down to my songs or making music, but had my best interest at heart, was praying for me, for project, everyone involved, and the listeners.

The second thing I learned as a gospel artist is sometimes less is more. Having less people involved on the project saves time and money. Having three professional singers instead of ten singers can determine the difference between having productivity in the studio. Avoid less distractions as a possible. Making sure that everyone who is apart are focused and serious minded is needed at all times. Having a strong support system is essential for productivity as well. The artist needs to be relaxed, comfortable, and ready to give his/her energy to the recording of the project.

It is also important as a vocalist to be conditioned and disciplined. Recording sessions are extremely different from singing at church or on stage. It requires extremely hard work and discipline.

Which leads me to the third thing I learned as an Indie gospel artist. Rest, rest, rest is extremely important before going into the studio. The week before going into the studio, your schedule should be free and clear. Vocalist should avoid dairy and caffefine products and drink lots of water. Also, vocalist should avoid talking as much as possible. Because the vocal cords are muscles, it's important that they are relaxed before putting in an eight to ten hour day in the studio. The recordings picks up everything. How you sound that day will be what people hear for years to come on your album. Rest is vital.

The fourth thing I learned is the importance of communication between the artist, producer, singers, etc. In my recording session, each section was in a different room. The lead vocalist had a room, the drummer, keyboardist, and guitarist had a room, the other instruments had their own room, and the singers had their room. Due to the location of the rooms, it was difficult for me to communicate to the singers so I had to rely upon the producer to communicate with everyone. So because everyone was following me, it was important for my signals to be clear during the recording. Communication is key. Making sure you know what you want in your songs as well as your album is also important. It avoids confusion.

The final thing I learned is that it's important that whatever you do, make sure it's done in the spirit of excellence and in a way that God is glorified. Don't wait until the album is finished to promote your album. People become more attracted to your project when they are aware of the journey from start to finish. Taking pictures, video clips, blogging, etc give people insight on what to expect. Whatever you do, do it big and unto the glory of God!!!

To sum up everything my professional recording session was a rewarding experience and i am so ready for what God has in store next!!!

Recovering All
Fall 2012

~Kimberly Gunn~

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