ABSTRACT
A recording should be more than a “demo,” and more than gigging musicians presenting a song as they might in a live gig. There are no visuals to accompany an audio recording – so the music and production aesthetics alone have to sustain the listener’s attention. Ear candy includes things like dramatic and effective stereo image use, animated and active stereo images, creative effects, extra-musical events that happen “between” the main musical lines, layering of sounds, creative textures, and any unexpected “cool” moments. Pre-production involves the producer working with the band before they come into the studio, so they can efficiently record a great piece of art. With most hardware and software recording systems, the easiest mix to send to the performer’s headphones is the one that is being heard in the control room. The arrangement and recording and mixing processes are uniquely intertwined – together they produce a successful record or a hit song.
