Coronavirus precautions have radically altered how everyday business is conducted in America. It seems every area of commerce has been affected, and my operations here at Studio X are no exception. Like everyone else I’m now working at home, alone.
Thankfully, through the wonders of modern technology, I’m able to continue benefitting from the talents of my team of Nashville studio pros. Just about every session player or singer that I know and use has the equipment and the wherewithal to record their parts in the comfort and safety of their own homes. So, for example, I might record a bare-bones version of a song with myself playing rhythm guitar and singing a scratch vocal. Then I can send that online to the bassist, keyboardist, singer, or whomever I’ve deemed appropriate for the given song. I’m sure to provide a chart, tempo markings, and any specifics I want included or avoided—basically everything to ensure that they give me what the song needs. They all record their individual contributions to the arrangement on their home rigs and upload their full-fidelity parts to me.
When all the song’s elements are complete I can do a final mix for my client. I end up with the same high-quality productions, but I have to admit to missing the face-to-face interactions with my ‘team’—the shared cups of coffee, the bad jokes, the road stories…