My Notebook

Here's a scan of my notebook that shows the sort of notes I make whilst planning the tracklaying of a recording in the studio. I tend to do this before most sessions to help decide between different microphones and methods, and it then makes setting up quicker and easier once the session starts. I mostly do this for drums, when I'm recording more than one instrument at once, or when I'm using multiple mic's for one instrument. I then make similar notes as a definitive list whilst setting up so I know exactly what I've done.

Learning from experience, it's vital to make a note of what mic is plugged into which channel and what it's miking up, I even sometimes have to note what position it's in or if I used any particular techniques. This way I can easily re-mic an instrument or kit and achieve the same sound as in a previous session. And when things don't work or go wrong whilst recording (which they often do) it's so much easier to troubleshoot and figure out where the problem's coming from.

I bought a new notebook to start this term, rather than just writing these on scraps of paper every time I want to compile it all in one place. One so it's more organsised, two so I actually have something to show for what I do with my time.