Alain Picard // Draghord

This is the foundational stage where the song itself is created and structured. Without a strong idea here, no amount of technical skill later can save the track. It’s about creating the musical and lyrical core of the song. What it involves: Songwriting: Creating the melody, harmony (chords), rhythm, and lyrics. This is the raw spark of the idea. Arrangement: Deciding which instruments will play which parts and when they come in and out. This includes structuring the song into sections like verses, choruses, bridges, and solos. It's about building the song's energy, creating dynamics, and keeping the listener engaged. For example, deciding to have just a piano and vocal in the first verse and bringing in drums and bass for the chorus is an arrangement choice. Why it's important: This stage is the soul of the music. A great arrangement can make a simple idea sound huge and emotionally impactful, while a poor arrangement can make a great idea feel boring and repetitive. It's the blueprint that guides the entire production.

Once you have the blueprint, the next step is to capture all the individual parts that make up the song. This is where the arrangement comes to life through performance. What it involves: Recording (Tracking): The process of capturing the audio. This can be done by recording live instruments like guitars and vocals with microphones, or by programming virtual instruments and drums using MIDI controllers and software. The goal is to get clean, high-quality recordings of each part. Editing: After recording, the raw performances are cleaned up and tightened. This includes "comping" (combining the best parts of multiple takes into one seamless performance), correcting timing errors, and tuning vocals if needed. Why it's important: The quality of your recording directly dictates the quality of your final product. The principle of "garbage in, garbage out" is critical here. A well-recorded and tightly edited track provides a clean and powerful foundation for the final stage.

This is the post-production phase where all the recorded and edited tracks are blended together to create a cohesive, balanced, and professional-sounding song. This stage is often separated into two distinct, but related, processes. What it involves: Mixing: This is the art of balancing all the individual instrument and vocal tracks. Using tools like volume faders, panning (placing sounds in the left/right stereo field), equalization (EQ), and compression, a mix engineer ensures that every part has its own space and can be heard clearly. Effects like reverb and delay are also added to create depth and atmosphere. The goal of a mix is to serve the song and enhance its emotional impact. Mastering: This is the final step after the mix is complete. The single stereo file of the mix is processed to ensure it has a competitive volume level, a balanced frequency spectrum, and translates well across all listening systems—from tiny earbuds to powerful club speakers. Why it's important: Mixing and mastering are what transform a collection of individual recordings into a polished, radio-ready song. This stage ensures the music is clear, impactful, and meets the sonic standards of commercial releases.