This weekend, my friend Brandon came over to help me work on some pre-production ideas for my final project for the advanced production course at Humber. 

As a producer, I feel it is important to spend time discussing goals before you start working on a project. It is also important to build a connection with the artists you work with.

Instead of going straight into the work of the production today, we did exactly that. We discussed my goals for my arrangement of Lean on Me. I played reference tracks for Brandon, and wanted to hear his initial impressions. We discussed my main goal for this weekend was to get a basic MIDI piano track recorded, as well as some other synth and string layers. After he listened to these reference tracks, Brandon said he liked the direction I was going with, and was eager to begin pre-production tomorrow.

While we were in the mode of listening to reference tracks in my studio, I wanted Brandon’s opinion on the master file that Reuben Ghose sent me for my directed study project. He sent three mastered versions of my arrangement of “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon. One of them was his recommended master level, the second was a louder version, and the third was a quieter version.

Brandon and I listened to these master versions on my Yamaha studio monitors and concluded we liked the louder version best. Brandon and Reuben suggested that I make sure to listen on multiple sound sources as well, so I could gain additional perspective before making a final decision.

I am looking forward to pre-production with Brandon tomorrow, and my mastering session with Reuben on Monday!