How To Record Your Own CD - Flying To Meet The Sunrise

I am a composer and I have been involved in singing and playing all of my life, but for me it was only a hobby - just something I loved doing. Several years ago I first began uploading music to Dolciemuse, my Sibelius store - I had a naive belief that somehow if I wrote good music, people would want to perform it.


What I did not realize at that point is just how vast the internet is and just how much there is already out there. I sold a few scores, which pleased and surprised me, but it was obviously not going to be a career move.






A friend of mine suggested that I sing one or two songs and make a demo, maybe a few Youtube videos, but my focus at that time was on my work and my personal life. I hit a point where I didn't want to be social and I didn't want to think about what was happening around me. At that point I started to devote any spare time and energy into recording and enlisted a friend to mix some tracks for me. When he became too busy with other musical projects and his partner's illness I shelved it for a while. Things around me were happier and clearer and I pushed it into the background fora while.

Then, while on holiday in Canada, I heard Susan Boyle for the first time. Her singing knocked me for six, and I thought if she could go for it so bravely in her late 40s, maybe I should too. The recordings were back on track - but now I had to learn how to mix...

Geoff mixed these tracks for me. I had no idea what a difficult job I was giving him. I exported all my live tracks onto one CD and all my synth tracks onto another. My friend then had to put them together and produce a halfway decent sound without anyone to guide him. I actually think he did a superb job and Geoff's mixes continue to be my most popular. Thank you Geoff, I will always be grateful for the hours I know you devoted to this and the standard it set for my own learning.

Woolly Bear loved to sit on my desk - this picture now features at the end of every Youtube video I make. I record all my live tracks onto this little portastudio, then import them onto a regular computer to mix down.

Actually, they come even bigger than this! This image courtesy of wikipedia.

I love writing songs, but I also compose instrumental music. The Sibelius software allows me to programme instruments I do not play, or cannot play professionally and I can then mix the tracks afterwards for a more live vibe. I am learning as I go along obviously. I have learned a lot from other composers in the Sibelius Music Forum and from on line research.


The subject of electronic music is nearly as huge as that of audio engineering, so I know the steps I have taken might be big for me, but relatively small to those who know more....

Kathy asked me what was my favourite mix, and I had to say "The last one." Part of this is that you learn from each track. Some of my early vocal mixes tended to clip and distort a little, so I remixed them. In the end, there were magic moments with each.

Jingle Maria was fun from start to finish, but a remix really was necessary to improve the clarity and stereo picture!

Dance For Dreama presented an interesting problem in how to mix live vocals into an electronic track.

Vancouver Sunset was tricky, because I had asked a fiddle playing friend to add a part and she was too busy to do it. That meant I had to compose a violin part and play it electronically. No problem there, except usually these backing tracks go on first. I had to mix an electronically generated fiddle part into a live track. It was tough, the timing was a little strange and the metronome mark had to be programmed in hundredths!!!

St Francis Prayer was probably the first mix I was really happy with. I love this one and though it might not be everyone's cup of tea, it is a favourite of mine!

White In The Moon started as a classical song for tenor and piano. I just wanted to showcase the song with this recording. It is at the extreme of my range, so a little strange.

Losing Love - yes, I could go on and on with this one, but eventually I got the 60s vibe I wanted and I am quite proud of this mix.

A Love Too Big is mixed to sound like a live performance.... You judge.