Recording
the Celtic harp
by
Darhon Rees-Rohrbacher
(appeared in FHJ spring 1999 issue)
With
the resurgence of interest in the Celtic harp, there has been a virtual
explosion of available recordings of this instrument. Attempting to
capture the
delicate sound of the folk harp presents problems unlike that of any
other
instrument. I listened to many harp recordings (Celtic, pedal, triple,
historical) prior to writing this article, which gave me an exquisite
appreciation for the difficulty of recording any harp
in order to do justice to the instrument.
In
order to write this article, I developed a uniform questionnaire that
was sent
to approximately 30 reputable harpers who have at least one
professionally-produced recording available. Their experiences are
being shared
in this article so that the FHJ readership pondering making a recording
will
learn from their experiences and/or avoid costly mistakes. Those of you
who are
not interested in doing a recording may find the article of general
interest;
it will certainly give you a greater appreciation of what an artist
goes
through to produce a solo album. Having just completed my own first
solo
recording, I also filled out a questionnaire and those responses have
been
included in this article.
Seventeen
aspects of the recording process were addressed by the questionnaire.
The
headings below summarize the issues addressed and their collective
responses.
A.
MAKING THE DECISION TO RECORD
Everyone
wonders when they are “ready” to start recording. For most of the
survey
respondents, the impetus was constant clamoring from friends and
colleagues
that they should record their talent so that it could be shared with
the world,
or at least with lovers of harp music. Others started with a modest
demo tape
for booking jobs which gradually expanded into a full-length recording.
Several
respondents said that the people who came to their performances kept
asking for
a recording which became the impetus for undertaking the project. Two
harpers
were asked by a promoter to do it; two others said they took it on as a
personal challenge. Another was given some “seed money” by a friend
which
encouraged her to do the recording. One artist had been doing some
successful
back-up work for a studio, and they later contacted her about doing
some solo
Celtic harp. Another harper was looking “for a performance outlet for
her
original pieces” and felt that the music was worth recording.
One
is never really “ready” to do a recording; often, it amounts to
striking while
the iron is hot when you are “motivated” to do it. Otherwise, you’ll
stay
locked in your practice room for the next fifty years, waiting for your
talent
to “mature.” Contrary to the belief of some musical snobs, one does not
need to
be a virtuoso harper to justify making a recording; one only needs to
believe that
he or she has a talent worth sharing. If only true virtuosos were
“allowed” to
record, there would be very little recorded music in this world for
others to
enjoy.
B.
CHOOSING YOUR STUDIO, LOCATION AND ENGINEER
The
single most important thing that all of the respondents echoed was
having a
good rapport with your recording engineer. As one respondent said “it
helps if
you sleep with your engineer.” While a harper probably does not need to
go to
that length to insure a good recording, suffice it to say that the
performer
must develop an atmosphere of trust and comfort with the engineer. Solo
recording can be an extremely intimate experience for both performer
and
engineer. You are going to be “baring your musical soul” with this
person for
many hours. You had better feel comfortable exposing yourself to this
person,
figuratively speaking, or the sessions will be filled with angst and
you will
be disappointed with the results.
Some
of the respondents “interviewed” recording engineers or recording
studios to
find the place they felt most comfortable. A few just booked the least
expensive place they could find. Others went by word-of-mouth from
fellow
harpers whose recordings impressed them, or took the recommendation of
another
musician. One person used a friend’s studio; another “bartered” for
studio
time. (One harper said that using friends was a big mistake; she
expected a
discount and they expected fame and referrals.) Actually, the most
important
factors to consider are: (1) that your studio and engineer have
previous
experience recording acoustic instruments and (2) that you feel
“comfortable”
recording there.
If
you decide to record in a particular off-site location for
“atmosphere,” you’ll
need to find (and pay) an engineer who is willing to transport his
equipment to
the location. Not all engineers are capable or willing to do this.
Because
modern recording studios can simulate almost any type of spatial sound
as well
as introducing special effects into recordings (such as waves breaking
on the
shore), it is usually not necessary to record off site. The exception
would be
if you have the privilege of recording in a concert hall or church
noted for
its exceptional acoustics. An example of this is the
In
this author’s situation, my number one criteria was finding an engineer
who
could read sheet music, since I was going to be playing from a printed
score.
(I was amazed to find that some engineers could not read music….they
were
“tecchies” only.) It was also important to me to find an engineer who
had very
good ears. Thus, I brought along three harp CDs to my studio interviews
and
made the engineers listen to excerpts to make sure they could “hear”
the Celtic
harp and understand the sound I wanted. In addition, I had a prepared
questionnaire that I brought along to several studios to “grill” the
engineer
who would be working with me; it was very important to me that I had
confidence
in my engineer’s abilities.
“Know
exactly what you want before you do your first session, be very
organized, and
make your expectations clear to the engineer” was echoed by several
respondents! This was a lesson that some learned only through trial and
error.
If the harper has a very clear picture in his/her mind of what the
finished
product should be, it makes the engineer’s job much easier. You are
paying for
a service and have the right to expect a “product” to be delivered. The
engineer cannot read your mind; you must communicate your needs in
detail. This
may cause dissension and disagreement, but remember that it’s
your recording, not theirs! As Sue
Richards said “learn to ask for what you want, even if it seems
outrageous.”
C.
CHANGING STUDIOS/ENGINEERS
“Don’t
be afraid to change studios if necessary,” said some respondents. Some
even
changed studios mid-stream, or changed studios on their subsequent
recordings.
For a few, there were factors beyond their control that forced them to
change
studios, such as the studio closing, an engineer moving, etc. For
others, they
just did not “click” with the engineer, or were disappointed with the
work that
was done. One wanted a different studio where she felt she had more
“control”
over the outcome of the product. Some complained about the lack of
professionalism of the studio management…one even had an engineer make
unwanted
advances at her.
A
big-name studio is not necessarily better than a smaller, unknown one.
They may
have fancier equipment, but if the engineer is not skilled in how to
use it,
their technology is wasted. The harper may be just as satisfied at a
studio
with only basic amenities, but that has an attentive, caring and
musically
knowledgeable engineer who has had considerable experience recording
acoustic
instruments, especially the harp.
Since
recording time is expensive, some artists “bartered” for studio time by
trading
other services. In general, this did not work very well. The psychology
of
bartering tends to make an engineer less attentive to detail than if he
is
being paid (or not paid) in cold, hard cash. You also have less control
over
the outcome and the engineer may appear to be satisfied with a very low
standard of performance just to reduce the number of “barter hours”
needed. If
you do decide to barter, be sure to put the barter criteria in writing
on an
hour-by-hour basis to clarify your expectations; don’t assume anything.
D.
DIGITAL OR ANALOG
The
respondents used both methods. Two had earlier analog recordings
remastered to
digital later. Two others recorded via analog, but had the material
then
transferred to digital for the final editing and mastering. The others
all used
digital for their recent recordings, mainly because it is faster and
easier to
edit, mix, master, resequence, etc, with this format. (I personally
prefer the
warmth of the analog sound…I love old LPs.) But technology being what
it is,
digital is the current way to go.
E.
MICROPHONE PLACEMENT
The
most difficult part about recording the harp is correct microphone
placement.
Most of the harps were recorded with two high-quality microphones
placed fairly
close to the instrument, the distance varying from as close as 6 inches
to as
far as 10 feet away, although a few said only one mic was used.
(Several people
said they had to be very careful not to bump the mics accidentally
while they
played.) In general, the smaller the harp, the closer the microphones
needed to
be. The two mics were always separated….one lower on the instrument
nearer the
bass strings or column, and one higher up nearer the treble range.
Harps have
tremendous overring and weird sympathetic overtones generated from
notes not
even played, which caused miking problems for some harpers. A few
respondents
said that in addition to the two mics placed near the harp, another mic
was
hung above (or placed inside) the instrument, and the engineer switched
back
and forth between the mics, depending on what frequencies he was
hearing. Two
harpers used a pickup that was hardwired into both harp and studio
equipment in
addition to the mics. One harper said that the mics were moved around
by the
engineer, depending on what range of the harp the piece was played in.
Another
said that the mics were fixed on poles, but that the harps
were moved around as needed to get the best sound!
F.
THE RUDE AWAKENING
When
some of the harpers heard their first raw studio “take” played back,
they were
horrified. The harp sounded tinny, thin, wimpy and stringy…not at all
what they
expected, and not what they heard while the harp was next to their own
ear. One
performer, on the other hand, was actually delighted….she didn’t
realize that
she sounded so good to everyone and finally understood why people were
clamoring for her to do a recording. Another said she was quite
“pleased”….she
was afraid it would sound absolutely horrible, but it didn’t. A
European harper
said that she “hates” hearing herself on a recording. A
G.
RECORDING IS UNFORGIVING
Being
recorded was an eye-opener for everyone. The microphone picks up small
imperfections that are never noticed in a live performance, such as
clothing
rustling, breath sounds, throat clearing, string buzzes, damping,
muffly notes,
uneven articulations, thunky harmonics, lever changes, and bodily
movements.
(In general, the closer the microphone placement, the more exposed the
playing.) Some of these flaws can be edited out or at least minimized
in the
mixing, mastering and EQ-ing, but most are there to stay. Recording,
especially
as a soloist, will be the most exacting playing you ever do in your
life; it
will certainly force you to narrow your own concept of what is
“acceptable” harp
playing!
Every
respondent said they had to play more carefully and do more damping
than they
would in a live performance to try to get as crisp and clean a sound as
possible. Some said they had to play more “delicately” with less volume
overall
in order to have more room for musical expression and to keep the tone
pure.
Jennifer Sayre said that her engineer actually discouraged her from
making
extremes of dynamics because “they would not come through clearly in
car
stereos.” Martha Clancy said that upper notes had to be played softer
to avoid
overtone saturation. Nearly every respondent complained about string
buzzing
that was “painfully enhanced” by the recording process.
Sue
Richards said that her “best Salzedo technique” just did not work in
the studio.
In order to get a good tone, Sue said that you “have to almost dance on
the
strings, lightly and very accurately, dampening some notes as you go.”
Several
mentioned being forced to “clean up” their own playing after hearing
extraneous
noises that they never knew they were making! Harper Tasche said that
learning
to hold absolutely still without breathing while the last note fades
out was a
new skill! Elinor Bennett stressed the ideas of clean execution,
careful
damping, expressive phrasing, and making your music “three dimensional”
on the
recording. Sunita Staneslow said that one huge crescendo or big accent
can skew
the overall recording; she has now become more interested in the
expressive
beauty of “fewer notes.” Sunita also mentioned that in a live
performance,
people want to hear lots of flashy notes and “see you sweat”, but that
in a
recording they want to hear effortless, smoothly phrased harp playing.
Nearly
everyone said that the recording process greatly improved their own
playing
because of (1) the intense focus required to play with extreme accuracy
and (2)
the need to listen very critically.
On
the subject of “fewer notes” mentioned
by Sunita, I discovered that the most effective pieces on my recording
were the
ones that were minimally voiced and simply arranged.
On the delicate Celtic harp, thick,
pianistic-like arrangements do not seem to come across as well in the
recorded
format. I’ve since listened critically to many other harpers’
recordings and
discovered the same to be true. In other words, “less is more” when
recording
on the Celtic harp. Busy arrangements often sound “cluttered” on a
recording
rather than impressive. Also, the general public is just as happy to
have a
beautiful melody harmonized by a simple accompaniment so that the
pristine
sound of the harp is enhanced; they could care less that you slaved
away for
six months learning some horribly difficult, showy, solo harp piece
with a
finger-busting cadenza in the middle!
Two
respondents mentioned that they like to record while wearing headphones
so that
they can “hear” themselves better and receive instantaneous feedback of
the
recorded sound. Two others used click tracks to keep a steady beat
throughout
certain selections; they said this was essential if you are going to be
adding
other instruments to the mix later on. Sunita Staneslow said that she
“has yet
to get a good feel with a click track.” I tried wearing headphones but
was
absolutely incapable of playing this way; I was unable to judge the
volume of
my string touch, or hear any nuances with my ears “muffled” by the
headphones;
it was like playing with cotton stuffed into my ears! If headphones
work for
you, fine; they just didn’t work for me.
Ellen
Tepper suggested practicing your repertoire though an amp before going
to the
first recording session, because it really accentuates little
imperfections
that you would never hear while sitting next to your harp. Dave Shaul
suggested
recording yourself at home just to get used to recording, playback, and
learning to adjust your “touch” for the recording process. I tried both
of
these techniques prior to my studio sessions and found them to be
helpful.
H.
PEDAL VS. LEVER HARP
The
main difference between recording the two was microphone placement. The
mics
had to be placed further away and higher up for the large concert pedal
harp
than they did for a small folk harp. Christina Tourin mentioned that it
is not
possible to place a mic inside the pedal harp because it picks up pedal
change
noise. The respondents who used both instruments said they had to play
more
quietly with a less “vigorous” touch on the lever harp, since it’s a
more
sensitive instrument. Elinor Bennett said it was very “clean” to record
on the
Celtic harp, as opposed to the pedal harp, because there is less bass
resonance
to worry about.
Nobody
plays perfectly 100% of the time, and you will have some note errors,
no matter
how well-rehearsed you are. Because of the sustaining nature of the
harp, it is
not really possible to “punch” in individual wrong notes like you can
with a
clarinet. The respondents described two editing methods used that
generated the
best results: (1) do several “takes” of the same song, if necessary,
and piece
the best sections of each together to get a unified whole or (2) do one
take
from start to finish and then re-record only certain problem sections
on an
edit track and “splice” them in. The fancy fixes used will depend on
the type
of equipment the studio has. In a fully-computerized studio, even
single notes
can be edited in, although the result may be less than satisfactory.
Sectional
editing allows a better overlap of overtones and produces a more
natural-sounding result.
Edits
are often audible to the trained ear, no matter how smoothly done.
Harper Tasche
said he is “rabid” about noticeable edits; he’d rather hear a wrong
note than
an edit. Thom Dutton mentioned that if you overedit, you edit the
“life” out of
the composition and it becomes sterile and devoid of feeling. The
decision as
to “how much” editing depends on what you are willing to let go, as
well as
your studio budget. It’s difficult to decide when a “take” is finally
good
enough; one can end up obsessing over little things that few will even
notice
in the finished product. A harper can do 100 takes of the same song in
the
quest for musical perfection and still not be satisfied. Mary
Radspinner said
that she learned not to try to be absolutely perfect, because it will
never
happen anyway.
If
you edit out every string buzz, every note not evenly articulated,
every rest
not executed exactly in rhythm, every nuance not played to your liking,
every
breath noise, you will be editing for the rest of your life and the
recording
will cost you $500,000 to produce! The recording will also sound
unnatural,
stilted and lifeless. I personally prefer to listen to a slightly
“flawed”
recording that inspires, moves, soothes or delights me over a
meticulously
edited but emotionally barren one. However, having said that, there is
absolutely no excuse for allowing truly sloppy
playing and poor overall musicianship
to be evident in the finished product, given all of the computer
editing tools
available to the performer.
J.
DEALING WITH NERVES
Nearly
everyone had a problem with nerves from time to time during the
sessions. There
is nothing like a microphone just a few inches away from your hands to
induce
an anxiety attack! As Reuben Correa said “it’s amazing how many
mistakes one
can make within three seconds of recorded music!” Unfortunately, that
anxiety
can come through in your playing and be permanently set in stone in
your
finished product.
While
there is no “cure” for studio stage fright, the best strategy for
taming your
studio nerves is absolute meticulous preparation of the planned
repertoire.
Every string pluck must be carefully executed, every lever change well
rehearsed, every damping motion built into the piece, every expressive
nuance
well conceived and every rhythm impeccably accurate. If the muscle
memory is as
much a part of the piece as the music, it will usually take precedence
over
your nerves. You should not be paying an engineer to listen to you
learn your
notes!
Carol
Thompson said she’s always a little nervous at first, but she settles
down
after a few “takes.” One harper said
that during one session he was totally unable to get through a
particular song
due to nerves, so he just had to scrap it that day. Rolliana Scheckler
said
that she actually found it easier to perform “on a big stage for tons
of
audience members” than to play before one engineer in the recording
studio.
Donna Adams-Profeta mentioned the need to clear one’s mind, stay aware
of the
tendency to speed up under duress, and most important of all, to breathe. (People tend to hold their
breath when anxious, which compounds the nerve problem.) Thom Dutton
said his
anger at making needless mistakes was channeled into constructive
performance
energy because it made him really “attack” the piece; the resulting
aggressive
approach to his own playing helped him produce a better recording.
This
author has more trouble with her nerves than anybody else in the
survey. My
hands tremble and sweat, my heart and mind race, my fingers and wrist
stiffen
up and I feel like I’m going to barf. It was so bad in
the studio that the only
thing that I found that helped was to drink red wine. Yep…..I brought a
bottle
of wine with me at each session and took a few swigs between songs when
I just
couldn’t calm down enough to play any right notes! No matter how
well-prepared
I was musically and how perfectly I could play the songs at home, once
that
microphone started running, I became complete bumblefingers!
Laurie
Riley, on the other hand, said that she feels “totally relaxed in the
studio
and loves doing studio work.” Christina Tourin said that “nothing
really begins
to flow for her until the microphone is turned on.”
I certainly hope they will share their secret
with the rest of us who are “emotionally challenged!”
Debbie
Brewin-Wilson offered the most novel solution to the nerve problem: she
said, “I
tried deep breathing, conscious relaxation exercises, dirty jokes, but
found
nothing that really worked, except Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.”
K.
SCHEDULING YOUR RECORDING, EDITING, AND MIXING SESSIONS
Nearly
everyone agreed that the best use of studio time was to schedule a
number of
sessions in blocks of no more than about four hours each; each session
should
be separated by a day or two or even a week. A few artists were able to
go as
long as six hours, but most found that fatigue set in after about four
hours.
It’s also important to eat well
before going to the session and bring snacks, if necessary, to keep
your energy
level up.
What
also worked for some harpers was to schedule a few sessions two or
three days
in a row, then have several days off, and then do another few days in a
row and
so forth. David Helfand advised booking as many days of recording in a
row as
possible to get into the ‘flow” of the process. Three respondents
recorded
their entire album within two weeks, with about 10 sessions packed into
that
space of time. One harper recorded her entire album in one morning.
(Most
harpers scheduled their sessions over a period of at least several
weeks.)
Olympian harper Laurie Riley records for three full days,
consecutively, to lay
down all of her tracks; wow, she must have the stamina of Xena Warrior
Princess! Elinor Bennett said that she recorded her John
Thomas Complete
Collection album in four whole days; must be that wonderful Welsh
climate
and hearty food that gives her such endurance!
It
is almost impossible to keep 15 or 20 tunes fresh in your fingers every
day.
Most of the respondents found it was more productive to have only a few
tunes
ready per session and concentrate on recording those as mistake-free as
possible. When those tunes were rock-solid, they were able to
concentrate on
the next few tunes and so on, until all tunes were adequately recorded.
During
the mixing, and EQ-ing process, your ears can only “hear” correctly for
so
long. After too many hours of trying to listen attentively, you will
begin to
not hear things. Ideally, the editing and mixing sessions should be
scheduled
in short blocks of time a few days apart. (The respondents’ total
edit/mix time
ranged from 4 hours to 20 hours.) I did not heed my own advice…I pulled
a desperate
all-nighter with two engineers and a computer to EQ, mix and master
because
that was the only time the three of us could get together to do it;
needless to
say, we were all brain dead at 5 am when we finished! (That was the
closest I
came to ‘sleeping’ with my engineer.)
L.
HOW MUCH TIME YOU WILL NEED
In
terms of the amount of hours you can expect to need to lay down your
tracks,
most harpers averaged about one tune per hour. There are days when you
might be
able to record more tunes than that, but there will be just as many
days when
your pace and focus will be much slower. Reuben Correa and Sunita
Staneslow
both said that about one hour of studio time for every minute of
recorded music
was a realistic estimate of the actual time needed when you figure in
the
recording, editing, mastering, etc.
A
few artists said that it took an entire year or more to produce one
album from
start to finish: that is, from the first recording session to when the
shrink-wrapped final product was delivered to their door. The average
timetable
for most of the artists was 6-12 months, since many were juggling
studio time
around day jobs and/or family commitments.
Always
expect that the album will take much longer than anticipated; there
will
usually be some unexpected delay that throws off your production
schedule. If
you are using a commercial studio, you are not their only client; your
studio
hours will need to be juggled among many other paying customers who
keep the
studio in business. A prestigious, big-name studio may allot the
majority of
their available slots to higher-paying commercial or corporate
accounts; they
may only be able to squeeze you in during odd hours on an occasional
basis. You
may even get “bumped” by the studio for a more important client. Be
flexible!
M.
OBTAINING YOUR ARTWORK
Most
of the respondents said that it was best to approach an artist or
friend whose
work you admire and commission an original design for your cover. If
you lack
artist friends, then there are commercial CD duplication services, such
as Disc Makers, who have graphic artists on
staff who will design a suitable cover for you at the same time your
album is
manufactured. One brave harper exchanged a harp for her cover artwork.
A few
harpers designed their own cover artwork, talented folk that they are!
Since I
cannot draw a picture to save my soul, I commissioned a graphic artist
to
design my album cover. Star Edwards said that she thought putting
together a
great cover was the hardest part of the whole recording process.
Some
harpers perused the CD racks at music retail stores to get an idea of
how other
acoustic musicians presented their albums. This is a very good idea; it
may
help the harper more clearly define the “look” that he or she is trying
to
achieve by exploring what other artists have done. One might even
consider
bringing sample CD covers to the artist to give him or her a better
idea of the
“mood” you wish your cover to convey.
N.
DUPLICATING YOUR RECORDING
Most
of the respondents either did 1000 CDs and 500 cassettes on the first
run, or a
500/500 combination package; a few did CDs only. While the per-copy
cost will
be lower on a large run, it’s better not
to be stuck with too much inventory. Also, if you wish to re-record the
album a
few years down the road, you will not have to “unload” the remaining
copies of
the first edition. Reuben Correa said that he initially did a “test
run” of 200
cassettes to see how the album would sell; once the cassettes seemed to
be
moving, then he invested the money into having the larger quantity of
CDs
manufactured. This may be very good advice for an unknown harper doing
a first
recording in order to test the marketplace.
I
did an Internet search under the phrase “CD duplicating services” which
indicated over 33 million entries using this phrase. I then called up
page
after page of commercial establishments that duplicate CDs and cassette
recordings. Since there are now so many reputable and competitive
duplication
services available, I think it’s best to just ask a musician friend who
has a
good recording where they had it done. Many recording studios have
their own
arrangements with duplicating services and can assist you in producing
the
entire “package” for your album. Be aware that sometimes even the major
establishments experience glitches; two harpers in this survey said
that the
wrong disc had been accidentally inserted into their jewel case and
shrink
wrapped. The listeners certainly got a surprise when they thought it
was going
to be harp music! (Of course, any reputable company will redo these
defective
albums at their own expense.)
O.
HOW MUCH IT WILL COST
For
most harpers, it currently costs between $5000 and $10,000 to produce
the first
1000 copies of one album, with an average cost of $7-8K. (The actual
costs
offered by the respondents ranged from a low of $2,000 to a high of
$20,000.)
This cost was for everything…studio time, artwork, editing, mixing,
mastering,
sequencing, EQ-ing, duplication, shrink wrapping and shipping. Yes,
that’s a lot of money, which is why you must be
very certain that you want to embark on this soul-baring adventure.
There is no
guarantee that you will sell even one
album after you have invested thousands of dollars and hours.
P.
LISTENING TO OTHER RECORDINGS
All
of the respondents said they listened to at least a few other
recordings,
mostly to hear what they did not want
in their own. Some found it helpful to listen to classical guitar
recordings,
rather than harp, because it helped them better define the “folky”
sound they
were after. David Helfand said that no matter how many recordings you
listen to
or try to emulate, your own unique sound will always be evident in the
finished
product. Jo Morrison mentioned that she listened to a large number of
recordings, critiquing their choice and/or layout of the tunes and the
general
sound to help solidify in her mind what she wanted out of her own
recording.
I think it is especially important to have a well-defined concept of the tone you are after. Some harpers prefer a warm, mellow timbre with lots of body and lush overtones. Others prefer a thinner, more crystalline sound with extreme clarity. Mary Radspinner said that she likes “an open sound as to opposed to a crisp, dry sound.” Sue Richards said that she prefers the “intimate sound of close miking.” Martha Clancy said that she likes a “liquid sound.” Mitch Landy suggested first striving to capture an acoustic, accurate reproduction of your own harp’s natural tone when laying down the tracks, then using the studio equipment later to add reverb, etc., to suit your taste. Sunita Staneslow said that the better the sound you begin with in the recording stage “the less futzing around” you need to do later.
Some
harpers like the natural acoustic finger pluck-pluck of the harp
strings that
can nearly emulate a classical guitar. Others want more room noise,
less finger
noise, and more of a “wash of sound” that comes from the natural
overring of
the harp strings. There is no “right or wrong” tone for a recording…it
depends
on the effect one is trying to achieve and the “mood” of the album. A
“new age”
recording artist will certainly want a different tone than a harper who
only
records Irish jigs and reels. A pedal harpist will often prefer a
different
tone than a Celtic harper.
I
gave my engineer a stack of harp recordings by world-famous artists and
stuck
little post-it notes on each one, saying what I liked and didn’t like
about the
tone of each recording, so that he would have a constant frame of
reference to
work by during the recording process. He said he found this extremely
helpful
in understanding the sound I was after. Jo Morrison said that she also
loaned
her engineer several copies of harp recordings, telling her what she
did and
did not like, so they could work to achieve the sound she wanted.
Q.
BEING YOUR OWN PRODUCER
Several
respondents said it was very important to act as your own producer of
your
album, even if you are paying others to do all of the grunt work. After
all,
it’s your recording and your time and
money. (Two harpers said
they are strongly considering hiring a
producer should they do another recording.) Everyone stressed how there
needs
to be a cohesive “package” for the album, from the artwork to the liner
notes
to the actual recorded sound. Several advised paying as much as you can
afford
for high-quality artwork because the cover is what potential customers
notice
first. It is the harper’s responsibility to see that the product is
produced as
professionally as possible, according to their own budget and personal
artistic
standards. As Harper Tasche’s engineer said “it doesn’t have to be
perfect, it
just has to be wonderful.”
Make
sure that if you are paying for your own recording that you will
actually own the master recording when you are
done; that is, you will control the rights to the album and have
complete
control over sales and distribution. (If you are hired
by a studio to do a recording, you will not have this
privilege; they will own the recording rights, since they have foot the
bill
for producing the album.) I also advise all harpers to join either
ASCAP
(American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) or BMI
(Broadcast
Music, Inc.) and have their association prominently displayed on their
album
cover booklet. This may be to your
advantage in the event that your CD is fortunate enough to be given
major
airplay or used as background music at a large musical venue; you may
be able
to collect some royalties as a result, although not necessarily. (If
you are primarily a composer/arranger, join
ASCAP; if you are primarily a
performer/recording artist, join BMI.) Each of these organizations
represents
about 49% of the copyrighted tunes in this country; if one doesn’t own
the
rights, the other one will. There is a third organization, SESAC
(Society of
European Authors and Stage Composers), that owns about 2% of the
American
market; therefore, joining ASCAP and/or BMI will take care of most of a
harper’s needs. The annual dues are very reasonable. These affiliations
are
directly related to the discussion in the next section, so read on.
R.
MECHANICAL LICENSING
While
I do not wish to get into a detailed discussion of copyright law in
this
survey, I should mention the issue of licensing, because it directly
affects
the recording process. Some people may be unaware that if a harper
records a
piece (or arrangement of the piece) that is copyrighted by someone
else, he
must pay a fee for that privilege. It is against the copyright law to
make
money off someone else’s musical property unless you have their
permission to do
so. You are also expected to financially compensate them for it, unless
they
should agree to waive the fee. Therefore, something called a compulsory mechanical license must be
obtained prior to selling the album, and
the statutory rate must be paid to the copyright holder. Currently, the
statutory rate is about 7.2 cents per 5-minute song. In other words, if
you
produce 1,000 copies of a recording and use one song by someone else,
you will
owe approximately $72 for this privilege. (The statutory rate is
increased on a
regular basis.)
The
Harry Fox Agency, representing over 13,000 music publishers, controls
and
administers mechanical licensing for phonorecords, cassettes and CDs.
They
collect royalties on your behalf and distribute them quarterly to the
appropriate
publishers. For more information, contact: The Harry Fox Agency,
S.
SELLING YOUR OWN RECORDING
While
the question of sales was not specifically addressed by the
questionnaire, some
respondents did give a few hints about how to “move” a recording. They
suggested that the best way to push your own recordings is to do live
performances and sell them during intermission or after the concert;
the
“impulse buying” factor works very well there. Even at a very small
concert,
you can often sell ten CDs, which is $150 gross, assuming a retail
price of
$15. Having a professional recording available may make it more
feasible to
take a gig that can only afford to pay you a small fee; you may be able
to make
up the difference in album sales.
Of
course, you’ll want to place your recordings at all of your local music
shops.
You might consider scheduling an autograph day at a store, where you
arrange to
push your recording on a consignment basis. If your album has a
particular
“theme”, such as Christmas, this is the perfect opportunity to offer to
provide
free holiday background music at a busy store in exchange for being
allowed to
sell your recordings.
A
couple of harpers mentioned that they have done well by selling their
recordings at (1) flea markets and (2) bridal fairs. They offer to
provide live
music for several hours in exchange for being allowed to sell their
recordings
and keep all of the money. This may be a
great idea if you don’t mind investing considerable up-front money in
some
eye-catching displays and obtaining the appropriate state permits for
doing
trade shows.
You’ll
eventually want your recordings to be carried by some catalogs and
larger music
retail shops. The best way to get your album moving in selected retail
venues
is to send a promo package with a free sample of the recording and a
release
flyer. (Mark the outside of the package “complimentary promotional
materials;”
otherwise, the package might be refused and returned to you at your own
expense
if they don’t recognize the sender by name.) Sometimes the clerks will
just put
your freebie recording in the store racks, since they have nothing to
lose by
doing so; when a customer buys one, the store may re-order another copy
to
replenish the stock. Please note that you will be expected to discount
your
usual retail price substantially if you will be wholesaling your
recordings to
any major retailers; 40% is the
expected standard industry discount.
As
to whether you should invest your money in producing CDs or cassettes,
it
depends on your target market. Tourists at a summer resort who wander
into a
music shop are more likely to pick up a cassette that they can listen
to in
their car. National retailers, catalogs and radio stations are more
likely to
request CDs. (Sue Richards stressed the importance of listing the
timing of
each tune on the back cover of your CD; otherwise, radio stations will
not be
inclined to give your tunes airplay.) Albums sold at your own concerts
will
reflect more of a split between the two. Cassettes are nice to have on
hand
because they can also be used as “demo tapes” for potential clients;
they also
make wonderful, inexpensive thank-you gifts after playing a wedding.
It
goes without saying that in order for your recording to be taken
seriously and
have a chance of selling, it must be
professionally presented and packaged.
This is far more important than the level of your talent when it comes
to
marketing your product. An intermediate-level artist’s recording that
is
spectacularly produced and packaged will sell reasonably well; a
virtuoso with
an unappealing, uninteresting package may find himself with a carton
full of
unsold inventory. Elinor Bennett and Sunita Staneslow both stressed the
importance of planning a “coherent program” or “theme” on the album,
rather
than a hodgepodge of unrelated tunes, because it helps distributors and
shops
“catalog” your music more readily, which may increase sales.
As
recording technology has become more sophisticated, the general public
has
become more spoiled. Computer editing has raised the recorded standard
to
formerly unreachable heights with the ability to “punch in” errant
notes. Even
a singer’s natural breaths can now be edited out of a recording,
creating the
superhuman illusion of a flawless, breathless performance that cannot
possibly
be matched in any live concert. For good or for ill, this is the
standard to
which all harpers will be held by the purchasing public. The closer
they can
come to this ideal, the more their recordings are likely to be
circulated.
Sue
Richards wisely advised: “remember, you will sell your first 100 albums
to your
good friends, but the rest of the sales are by people who don’t know
you or the
harp; therefore, you must direct everything to marketing to them.”
Unfortunately, people do notice
packaging first; their opinion of the artist will already be formed by
how the
album is presented. There is no substitute for excellent playing, but
most of
the general public do not care if you are a virtuoso. They want to hear
the
beautiful, inspiring sound of a well-recorded harp; the music can be
quite
simplistic, but if it’s lovely, your customers will be thrilled and
think you
are absolutely wonderful.
T.
MANY THANKS
I
want to thank the many individuals who responded to the survey and
contributed
valuable information to this article. I greatly appreciate their
extreme
openness, frankness, and willingness to take the time to fill out the
very
detailed questionnaire. I could not have written this article without
their
input.