Despite popular belief, there is a great deal of work that goes into a record. For some, they spend years and years putting a single record together... Take the eccentric Brian Wilson or the rock and roll super star Axel Rose for example. Others, such as The White Stripes, can write and record an entire album in 3 weeks... However, for them, even that’s a long time! What I’m getting at is there is a process that every artist or band has to completing an album, ranging from massive productions with multiple writers and producers on just one song in a ridiculously massive studio with hourly rates that would make your richest friend cry to an entire album written by an individual in their bedroom. In some cases, that bedroom album outsold the ridiculously expensive studio produced album. But, that’s an entirely separate discussion. The truth is that there isn’t a right or wrong way to make an album. What determines a great final product is a combination of various factors. Two ingredients to success are... wait for it... Attitude and perseverance. Some people are born with these traits, others, such as myself, had to learn them the hard way... and trust me, it wasn’t fun.

Over the years, I’ve stumbled quite a bit and have fallen prey to many gimmicks, but experience has brought me to where I am. In this multi-part article titled "Mastering the Mix" we'll journey through the various things you should know about working on your first album. Also, if you've already made an album but haven't found the success you've been looking for, there a may be a few pointers in this series that will make sense of some questions you may have.

Please feel free to comment and ask any questions you may have about this series of entries. All comments are welcomed! So, till next time, keep doing what you love!