Your next step:

Apply for coaching!

👉 If you already have songs written and want to get them release-ready, go ahead and apply for coaching now.

We’ll show you how to produce, record, mix, and master your songs.

In your DAW of choice, and with only the plugins and gear you already own.

With unlimited feedback, full 1-on-1 guidance, and a custom music production plan made specifically for you.

Sounds interesting?

🚀 Click here for all the details:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

--

Episode show notes:

Most self-recording artists overcomplicate backing vocals, or ignore them completely, because they're having a hard time coming up with something interesting that really helps the song.

Both are mistakes.

Backing vocals and harmony layers can be the difference between a boring, amateur sounding chorus and one that hits.

They make great lead vocals even stronger and give a chorus the lift that it needs.

In this episode, we break down two simple, powerful approaches to backing vocals that can completely transform your songs. And we're using real session examples you can actually hear and apply.

If you’ve ever felt like your chorus is missing something, this is probably it.

🚀 Want Our Personal Help Applying This To Your Own Songs?

If you want feedback on your vocals, your arrangements, or your mixes…

…and a clear plan to turn your demos into finished releases:

👉 Apply for coaching:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

We’ll listen to your music, create a custom plan for you, and help you execute it step by step.

--

For links to everything we've mentioned in this episode, as well as full show notes go to:

theselfrecordingband.com/308

Send a text

If you have any questions, feedback, topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, email us at: podcast@theselfrecordingband.com

Your next step:

Apply for coaching!

👉 If you already have songs written and want to get them release-ready, go ahead and apply for coaching now.

We’ll show you how to produce, record, mix, and master your songs.

In your DAW of choice, and with only the plugins and gear you already own.

With unlimited feedback, full 1-on-1 guidance, and a custom music production plan made specifically for you.

Sounds interesting?

🚀 Click here for all the details:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

--

Episode show notes:

Setting up your first home studio is exciting. It’s also very easy to waste time, money, and energy on the wrong things.

In this episode, Benedikt and Manel look back at their early recording days and share six lessons they wish someone had told them when they started. Some of these mistakes cost money. Others cost years of slow progress.

If you’re building your first recording setup or upgrading your current one, this episode will help you focus on the things that actually matter.

The goal is simple: to help you skip the beginner mistakes and make faster progress with your music and recordings.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode

• Why buying cheap gear is not always a god idea and can cause unnecessary headaches
• The real reason beginners waste money on too much gear
• What matters more than most studio equipment
• The monitoring mistake that makes mixing almost impossible
• The hidden skill gap most self-recording musicians don’t realize they have

If you’re a self-recording musician and want expert feedback on your recordings, full guidance while improving your setup, and the fastest way to getting your songs to sound truly professional - apply for coaching inside The Self-Recording Syndicate.

We’ll analyze your setup, your songs, and your workflow and help you build and implement a clear plan to improve your recordings.

Apply here:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

--

For links to everything we've mentioned in this episode, as well as full show notes go to:

theselfrecordingband.com/307

Send a text

If you have any questions, feedback, topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, email us at: podcast@theselfrecordingband.com

Your next step:

Apply for coaching!

👉 If you already have songs written and want to get them release-ready, go ahead and apply for coaching now.

We’ll show you how to produce, record, mix, and master your songs.

In your DAW of choice, and with only the plugins and gear you already own.

With unlimited feedback, full 1-on-1 guidance, and a custom music production plan made specifically for you.

Sounds interesting?

🚀 Click here for all the details:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

--

Episode show notes:

What does a drum recording session for a real record look like?

Not a theory lesson.
Not a generic tutorial.

In this episode we walk you through a real drum recording session from start to finish.

The session was for the Swallow’s Rose album “The Beginning”, and we documented the entire process while recording drums for the record.

That means you’ll see the real decisions behind the drum sounds:

• drum and cymbal selection
• tuning decisions
• room setup and acoustics
• mic choice and placement
• analog processing
• recording techniques

And the thinking behind every step.

This is not meant to be a strict “how to”.

Every record is different.

But the principles behind these decisions are the same fundamentals that make all great recordings work. If you understand why things are done a certain way, you can apply those ideas to your own projects in whatever space and setup you have.

This episode is especially helpful if you:

• record drums in a home studio or rehearsal space
• want more professional drum sounds
• struggle with mic placement and drum tuning
• want to understand what actually matters during a drum recording session
• want to make your programmed drums sound more realistic (yes, those principles apply to MIDI drums, as well - understanding how drum sounds work in general is key, whether it's a real drummer or a programmed performance)

If you’re listening to the audio version, you might want to watch this one on YouTube, because a lot of the value comes from seeing the session itself.

⸻

About The Record:

The session featured in this episode is from the Swallow’s Rose album “The Beginning.”

Singles from the record started releasing in 2025, with the full album scheduled for early 2026.

The mixes you hear in the video are extremely close to the final versions, although the finished record includes some small revisions after the session shown here.

Check out the released record to hear what it sounds like on the final album version.

⸻

Want Help Finishing Your Own Record?

Inside The Self-Recording Syndicate, we help self-recording artists turn demos into finished releases they’re proud of.

This isn’t a generic video course.

We work with you one-on-one, helping you:

• build a recording workflow
• improve your productions at the source
• make better mixing decisions
• finish your songs and releases consistently

If you want a personal production plan for your next record, apply here:

theselfrecordingband.com/coaching

If we think you’re a great fit, we’ll do a free first call with you and build a custom roadmap for you.

--

For links to everything we've mentioned in this episode, as well as full show notes go to:

Send a text

If you have any questions, feedback, topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, email us at: podcast@theselfrecordingband.com