Lewis Brookes reflects on ten years of recording at Dead Basic Studios with what he thinks matters.
1.
THE SONG COMES FIRST:
It seems obvious this one but here goes – the most important thing of all is the SONG ITSELF, not one part, or one instrument, or persons individual efforts. When everyone is pushing for the SONG to be the best it can possibly be, then the results are always better. Even if that means sacrificing your own parts, cutting down sections or taking the whole thing back to the drawing board.
2.
NO-ONE WALKS OUT OF THE RECORD SHOP HUMMING THE SOUND OF THE CONSOLE:
I said this to someone recently and they said “BUT LEWIS I CARE WHAT MICROPHONES THEY USED” etc and don’t get me wrong, I get it – nice gear can really really level up the recordings, and I would spend THOUSANDS if I could, but the reality is the average record listener our end consumer, typically a non-musician or audio engineering expert doesn’t care about the gear and what they care about is HOW THE SONG MADE THEM FEEL.
3.
IT’S BETTER TO CHECK THE TUNING TWICE
Rather than ruin the performance of a lifetime you couldn’t possibly recreate in another take – don’t take the risk TUNE UP.
4.
A GREAT PERFORMANCE ALWAYS BEATS CHASED “PERFECTION”
Hands down, every single time. The excitement of the band “just about to come off the rails” but somehow holding onto it is second to none. Back in the pre-digital recording days, we couldn’t be fussy about the odd slip getting in here and there, the mistakes are the humanity that separates us from machines. Tonnes of our favourite records have little happy accidents in them. Luckily we can smooth out the bumps with modern tech, but it is 100% possible to OVER-EDIT. Don’t suck the fun out of it.
5.
A FINISHED RECORD ALWAYS BEATS AN UNFINISHED MASTERPIECE
Well, DUH! Because people HEAR a finished record. Where we did the absolute best we possibly could to get the sounds in your head out of the speakers. Those amazing demos you keep bottling putting out? They’re never in the running because only you know they exist. Learn to close, be ugly, have rough edges, because it’s 100% easier to be yourself.
6.
A GREAT ARRANGEMENT FIXES MORE PROBLEMS THAN ANY MIX
Great arrangement means you didn’t load all the harmony instruments together at the same pitch so everything becomes a blurred mess. You didn’t keep adding colours until everything became a sludgy brown. You understand that everything has it’s time to shine, it finds a relative spot in the arrangement and it works together, not against each other. You keep it dynamic, you sit back and try and take it in as listener. You left space. You remained objective and you compromised BECAUSE THE SONG COMES FIRST.
7.
RELAXED MUSICIANS MAKE BETTER RECORDS
It’s just better if everyones chilling. Don’t make hard work of it – it’s ALLOWED TO BE FUN. There’s nothing worse than a clockwatcher, it takes as long as it takes to get the best out of you. No-one likes the person at the back asking how long everything takes – how long is a piece of string? Didn’t get it today, don’t worry we’ll try again when everyones less tired. Don’t bring the argument from home. Sleep well the day before, eat. No one likes the HANGRY musician. Sit down, you’re making me edgy. We’re here to do a thing, and we’re done where we’re done. In the meantime, put your feet up, let the music happen.
8.
A SESSION SHOULD ALWAYS MOVE FORWARD, NOT IN CIRCLES.
Take 16 probably didn’t sound much better than take 4. Know when you’re hitting diminishing returns. Keep pushing when it’s required. I’ve got better at calling it. If it’s in there I can be patient but I’m also good at calling it. Sometimes it was fine the first four ways we tried it and now we’re moving sideways. Learn to park stuff and pick up something new and refresh your ears. Walk away. Re-writing that middle 8 fifteen different ways wasn’t progress, maybe you just didn’t want to let go. Learning to be comfortable with your own compromise and moving on is the best way I think. It might take you 10 songs to write that one absolute banger, but you’ll never get to 10 if you can’t finish 2.
9.
LEARN TO CLOSE: FINISH EVERYTHING
See point 8. Edit as you go, commit, bounce in place, stick to your guns. Do the absolute best job of every step you take. It gives you a clearer headspace, it gives you stronger foundations. No one likes a tonne of takes to sift through. Act fast, make checklists and complete them.
10.
PUT YOU FIRST, AUTHENTICITY MATTERS.
You can only be YOU. Only you can achieve what you can achieve with a bespoke set of skills entirely personal to you. When that shines through I think listeners connect more with it because its come from an honest and open space. Only you can be you anyway, why would you waste your opportunity being a sound-alike or facsimile of another artist or band? Influences and references = good. Copying and mimicking = bad.
Lewis Brookes
House Engineer
Dead Basic Studios
June 2026
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