It’s been an eventful year, with most of us finding ourselves working at home a lot more than we’ve been used to. For Bedroom Producers, however, as the name suggests, nothing much has changed. They are who we can all look towards for guidance amidst the ‘new-normal’ of remote working, but even then, it can still be difficult to find balance around your work. We’ve put together some tips that may modify the way you work for the better. 

1. Treat your space like a studio not a bedroom. 

First and foremost, make sure that you create the correct working environment for yourself. Find a space or a corner that feels good and spend a bit of time dressing it up. If plants make you feel good, fill your space with plants, or if it’s candles, light ‘em up (but be careful not to set fire to your new wooden glockenspiel). Whatever brings that positive energy, put it in your space. If you find you are begrudgingly working in a room that feels uncomfortable, you will not be operating at your fullest. You will thank yourself when the level of your work increases in quality.  

2. If you are of the DIY nature, use your home to its advantage.

Getting a good room sound can take a bit of work, but don’t let this put you off. If you don’t treat the acoustics around you, it can be a big giveaway to the fact that you are recording at home and cheapen the sound of your recording. Whilst some people may want to invest in more permanent solutions, such as installing sound panels, if you’re in the market for a semi permanent solution then there are countless options:

Make the most of the materials around you; using blankets, cushions and duvets. Old egg boxes also work well as sonic treatment if you’re not ready to invest in professional panelling. 

Assuming you have a bed in your room, use this to your advantage as it will ‘deaden’ the acoustic and absorb any reflections. It may be difficult to record larger set ups in your bedroom, but you can certainly record your vocals in there.

Most musicians or producers were inspired to get started as the result of another artists’ work, therefore it is really crucial that you spend time appreciating other music that motivates you. 

Before you open your project, make a playlist of inspirations for your work and spend some time listening to it. This should help get you in the right mindset and give you direction.

4. Experiment

Depending on the sound you are going for, it’s worth getting playful when recording or producing at home. 

If you don’t have access to an outboard, try using pedals or amps and rewiring your tracks through these. If you are looking to experiment with different space timbres, don’t stay stuck in one room. That unusual bathroom acoustic might just be what you’re looking for.

5. Commute and schedule

When producing music at home, the lines between being ‘at work’ and ‘at home’ can become blurred. Two things that can really help with this are: managing your time and taking ‘commutes’. 

When working at home you may find it increasingly difficult to discipline yourself; not knowing when to stop, or working late into the night. Whilst a bit of fluidity can work for some people, it’s crucial that you take care of your mind. Working overtime on one day may mean that you can’t be as productive on the next. 

Scheduling in your working hours can make it easier to work towards a goal. 

By halting your work you may feel that it’s ‘breaking your flow’, however giving yourself a break you will likely strengthen your ideas and focus. Your subconscious continues to develop ideas in the background, even when you are away from your work. Have you ever found yourself stuck on how to phrase a sentence, walked away, come back and suddenly the words are as clear as day? 

Working at home is great because you don’t need to commute to work, right…? On closer inspection that simple daily commute might just be the thing that sets you up for a great working day. As a producer it’s even more important to give your ears a rest and this could be done on a daily walk around the block before and after work. Give yourself time to humanise before settling into your day instead of jumping right in.

6. Use mood boards when producing

Rinse Pinterest. Just because music production takes its form sonically, that doesn’t mean it can’t have a visual world too. 

Place these visual aids around your work space; images, colour palettes, artworks and anything else you feel fits in with your aesthetic.

If something moves you, be it a painting, a sculpture, a film or photography, then add this to your palette. Use it as a way to challenge your practice; magnify certain details and try to emulate them within your music. This can be as abstract as you like. Not only will this create a clear thread of intention, but when you come to release you will have an interesting backstory of inspiration.

7. Create a production community

A lot of producers will have a group of people that they can go to in the early stages of their career to gain feedback and share advice. This might take its form as an online group chat, or a regular in person meet-up. Whichever works best for you, having that support will make a world of difference; whether you have sonic fatigue and need a second opinion, or are not sure if you should invest in that plug-in, surrounding yourself with support will benefit your learning. You might love working as an individual, but even the most introverted of people can still benefit from a supporting community.

Read some of our other articles for advice and tips:

https://www.laidbaremusic.com/community/blog/5-reasons-your-paid-ads-arent-working

https://www.laidbaremusic.com/community/blog/9-considerations-when-marketing-music

https://www.laidbaremusic.com/community/blog/5-tips-for-diy-musicians-in-2021-80

Other resources/ projects to check out:

https://www.omniicollective.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdYsq_TrrHo33Q_FGsp03Iw/featured

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques

https://blog.landr.com/music-production-books/

https://www.twitch.tv/hanawins/videos

https://brokenrecordpodcast.com