Why Your Song Needs Editing

Most of us already are aware of the fact that music undergoes some sort of processing before it reaches the ears of listeners. However most people are not aware of the process and the amount of work that goes into it before the music is actually ready to be released. This brings us to today's topic, "Editing"!

First off I will say that a lot can be said about editing from a technical standpoint. Today I will just briefly touch on it for mainly you artists and producers out there that need to know about it. Editing is a often a process that is either skipping or not not handled with care. This is especially true for many of the indie artists of today who are wearing all hats of the production process. There are golden benefits that come with your music being properly edited. This process effects the music for the better in ways that can be heard, felt, and even in ways that are not heard or felt at all. I can tell you this right now! I just can't say this enough! If you want your music to be the best it can be, then make sure before you move on to having it mixed and mastered, it is edited as thoroughly as possible!

From song to song, the workload for the editing phase may change. Some basic things commonly done during the editing process are as follows:

1. Delete Silence - This makes it easier to focus on the parts of the audio that matter in the session. This also cleans up the session of accumulating audible low level noise that would otherwise that may hinder the song's maximum potential.

2. Compositing - There may be multiple takes of any element recorded in the song. This is especially true for lead vocal parts. Compositing is the process of selecting the best parts of each of these recordings to create a more stunning performance and experience for the listener. This is used very much in modern music like Rap, R&B, Pop, and even Rock.

3. Fades - This step ensures that there is a smooth transition in volume at the beginning and ending of each audio region within the song's session. This helps to eliminate clicks and pops that often occur on front and back ends of these regions.

4. Proper Alignment - This ensures all elements play in proper timing throughout the song.

5. Velocity Corrections - This is used to even out any notes that stick out to noticeably causing the performance to seem dramatically uneven.

6. Pitch Correction - This is obviously where bad notes should be corrected.

7. Fix Distortion Issues - You should aim to get the best recording possible from the start! This means not distorted, mangled, clipping note! However there are situations where rerecording is simply just not an option. Sometimes a distorted note can be fixed or at least handled in a way where the recording can be salvaged.

8. Creative Edits - These edits may be made based upon your personal creativity or at the request a collaborator like an artist or producer.

As you can see here everything is about correcting problems or eliminating them altogether. There are so many songs up all over the internet that clearly show that the editing process was either rushed through or just totally skipped. The approach that is taking towards editing your music will either help or hurt the potential of your song during the following phases of post-production which are mixing and mastering. The mixing engineer needs clean tracks ready to be mixed or else he can't do his best work! If the mix engineer can't do his best work then neither can the mastering engineer. Thus your song won't sound the best it can either. Each process must be taken into consideration ahead of time so that as a result, great music can be released to listeners around the world.

So, after all the time, money, and effort you put into writing and recording your music, don't let impatience or carelessness cause you to mishandle your work the rest of the way! Work as excellently as you can through to the finish! Make sure that you do not skip this vital step of post-production for your music. Like that old Slim Jim commercial used to say, "You'll thank me". No, really you will..... Especially if you let me do the work for you here at Z'LEA Traxx.

I hope this little article helped you to understand what editing is and it's importance to your music. Please like and share it! I would love to hear from you in the comments below! Don't forget to join our mailing list here and follow us on facebook and twitter! Well my people, that is it for today! Contact me if you need me! May Yahweh bless you!