Lack of time is a very common problem for almost every musician.

Especially for bands, when you have multiple schedules to deal with.

Between your job, daily life, and family, it's hard to find time for making music. So when you do find it, I want you to get the most out of it.

That's why today I want to share with you some tips to help you and your band save a lot of time in the studio.

Rule #1: Practice Your Songs Beforehand

This might be the most obvious thing to say, but it's probably the most important as well.

I'm reminding it to you because it's very often overlooked. Before going to the studio to make a record, you must first practice all of your songs and parts to the point where you can play them without much difficulty, and without mistakes.

This way when you arrive at the studio, you can nail down your parts quickly and easily, without struggling or taking forever to do so.

Not only practicing alone, but also rehearsing and practicing with your entire band.

I can't stress how much important that is.

I know that practicing alone in your home is much easier to do, but it's not enough at all.

You have to practice with your band.

You won't believe how many bands come to the studio after they've almost never practiced together as a band, only to find out so many problems that come up when playing together. Be professional, go to the studio only when you're ready.

More than that, the same goes when preparing for a rehearsal with your band.

You have to know your parts well, in order for things to go smoothly.

Rule #2: Two Takes Are Enough

This might sound a bit weird at first, but it does make sense once you think about it, so hear me out.

Whether you're recording the entire song in one go, or punching in on each sections, you shouldn't need more than 2 takes and a warm-up take before, for each track or part, to get a good performance locked down.

And why is that?

To save time.

Not only by avoiding recording dozens of takes, but also avoiding the time it takes to sift through them and pick and chose.

It's even worse when you have to sit down and edit them together, combining parts from multiple takes.

This can literally save you hours and hours of your time.

Which also means saving you a lot of money.

But what if you feel like you can't get it down with only 2 takes?

What if you need 10 takes for each part to get a good performance?

It probably means that you haven't practiced enough, so go back to step one, and practice before you hit the studio.

Rule #3: Spend Your Time On Getting Good Sounds

Ultimately, you came to the studio to make a killer record that sounds great, so focus on that.

You didn't come to practice your parts or to write new songs.

Most of your time in the studio should be spent of getting good sounds.

That's another reason why I recommend nailing the actual tracking part quickly, so you'll have more time to spend on getting the best sounds and tones possible.

Don't just record for the sake of it, and hope that it will sound good after mixing.

Work hard and put your effort into getting the sound you desire right from the recording stage.

Rule #4: Take Care Of The Technical Stuff

Changing strings on guitars and bass, and replacing drum heads are a mandatory thing to do when tracking your new record (if you want it to sound good, and I assume you do).

But it can take a lot of time, especially when you have a large drum kit and multiple guitars.

A good idea might be to do all of that the day before you go to the studio.

So when your arrive, you're much more ready to go, and can start recording much faster.

It can save you a lot of time and trouble.

Rule #5: Don't Bring In Visitors

As fun as it might sound, bringing your friends or family members into the studio is always a bad idea.

Yes, it can be cool to show your friends how you record your album, but it will draw your attention, slow you down, and only get in the way of the reason you're in the studio in the first place, which is making great music.

Simply don't bring any outsiders, so you can stay focused and not waste studio time.

The overall approach of all these tips is very simple:

Be prepared, and be focused.

Hopefully these tips will help you save time and trouble in the studio.

Just keep them in mind next time you go to a recording session, and you should be good to go!

Did you and your band ever record in a studio?

How did that go? What was your experience?

Share it with us in the comments!