Sign-In
Cart
Producing Records is a Lot Like Making Gumbo
Paperback
Publisher Price: $22.95
Publisher: Creation Lab Books
Published: Jul 6 2026
Pages: 204
Weight: 0.82
Height: 0.55 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Classroom teaching can only take you so far; working in the real world is where you learn the craft. Learning from people with real-world experience is where I gained my knowledge early on. That is what this book is all about-giving you some insight on my forty-plus years of recording and producing music and what I learned along the way. I hope you can soak up a few things you didn't get in a classroom or by learning on your own. Here are a few things we will go over:
How to get a song ready to record (the most overlooked part)
Tracking the best recording possible (stirring the roux)
Overdubbing and sweetening (the fun stuff)
Recording the vocal (the most challenging part)
Mixing the song (which takes patience)
What mastering is all about (Do you really need it?)
Adding some spices to your home studio (bonus section)
You may be curious about the title of this book, Producing Records Is a Lot Like Making Gumbo. There are a lot of ways to make a gumbo, just like there are a lot of ways to produce a record. It's according to one's personal taste. But there are a few rules to follow, though, for both the gumbo and your records to turn out the best they can be.
So, let's get cooking!
Author Bio:
Michael Everett is an award-winning music producer, recording engineer, musician, and songwriter. He has worked on over two thousand songs and over 100 albums in his forty-plus years in the music business as well as in film and television production. He has mentored many students over the years, and his passion is to bring real-life experiences to the record producing process.
Also in
Music Composition
How to Read Music for Any Instrument: Daily Exercises to Understand Music in 21 Days
Press, Barton
Paperback
The Technique of Choral Writing: A Comprehensive Guide to Composing and Arranging for Vocal Ensembles
Nielsen, Matthew D.
Hardcover
Music Theory Note by Note: Your Guide to How Music Works-From Notes and Rhythms to Complete Compositions
Miller, Michael
Paperback
Manuscript Book Large Staves: Great Music Writing Notebook Wide Staff, Blank Sheet Music Notebook!
Helj, Mirela
Paperback
Music Production For Beginners 2020 Edition: How to Produce Music, The Easy to Read Guide for Music Producers
Swindali, Tommy
Hardcover
Music Theory Essentials: A Step-by-Step Introduction to Music Theory for All Musicians
Press, Barton
Paperback
Instrumental Music Education: Teaching with the Musical and Practical in Harmony
Feldman, Evan
Contzius, Ari
Paperback
Creating Sounds from Scratch: A Practical Guide to Music Synthesis for Producers and Composers
Pejrolo, Andrea
Metcalfe, Scott B.
Paperback
Genesis of a Music: An Account of a Creative Work, Its Roots, and Its Fulfillments, Second Edition
Partch, Harry
Paperback
Polymath Producer: How to Master the Language of Music Production
Ferrier, Jonathan William
Hardcover
Composing a Living: A Music Creator's Guide to Money, Relationships, and Business
Elliott, Brandon
Trumbore, Dale
Paperback
Dreaming and Thinking in Music: Exercises for Exploring Inspiration and Imagination in Musical Creativity
Adolphe, Bruce
Paperback
Electronic Dance Music Production: The Advanced Guide On How to Produce Music for EDM Producers
Swindali, Tommy
Paperback
100 Classic Metal Riffs For Guitar: Master 100 Rock & Heavy Metal Riffs in The Style of 10 Iconic Rhythm Guitar Players
Alexander, Joseph
Zoupa, Chris
Paperback
Principles of Orchestration: The Age of Brilliance and Imaginative Quality
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolay
Paperback
The Art of Sampling: The Sampling Tradition of Hip Hop/Rap Music and Copyright Law
Said, Amir
Paperback
Music Production For Beginners 2020 Edition: How to Produce Music, The Easy to Read Guide for Music Producers
Swindali, Tommy
Paperback
Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell
Frederick, Robin
Paperback
Easy! Piano Note Reading Exercises for Beginners: Learn How to Read Music, with Large Notes, and Easy Examples
Press, Hermann
Paperback
The 30-Day Lyric Writing Challenge: Transform Your Lyric Writing Skills in Only 30 Days
Bell, Ed
Paperback
Kurt Rosenwinkel: A Creative Guide to Soloing With Modes & Chords to Create Cutting Edge Jazz Guitar Language
Alexander, Joseph
Rosenwinkel, Kurt
Pettingale, Tim
Paperback
Audio Mixing Cookbook: Over 100 practical recipes for audio mixing, sound design, and music production workflows
Renard, Paul
Paperback
Rhythmic Theories and Practices in Arabic and Persian Sources from the Tenth to the Fifteenth Century: Annotated Translation and Commentary
Sawa, George Dimitri
Hardcover
The Psychedelic DJ: A Practical Guide to Therapeutic Music Curation and Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy
Xavier, Matt
Hardcover
Harmony Through Melody: The Interaction of Melody, Counterpoint, and Harmony in Western Music
Horton, Charles
Byrne, David a.
Ritchey, Lawrence
Paperback
The Psychedelic DJ: A Practical Guide to Therapeutic Music Curation and Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy
Xavier, Matt
Paperback
Iconic Songs: The Piano Teacher: Book 3 - Step by step classics for beginners
Hermann, Damian
Paperback
Sheet Music for Classical Piano: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Their Masterpieces A Journey Through the Works of the Three Giant and Most Celebrated Cla
Bach, Joann Sebastian
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Beethoven, Ludwig Van
Paperback
Creative Orchestration: A Project Method For Classes In Orchestration And Instrumentation
McKay, George Frederick
Paperback
Comparative Musicology: Evolution, Universals, and the Science of the World's Music
Savage, Patrick E.
Hardcover
Building Bridges with Music: Stories from a Composer's Life -- Expanded Second Edition
Adler, Samuel
Paperback
Soiled Amplitudes: My Musical Composition and Notational Aesthetic in Five Seasons
Bathory-Kitsz, Dennis
Paperback
Elements of Song Craft: The Contemporary Songwriter's Usage Guide To Writing Songs That Last
Seidman, Billy
Paperback
How to Write a Song (Even If You've Never Written One Before and You Think You Suck)
Bell, Ed
Paperback
The AI Music Problem: Why Machine Learning Conflicts With Musical Creativity
White, Christopher W.
Paperback
Mozart Wolfang Amadeus - Piano Sonatas - Sheet Music - Volume 1: Numbers: 1°2°3°4°5°6°7°8°9°
Mozart, Wolfang Amadeus
Paperback
The Mind's Ear: Exercises for Improving the Musical Imagination for Performers, Composers, and Listeners
Adolphe, Bruce
Paperback
Geometry of Music: Harmony and Counterpoint in the Extended Common Practice
Tymoczko, Dmitri
Hardcover
Manuscript Book Medium Staves: Great Music Writing Notebook Medium Staff, Blank Sheet Music Notebook!
Helj, Mirela
Paperback
Guitar Sheets Chord Chart Paper: Over 100 pages of Blank Chord Chart Paper, TAB + Staff Paper, & more
Triola, Christian J.
Paperback
Rhythm Mastery For Guitarists: Unlocking Tempo And Timing Techniques For Guitar Composition
Press, University Scholastic
Paperback
The Wound That Will Never Heal: An Allegorical Interpretation of Richard Wagner's the Ring of the Nibelung
Heise, Paul Brian
Paperback
Guitar Sheets Songwriting Journal: Over 100 Pages of Blank Lyric Paper, Staff Paper, TAB Paper, & more
Triola, Christian J.
Paperback
流行音樂的特殊和絃進行訓練筆記: 創作/學
不拘時
Paperback
Beethoven's Sketches: An Analysis of His Style Based on a Study of His Sketch-Books
Mies, Paul
Paperback
Professional Orchestration Vol 1: Solo Instruments & Instrumentation Notes
Alexander, Peter Lawrence
Paperback
Relaxing Piano Sheet Music for Stress Relief: 10 Easy Ballads for Intermediate Pianists
Urbanowicz, Alicja
Paperback
Guitar Sheets Collection: Over 200 pages of Blank TAB Paper, Staff Paper, Chord Chart Paper, Scale Chart Paper, & More
Triola, Christian J.
Paperback
Electronic Dance Music Production: The Advanced Guide On How to Produce Music for EDM Producers
Swindali, Tommy
Hardcover
Elevate Your Audio Production with REAPER: An extensive guide to recording, editing, and mixing with a powerful DAW
Bolte, Christopher
Galvan, Marco
Paperback
Luigi Dallapiccola, America, and the Unlocking of Visionary Creativity
Mario Ruffini, Mario Ruffini
Sciannameo, Franco
Hardcover
A Guitarist's Grimoire: Unlocking The Secrets Of Creating A Musical Diary To Master Guitar Composition
Press, University Scholastic
Paperback
The Music Production Guide: Mixing - Mastering - Releasing - Marketing. All you need to know in one book! (focused on FL Studio)
Von Hoch, Raphael
Paperback