Why did I use a reference track?
A reference track is like a guide or template. It helped me stay on tempo (speed), structure the song properly, and keep the “feel” consistent.

In Logic Pro 11 (which is a popular DAW and accessible), I imported the song and figured out its tempo: 80 BPM (beats per minute). Knowing the tempo was crucial because it set the speed for everything else I’d record.

Note that this is only a guide for me. We have recorded all the tracks from scratch!

Step 2: Laying Down the Drums

No song survives without rhythm.

Here are the following steps:

• I've connected my Roland TD-1DMK electronic drum kit straight to Logic Pro via usb cable, this produces midi signals.

• The MIDI signals is then sent out to a VST plugin called EZDrummer 3, which produces realistic sound of acoustics drums.

• Those MIDI signals will then be laid out on a separate track.

Behind the scenes of me recording the drum tracks.

The interface of the EZDrummer plugin, which I used to record the drums.

Roland Ekit Drums → MIDI → EZDrummer 3 → Logic Pro 11 → Drum sounds!

Step 3: Bass & Guitar (Family Band Cameo)

My father helped lay down the tracks for bass, and my little sister recorded the guitar parts. We recorded both through an audio interface, which converts the instruments’ sounds into WAVE files in Logic Pro.

(Quick note: technically, you can record instruments in any order. For this cover, the guitar was actually recorded first, but I wanted to explain the drums first because that’s the instrument I play, and honestly, it felt more natural to tell the story that way).

Once the bass and guitar were in, the track really started to come alive, the drums laid the foundation, the guitar added flavor, and the bass held everything together.

Step 4: Vocals

Enter my sister again, this time on vocals. We recorded her vocals twice (a trick called double tracking). 

Why? Because doubling makes vocals sound fuller.

Behind the Scenes: We used a Shure SM57 dynamic microphone. It is the most commonly used for recording professional production.

Step 5: Mixing = Audio Jenga

Enter mixing in Logic Pro! The process of balancing everything:

• Adjusting volume so one track doesn’t compete over another.

• Panning (moving sounds left or right in headphones) to create space.

• Making sure the vocals don’t drown in guitar or hide behind drums.

As for the additional mixing and enhancement, I used EZMix, a VST plugin that helps apply EQ, compression, reverb, and other effects with preset chains, perfect for speeding things up and produce a more professional track.

Step 5: Mastering

After balancing, I added a few more effects to polish the sound:

• Reverb added space, and made it sound like my instruments are in a room or hall instead of a dry studio. I used a slight effect of room in the mastering track:

• EQ (Ozone Advanced) is a a very helpful plugin, which balanced the unwanted frequencies:

Google Drive link for an alternate version: