Ermz' Production Tips Compendium (for the newer guys)
- Thread starter Ermz
- Start date
Soulintruder
Studiostriver
After coming back to this site so many times googleing/youtubing stuff about mixing, I finally decided to sign up. This form seams like a great place, I think I'll be coming back and back. Also what a great read Ermz, thanks for posting this.
WarlockStudios
Member
I joined the other day and have been jumping around on here feasting on the vast wealth of knowledge the forum has to offer. I'm an experienced musician who's dabbled with recording in the past but have just got more heavily into it - so definately a newbiew! I'm glad I came accross this thread theres tonnes of great advice and wise lessons I have learnt and i've bookmarked it in-case I need to return for more perspective!
Cheers Ermz!
Cheers Ermz!
Monstret
New Metal Member
Very inspiring thread, amazing someone took effort writing it BIG thanks very appreciated
All new here and iam looking forward to all great stuffs and knowledge i will find people sharing on this site.
All new here and iam looking forward to all great stuffs and knowledge i will find people sharing on this site.
MaellaJohn
Member
This is awesome.
I'm just getting into producing and I've been acting like a noob about it around the forum. Even though this thread is old, it's extremely helpful. I'm taking everything into consideration.
Thank you.
I'm just getting into producing and I've been acting like a noob about it around the forum. Even though this thread is old, it's extremely helpful. I'm taking everything into consideration.
Thank you.
ArroldW
Sound Engineer/Producer
Scavneck
Ominous Bloodvomit
I've basically read it diagonally because I want to read it carefully when I have more time but it seams to me you wrote some big truths in there.
Wow! Can't believe i missed this one for so long despite lurking on and off for quite some time!
Great post. Like everyone has said, the full circle thing is creepily accurate. I'd like to think I'm getting back to writing music, but it's been a tough journey so far. I remember a time when riffs would just flow, when I just got into recording. But with recording bands day in and day out, you kinda lose the steam a little bit when you pick up your instrument. However, that said, I'm glad that my ears made the journey they did. Let's hope the age, experience, and hard work pays off for the music as well!
Great stuff man And I just visited your website, there's some AMAZING clips in there! Brutal stuff! Keep it up
Great post. Like everyone has said, the full circle thing is creepily accurate. I'd like to think I'm getting back to writing music, but it's been a tough journey so far. I remember a time when riffs would just flow, when I just got into recording. But with recording bands day in and day out, you kinda lose the steam a little bit when you pick up your instrument. However, that said, I'm glad that my ears made the journey they did. Let's hope the age, experience, and hard work pays off for the music as well!
Great stuff man
And I just visited your website, there's some AMAZING clips in there! Brutal stuff! Keep it up 
kpp_custom
New Metal Member
- Aug 22, 2011
- 3
- 0
- 1
Thanks Ermz - as a new comer to the forum I can certainly attest that this is very helpful and it's great to be able to receive advice from more experienced users.
Cheerz \m/
Cheerz \m/
Shinozoku
Senior Memory
Hey folks! I just wanted to post in here how much I appreciate Ermz posting this thread! I've made it a point in recent years to pay attention to stickies, especially since I've contributed to some on other forums myself.
I'll be sure to read this article frequently, especially before I try working with my friends down the road! Hopefully we can get a song finalized where I've been able to be there through the whole thing and engineer it.
Building on the last point about sleep, it's something any producer/engineer ought to tell a band before working with them:
The day before you come in for pre-production, go to sleep early. Don't watch TV, use the computer, or text any at least 2 hours before you go to bed. Blue light put out by these screens cuts short the melatonin being produced by the body to help you sleep restfully. Sleep with the windows cracked open for some fresh air and sunlight in the morning, and get some rest, making sure your head is cool at night. That way, they'll be energized and ready to roll the next day! The engineer probably ought to do the same
I'll be sure to read this article frequently, especially before I try working with my friends down the road! Hopefully we can get a song finalized where I've been able to be there through the whole thing and engineer it.
Building on the last point about sleep, it's something any producer/engineer ought to tell a band before working with them:
The day before you come in for pre-production, go to sleep early. Don't watch TV, use the computer, or text any at least 2 hours before you go to bed. Blue light put out by these screens cuts short the melatonin being produced by the body to help you sleep restfully. Sleep with the windows cracked open for some fresh air and sunlight in the morning, and get some rest, making sure your head is cool at night. That way, they'll be energized and ready to roll the next day! The engineer probably ought to do the same
Thanks alot for this dude! I'm a new member here and after reading through that alone, I've already gained alot of knowledge!
You really do write some very good sense!
"If you are expecting your mix engineer to reamp your guitars, as well as craft your drums, and tune your sloppy vocals you had better be planning on paying them their tracking, editing AND mixing fee. One of the most insulting things I see on here are artists that come on and offer up their tracks for mixing, with barely any actual audio content. They provide a MIDI track, some raw guitars, a DI'd bass, and if we're REALLY lucky, some half-decently tracked vocals. To top this off, they offer the equivalent of the half of any civilized country's minimum wage in compensation for all the time spent to essentially engineer the project from the ground up."
This is pretty much where my head was at last weekend - "....blurs the line between mixing and arrangement. Heck, a lot of this stuff doesn’t blur anything; it goose-steps all over arrangement and kicks “writing” in the throat."
Respect.
A.
"If you are expecting your mix engineer to reamp your guitars, as well as craft your drums, and tune your sloppy vocals you had better be planning on paying them their tracking, editing AND mixing fee. One of the most insulting things I see on here are artists that come on and offer up their tracks for mixing, with barely any actual audio content. They provide a MIDI track, some raw guitars, a DI'd bass, and if we're REALLY lucky, some half-decently tracked vocals. To top this off, they offer the equivalent of the half of any civilized country's minimum wage in compensation for all the time spent to essentially engineer the project from the ground up."
This is pretty much where my head was at last weekend - "....blurs the line between mixing and arrangement. Heck, a lot of this stuff doesn’t blur anything; it goose-steps all over arrangement and kicks “writing” in the throat."
Respect.
A.
