For you guys who play in bands as well as record do you get any "backlash"?

[nwright]

...about how well your band's recordings sound vs. the work you may do?

I've had a few potential clients recently who have contacted me about recording, but have been questioned about how much effort I'll put into the work vs. how much effort I put into my band's CD's. I've even been denied jobs once the price quote for the project comes out, based on the speculation that, for the money, they think I wouldn't put as much effort into their CD as I did my own.

Do any of you guys get this?

It's kind of a downer, because I don't get to work with a lot of quality metal bands, and the idea that I'm losing money on potential projects is discouraging.

I talked with a vocalist from a band we share the stage with often, and he wants me to do their next release, which could be pretty cool (they have a development deal with a label ATM), but some of the dudes in his band think I wouldn't give 100% like I do my own band. Fact is, it would be a cool project based around what seems like a reasonably tight band, and the money would be sweeeet.

I've tried to explain the differences, mainly those of time and budget contraints (because with my band and me recording us, there are none) between my band and them paying me and taking time to do their project and all the details and differences that entails. The vocalist seems down for it, but the rest of the band are really the ones who may be the deciding factor.

How do you guys handle it?

 

[lolzgreg]

Sounds like your clients are being unreasonable. I've never had this issue. It's kind of obvious you'll be putting more effort into your own work, considering you have an established creative vision and the resources and preparation to do things on your own time (proficiently at that). A lot goes into making a record and you have to explain to your clients you'll do everything you can to make it great, because your work represents you AND them. Just explain to them, be prepared come in and lay down the tracks and you'll make the magic happen.

 

[digitaldeath]

Surely you have examples of previous work (other than your own band) which would put their minds at ease?

 

[006]

Yeah I've never had that come up myself - what did you do?!!?

Seriously though, it's inevitable you WILL put more effort into your own band's project because you are in the band. I mean, you're not in theirs so you don't understand FULLY their vision and what they want, they can only convey it to you and you interpret. That's how it will be with ANY engineer, if they go to you or Sneap, it'll only be as good as they can come across with what they want/see/hear. I mean, they are obviously interested based on hearing your work, so I don't understand their weird problem here, it's actually really odd to me they bring that up. I don't see why they don't shut up and let you do your thang.

 

[Jordon]

Have you also explained that your work with your own band probably only turned out that good because of the dedication and attention to detail in the performances as well? They need to know that in order to get a product comparable, they need to put in the same amount of effort in song writing and performance.

 

[DaveBlack]

Hell, I would just tell them...I have an endless amount of time to work on my band and as long as you book the time to devote to mixing, there's no reason you can't achieve a product that's up to par, if not better than my own projects.

I think that's a huge problem with bands who go into the studio. They dont realize that all the magic happens after you record. They say how come our tracks dont sound as good as so-and-so's. That's cuz so-and-so paid for 10 hours strictly for mixing.

With that, I think I would like to start charging less for mixing sessions so bands would be more inclined to jump on board. Not only to give them a better product but to give the studio a better name.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

I'm on the cheap side of the local market, so, when clients hear my previous works don't hesitate too much about my skills or the effort I put on others' bands. Other studios/producers here are charging more than 3x my rates, and the quality is terrible.

Anyways, if they hear your job on others' projects they'll realise they're wrong about you.

Good luck Nate!
-Erik

 

[PhilTheBeard]

Im glad i left the band i was just in to do recordings. but thanks to being in that band people wanna work with me cuase they liked my band haha. and plus SigmundFreud33 is my new partner and he tracked and mixed our full length and people in our area love his work.

 

[nwright]

Yeah I've never had that come up myself - what did you do?!!?

Haha, I didn't do anything, I just think it's the nature of our area and how are band is perceived. We are the "scene assholes" I think...Mainly due to the fact that we aren't really part of the local scene (the "scene" I'm referring to is about an hour away from any of us, so we aren't at a lot of shows that we don't play, etc.), and the fact that our CD has been well received by many as having some of the best (if not the best) production in our local area (not my words, but others)...Add to that the fact that we really aren't close with any other local bands, so at shows we play, we just hang out together at our merch table and don't really talk to other bands much. And then add to that, a lot of our shows are with touring nationals we've been lucky enough to get hooked up with, and it creates a little animosity I suppose. I dunno, that's just what I get from it, and from what some promoters and stuff have mentioned. It's a bit of jealousy I guess, but it's bumming me out that people would extrapolate that to me personally in recording. Just dumb shit I suppose.

for one band in particular, I explained to their vocalist - again, he isn't the one with the problem - that my desires to be an AE are a completely seperate issue from me being in a band.

I told him that I think the work I've done with my band is more representative of how valuable time is when it's on your side (and not costing you money) in that you are able to tweak from every angle to get what you want. I'll also add, and this IS personal, that we kicked our asses to get the best performances we could muster, even if it took a long time. For bands paying, they don't have that luxury.

TBH, lately, I've found my work outside my band to be far better than my band's own work, but they hadn't heard any of that until last night. I think that helped.

I just find it frustrating that my goals of wanting to get better as an AE, spread out a bit and move more into that sphere would ever be disregarded as trying to sabotage bands to make mine look better...Doesn't even enter into possibility.

 

[JeffTD]

I think that's a huge problem with bands who go into the studio. They dont realize that all the magic happens after you record. They say how come our tracks dont sound as good as so-and-so's. That's cuz so-and-so paid for 10 hours strictly for mixing.

Is this ass backwards to anybody else, or am I crazy??? Most of the magic should be happening in the tracking stage, while the band is there. Getting performances tight and good tones for the band set up with them is the biggest part of the equation. Sure you can edit, tune, reamp, etc... after the fact, but you're never going to turn shit tracking into a genius mix!

 

[MetalJonesy]

Is this ass backwards to anybody else, or am I crazy??? Most of the magic should be happening in the tracking stage, while the band is there. Getting performances tight and good tones for the band set up with them is the biggest part of the equation. Sure you can edit, tune, reamp, etc... after the fact, but you're never going to turn shit tracking into a genius mix!

i agree dude, but half the bands i record think they are ace, and have great amp settings etc and timing, but when it comes down to it and im trying to mix it its not. however they wont spend time getting the perfect take, and its frustrating for me to waste my time on trying to make them sound good when the original tracking should be gud enough!!

 

[lolzgreg]

i agree dude, but half the bands i record think they are ace, and have great amp settings etc and timing, but when it comes down to it and im trying to mix it its not. however they wont spend time getting the perfect take, and its frustrating for me to waste my time on trying to make them sound good when the original tracking should be gud enough!!

My philosophy:

Oh yeah, after you track bass, leave your instrument here just in case any overdubs need to be done or parts need to be reworked. *Learns and replays parts in time/better*

 

[MetalJonesy]

My philosophy:

Oh yeah, after you track bass, leave your instrument here just in case any overdubs need to be done or parts need to be reworked. *Learns and replays parts in time/better*

haha on bass i have done that several times!!!

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

yeah what the fuck is with bassists, almost all of the ones I have recorded have been lazy bastards and don't bother to really know their own band's songs!

Or they are just sloppy as fuck, or even worse they are the guitarist.

 

[DanLights]

yeah what the fuck is with bassists, almost all of the ones I have recorded have been lazy bastards and don't bother to really know their own band's songs!

Or they are just sloppy as fuck, or even worse they are the guitarist.

hahaha yeah, come across some sloppy as fuck bassists, they're almost just like the "drummers" oz hates. haha

 

[DaveBlack]

No, I think it's a little extreme to call it ass backwards. Maybe I take tracking for granted but I'm sure there's an obvious point when you have to say "Listen, the performance isn't great". What I consider studio magic is the whole process of mixing. Sculpting tones, replacing drums, fx, automation so on and so forth. If you dont think that makes a major impact on the final mix then we have to just agree to disagree lol.

 

[PhilTheBeard]

yeah i remember we tracked our full length and our bass player did all his bass in one day cause he thought he was perfect. he had fuck ups all over the cd and had to redo a lot of parts.

 

[spioraid]

Well, look at it from this way. (Mind you, this is the only justifiable cause for any unrest on the part of the contractee.)

They hear your band's album, and think, "Golly, I wish my hXc band sounded like that!" They walk up to you, give you the Boy Scout salute and ask to hire you to record their band. You agree and give them your price sheet, list of requirements and rough estimate on how much time it'll take to record a decent 10 track album. You also state the limitations within that time frame you allow per project.

This comes across as discouraging to the young scenester, and starts to contemplate the pros and the cons as he constantly flips his over-the-face-bangs across his face. Realizing that in the best of scenarios (with the exception of practicing, because c'mon, who practices?) with the most amount of money and time they might get close to your bands signature sound. But seeing as they put more money into Levi tight fitting jeans and hair dye products, they decide to launch an all out hissy-fit war against you and your services.

So in short...use previous work not of your band as examples of work.

Thank you, the end.

 

[nwright]

So in short...use previous work not of your band as examples of work.

Thank you, the end.

Good point. I think it's easy to overlook someone's work outside their band when they are known for their AE work within it.

I gave them plenty of clips to listen to. They seemed happy with that. Now I just hope I get the project!

 

[Executioner213]

The way I see it, I end up spending more time on a band I'm recording rather than my own because I know my bands material and desires better. I know how my band wants to sound because I'm around them more often. With a band I'm doing work for, I have to bounce shit back and forth to the band and it takes forever.