How in the world do I make this band better?

3tuxedo

3tuxedo

Senior Member
Apr 2, 2011
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I decided to post this here, because this is technically about production and tips and such.
Basically I had an awful experience last night with the one guitarist of the band I'm working with. He just can't even play guitar at all. We sat there and did 46 FUCKING takes of a 3 bar part. That is just, what? And if you guys could hear how easy this part was you would lose hope in humanity.

Anyway, my question is how do I, 1. make this guitarist not suck? 2. get him to believe that someone else needs to do the goddamn part? And 3. try to get these mangled guitar parts to not sound like shit? Much appreciated. (I'm done with bands who are like, "Yeah! We totally got all our parts down." and then come and can't palm mute :puke: )
 
1) Call a band meeting
2) Tell the whole band which players are not cutting it and why (to the point where even ProTools can't help).
3) Give them two options: a) someone (anyone! - maybe you!) else plays the parts or b) you quit.

Done.
 
Get really good at editing, then it doesn't matter how bad they play, you can make it sound "ok".
 
Preproduction usually reveals these types of problems before tracking begins. Next time, insist on some prepro demos, either from the band themselves or from you, added into the cost of making their record.

Without knowing the band and all the details of the situation, it's hard to say what you should do. If you can get away with it and it won't poison the session, I'd recommend the sit-down approach. If you suspect that certain members of the band might get really butthurt about it, I'd just slip edit the DIs (you DID take DIs, right?) and reamp the guitars. It won't sound 100%, but at least the crummy palm mutes will be in time.
 
DavePiatek said:
Preproduction usually reveals these types of problems before tracking begins. Next time, insist on some prepro demos, either from the band themselves or from you, added into the cost of making their record.
Click to expand...

^yes.

Even though most bands around here have no idea what preproduciton is and are absolutely not going to pay for it, so I just have to listen/see/feel out whatever I can before shooting them a base price for the session. If they suck and I think I can make it work, I double my rate to make it worth my while if they do actually pony up the cash.
 
DavePiatek said:
Preproduction usually reveals these types of problems before tracking begins. Next time, insist on some prepro demos, either from the band themselves or from you, added into the cost of making their record.

Without knowing the band and all the details of the situation, it's hard to say what you should do. If you can get away with it and it won't poison the session, I'd recommend the sit-down approach. If you suspect that certain members of the band might get really butthurt about it, I'd just slip edit the DIs (you DID take DIs, right?) and reamp the guitars. It won't sound 100%, but at least the crummy palm mutes will be in time.
Click to expand...

I absolutely did take DI's. This is a great post, chalk full of good advice. Thank you man. I do sadly think that guitarist will be all up in arms if i tell him someone else needs to do it, because he thinks the tone is messing him up and he is doing it right which isn't true. But I love that preproduction idea, I will have to do that next time.
 
I'd point out his problem to him and do the "let's try the other guitarist/bassist for this part" bit.

I can't stand guitarists or musicians, for that matter, who think "eh, it's good enough" and are totally oblivious to their shitty-ness. I want to so badly record all the guitars for our upcoming album but I know for a fact our other guitarist would have a shit fit if "he" wasn't on the album.
 
I had to have a single guitar player do that where I made him play all the parts. The other guitarist was doing wacky upward strokes on chugs and had the shittiest grip on his pick. He was upset but he understood once I called the meeting and had the other guitar player track it and play it back to back. I'd try that- record the better version (be you, other guitarist, halftime) and play it back to back and they should hear how much better it sounds. If not, you just use the better take anyway in the end after the band leaves.
 
Just send them a "rough mix" without edited guitars, don't mention how bad/sloppy the guitar playing is. Let the guitarist hear it for himself and the rest of the band can point out his terrible playing themselves. :lol:

But if you absolutely cannot edit the guitars, and these guys are paying you, then definitely get someone else to re-record the parts. Honesty is a good thing to have tied to your name as a producer, so if you believe the guitar player should either practice his parts more before recording, or that he's not even ready to be in a band, tell them.

Decisions like these should be made between the band and the producer. Have a discussion about this with them! It is what it is, be straight up with them about it.
 
i usually apply the "kick them out of the studio until they learn to play" technique and it works.
 
Re-record the parts your self and tell them you fixed it in the mix.
 
abaga129 said:
You could try bouncing it as is and send it to them as a rough mix so they can hear how shitty it is. That way you aren't just saying "hey you suck. Get someone else to record it." You will have something to back it up.
Click to expand...

They will blame you for a bad mix. Happened before.
 
+1 on the preprod. if that's too much of a hassle, join a band practice, it at least gives you somehow of an idea what this band is about and potential issues that can occur during tracking stage. worked for me a couple of times to actually turn down bands I figured won't cut it.
 
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