I bet you've never gotten an email like this:

[brianhood]

tl;dr:This kid lives in a fantasy world where humility and social skills do not exist.

Hey whats up brian? I'm Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, vocalist of 'Xx Xxx Xxx'. We are a new band from Xxxxxx Xxxxx. i've been in local bands for years and thats changing now because of amazing advice from my friend Ben Ferris [woe, is me [rise records ]] I dont want to take up to much of your time, but i'm being 100% serious that we ARE the band to record. We have amazing material being written and we know what it takes to be in a major signed band. No, we arent huge right now and we havent played a show, but thats the point. Ben told me to record some HUGE and amazing demo's with a well known studio and i tried getting us into chango studios but now they dont take in bands that arent signed anymore. I really think you should consider taking in our band. Our plan is to record 2 original flawless demo's and a fun cover song[cover song depending on the price per song]. While recording, we are going to promote like hell and take profesional promo's, nd make video updates and make some HUGE hype about us and get ben ferris to do guest keys and vocals in a song and get tyler carter to do some guest vocals to! Then once we're done recording, we will release everything at once on facebook and myspace and everything, and have huge talk going on about us and then word will get to rise records and big things will happen! . The sound we are going for is heavy, but marketable. 'The word alive" 'Miss May I' 'Woe, is me' 'of mice and men' etc.. We are all professional in recording to metronomes,all have a music theory backround and we're all laid back awesome dudes! I sing and scream and i know anyone can say that but i actually CAN sing and scream,im known for it in my local city. Anyway man, sorry for taking up some of your time but i wouldnt be sending this if we werent serious about booking some studio time and getting on the road to RISE Records because we know 100% we are getting there. Much love bro! Hope to hear from you back soon! attatched our some rough material ideas, not with real instruments, We need high quality recordings with your mixing/mastering and then some keys and synth added in our songs.
-Xxxxx Xxxxxxx 'Xx Xxx Xxx'.

A few weeks later, i got this email from the same kid:

hey dude, my band is recording 2 demo's in alabama in november and Telle from The Word Alive is doing guest vocals and so is Tony dougard from The air i breathe. We already threw a down payment to the Xxxxxxxx Studio but your wuality is so much better, and we dont want to disspoint those big bands because theyre taking their time to do guest vocals so we can get big..Since we already threw a down payment, we're going to go record there but he doesnt do ANY effects to help the screaming vocals which is not good because telle and tony both have different effects to make them sound how they do, and it if its different on our tracks, then they will not have it. Would you mix and master our two tracks and make them sound the best they can be with professional screaming vocals? How much would this cost? thank you!

so should i take the job or not?

 

[AudioPhile777]

This made me laugh. I wouldn't bother.

...or if you end up doing it, make them sign a contract detailing exactly what you are going to do, down to your crossed t's and dotted i's.

You'll more than likely run into all sorts of issues with these types of "dreamers".

Good luck.

 

[DullElysium]

Well it's a paid job and i'm curious wether he can actually sing and scream.

But thats some weird email you've got there.

Somehow i feel like this band has no originality.

 

[Aaron Smith]

If they'll pay you your rate and you at least half way like their music...then I guess, why not!

 

[amarshism]

Do it for lolz

 

[ratsapprentice]

Do it to build up a superiority complex.

 

[DanLights]

If they'll pay you your rate and you at least half way like their music...then I guess, why not!

+1 it sounds stupid, but they are willing to pay (and he says they are all tight to a click and good musicians but there's no guarantee to that) so I would do it. Perhaps if your social aka brainwashing skills are good you might be able to talk some sense into them about their whole "master plan" but if you can't, still not your problem, your problem is to give them a great sounding demo

 

[gabriel g.]

I would do it because it would be killing me to NOT know whats behind all the big talk

 

[::XeS::]

In my opinion on those mails there are only useless words......I would avoid these bands of morons.
It's the classic band that want 2000000000 changes because they know nothing about recording but they wanna sound uber professional. Maybe they pay...yes...but sometimes it doesn't worth the effort.

 

[drew_drummer]

Who the fuck is Ben Ferris?

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Look past all the fancy words. Basically the email says "we like your work, we want you to mix and master two songs, we've got money." No reason not to take it, as long as you

1) Don't give a dime of discount - these gigs always end up being more work than you'd think.
2) Make it absolutely clear what your service includes. Even though these kids consider themselves professionals in recording to a metronome (whatever the fuck that means, do they make a living as session musicians? ), they might not have the faintest idea of what mixing and mastering includes.
3) Get paid 100% up front OR take a 50% deposit and get a signed contract. If these are minors indeed, in case of trouble it'll most likely be enough to show the contract to their parents.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

...and yes, I've gotten emails like that

Unfortunately, they have never lead to any real work.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

...and yes, I've gotten emails like that

Unfortunately, they have never lead to any real work.

 

[::XeS::]

Like this at 90%

 

[OneDaySky]

Somehow i get a feeling that if they dont get signed to Rise Records, he's the kinda kid that'll email you blaming you ;p Kid needs a serious talking to about social media communication.

Get him to send you a Demo recording (live from the bedroom or jamroom) so you can hear what you getting yourself into.

 

[::XeS::]

+1

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Somehow I get the feeling that they will get signed to Rise.

 

[DanLights]

Somehow I get the feeling that they will get signed to Rise.

Really? What could possibly give that away judging just from those emails?

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Exactly

 

[xFkx]

hmmm. sounds like the guitarist in my rock-post-hardcore-try-to-get-famous band, everytime he opens his mouth i want to choke him to death, but he gets shit done and that justifies his existance