Making "slots" for clients, so they stop wasting your time?

[Mattayus]

Just... with every mix client, they pay me their deposit, then they take forever getting their tracks to me. Or they might send me half an album or something, and send me the rest in bits n pieces, as and when it's being recorded.

It's really destructive to my work-flow, and more importantly, my cash-flow. I hate getting bits of money here and there and just having this random income. Do you guys book people into actual time slots with mixing?

I mean of course I do it with recording/production but nearly all my business comes from mixing/editing/mastering at the moment, and I never really thought of formulating an actual time-frame for people to work to. But I guess I should? And what sort of schedule do you work to? Do you tell them outright at the start of the project that they have X-amount of time to get stuff to you and give a verdict etc?

I'm just sick of people sending me shit whenever they feel they have the time, and expecting it back ASAP, and then taking an even longer amount of time to get back to me with their opinions. Very annoying.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Of course. My schedule would be absolutely fucked if every project didn't get a scheduled slot. Granted, sometimes I have to adjust to changes and such, but all in all it keeps things in order.

 

[Mattayus]

So how do you go about it then? Do you just give them a time frame, from x-date to y-date? And within that time the project has to be completed? Do you give them consequences? i.e. if it's not complete within the time they lose their deposit or something? Or they have to re-book you and pay more money? I'm unsure as to how to set it up without sounding like a pushy asshole!

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

So how do you go about it then? Do you just give them a time frame, from x-date to y-date? And within that time the project has to be completed? Do you give them consequences? i.e. if it's not complete within the time they lose their deposit or something? Or they have to re-book you and pay more money? I'm unsure as to how to set it up without sounding like a pushy asshole!

There's no need to make it complicated. Ask the client when would fit them best, then tell them the nearest available slot you have free. If you're unsure how long it will take you (you'll get a good idea how long each job will take you quite quickly), just quote a bit longer than you think. It's completely normal business, there's nothing pushy ore asshole-ish about it.

"Great, I have a free slot from the 15th to 29th, so I'll reserve that one for you. I'll need the tracks delivered by the 14th if it's ok. If you prefer another date, just let me know and we'll figure it out! Thanks!"

 

[egan.]

My experience booking mix engineers have been exactly as Jarkko described. I book time just like if I was tracking.

 

[Mattayus]

That's all well and good, and thanks for the example, but where's the ultimatum? Where's the "AND IF IT AINT DONE BY THAT TIME, FUCK OFF!"
There's still nothing really stopping them taking their sweet fuckin time, or saying "I'll get the bass to you in a couple of weeks",

or, even, they take your tracks after you've sent them, then they take forever getting back to you with their opinions to see if it's actually finished and if adjustments need making. I think that's the worst part.

 

[if6was9]

Yeah that seems to be the way it's done in my experience. You say you've time from date X to date Y that you can do it in, they'll need it in by date Z if they want it finished by the date they need it for as it'll take you so many days to do it.

I'd err on the side of advising bands getting things in early as about half the time people mess up and don't send all the right files and on time.

 

[if6was9]

That's all well and good, and thanks for the example, but where's the ultimatum? Where's the "AND IF IT AINT DONE BY THAT TIME, FUCK OFF!"
There's still nothing really stopping them taking their sweet fuckin time, or saying "I'll get the bass to you in a couple of weeks",

or, even, they take your tracks after you've sent them, then they take forever getting back to you with their opinions to see if it's actually finished and if adjustments need making. I think that's the worst part.

Well if you book everything then you won't always be free to work on their stuff if they don't get it into you before a certain time.
Regarding getting stuff in bits and pieces, just tell them to wait till they have ALL the files before sending it that you need them all to mix. I can't mix something if I don't have all the files.

 

[egan.]

That's all well and good, and thanks for the example, but where's the ultimatum? Where's the "AND IF IT AINT DONE BY THAT TIME, FUCK OFF!"
There's still nothing really stopping them taking their sweet fuckin time, or saying "I'll get the bass to you in a couple of weeks",

or, even, they take your tracks after you've sent them, then they take forever getting back to you with their opinions to see if it's actually finished and if adjustments need making. I think that's the worst part.

I'm not sure who you're replying to but the ultimatum is "This is your slot. I charge half up front. If I don't have your tracks by X-date you are forfeiting your deposit just like if you booked tracking days and didn't show up." Simply refuse to start until you have all of the material. As far as the "getting back" just give them a set number of recalls and a set window in which to make requests.

 

[Mattayus]

Right, gotcha, thanks dudes!

 

[guitarguru777]

For mixing or reamp jobs I will not accept any tracks until the band is finished tracking. Once they are done I will take the project.