Should I make my client re-record this?

[Siriun]

Begun mixing a very young bands first EP. They send me the files, and I open 'em up in my DAW and set the mix to get ready and I'm so unsure with the cleanliness and utter chaos of following a click track, that I'm not sure if I should just tell them to re-record the entire thing.

Now I know I can align the cadences and make sure everything is put into time like it's supposed to but, the guitar playing is so sloppy at points, there's clipping like mad, the only way I see to save it, is for me to re-record the parts for them. Same with the bass.

Tempo is 170
Here's the tracks so you can see for yourself:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/75516231/Just%20Understand.zip

 

[Deathmetal616]

Dropbox 404

 

[Siriun]

Dropbox 404

Fixed!

 

[C-Martin]

Still not fixed.

Without hearing the samples though, i would say the best thing to do is explain all this to them, then give them both options; Mix it how it is and get whatever results come out of it or re-record everything with you to get better results. If they are tight asses with money, they probably won't go with the later because that would mean spending more money and time on this project. If they care for their music, then they will listen to your advice and re-record regardless of the costs.

Also make sure you make them sign an agreement to understanding the situation, the quality of the end product they will be receiving, and get some kind of down payment. I've recently had a fuck up with trusting a band to not pay me until the end. When the project was done, they refused to pay because the quality was "not good enough" yet they knew what they were getting before the project started because i had explained everything and even given them a preview of how it would sound and they accepted it. I won't do anything anymore without some form of written confirmation (apart from the initial contract) stating that they understand and accept the quality and a down payment.

 

[Deathmetal616]

Definitley rerecord this.
It is clipping like hell and has white noise all over the audio material
Did they plug their instruments in thier laptop mic in or what?

Besides the playing is bad... sounds like it is going to be a very bad job.

€dit: For me the link is working now!

 

[Clockwork]

As soon as I listened to those clips I immediately assumed the song is from this thread.

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...-ep-needs-reamping-mixing-mastering-free.html

 

[colonel kurtz]

I'll make you guys sound really good

lulz!

 

[KHE]

quoted from that thread:

No worries for sure. I'll make you guys sound really good. I'm a metalcore guy anyway so I'll give it a good tinge that you guys need to make it sound great!

please post the end-result. polishing a turd gets a new definition.

 

[Siriun]

quoted from that thread:


please post the end-result. polishing a turd gets a new definition.

I have no problem doing something I enjoy for free. I didn't expect it the tracks
to be this disastrous, though.

I'll tell you right now, there's a LOT of editing to do. Some parts are completely unrepairable (Clipping, sloppy playing) but I just gotta make it sound best I can to the client's request. Funny thing is they think it sounds great the way it was recorded

 

[Sloan]

This is where you decide if it's worth YOUR time or not. If it sucks, don't put your name on it unless the money is good (i got a feeling it's not?).

 

[greyskull]

Mother of god..... That is BAAAAD.

It would definitely be quicker for you to replay it.

 

[Siriun]

This is where you decide if it's worth YOUR time or not. If it sucks, don't put your name on it unless the money is good (i got a feeling it's not?).

It's not so much about the payment for me, money isn't my concern at this point. I'm most likely just going to re-record the guitar and bass myself

Mother of god..... That is BAAAAD.

It would definitely be quicker for you to replay it.

Yeah I plan on it. I'm glad I'm not crazy because when I was listening back to this I was thinking "There's no way you can mix this and have it sound clean. The performances are far too poor". Maybe a simple re recording will make it shine

 

[Sloan]

^playing the parts yourself was also going to be my suggestion if the money wasn't an issue. But I would def charge them for instrument rental, strings, and studio musician.

 

[Terminus]

I hesitate to even call that a "client" after downloading and listening to that abomination. Don't let it escape out into the world.

 

[Siriun]

I hesitate to even call that a "client" after downloading and listening to that abomination. Don't let it escape out into the world.

Well, they told me they have absolutely no recording experience whatsoever. As if that wasn't evident enough

 

[Sloan]

holy shit, finally got to listen to the files. NO. NO. NO.
There is absolutely nothing usable. ABANDON ASAP.

 

[Melb_shredder]

Oh boy... Dude, abort!

 

[RedDog]

Imported all the files. Watched my entire session facepalm.

There is absolutely no hope for this track.

I will, however, be sampling this for my own collection of EDM production and spoof "studio outtakes" to sell to lesser mixing souls.

 

[LiberaScientia]

You should make them re-record it.

And then make them pay for new ears for all of us that suffered in this thread.

 

[Heabow]

Delete that.