Been doing this for a few years now and obviously, mix revisions are something you have to do when dealing with bands with 4-5 opinions on how it should sound. I always work hard to keep everyone pleased as well as keeping happy with the mix myself.
This one band lately though have really been taking the piss. It was supposed to be a "live" video and I was doing the audio. Only one song, NOT metal. They left out some flute parts in the song in the live takes so they could focus on them and re did them in a session after. This one overdub session turned into 2 and we spent a great deal of time working on the mix in these also.
So I did a mix myself and gave it to the band to critique. I asked them to come in and finish it off with me in an attended mix session as I normally do. That way they get to check it out at home, develop opinions, make a list of alterations and I work on the new mix before they come in to finish it. Standard enough fare I'd imagine, its a system that usually works very well.
So now this turned into 3 attended mix sessions as after every time they went home with their mix they decided they wanted changes. After the last one I told them we can't keep doing this- I've more work lined up and we have to draw the line somewhere, and I'm completely happy that we've squeezed every ounce of quality out of it. They agreed and I gave them their finished mix and sent it out to the rest of the band.
Was working with another band today when I get a text message a few hundred words long including a new list of changes to be made to the mix by a member who was "too busy" to come to the mixing sessions. He fully expects another mix to be done.
What was originally a 1 day record, 1 day mix of a song for a video has snowballed into 4 days recording and 1-2 days mixing on my part, and 4 mix sessions at various times with the band. All for very little money as they were on a very budget and I was eager to be part of it as it is a cool project. They haven't been paying for attended mix sessions I might add.
How do you let a band like this know you've drawn the line and aren't going to work on it anymore. I've already told them I consider it finished and don't want to make any more changes but they clearly want to keep working on it. I think I've been too accomodating for them, letting them call over when I've got some time to work on it.
This one band lately though have really been taking the piss. It was supposed to be a "live" video and I was doing the audio. Only one song, NOT metal. They left out some flute parts in the song in the live takes so they could focus on them and re did them in a session after. This one overdub session turned into 2 and we spent a great deal of time working on the mix in these also.
So I did a mix myself and gave it to the band to critique. I asked them to come in and finish it off with me in an attended mix session as I normally do. That way they get to check it out at home, develop opinions, make a list of alterations and I work on the new mix before they come in to finish it. Standard enough fare I'd imagine, its a system that usually works very well.
So now this turned into 3 attended mix sessions as after every time they went home with their mix they decided they wanted changes. After the last one I told them we can't keep doing this- I've more work lined up and we have to draw the line somewhere, and I'm completely happy that we've squeezed every ounce of quality out of it. They agreed and I gave them their finished mix and sent it out to the rest of the band.
Was working with another band today when I get a text message a few hundred words long including a new list of changes to be made to the mix by a member who was "too busy" to come to the mixing sessions. He fully expects another mix to be done.
What was originally a 1 day record, 1 day mix of a song for a video has snowballed into 4 days recording and 1-2 days mixing on my part, and 4 mix sessions at various times with the band. All for very little money as they were on a very budget and I was eager to be part of it as it is a cool project. They haven't been paying for attended mix sessions I might add.
How do you let a band like this know you've drawn the line and aren't going to work on it anymore. I've already told them I consider it finished and don't want to make any more changes but they clearly want to keep working on it. I think I've been too accomodating for them, letting them call over when I've got some time to work on it.
